The Fallen Goddess

Where We Landed

... but suddenly it does.

I look around me. Koreena and I are laying amongst bags of garbage and grime in an alleyway. As far as I can see, we are no where close to where we were just a second ago.

I try to sit up, but wince when the pain in my side pierces me through like a knife.

Koreena stirs.

"What the hell did you do?" I ask her through gritted teeth, trying not to let a groan of pain escape my mouth.

"I got us out of there." she responds in a hard tone.

"I thought you said your powers didn't work anymore." I point out, ignoring her obvious attempt to get me to shut up.

"Yeah, well, I guess they work when I need to save an idiot's ass."

I smile against my will.

"Didn't work entirely, though, did it?" I half-laugh, half-grimace.

For what I think is the first time, she notices the lightning wound, which has turned my skin a deep, raw red.

"Oh." she says, sounding apologetic. "Let me see if I can fix that."

She gets up from her position a few feet away, and, sitting back down, she reaches over and touches the wound with both hands, which makes me wince. She heaves a deep sigh, and slowly, with apparent hardship, she lifts her hands off my side. I'm amazed to see crackling bolts of electricity being extracted from the wound.

Koreena gives a small wince herself and the bolts are released from her hands; with a thunderous sound and a sparking light, the bolts return to the wound. The pain is excruciating and every bit as strong as when I was originally hit.  

"Dammit, Koreena!" I yell, gingerly holding the burn.

"Sorry!" she exclaims. "I guess I'm not powerful enough."

I give her words moment to sink in, then, the pain building, I suddenly say, "Try again."

She seems hesitant, looking at me skeptically, but after a moment brings her hands back to my side.

The bolts rise again, and this time they don't snap back; once the long stretches of lightning are all in Koreena's control, and the skin on my side fades back to it's normal color, Koreena flicks her hand and the bolts disappear.

I sit up, and no pain comes.

"Thanks." I say, standing up.

"So, how are you going to trick yourself into believing I'm not a goddess this time?" she asks immediately, crossing her arms.

"I'm not. I recently discovered that everything I was once taught is a complete and utter lie, but I know what I saw and I'm not going to cry over it. I can cope." I respond.

Koreena looks surprised but satisfied nonetheless. Her eyes flick to my chest.

"You should really put a shirt on." she says after an uncomfortable moment of staring.

"Yeah. Right." I agree. "But, uh, where would I get a shirt to put on? I mean to say, where the hell are we?"

"I don't know exactly; all I know is that I got us away from the problem." she responds, turning away and looking slightly preoccupied.

"Speaking of which, what happened back there?" I ask, still incredibly confused.

"One of my sisters was trying to kill me." she answers with no emotion or emphasize of any kind, as if this should have been obvious.

"Why?"

"Because they kicked me out of Orathne. My kingdom... Anyway, that's why I fell into your apartment."

"Okay, but why were you kicked out?"

"No idea." She says with an air of annoyance, abruptly ending the conversation, as if this isn't a subject she wants to talk about. Which is understandable.

I walk around the alley, trying to get my bearings, though failing as I am still dizzy and lost.

"Look, I've got to get back home. I'm starting my second year of college in a few days, and I really need to continue-"

"No." Koreena interrupts in the same hard tone she obtained before.

"I can't just abandon my life!" I yell, utterly perplexed as to why she won't bring me back; she doesn't even want me here. "My family and friends! My girlfriend! Your sister will leave me alone anyway right? It's you she wants, so let me go back!"

"She'll go to any means to get to me, even killing or torturing people I've had very little contact with. It's not safe for you anywhere on this planet but with me, so I'm sorry, but until I go back to Orathne, you have to stay with me!" She says, growing louder with every word.

"Trust me, I don't it any better than you do." she snarls as an afterthought.

"I can't stay with-" I start, but suddenly I'm slammed hard into the alley wall.

"Do not disagree with me. I didn't need help earlier Blake; I was in your house this morning because I was trying to protect you! I knew she would come for you and so I went back to save you, and I've done a damn good job of it so far!

"I could keep saving you, or I can let you die where you stand!" She yells, still holding me against the wall with incredible strength.

I say nothing.

"Are you with me?" she asks.

I say nothing.

And she lets go.

She gives me a look of disgust, dislike etched on every bit of her face. She begins to walk the distance of the alleyway, heading towards the exit.

I suddenly feel very guilty and a little lost. As I fall back to the ground and land on my hands and knees, I even feel a bit frightened. I don't know where I am, and even if I did, I don't have the money to get back home; there's a goddess on my tail who wants me dead; and the only chance I have of surviving is walking away because I'm such an idiot.

"Koreena, wait!" I yell just as she is about to turn the corner.

She turns quickly, almost like she was expecting me to reconsider, and I can tell at once my theory is correct; she is obviously fighting hard to keep the smile playing on her lips away.

"Did the idiot swallow his pride and decide that he was wrong?" She says in a mocking voice.

I smile and rush over to where she is standing, waiting for me. It is a surprisingly long alley way.

Together, we continue to walk down the sidewalk.