GC: Correspondence From the Goddess #12: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

[mrnelson007 at gmail.com]

Hello everyone and welcome to the twelfth letter from everyone's favorite goddess.  Or at least, if not, don't tell her that.  As per usual, you can see everything at http://goddesscorrespondence.tumblr.com and while you're there make sure to check out our group's website at http://literaryimpossible.tumblr.com even if it doesn't have a whole lot going on at the moment.  Now then!


You know, I’m so glad I’m going out more. I still love reading, but it makes me feel good inside to just spend time with all of you. Yes, I know, you don’t know it’s me, but isn’t it better that way? I love to just hear what you’re thinking. How you feel. What’s on your mind, what’s bothering you. I love a good story, and the story of life is the best story of all, don’t you think? It’s nice to get to see these stories from a different perspective. I went to church yesterday, just to listen. I’ve always felt so comfortable there. At peace.

- Elana

I really don’t have a lot to say this time, for once. I suppose I should just go ahead and get started rather than bore you with my ramblings, anyway.
“Bye, Lydia! I’m off to class!” For once, I was actually awake to hear Elana call out as she left the apartment. But then again, for once I actually had things to do.

Rachel had responded to my message the next morning. She sent a text. It was curt, nothing more than the address, and yet she actually spelled everything out. No abbreviations for her, apparently.

Looking it up, the address was a nondescript warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Haha. Yeah, right. I don’t think so. What kind of idiot do you take me for, girl? You can do better than that. There was no way I was going to go to that. That was basically asking to get kidnapped or something.

So we went back and forth for a while. At first I wanted someplace out in the open where I was sure to be safe. She made the surprisingly reasonable counterargument that I probably didn’t want everyone in the entire world knowing that I could do that. So, some discretion was important, but I still needed a place where help could find me if need be. I wasn’t about to just shrug my shoulders and trust them completely.

Of course, the other problem was that I didn’t have anyone to tell. Really, Elana was it. I didn’t have anyone else. A couple of casual acquaintances maybe, but no one anywhere close to the level I would need to trust them with a secret like this. Just Elana. If I told her she was sure to stop me. Ugh, what am I going to do?

That’s when it hit me. I could do it somewhere at least semi-public, so that people could see me - or at least I could easily get to a place where they could. But where would that be? Ah, of course. Obviously. “Rachel, hi. There’s a gym in the mall here. Why don’t we meet there? I can be running on treadmills or whatever the hell you want and it won’t look weird.”

“What’s wrong? Don’t you trust us?” She sounded amused, if anything.

“No. I sure as fuck don’t trust you.”

“I’m hurt, Lydia. Really. Let me check, though. Hey, boss, she wants to know if-”

“JUST GET HER THE GODDAMN PLACE SO WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH FOR CHRIST’S SAKE.”

“Lucky you, Lydia. I’ll send you the time when I get it worked out. Bye.”

And so now it was Friday morning, and it was time to head out. I waited until Elana had been gone for around half an hour. Nothing. If she was going to come back because she forgot a book or something, it would have happened by then. It seemed the coast was clear. Time to get moving.

I headed outside, walking down the sidewalk with a purpose. The mall was only a couple miles away. I could have walked it if I wanted, but I was low on time. I could have zipped over there, but that would be too obvious. I needed to stay inconspicuous. So, the bus seemed like the best option.

I pulled my jacket up around myself, looking down at the ground as I walked. In spite of my earlier excitement, it was hard not to be at least a little nervous. After all, this was the first time I’d ever really done anything like this. Not just with the powers, of course. That was obvious. All I ever did there was go run around in that clearing in the forest until I felt good. Over and over. How dull. So this was going to be a chance to break out and do something new, without putting myself in any real danger. Hopefully, at least.

On the other hand, it was also a risk I was taking, and that was impossible to deny. Risk had never been something I had gotten used to. When you got everything you wanted as a kid, you never had to take chances. Sure, I had rebelled, but it was the typical rich girl rebellion. I went out and hung out with the less-rich kids in order to give dad a “fuck you”. Or at least that was the idea. I doubt he really cared that much, but at the time I was sure it would be such a blow to him. Anyway. Point is, I never really went out and did drugs or anything, and looking back on it, none of the things I did do really amounted to much of a rebellion. This was the first thing I did that meant anything beyond a grumble and a sulk.

Even more than that, this was the first time I’d really disobeyed Elana in any significant way. Huh. Disobeyed. That’s an odd word to pick, isn’t it? Not like she’s my parent or anything, but I guess sometimes I think of her that way. She really did fill the role they left behind, and I suppose she’s a natural at it. She gets me to listen way better than mom or dad ever did, and whenever she yells at me I feel like I actually deserve it. I’m so lucky to have her. I’m sure I’d make a lot more shitty mistakes if she didn’t do her best to keep me under control.

Sorry, I got sidetracked there again. Anyway, this was my first time doing something serious against her wishes, and it made me feel uncomfortable. In the pit of my stomach I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was right and this was a terrible idea. I should have known better than to disobey her. She always knew what was best. What was I thinking? I should turn around and go back and -

No. I have to do this. I need to go and prove to her that I can handle myself. I’ve got all my bases covered. Nothing is going to go wrong. Nothing. It’s fine.

And so I stepped off the bus, heading into the mall and toward my destiny.

- Lydia