Bloody Blue Lips

Ch 13: The Housewife

The Past:

      Freya arrives at Selene's house ready for the fight ahead of her. It was windy, cold, and very, very dark. Across the street, a woman was watering her plants with a hose. She looked like a traditionally 1950's housewife and Freya thought it was strange for her to be out so late. 

      Freya walked up the steps. Knock! Knock! Knock! She moved her hands up and down her arms trying to keep warm. Why didn't she bring a jacket? She was probably too caught up thinking about how best to scold Kubera. Ugh. 

     Selene opened the door, clearly annoyed. "What is it now?"

     "I'm looking for Kubera. I heard he was here is that true?"

     "Ugh yeah, but he's absolutely no fun. Come in." Selene either didn't care or didn't remember that Freya had punched her because otherwise Freya probably wouldn't have been let in. Maybe Kubera smoothed things over and there was hope for him yet. 

     Selene walked into the living room, laying herself on the couch while pressing play on the TV remote. Selene begins to eat ice cream. No doubt that was her dinner. 

     "Oh my god!" Freya holds her hand over her mouth and rushes to an unconscious Kubera lying on the floor. She shakes him. He rolls his head and welches in pain. 

     "Don't worry, he's just a little high. He'll come back to life at some point." Selene has an I-couldn't-care-less attitude. It was alarming.

     "How long has he been like this?" 

     "He came here right after school."

     "Selene, it's been four hours." 

     "It has? Dang, TV and white wine is a better drug than coke." Selene turns back to look at Kubera. Okay, maybe there was something wrong. She put down the ice cream. "Help me get him on his side."

     Together, Freya and Selene turned Kubera on his side. Freya thought it was strange that two enemies had a common fear: that of Kubera overdosing.

     "I'll get him some water," Freya said, going to the kitchen. She came back quickly and Kubera was force fed some water. It didn't seem to help.

     "Should we call someone?" Freya asked.

     "No! I can't be caught."

     "He could die! And you're worried about yourself?!" Freya didn't expect to yell like that. Selene was silent, unsure of what to do.

      "I'll help you get him in your car. You'll take him home and your mom will help you. Say you found him outside your house or on the street or something."

      Freya didn't like the idea of lying but she also didn't like the idea of fighting with Selene when every second mattered. "Okay. Let's do this."

      Freya took Kubera's right arm over her shoulders and Selene took the left. They got out to Freya's mom's car and awkwardly positioned Kubera in the passenger's seat. "Thank you," Freya said as Selene walked into her house again. 

     "Hey is that guy alright?" The neighbor woman turned off her hose and began to walk automatically. 

     "Oh don't worry he's fine." A lie. Freya didn't like lying.

     "He doesn't look that way." The neighbor woman's voice sounded strangely electronic to Freya. She was a bit confused and let out a nervous laugh. 

     "Okay he's had a rough night but I'm taking him home now so it's all good." Freya was a bad liar and she was afraid the nice neighbor would see straight through her.

     "Alright then." The lady put a hand on Freya's shoulder. "Drive safe."

     "Thanks, I will." At that very moment, a blue-suited goon shoots a dart into Freya's back. The nice neighbor was Doctor Lotus. She grabs Freya in her arms as she passes out. 

     Camulus leans down to Kubera who still hasn't come to consciousness fully. "Don't worry son, I'll get the rest of the drugs from that intoxicated girl in there and you two will be the only ones hurt in this process." He leans closer into his son's ear. "You will be the first to succeed in my experiments. We will be a family of absolute power."

     Camulus injects an unknown liquid into Kubera's vulnerable neck. "Sleep, tight son. There are great things on the horizon."