GOD1

by  ipam

Smashwords Edition
Copyright  2011 Pamela Joan Barlow
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.


PLAYERS:
Mrs. & Mr. Windsor, mistress and master, Windsor Manor, Birmingham, Alabama
Granny Hanover, god and goddess mentor, Windsor Manor

Teen gods and goddesses:
Archibald, Jamestown, Virginia, teen god, Shango, Africa
Bibi, London, Minnesota, teen goddess, Nikki, England
Chun, Tibet, New York, teen goddess, Kuan Yi, China
Fabio, Naples, Florida, teen god, Mithras, Italy
Kruti, Bali, California, teen goddess, Shivaa, India
Hansel, Lund, Utah, teen god, Balder, Sweden
Josefina, Carlsbad, New Mexico, teen goddess, Is Chel, Mexico
Liam, Waterford, Maine, teen god, Lugh, Ireland
Marcus, Athens, Georgia, teen god, Ares, Greece
Noako, Sapporo, New York, teen goddess, Dainichi, Japan
Rachel, Memphis, Tennessee, goddess, Isis, Egypt
Thian, twin brother of Thianne, god, Birmingham, Alabama
Thianne, twin sister of Thian, goddess, Birmingham, Alabama
Yaffa, Maui, Hawaii, teen goddess, Pele, Hawaiian


September 24, night, farm, Windsor Manor, Birmingham, Alabama, 56*F, clear, full moon, 1:35 a.m.
The hoofs deftly leaped over and under the heavy brush and limbs as the horses carried four hooded riders, who halted, smelled and reared their steeds to the prey located in the barn on Windsor Manor in Birmingham, Alabama.

She twisted the long wool cape around her tall slim body, not from the chill since the fall weather was slightly humid yawning for the early morning light and mild rains predicted for the late a.m. forecast, but from the thrill of the morning, the passion of the full moon and the site of her visit. 

She ran full speed of a train locomotive from the back porch to one of the old wooden rickety double doors of the barn. The barn wasn’t used for holding horses. The stables were located on the east side of the manor house and farm grounds. This barn stored barrels of yellow grain, bales of green hay, extra rusty brown colored farm implements and new life forms which she was seeking at the moment.

The horses pawned the wet clay naying into the still midnight air, their beige coats shining among the bright moon light like steel armor of medieval knights.

She stopped, looked and listened, turning, and then cat leaping into a gallop toward the un-hatched door as her long silver hair and longer yellow cape fluttered like butterfly wings in the night.

The riders advanced quickly on foot as she reached the door pushing an opening for her slender body, turning quickly, shoving with both hands the heavy knotted wood, sealing her safely inside the old worn fortress until dawn…if need be.

The barn door swing halted three inches from the frame as a deep low growl permeated the air waves.

She stepped backward from the invaders of midnight, pondering a new plan of flee or fight.
Swiftly, the lead trespasser catapulted, grabbing and jerking her extended arm forward toward his smelly, sweaty body, twisting his other large paw around her swan tender neck.

“Tie her…high.” The invader to the farm barked to his cohorts.

His army quickly constructed a crude platform of dangling rope from the second floor loft wooden post and tied it around her wrists held painfully above her head as her biological form shuffled lightly back and forth across the dry hay flooring protected from the elements of the night. Her feet bound by a series of rough sailor knots of rope. She fought with her blue jean legs and booted feet lifting them airborne for an attack, useless.

The leader surveyed her with his heated eyes up and down like a piece of hanging meat in the market for purchase, sneering with distorted swollen lips.

She had slipped on her Guess jeans and Hugh Boss boots for the quick midnight visit electing to hug the long yellow wool Dior cape around her white Pom-pom Floral long gray sleeved flannel pajama top from Victoria’s Secret with the matching pajama pants and bed slippers left on the floor of her cozy and comfortable bedroom in the safe and guarded residential manor house.

He tore open the buttoned top revealing more of her long thin neck, pulsing with blood veins, angled healthy bones and sparkling sun-glowed tanned skin.

“Lunch.” This beast muttered in bad English. This wasn’t a man, at the moment. A vampire possessing gray skin from the lack of antibodies and blood loss, red eyes from jaundice of his skin tone, yellow elongated twin set of incisors, stained with red blood, long straight black hair gathered in a ponytail and shorter than a Shelton pony at four feet flat or under.

Anemia means the body is short of red blood cells or low hemoglobin content which carries oxygen to every part of the body. When the body’s tissues are deprived of oxygen, the person experiences fatigue, irritability, dizziness, memory problems, shortness of breath, headaches and weakness in the knees and bone pain.

A true medical symptom of anemia for dark-skinned people is displayed with a dull grayish tint, while on light-skinned people it shows up in a very pale yellow complexion.
Vampires come from China.

China is the world’s largest country in population and geographic area. One fifth of the planet inhabitants live among the Chinese’s one billion citizens housed in crowded cities, driest deserts, highest mountains and richest farmlands which covers one fifth of the continuant of Asia.

The world’s oldest living civilization dating back to about 3,500 B.C. The first people who lived in the tiny city-states developed the compass, gunpowder, paper, porcelain and silk. Asians and Europeans borrowed art, literature, religion and technology from this thriving civilization.

The biggest city, Shanghai is ranked as one of the largest cities in the world with 14 million people followed by Peking of 10 million and the like, casting the remaining 80% in small farms and villages throughout the countryside of China.

The division of the population results in farming as the leading economic activity in China, three-fourths of the workers being farmers.

Rice grain is the main food source for hungry Chinese boys and girls with adults consuming one pound per day. People eat wheat for bread and noodles, along with corn, sorghum, millet, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, radishes, tomatoes, turnips, bananas, apples and peaches, fish, eggs and soybeans with small amounts of poultry and smaller portions of meat. Tea is still a favorite beverage.

Clinicians have theorized the lack of meat in the biological system can wreak havoc on a person’s chemical production of anemia resulting in biological antibody relapse. A person can eat thick black molasses, grains and dark green vegetables to balance the weak medical condition.

Some people inherit the antibody disease through their biological genes, just like sickle cell anemia found in the African ancestry. While the Mediterranean descendants are cursed with thalassemia anemia, Italian females might contract hemolytic anemia which is fatal to a woman’s biological body. The Chinese have their secret anemia, also…vampires.

Red and organ meats, even less than .005 percent consumed amounts carry the right balance of amino acids and nutrients, strengthens resistance to infections and diseases, provides high antibodies against staphylococcus infections, polio virus, Coxsackie B virus, Escherichia coli infections, allergies, constipation, indigestion, skin disorders and tooth decay.

During a full moon phase, the human body is depleted of vital nitrogen, amino acids, proteins, hormones, antibodies and enzymes. Nitrogen and amino acids control the proteins in skin tissues, muscles, brain cells and hair. Enzymes are for controlling the rates of chemical reactions in the blood.

Documented and recorded throughout the history of time, “food” rituals are performed before, during and after the full moon. Festivals, feasts, galas, suppers and parties are always planned around food for the normal life forms and…the deranged.

Werewolf animals come from the Viking Era documented in the world’s history books which means they’re part of the bear clan.

Why do you think they’re so many different kinds of bears in the world from the Arctic to Australia?

“Eat.” Another vampire huffed to his leader drooling salvia at the delicious prey.

“Food.” The third vampire grunted staring at the tied and bounded female with an open mouth.
She was the snack before the midnight meal. She couldn’t run to escape. Yelling won’t help since her school classmates are passed out snoring in their safe and cozy beds sound asleep. So, the next best thing is sweetness.

She posed. “Me…the mosquitoes hate my blood.” She giggled. “Try a cow down field, mmm…mmm…good.” She relayed with simple words using the English language translating for their simple stupid minds to understand hoping they get a clue.

Hissing sounded in the air waves.

“Prey…mmm…mmm…good.” The gray skinned, yellow eyed lead goon teased, grabbing with both hands of massive strength her waist since the vampire was to short, pulling her closer to his ugly scarred face with really bad breath.

“Don’t bro!” The deep baritone timber of a human male voice shouted from the second floor loft.
The vampires instinctively looked upward as the tall human leaped over the post, jumped in mid-air, twirled in a forward flip, and deftly landed two bare feet onto the hay dressed in a Calvin Klein blue jean jacket covering a half-naked and half-exposed well-muscled tanned chest above red and black puppy dog cotton pajama pants.

She turned her face admiring his attire. “Puppy dogs?” She told, giggling.

He glanced sideways at her, shaking his covered head side to side wearing the backwards baseball cap. “Don’t sis?”

“Meal.” The lead GREG barked.

“Food.” The next GREG growled.

“Hunger.” The other GREG drooled with sticky yellow salvia.

The human male spoke loud and clear. “Gray skin, red eyes, yellow dog teeth, bad breathe, an uncontrolled fury, irritability, nervousness, memory loss and short…definitely GREGS.” He chuckled, turning to speak to his sister. “Ya know…they only exhibit one or two words of simple English in their current mental state of mind.”

She nodded her head at the beast holding her bound waists causing intense pain. “He said three.”

Her brother pointed upward in the air wiggling three fingers from his hand. “Three? Smart guy, you lead?” He leaned into the goon’s face, blowing air across his gray hair.

“Lead, eat.” The GREG barked, again.

Her brother countered, shaking cap side to side. “Look, man. Thianne might appear tasty but she ain’t. Do you comprehend, dude?”

“Hunger?” The GREG barked.

“Blood.” The other GREG growled.

Her brother pointed his arm in the geographical direction of west toward the green grassy pastures. “Go…down the field to some of the cows, good and tasty...got it?”

“Blood.”

“Eat.”

“Food.”

“Prey.”

Her brother pulled the cap off wiping the sweat from his forehead and shaking his head of silver hair like his sister’s. “No, man. Thianne ain’t your prey but you’ll be praying if ya don’t leave really quickly.” The human threatened with a smile, and then chuckled, slicing his eyes to Thianne.

“Why?” The lead vampire asked.

Thianne giggled. “An intelligent query?”

He sighed. He breathed deeply. The human spoke loud and clear. “She’s a diva.”

The GREGS paced two steps back except for the leader. The GREGS repeated in a mutated tone. “Diva…”

The human male explained. “Diva…female version of a god. She’s a goddess, yeah! Ya can’t hurt her or drink her blood. Taboo.” He shook his index finger at the leader. “No. No. No.”

“Diva…show?” The lead vampire muttered.

“Look, I just told ya the 411. You can’t hurt her. So…go ahead, do your damage? Spit on her.” Her brother laughed with a hardy tone.

“THIAN!” She yelled at her sibling.

“Spit…” The lead vampire spoke with a degree of puzzlement.

Thian commanded, waving his hand toward his sister hanging above the post. “Yeah, man. Spit on the goddess. Go for it! See what happens?” He laughed.

“Thian?” She frowned, moaning with the sick suggestion.

The GREG closed his mouth, pursed his lips, and rounded his cheeks gathering a huge wad of thick salvia in his mouth. He slit an opening between his stained teeth, flinging a single large wet juicy mixture of yellow, red and black liquid aiming precisely at her throat. The wad hit an invisible wall six inches from her neck, dropping like a dead fly at a parallel degree on top of the hay flooring.

“My turn.” Thianne quickly relayed. She opened her mouth emitting a spread blast of yellow and blue fire directly into the bodies of the vampires, vaporizing them into gray and red colorful sawdust.

Thian gawked in surprise, staring at her. “How did ya do that, sis? New power?”

“Thought it was acid reflux, I was goin’ burp. Flames came out, instead.” She smiled with pride and laughed.

“Too cool!” Thian complimented, laughing with her watching the dying flames fall onto the hay. He dropped the pail of water from the doorway onto the fire using his kinesis before the barn resulted in a fire.

“Thanks for the save, big brother.” Thianne offered as he untied the ropes around her wrists. She gave him a teddy bear hug of sisterly love.

He reprimanded his sibling for the reckless behavior. “Sis, full moon’s out. Not safe, why ya out of the house?”

Thianne moved out of ear shot into the back storage room, yelling. “I was worried about Fluffy and her kittens.” She kneeled onto the hay as the actives ones run to climb her wool cape for games. She petted their soft little heads.

Thian groaned staring at his sister shaking his head with the replaced baseball cap while he levitated the ropes twirling them into circles, and then placed the item on shelf near the door. “They’re fine and dandy. But we’re not. I’ll corral the horses…”

“Should we keep them?”

“This is a wildlife sanctuary for all strays.” Thian pointed to the dying sawdust bits. “No owners. No claims. They’re mine to keep and shelter.” He laughed, turning to Thianne. “Finish your petting…”

“Not great choice words, bro.” She snapped her head in his direction, frowning. He ordered with a smile and a loving hug around her shoulders. “Go home and stay put until sunrise, sis.” He rushed to exit the barn, gently closing the wooden door, whistling for the horses.

“Alright! Good night, Thian.” Thianne told in a low voice as she lifted the kitten to her chest, stroking her tiny soft head. She walked to the bug zapper hanging in front of the north wall of the barn.


The cylinder shaped object brightened with a vivid neon purple haze. She covered her eyes using her free hand. The communication boot up displayed a very bright light during the nighttime hours.

Thianne called out in the semi-dark barn. “Mama.”

Hello.

She could feel the familiar and gentle telepathic message bouncing around her brain waves. She responded with the familiar statement like she had done for the past six weeks. “Mama, I miss you. I love you so much.”

Hair of a unicorn.

“The hair of a unicorn. Unicorns do not exist, Mama.”

Seek the road.

“Mama, are you there? I will seek the road. Mama…”

3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.

“Mama, please come back. I need more data. Please give me around clue…Mama.”

3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.

“Thank you, Mama. I will seek the road. I love you. I’ll find you.  I promise….with my heart and my soul. I’ll find you and free you. We can be together forever and ever.” Thianne brushed the stray tears from her eyes with her free hand while holding the tiny kitten for comfort.

During Fluffy’s delivery of her six healthy kittens, the bug zapper in the barn fell to the hay, breaking the glass bulbs within the steel casing as the strong winds from the prevailing thunder storms caught the door when Thianne rushed inside to check on her favorite small pet. After she repaired the device, lifting the zapper to the barn wooden beam, the purple light inside the casing ignited temporarily blinding her for a split second, and then Thianne felt the words buzzing inside her skull.

Thianne believed Granny was calling her for dinner using telepathy or mind reading ability which was strong. Instead, the unfamiliar voice identified she was Thianne’s mother, a goddess from one of the existing pantheons and the other half of her absent parents for the past 17 years as required by the fosterage ritual. The first time her mother had communicated with Thianne since she was a newborn babe. Thianne sobbed holding tears inside her throat.

Mama had relayed bits and bites of words in a limited telepathy message which lasted ten seconds flat. Thianne had been sneaking into the barn at night for the past six weeks listening for the clues pinpointing her Mama’s disappearance, maybe her location.

Thianne figured out part of puzzle based on the word clues. First, her Mama was the “divine” or supernatural parent, while her father was the “mortal” or the Earthling. Two, they were prisoners in Tartarus. Three, they were captured by a supernatural being. Four, other gods and goddesses and mortals were prisoners with her. Five, they can be freed. Tonight, the newest clue numbered six was the “hair of a unicorn.”

The inner, outside and sideway meaning of the clue didn’t make any sense to Thianne. Unicorns do not exist on Earth or any place else in the galaxy. She sighed. She breathed deeply.
Thianne would converse with her best friend tomorrow about the new clue. She didn’t dare tell her brother about the crazy conversation with their absent mother. As children, they were told their parents had to leave Earth and return to the Heavens to be with the other god and goddess deities.

Thian, her twin sibling, would not believe her, one, and two, he’d blab to Granny about her new supernatural gift which Thianne wanted kept secret for now.

She was close, closer than yesterday. She was going to solve the mysterious location of Tartarus and release her parents from captivity, touching, hugging and hanging with them for the first time in 17 long years. Thianne sobbed as the tears flowed down her wet face.

Thianne halted crying as the echoed sound waves bombarded her sensitive ears. She stared up into the cross beams of the barn, searching with her silver eyes. “Hello? Any one there? Mama?”

5 seconds.
4 seconds.
3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.

Thianne placed the little kitten with her sleepy brothers and sisters. “Guess not! Goodnight, Fluffy and little babies. Be safe.” She turned to leave the barn.


sunshine, classroom, school house, Windsor Manor, 72*F, partly sunny, 1:07 p.m.
“I pick…French Chateau.” Kruti waved her right hand in the air. The interior walls, ceilings and floor of the dull classroom converted from plain white walls into King Louis XIV sofas, chairs, and tables, vivid and colorful royal tapestries along with copies of 35 oil paintings of the original 300 commissioned by the King of France like a majesty palace picture from her school history book.

“Hunting lodge in Montana.” Archibald spoke shooting with an invisible hand pistol both arms, extending fingers up and down in the air waves. The room changed from French Chateau instantly into red wood-beamed ceilings, a stone limestone fireplace with a roaring fire in the corner, diamond-shaped pane windows, carved antler chandeliers above dark and light bark forest wood twig shaped branch furniture, picture framed forest landscapes covered the walls and taxidermy animal trophies mounted over the tables.

“The White House in Washington D.C.” Pele wiggled her fingers, along with her hands and hips for drama. The classroom re-shaped into an oval structure decorated in reds, yellows and whites along with portraits of former presidents of the US including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter over the granite fireplace.


car, parking lot, outside, school house, 1:17 p.m.
The soprano voice of the young female teenage echoed among the sky and grass as she pointed her index finger at the structure. “Look over there. The White House. Are we going to meet the President of the United States?”

The young male noted with annoyance, shifting the heavy back pack over his small shoulder. “I thought we landed the plane in Alabama, not the nation’s capital.”

The tall woman calmly and politely answered with her Southern accent and Southern manners. “No presidential visit and yes, this is Alabama. You’re new class mates are just blowing off some energy trying to impress ya’ll…for the day.” She smiled and giggled.

“Look… the building changed to…” The soprano voice of the young female teen exclaimed.

The soprano voice of the second young female finished the answer. “A New York skyscraper….now, an ocean villa.” She giggled.

“Watch your step…” The elder woman cautioned. “Water.”

“Holy…snot.” The voice of the deep tenor young male teen quoted with more annoyance.


classroom, 1:22 p.m.
“Roman bath house.” Thian shouted. The ocean villa changed into four flat pools of steaming clear heated water complete with two purple three foot long diving boards and six bench seating with towels hanging from open closets.

“The Romans didn’t dive into their baths, Thian.” Yaffa scoffed.

“Looks fun to me.” Chun giggled.

“Heck fire, let’s add a Roman slave camp for naked girls…” Marcus raised his hands to materialize the physical contents of his impromptu improper suggestion for the classroom activities of the afternoon at the school.

“Siste, Marcus.” Granny Hanover, school mentor of the present alive and breathing supernatural beings, called to her “most troublesome” pupil in Latin to cease, and then popped him into the chair beside her desk. She shook her head back and forth, pointing an index finger at Marcus and then secured the loose strands of her hair bun back in place.

Teens with running out-of-control super hormones along with galloping out-of-control super powers and now...the introduction of more spoiled brats, Granny shook her head and palmed her necklace, she didn’t need more stress…today.

“Ah, shucks! Didn’t do it, Granny. I…” Marcus whined, sitting on the hard stone bench with his hands in his face pouting with frustration.

“Stoppen, Marcus.” Granny reprimanded in German for “Stop it. Marcus.”

“Nineteenth-century Swiss Alps chalet.” Chun shouted as she whirled her fingers, hands, arms twirling in small and large circles in the air waves.

The room turned into light wood floors covered with black and white fake, of course, animal skins with a fired wood stove in the corner of the room, holding an iron kettle on the top oven eye. Tables appeared surrounded by fake animal furs over wool covered single chairs and benches for two people. The west wall displayed a panorama view navy to light blue with pink tinted mountains of white snow-covered tips beneath baby blue skies.

“Great selection.” Josefina offered with a smile and giggle.

“Thanks.” Chun accepted with a smile.

Granny yelled. “Be seated, teens.”

The pupils gathered at the round tables, shoving chairs inside and out, flopping note pads, Kindle readers, cell phones, PDA’s, iPods and laptops, cloth handbags, leather clutches and nylon backpacks onto the wood surfaces as the entrance door swung open emitting bright sunshine for another beautiful day in Alabama.

Mrs. Windsor, a statute woman of six feet and two inches wearing Wrangle faded blue jean cover-alls from neck to leathery worn boot toes, and wrapped around her waist a worn but sturdy brown leather utility belt filled with tools including hammer, screw driver, nail pack, rope, flashlight, mini-first aid kit and cell phone. She dropped her shades into a side pocket as she entered the door first, leading three people following behind her like puppies.

The male voice of the young teen mentioned. “Switzerland and snow mountains, I thought we were in Alabama, not Europe. I didn’t feel the time travel shift.”

Mrs. Windsor explained turning to view the confused new pupils. “The teens are allowed to select the atmosphere of the room for continuing their academic lessons here at Sanctuary.”

“Awesome!” The female alto of the teen told, smiling, selecting an empty seat with her eyes at the furred covered tables and warm reception from the students.

“My old school didn’t do this.” The female soprano commented, surveying her new surroundings and new students with admiration and apprehension.

“Things are very different here in Alabama, dear.” Granny Hanover expressed to the new pupils, eyeing them intently.

“Indeed.” The young male quoted with a sneer.

“Young ladies and gentlemen…” Mrs. Windsor began.

“Where?”

“Present.”

“Next door…”

“Hush, teens.” Granny snapped her head to the troublesome students in the clan.

Giggles bombarded the air waves.

“Thank you, Granny.” Mrs. Windsor nodded at the elder lady before addressing the captured audience of on-lookers. “I present our new arrivals from the airport for our growing and expanding supernatural family. Here’s little Rachel from Tennessee, little Bibi from Minnesota and little…”

“I’m full grown, lady.” The deep male tenor yelled in a rude tone, standing in an offensive manner with small hands crossed over his small chest at the edge of the teacher’s desk.

“Don’t insult your hostess, sir.” Granny Hanover cautioned the young boy without smiling and piercing intense brown eyes.

“I am Liam…” The short person with the deep tenor voice told the class.

Marcus teased. “You’re short...man, that means he’s an elf, right, Balder?” He looked at the tall muscular blonde male on his left.

“No.” Liam answered in a loud timber.

“A brownie?” Marcus guessed, again and chuckled, turning to confirm with the blonde again. The blonde laughed along with old and new classmates.

“No.” Liam stated.

“A troll?” Marcus tried for the third time, laughing as the students joined the fun.

“Trolls are evil ugly short men with crooked noses and humpbacked.” Kruti explained with an authoritarian manner.

“Disqualified, Marcus.” Balder shouted, slapping Marcus’s shoulder blade with his huge hand.

“Ares…I’m Ares.” Marcus corrected his mistake.

“I am…” Liam started.

Balder finished. “Brownies have brown clocks and hoods. He’s dressed like a bozo.” He informed with a chuckle.

“I beg your pardon.” Liam replied, lifting his hands to retaliate against the ungodly insult to his divine person.

Marcus pointed a finger at Granny, shaking his head warning Liam that Granny Hanover wasn’t happy and would punish him for the violation.

Balder guessed. “A fairy…then, ‘cause they’re smaller than an average teen.”

“Pygmy from California.” Marcus offered with another jib.

Kruti shouted, “Hey, I’m California.”

“And she’s a lot prettier…” Balder offered, grinning.

“And smarter…” Marcus added, punching Kruti’s arm for fun.

“And taller than you, dude.” Balder continued, chuckling.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“A midget.” Marcus commented.

“I…am…a…Leprechaun.” Liam shouted to the roof top with a very loud tenor voice.

Laughter exploded, again.

“Why didn’t ya say so, bro? I was tired of guessing.” Marcus teased, examining his clean nails.

More laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hardy har...har...” Liam spoke.

“See….bozo the short clown.” Marcus pointed with a clean index finger at Liam, chuckling.

“Marcus is correct….this round.” Balder acknowledged, laughing, slapping his back. They chuckled together like two thieves of the night.

“Thank you deva Liam and Mrs. Windsor, I’ll take over the classroom, now.” Granny stood, motioning for the new members to take seats among any of the round tables.

“Liam, just Liam.” The leprechaun informed with a snit.

Granny lectured. “I address all properly mannered young ladies and gentlemen as appropriate.”

Balder whispered leaning his head into the leprechaun’s face. “Dude, just go…with the flow…”

Mrs. Windsor chuckled, telling, pushing Bibi and Rachel toward tables. “Don’t worry, they’re tame…”

“…and potty trained. Hey, I riddled a riddle.” Balder smiled turning for the consensus of the teen god and goddesses. 

“Poem, you riddled a poem, Balder.” Yaffa explained, shaking her head with a smile.

“I riddled a poem.” Balder repeated with a smile and hand gestures to the other gods and goddesses.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hush, teens.” Granny barked placing hands on hips.

“Enjoy your class, kids.” Mrs. Windsor expressed with a warm smile turning toward Granny for a short chat.

Bibi was staring out the big glass windows admiring the different types of farm animals penned inside the pastures and crops fields as far as the eyes could see. She asked touching the glass while standing next to the tall girl with long wavy silver hair. “The window’s really cold…like ice. There’s snow stacked on the bottom of the porch. What kind of place is this?”

“Hi, I’m Thianne by the way. This building is our schoolhouse for learning stuff while developing our super powers and off limits to anyone, not human, or else. We can change the setting or environment or physical layout of the entire building to match our mood for the day.”

“Wow! This is really neat.” Bibi remarked with a smile.

“Tomorrow, you can select the setting, temperature and scenery of the room for the class.”

“Really, I can.” Bibi inquired with a big smile.

“No prob. The rest of the farm is home of the Birmingham Wildlife Refugee Sanctuary for stray and abandoned animals of any kind.”

“I guess I’m the newest refugee, huh?” Bibi muttered, dropping her chin to her chest, closing her eyes.

“No. Why do you say that, Bibi?”

Bibi lifted her head staring at Thianne and offered. “I’m a pixie….I think. I don’t know. I know that I have no parents, no home, no money, no city…no nothing. I was happily living with my adoptive family two days ago until they were…killed...”

Thianne posed her hand on Bibi’s shoulder, sharing her feelings. “I’m so sorry about your loss, Bibi. Relax! We, here, have all been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Windsor. They’re very nice people who run the park.”

“Do we work for them…for money to pay for our living expenses? Do I start working in the gardens or the house, today or tomorrow?”

Thianne placed her arm around the pixie’s thin shoulders for security and safety. “I don’t think you understand, Bibi. We’re here to train and enhance our special talents, abilities or whatever else you possess at a metaphysical level for growth and improvement to become active and responsible young goddesses.” She giggled since she recited almost word for word Granny Hanover’s speech for new supernatural kids who travel from every part of the USA to continue their training to be a full god or goddess at adulthood.

“You mean…I’m not a slave or servant for these people.”

Thianne shook her mane of silver long hair side to side. “Never. We attend the local school during the week a certain days in the mornings and in the afternoons we practice, study and mediate with our special talents.”

“This is an animal park. Who helps the animals?”

Thianne told. “Mr. and Mrs. Windsor have staff members to handle the domestic duties and domestic animals. We’re encouraged to enhance their farm duties with our particular talents.”
“What particular talents?”

Thianne smiled. “I have a healing touch with life forms. I can place my hands on your wound and heal it.”

“Wow! Neat trick.”

Thianne began. “Yeah! So cool! I found out one day when one of my cats fought receiving a big cut on his stomach. I healed him. Poof! Just like that, I could help injured animals.”

“Do you think I can do it, too?”

Thianne answered. “I don’t know. I can say working around the park…those animals…” She pointed out the window in sight of the grazing milk cows. “And these animals…” She thumbed the room filled with her classmates, giggling. “…will definitely uncover talents you never dreamed of.”

Bibi giggled. “I feel that I’m in good hands.” She pointed her index finger as Thianne wiggled thumbs and fingers. They giggled as Bibi marched to the first table looking for an open chair.

Granny yelled like a cow in heat. “Please sit down, teens. We have more work to accomplish before the sun sets in the west.”

“I need to pee…” Marcus rose from the chair by Granny’s desk with a smirk.

“Deva Marcus, I have reminded and reprimanded you over and over again to attend this classroom after seeing to your biological functions and not to use vulgar language in my presence.”

“I gotta go…” Marcus continued. “Granny.”

“I can see you will require extra duties this p.m. after the sun sets. You’re excused deva Marcus.” Granny nodded, pointing in the direction of the bathroom.

“I thank you. My bladder thanks you. My liver thanks you. My…” Marcus stopped singing as he hustled and closed the bathroom door.

Granny began. “Let us start from the beginning…”

“Not today, Granny, start in the middle.” Archibald joshed, chuckling by himself.

“Deva Archibald…”

Archibald countered. “I prefer Shango, Granny…my… ”

Granny posed with a smile. “Deva Archibald, do you require additional sets of duties after sunset?”

“No, ma’am, Granny.” Archibald shook his head side to side, lowered his chin.

“Excellent, allow us to proceed with our numerous daily academic lessons.” Granny swayed back and forth on her five feet and five inch frame, smoothing the new S-Sung beige silk dress which contained pictures of little red apples, and then, stroked the hand-crafted beaded necklace made of black and yellow hand-painted bumblebees with her left hand as she talked, an observed habit.

The woman simply was known as “Granny Hanover.” She wasn’t a grandma or held grandchildren in her arms. She was the old wise mentor at Windsor Manor located in the United States of America in the great state of Alabama outside the city limits of Birmingham for the Wildlife Sanctuary and farm land. She resided in a medium sized house along the cliff beyond the crops fields and animal pastures. She had been with Mr. and Mrs. Windsor since the beginning of time.

Her age was unknown. Her first name was unknown. Her family was unknown. Her origin was unknown. Her future was known only to her.

She was the senior adult caretaker for all the children who resided at Sanctuary starting at age 14 years to 18 until graduated into adult….or god/goddess society.

Granny Hanover always wore her long light brown hair in a bun with a ting of gray highlighted in the bangs floating above her hazel eyes. She was pale and proper, mannerly and knowledgeable about various topics ranging from earth nature, industry business, sociology, physical science, heavens and the universe.

She assisted the students learning skills from first aid injuries to first time incantations at the Windsor Manor. She could speak 44 different languages including ancient Greek, Latin and Hebrew which positioned her as their teacher for studying the cosmos and heavens.

“Before we began, can any teen name the pristine Alpine peak displayed in the snow covered windows?” Granny inquired with a stern tone. She was proper, not popular. Her personality could freeze a volcano during a fire and ash eruption.

“You gods, the Bernese Alps including the 10,530 feet Les Diablerets massif, named for the mystical devils that play skittles on its peaks.” Chun replied with a smile, standing to answer the query. The kettle on the wood stove blew white steam in the air waves.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Knew that, too.” Archibald complimented.

“Ya did not, man.” Marcus returned, sitting next to Thianne, insulting Archibald, reaching to hit his arm but Archibald jumped quickly than scary doe out of headlight range.

Granny offered. “Excellent answer, devi Chun! To our newest arrivals, welcome to Windsor Manor, home of devas and devis.”

Kruti reminded. “We voted Granny, the females are called di...vas, not devis.”

Archibald continued. “The men…”

“What men…Shango?” Kruti taunted, grinning wickedly at her table mate.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Archibald corrected. “The guys are called ‘gods.’ ”

Granny chuckled. “I’m most amused with both girls’s and boys’s tall tales, pretend stories and make-believe wishes in class. Therefore, I will ignore both requests.” She smiled and continued. “The good news for the newcomers, you possess special powers, gifts, talents and abilities.” She paused and grinned. “The bad news…” She stroked the necklace with her left hand. “You are not gods or goddesses….yet.”

“I don’t understand.” Bibi questioned out loud her thoughts. Her adoptive parents taught she was a supernatural being living on Earth until her parents returned.

“You are devas or devis.” Granny started.

Bibi noted and giggled. “She said that twice.”

Granny added. “The proper noun means you are half-way gods and goddesses. Deva is the masculine version for god while devi is the feminine form of goddess which comes from the Proto-Indo-European language…”

“…way back before I was born.” Archibald joked, looking around for the anticipated laughter.
Silence filled the air waves.

“I am.” Rachel admitted, frowning.

Granny continued. “This term also means you are not asuras and asuris.”

“They are subordinate beings to us…guys.” Marcus told with pride and conceit.

“Gods…” Archibald added.

“….and divas.” Yaffa added with a grin.

“We have slaves.” Bibi inquired, turning to stare at Thianne.

“More like servants...” Yaffa informed as one of the more informed divas in class.

Granny lectured. “All asuras look always toward the feet of their deva, old expression.”

“So cool.” Bibi commented, grinning and nodding her head at Thianne. Thianne smiled.

Granny told. “The asuras are males and asuris, female versions.”

“What?” Rachel asked.

“Half-way demons.” Granny told.

“I’m confused.” Bibi told, shaking her head looking into her handbag for a writing pen or pencil.

“Half a demon, what are they?” Rachel asked with a small voice.

Granny told with a surly tone. “Simply…evil angels from hell. The purpose of our class time is to discuss your supernatural role in the universe…devi Rachel, not un-related topics…like demons.”

“Yes ma’am.” Rachel offered with a nod.

“Devas and devis can control the elements of nature. You are celestial beings that control forces of nature such as fire, air, wind, sky, trees, rain, etc.” Granny explained flipping her free hand over and over in the air as she stroked her necklace made of bumblebees.

“Care to elaborate on the etc….” Archibald joshed, laughing.

Silence loomed in the air waves.

“No.” Granny spit.

Archibald stated in a low voice. “Okay with me, Granny.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“I will share a famous verse from the Hindu mythology: ‘First fear, the powers from a deva, second fear, the winds blown from a deva; third fear, the sun rise from a deva;  fourth fear, the dead strike from a deva, the fifth fear, run’.”

Marcus stood, flexing his arms like a bodybuilder and shouted. “Heard that...run, Balder, run…..from me.” Marcus joked and then seated beside Thianne, touching her arm as she giggled at his performance.

Laughter exploded, again.

Granny told with a cold stone voice. “You all have weaknesses.”

“I do.” Bibi admitted turning to look at Thianne. Thianne shook her head with an affirmative response.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you...Bibi.” Balder winked, placing his arm on the chair without touching her body since Granny would strike him with a goddess lightning bolt for improper behavior. He’d live but it stings the tender skin for hours.

“So nice, Balder. Thank you.” Bibi smiled, batting her eyes at him. He grinned with a big wide smile, settling into the chair, chuckling.

“You are here to uncover your weakness and compensate for it, devi Bibi.” Granny clapped her hands together. “I believe a formal introduction is called within for each teen deva or devi to meet each other. Let’s start with Marcus since he seems relieved to be here.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Marcus stood, six feet and six inches of deep Mediterranean tawny complexion with short curly black midnight hair on a heart shaped face, aristocratic nose, and chiseled cheekbones, turquoise eyes and thin pink lips. He shuffled the jacket of his Giorgio Armani tailored gold colored wool suit with the black pocket handkerchief onto the back of the chair, crossed his muscled arms bulking the matching gold cotton long sleeved covered buttoned shirt to the max and spoke. “I...am...Ares…”

Hooting echoed in the air waves.

Granny ordered. “Deva Marcus, please use your given name, not the ridicule childish pen name your class mates have tagged.”

Marcus repeated unfolding his god pose with a frown. “Ridicule childish pen name…”

Granny commanded with a stern tone. “Deva, your given name, city, state and any curious information you wish to share with our new class mates.”

“I am Marcus from Athens, Greece…”

“Not right, Athens, Georgia, bro.” Archibald corrected, laughing.

“I’m Greek.” Marcus argued.

“A geek.” Balder barked.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“I’m Greek which means I came from a city in Greece.” Marcus corrected.

“Your birth certificate states Athens, Georgia, bro.” Archibald noted waving the paper in the air waves, smiling.

“Hey, give that back, moron.” Marcus insulted, moving toward him on the other side of the room.

“Where did that document come from deva Archibald?” Granny asked.

Archibald admitted. “I teleported it from his foot locker.”

“Gimme...” Marcus shouted as the paper floated in the air landing on the wood surface of the table in front of Bibi.

“Get it, bro.” Archibald spoke, grinning.

“I’ll beat your big fanny later, little girl.” Marcus threatened with a scowl.

“You can try...bro.” Archibald smiled easily, turning to cut his eyes with non-fear.

“Hush, teens. Please continue deva Marcus.” Granny spoke in a loud voice.

Marcus told. “And I can read your mind…”

Balder barked. “We all can do that, Marcus, sit down.”

Marcus added. “...and I can teleport…”

Archibald offered. “Ditto, man.”

“And I can lift your chair high into the sky…without the use of my hands…or with my hands, which would you prefer, Bibi?” Marcus grinned a wicked smile, winking at her.

Thian suggested with an authoritarian tone, chuckling. “Chill out, Romano.”

Granny interrupted. “Please be seated deva Marcus, as you can see he’s still contemplating his special talent as we speak.” She paused, touching her necklace. “Now, Marcus touched upon a very important point…”

“VIP…that’s me.” Marcus praised himself, standing again, pointing to his chest.

“Not you, bro.” Archibald spit.

“We are all gods, goddesses, spirits, ghosts, goblins, witches, warlocks, pixies, fairies, elves, leprechauns and other nice and kind deities of the metaphysical world living together on Earth, expect…for you in this classroom.” Granny Hanover chuckled.

“Not funny, Granny.” Balder commented.

“We all possess varying degrees and levels of supernatural powers, telepathy, kinesis, levitation, teleportation, healing, clairvoyance, shift shaping, projection, invisibility and alchemy. In addition, each one of you possesses a very unique talent to your being…” Granny laughed. “Or supernatural being…in this case. This academic schoolhouse and this nature park provides a safe trial and error atmosphere to uncover your undiscovered new and growing abilities. Therefore, I welcome the newcomers and invite you to participate with me in our classroom and extra duty training session with your unlimited potential.” She smiled.

Marcus added. “You forget to add fight.”

“That’d be flight for the wimpy Ares.” Balder added, laughing.

“I’m the ‘war’ god, idiot.” Marcus snapped with a retort.

Granny corrected. “You don’t know your pantheons for certain secure and protective reasons. However, you are learning to be future gods and goddesses…deva Marcus. You do not fight. You lounge in lazy luxury around lush rich villas of your privileged parents with blinded servants waiting on you hand and foot obeying your every exotic command.”

Marcus grinned. “I will.”

“One day, you will be in such a place with your father.” Granny explained.

Marcus remarked with a frown. “I didn’t know if my father or mother is the deity.”

“Do you have a hint?” Granny asked.

“Nope.”

“An inkling?” Granny continued.

“Naw.”

“Has any supernatural parent communicated with you?” Granny inquired.

“I wish.”

Granny told. “Very well, part of your social training is not combat fighting or martial arts, hence, you inability to manifest any weapons of mass destruction...”

“No weapons.” Marcus whined.

“That be right, bro.” Archibald nodded with agreement of Granny’s true lesson.

Granny continued. “You are being carefully coifed to hone your talents like I mentioned before from alchemy to teleportation. Does any deva or devi have any questions?”

Silence loomed in the air waves.

“Introductions are called for Thianne, please continue.” Granny ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” She stood tall at five feet and ten inches slender in the chocolate brown thigh-high leg Cynthia Vincent suede boots over Guess white stretched skinny jeans, Roberto Cavalli brown poncho covering her upper body over a white Old Navy turtleneck and the Ralph Lauren fringed brown handbag hanging over the chair. Her hair was silver-colored and wavy down to her waist with grey eyes. “Thank you, Granny Hanover. I’m Thianne. I’m from Birmingham, Alabama. I possess the awesome ability to shoot fire from my throat, disintegrating all life forms on contact.” She giggled.

“Dang it!” Balder shouted.

“Heck fire.” Marcus remarked.

“Hold my spit.” Archibald commented.

Granny observed, smoothing her dress with one hand and holding the necklace with her other. “That’s a wonderful hidden defensive talent, Thianne. Which you have acquired recently, I presume? How did you discover that gift?”

“I guess by…trial and error.” Thianne giggled, sitting down, grinning.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Who would like continue the next introduction?”

The girl stood of five feet and eight inches of height with curly dark brown unruly hair to her shoulders and light green eyes wearing the Versace dark brown short jacket and skirt, J. Crew gold metallic silk jacquard tank, Marc and Marc gold peep-toes and Antonio Melani gold tote. “I’m Kruti from Bail, California with the same name of my sister city in the country of India. Kruti means ‘a work of art’.”

“Ya mean ‘a piece of work’.” Marcus maliciously countered.

Laughter exploded, again.

“Your name means, what...Marcus?” Archibald snapped his question.

Marcus stood, again, with arms crossed over his chest posing like the god of steel, Vulcan. “Marcus is ‘war-like’ in the Greek language. Therefore I truly am...Ares.”

“Sit down, Greek.” Archibald ordered.

“Geek.” Balder beeped.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Granny reprimanded. “Hush, teens. Be seated, deva Marcus. Please continue, devi Kruti.”

Kruti nodded speaking in a clear alto. “Since, I’m influenced by the Hindu pantheon. I’ve chosen the name Shivaa.”

“Her bad a…assuming nickname….” Archibald informed, chuckling.

Granny called. “Stop there for a moment. For the newcomers, your fellow devas and devis…”

Marcus whined. “Not those titles, Granny.”

“Detenerio, Marcus.” Granny told in Spanish for “Stop it, Marcus.”

“Ares, I’m Ares.” Marcus quoted. “Remember, Granny.”

Granny smoothed her dress with one hand while holding the necklace with the other, speaking. “Your fellow teen devas and devis have selected without permission from me and for pure entertainment and irritation the nicknames of famous…”

Marcus added, grinning. “Or infamous…”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Granny huffed with a sneer. “Or infamous gods and goddesses which they insist on calling each other after academic sessions are completed, during rest and refreshment periods and on all social activities without me around.”

Marcus clarified. “Nicknames, Granny, they’re fun nicknames for us poor half-wit…”

Thian corrected, laughing. “The word is half-way, fifty percent, two divided by 100…you twit.”

“…half way gods and goddesses for fun and pretend.” Marcus explained.

Kruti, girl of five feet and eight inches of height with curly dark brown hair and light green eyes giggled wearing the White House/Black Market big flowered red dress in white linen with big wide black belt, black fishnet stockings, black driving gloves and black and white Nine West high heels holding her Katherine Kwei red clutch. “Right, Ares!”

Bibi pointed her index finger with awe and surprise to Kruti. “You changed your clothes.” She turned to Thianne. “She has a different outfit from before...”

Thianne whispered. “We have the ability to change our clothes but not our form. Can you do that too, Bibi?”

“Yeah, I guess. I can change my clothes…” Bibi asked.

“Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway.” Thianne giggled.

Bibi nodded her head. “Yeah.”

“Good.”

Kruti cleared her throat silencing the room, gaining the spotlight on her. “I chose Shivaa because she’s portrayed as a figure with four arms…”

“Handy.” Marcus commented.

“For trampling the body of a dwarf…” Shivaa, goddess name of Kruti added.

Marcus teased, laughing. “You hit Liam before.”

“I’m a Leprechaun, twit.” Liam barked at the insult.

“Right, I forgot, short man.” Marcus commented staring at his clean fingernails.

Granny warned. “Hush, deva Liam.”

“I sound like an arm chair.” Liam commented, loudly.

Marcus clarified. “Using the law of relativity, you’d be a foot stool, right, Balder?” He turned to grin at his pal, placing his hand in the air.

“Right, dude.” Balder high-fived the hand of Marcus.

Snickering bombarded the air waves.

Kruti concluded. “Myth lore tells the dwarf wanded evil magic against good people in which Shivaa smashed earning her the title, diva of destruction.”

Clapping echoed in the air waves.

“Cool name.” Bibi offered.

Marcus told. “See…she is talking about Liam.”

Giggling bombarded the air waves.

Granny reprimanded in the Italian language to cease. “Fermario, Marcus.”

She was five feet and an inch with short straight bobbed hair to her neck, dressed in the wild flowered patterns of blue, yellow, red, and green dress from Alexander McQueen surrounded by green and yellow and red droplets of Bulgari necklaces around the neck, bracelets around both wrists, earrings from ears, headband in hair and rings in each finger stroking the Aimee Krestenberg crystallized Swarovsk handbag on her shoulder. “You gods, my real name is Chun, which means ‘spring’ in Chinese. I like Kuan Yi, the diva of mercy.” She giggled.

“Merci with all that jewelry around your neck, arms, hands...” Marcus spoke.

Balder shouted. “Shut up, Marcus.”

“Ares, I’m Ares.”

Granny motioned with her hand, holding the bumble bee necklace with her other hand. “Please continue, devi Chun.”

“The Chinese pantheon represents patience, tenderness and love emphasized in our decorative elements shown in forms of long ropes of pearls, jewelry and falling scarves from our shoulders. I am from Tibet, New York parallel to the sister city of Tibet, China.” Kuan Yi finished, sitting down her five feet and one inch frame with long black hair and dark eyes.

“Josefina but everyone refers to me as ‘Is Chel’ which is the diva of medicine. Josefina means ‘lucky’. I’m from Carlsbad, New Mexico and my sister city is in the country of Mexico. Special talent, don’t know, yet.” She giggled shaking her five feet and six inch frame layered in the beaded chiffon Jonathan Simkhai top under the BB Dakota black blazer paired with the silver sweatpants on top of black peep-toed Betsey Johnson sky high heels and a Coach black leather clutch.

The tall blonde wearing the Juicy Couture multi-plaid red and blue vest, red shirt and Lee blue jeans complete with Havaianas flip flops possessed bright baby blue eyes, six feet and five inches. He stood with arms outward as a sign of openness and care. “I am the love god, Balder, at your service.” He bowed at the waist to the class.

“Now roll over, Hansel.” Archibald taunted.

“And Gretel’s in the kitchen eating pancakes with syrup.” Marcus added quickly before Balder could counter with a slick remark.

“You’re named from a nursery rhyme.” Liam questioned.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hansel is my Christian name which I’m most honored to proclaim along with my adopted nationality, I’m from Sweden...”

“No, American like the rest of us, man.” Marcus corrected, laughing.

“My adoptive parents were Swedish.” Balder told.

“Whatever…man.” Marcus conceded.

“I hale from Lund, Utah.” Balder added.

Marcus pointed. “See American…like me, him, her….” He laughed.

“Hush, deva Marcus.” Granny ordered.

“Ares. My name’s Ares.”

Hansel continued. “I like for my friends…only my friends…not my enemies…which I don’t have at the moment…but might be starting to acquire…to refer to me as Balder. I am a god in the Norse mythology associated with light, beauty, love and happiness.” He paused, staring at an object. “I can make you very happy...Bibi.” He smiled and winked at the young girl. She blushed.

Giggling flooded the air waves.

“Heel, Balder.” Thian ordered shaking his head, laughing.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Standing six feet and four inches with no hair and dark brown eyes displaying the conservative John Varvatos navy blue sweater and slacks with navy blue Billy Reid Beatty Side zip boots, he spoke. “Archibald...”

Marcus enjoyed the tease during his salutations. “Aren’t ya bald, get it? Got it? Go! That’s a great line.” He repeated, chuckling. “Aren’t ya bald?” Thianne smacked Marcus’s bicep, giggling at his funny joke.

“What does your given name mean, Shango?” Balder asked, snickering.

Silence loomed in the air waves.

Granny told. “Archibald means ‘truly bold’.”

Marcus yelled. “Truly bald. No hair. Got it! Get it! Go! ” He laughed, clapping with his hands like a small child. “The gods made you right, man. Thanks for the confirmation, Granny.”
Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“I am the god Shango. I represent rain, thunder and sorcerers from the Thunder pantheon of Africa. I’m from Jamestown, Virginia, not Africa.” He continued to stand as the audience admired him and his new suit.

“Down, Archibald.” Thian commanded, shaking his head, chuckling.

She was five feet and six inches dressed in the Channel red and gray plaid jumpsuit with the furry ankle cuffs and Ugh gray fur boots and Zac Posen gray handbag. “Noako means ‘esteemed one’ in Japanese. I am from Sapporo, New York with the same city sister in Japan. I pick the goddess of wisdom, Dainichi. And I just learned to turn invisible.” She disappeared from sight for three seconds, and then de-materialized in plain view with a different outfit.

Clapping, hooting, foot stamping resulted in the air waves.

“Cool power!”

“Awesome, Dainichi.”

“Go girl.”

“Not bad.”

“I’m better.”

“You’re not.”

“I’m not?”

“I’m hungry.”

Granny offered. “As I mentioned before, you are here to learn and discover your special gifts. Congratulations, devi Noako.”

“Thank you, Granny.” Dainichi stood smiling like the newly crowned Miss America.

“Sit, devi Noako.” Granny ordered.

“Yes ma’am.”

Five feet and eight inches with long dirty blonde hair and aqua eyes, she stood. “Yaffa, the meaning is ‘beautiful’ in Hawaiian but I like my nickname better, Pele…diva of fire.” She laughed with a hardy vengeance. “I’m from Maui if ya can’t tell.” She wore an INC military jacket paired with a green T-shirt, Calvin Klein destroyed dark jeans tucked into OTBT knee high boots with Chloe green handbag.

Shango ordered. “Show them, Pele, produce the fire ball in your hand for a demo.”

“Not necessary…” Granny corrected, quickly before the goddess did some damage with her uncontrolled power. “Sit down, devi Yaffa.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Granny nodded. “Fabio.”

“That’s my name. From Naples, Florida, not Italy. I am Mithras, the soldiers’ god.” Fabio was six feet and six inches with light blonde shoulder length hair and intense mint green eyes wearing the Kean Etro’s zephyr light-silk gray jacket and gray pants with a bright green gauzy shirt, gray wafer-thin tie and pocket handkerchief in black leather loafers.

“What’s it mean, bro?” Marcus asked with a slick grin and winked at Thianne, touching her hair with his finger. She giggled.

“Mithras slayed the mighty bull giving life to the earth. He had followers from the Roman army. He was called the soldiers’ god. Answer your question, Marcus.”

Marcus barked, looking at Mithras. “Ares, man. I’m Ares.”

“Your given name, what’s it translate into for the newcomers?” Granny commanded with a smirk.

Silence loomed in the air waves.

“He’s afraid to say it.” Shango offered, chuckling.

“Why?” Liam asked.

“Fabio is ‘bean’ in Italian…” Shango told.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Black or white or green…” Balder added.

“The more ya eat, the more ya…” Marcus started with a loud tone.

“Stop it, Marcus.” Granny commanded, and then pointed to the silver-head six feet and six inch teen with gray eyes wearing Levi jeans and Alabama Crimson Tide short sleeved T-shirt and Jack Purcell white sneakers. “Last but not least...”

“Last…and the least...” Marcus countered, chuckled. Thianne slapped his big muscular bicep. Marcus winked at her, again.

“Our leader...” Balder acknowledged.

“Hey, I’m leader...” Marcus snapped his head around to address Balder’s mistake.

“Leader of trouble, pain and suffering.” Shango offered, chuckled.

“What god is that?” Balder asked with curiosity.

“Hindus god, Dukka.” Shivaa offered and giggled.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Not I.” Marcus remarked, and pointed to himself.

“Yes, the Greek.”

“The geek…”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hush, Ares.” Thianne punched his arm for her brother to speak.

“My name is Thian. I was born and raised…”

“Like a hog on a farm…” Marcus growled in a low baritone.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“What does Thian mean?” Balder inquired.

“Smooth.” Thian told with a smirk.

“Cool, man. You’re smooth...” Shango complimented, holding a hand for a high-five. Thian slapped the hand.

“What does Thianne mean?” Balder turned to asked her.

“I have never found a reference to my name.” Thianne clarified.

“It means ‘my smooth sister’.” Thian slapped the shoulder of Marcus since he was touching and caressing Thianne’s fingers. “So, back off, Ares, before I hurt ya...really bad.” Marcus removed his hand.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Thian continued. “Born here in Birmingham.”

“…the place where Americans don’t have pagan god and goddess wall posters.” Marcus observed.

“Yes, we do.” Thian countered.

Marcus snapped his head to address Thian. “What?”

Thian explained. “George Washington is a national hero. His confession as a young boy of cutting down his father’s cherry tree is myth but based on a moral value emphasizing the quality of honesty.” He chuckled. “So, honestly…I am the god…George.”

Clapping and laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Yay, Thian.”

“Go, Thian.”

“Our leader…”

Marcus ordered. “Shut up, Thian.”

Granny Hanover stood, clutching her necklace. “I am a lexicon, a goddess of magical words, spells and incantations.”

“Does she have other powers?” Bibi asked.

“Don’t know.” Thianne offered.

“She’s bossy.” Bibi told Thianne.

“I, also, have perfect hearing, devi Bibi.” Granny remarked with a sassy tone.

Snickering bombarded the air waves.

“Before our valuable lesson for the day commences, does any devi or deva have any questions, especially from the new arrivals?” Granny asked.

Bibi asked. “What’s the difference between devas and asuras?”

Shivaa slapped Mithras hard on the shoulder. “These are devas, or male half-gods.” She pointed at herself. “We are divas, half-goddesses. I believe you want to inquire about the male asuras and female asuris.”

Granny commented. “Very good questions, devi Bibi. Asuras and asuris do not require the same kind of sustenance, meaning no drink or food.”

“Do gods eat and drink?” Bibi asked.

“Very much so.” Granny answered.

“Good, ‘cause I like to drink.” Marcus expressed with a wicked smile.

“You’re underage Ares…for beer, bro.” Shango observed, looking at Marcus.

Marcus remarked. “When I get overage, I know I’ll like beer, lots of beer, cases of...”

“Let this be a warning, no alcohol is served to minors on this park and if I catch you...” Granny let the words linger.

“We obey the laws, all the time, Granny.” Thian as leader informed. He turned to give Marcus the evil eye.

“Very well.” Granny smoothed her dress at the hips. “Asuras also do not possess invisibility. You can see them and they can see you. Any more interesting topics of discussion?”

“Where do unicorns live?” Thianne asked with a meek tone.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Very good question Thianne, we are supernatural beings. What makes you think the tender hearted good natured creatures called unicorns do not exist, deva Marcus?” Granny inquired.
Marcus called. “Hey, if my girl...”

Thian turned to stare fire balls at Marcus. “She’s not your girl, dog. Remember the hurting part…”

Laughter exploded in the air waves. 

Marcus smiled. “If the lovely and intelligent Thianne thinks unicorns live around here, I believe her.”

Balder commented, chuckling. “Since, you still believe in Santa Claus.”

“The elves, I like girl elves.” Marcus mentioned with a smirk.

Granny told. “The unicorn is the most mysterious of the mythical creatures told in ancient scrolls.” She waved her hand as the glass windows displaying mountains of snow turned into a black screen showing a white unicorn with a horn. “The animal has been glorified in folk tales, songs, poems, and stories for centuries. The creature remains one of the great unsolved mysterious of the world.”

“Cool unicorn image...”

“If seen...”

Granny instructed to the new students. “For the new devas and devis, during these open discussion threads, please assist me with any known facts...”

“…or fiction.”

“…and science fiction.”

“Marcus is science fiction...”

Granny lectured. “No science fiction is accepted. Only facts or known myths as termed to aid in the audio and visual presentation. I have placed the image of a white horse with a single horn in the middle its forehead on the screen. Now, add your comments.” The screen moved and pranced with creature in 3D.

Balder started. “They are strong, wild, and fierce. And impossible to tame by man...”

Shango told. “…placing it in the same realm as dinosaurs.” The screen split revealing dinosaurs and unicorns.

“Wait, dinosaurs were real back in 10,000 B.C.”

“…along with unknown creatures as Bigfoot...”

“Real too...”

“No, Marcus.”

Ares pointed at the next table with his index finger. “Yeah. It’s over there.”

“Where, Marcus?”

Marcus changed the TV screen of unicorns and dinosaurs replacing with a tall male blonde human. “The ugly gross form of Balder. See the hairy arms, hands and eyebrows…well, the one long hairy eyebrow…”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“More duties this p.m. after the sun sets, Marcus.” Granny barked.

“Dang it, Granny!” Marcus spit.

“And the Loch Ness monster.”

“Which has never been seen by human eyes?”

“...only photographed by the National Inquirer about hundred millions times...”

“Folks believe unicorns exist in remote regions...”

“Where are these regions?” Thianne inquired.

“And can only be discovered by those of exceptional virtue and honesty.”

“That leaves Marcus out.”

“I’m virtuous.” Marcus told.

“Are ya honest, bro?” Shango jibbed.

Marcus answered and posed. “Honest, too. Are ya, Balder?”

“Absolutely.” Balder addressed.

Shango teased along with Marcus. “Wait. I think I hear thunder.”

“…and see lightning…duck…” Marcus tried to fit his tall frame under the tiny animal covered table.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Shut up, Marcus.” Balder shouted.

Dainichi spoke with an enhanced voice. “They exist in China and are solid white with the body of a deer, tail of an ox, hooves of a horse and a single short horn in the forehead. The belly hair is soft. In Chinese, seeing the animal is a good omen.”

“You’re exaggerating the Chinese myth, Dainichi.” Kuan Yi yelled with puzzlement.

Dainichi countered. “It’s true.”

“Truly…” Marcus teased with a smile at Thianne. She was taking notes ignoring his playful advances.

“The unicorn has been sighted by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.”

Thianne muttered. “Adam and Eve can’t help me.”

“I can help you, baby. What do you need, Thianne?” Ares poked his nose into her hair spying on her notes.

Dainichi stated. “In China, it was seen by Emperor Fu His, Huang Di, and Yao.”

Marcus shouted for fun. “Some dang fu powerful stuff...to me.” He chuckled.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“And Confucius….” Dainichi added.

“I’m confused for us.” Marcus continued barking as he touched Thianne’s arm.

“Please, Ares.” Thianne whispered, taking notes.

“You’re always confused that’s not new, Marcus.”

“Alexander the Great saw the animal.”

“That’s the greatest for us and him.” Marcus added with a loud voice and then a whisper to his girl. “Thianne…”

“Shut up, Marcus.” Shango barked.

“Ares, I’m Ares.” He snapped head around to correct Shango.

“Roman Emperor Julius Caesar saw the unicorn in the deep forests of southwestern Germany.”
Thianne muttered, writing down the information. “Good hint, deep forests and cool temperatures.”

Ares spoke low into her ear. “Thianne, what ya doing?”

“Genghis Khan told he saw it in India.”

“A fable tells the unicorn was attracted to a maiden’s chastity or perfume of her dress.”

“Another good hint.” Thianne mumbled, writing more data on her notepad.

“An old tale is told the unicorn’s horn can cure fever, plague, epilepsy, rabies, gout, and a host of other ailments.”

“Include Marcus’ bad breathe on the list.” Balder offered with a laugh.

Marcus told and pointed with his index finger. “Not me, your stinky feet, Balder. See, he wears only flip flops to vent his smelly ugly pale Bigfoot hoofs.” He grinned.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Dainichi added. “Unicorn leather makes great shoes and belts worn around the body.”

Marcus waved his arms and hands in the air joining the conversation since Thianne was ignoring him, taking notes. “Shoes and belts, the creatures don’t exist. Where do you people get these unfounded rumors…outer space?”

Dainichi insisted. “This isn’t a rumor. The Chinese believe in unicorns. They see them.”

Marcus proclaimed. “Apparently they see, ate and wear them like freaking cowboys in the wild, Wild West.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Dainichi told. “If you draw a ring with the unicorn’s horn, you are protected from everything.”

Marcus yelled with his final conclusion. “After our intense debate, my enlightened understanding of the unicorn is strong, fierce, wild, magical and a babe magnet. Forget the horn! Get me the whole entire complete animal.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Granny concluded. “The final information or myth, in this case, tells….about unicorns, which have never been photographed, in a book written in 1624 the animals are related to the constellation Monoceros. The constellation is called the ‘Unicorn star’ mentioned in the Hevelius catalog of 1690. The Milky Way runs through the center of this constellation composed of 146 star clusters visible to the naked eye.” She pointed an index finger at the TV screen as the stars aligned on the black sky. “The myth tells that the star cluster moves about tracking of the unicorn, and if traced to the trajectory on the Earth plane, you will find the location of the unicorn. Unicorns, a pair, male and female are grazing for food during the moonlight. Since, they are not day animals but wanderers of the eve. The myth is called ‘the Unicorn in the Sky’.”

“Whoa. A periscope of the sky.” Marcus commented.

“Your analogy would be a telescope of the sky, Ares.” Shivaa corrected.

“I say that.” Marcus argued.

“Unicorn of the sky.” Thianne repeated with wonder and awe. They are real with a GPS device. She smiled and jotted more scribbles into her notepad.

Granny told. “The theory also tells that a unicorn can be tamed and captured only by a lovely virgin.”

“Now, that rumor I believe.” Marcus looked at Thianne, smiling wickedly. She blushed, dropping her eyes to the notebook.

“The end.” Granny finished.

“The end for Marcus….” Thian threatened with a loud voice at Ares eyeing his sister.
Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Thanks for the information and help, everyone.” Thianne looked up, nodding and complimented her friends.

“Break out sessions.” Granny clapped her hands and instructed.

“Baja bike racing.”

“Opera.”

“Kite board water surfing.”

“Ballet.”

“I second kite board water surfing.”

“Beheading of Marie Antoinette.” Pele yelled.

“You’re sick Pele.” Shango shouted.

“World War III?” Balder offered.

“World War III has never occurred, Balder.”

“Man, I just predicted the future.” Balder smiled pointing to himself with pride and conceit.

“Shut up, Balder.”

Marcus shouted. “Battle, war, killings, blood, guts and tears.”

“Real gods don’t cry, Ares.”

“You’re sicker than Pele, Ares.”

“I AM the ‘war’ god.”

“It’s a nickname, fool, you’re Marcus.”

“I’m Greek.”

“A geek.”

“I’m at Greek god.” Marcus hollered for all god and goddesses to hear.

“A geek goober.”

“Marcus, the geek goober from Athens, Georgia, USA.” Balder told.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Right on, Balder.”

“Touché, Balder.”

“Not right, man.” Marcus stood aiming fists at Balder for the upcoming bloody battle.

“Sit down, devi Marcus.” Granny warned.

“What are they shouting about?” Bibi inquired.

Thianne explained. “Today, for our next school assignments we travel in space and time back to an event in history anywhere in the world.”

“Time travel.” Bibi guessed.

“I guess. Granny never explained the physics behind the mental process of time travel but she’s the guide of the history lesson.” Thianne told.

“Deva Marcus has chosen for the assignment topic…a battle in ancient history. So, access your animal.” Granny instructed.

“What animal?” Bibi asked Thianne.

Granny explained the mental and physical metaphysical concept. “Your inner spirit can be transformed into an animal that travels the cosmos, heavens, earth plane as you guide to the unseen, unheard…”

“Unfeeling…” Balder informed.

“…only for Marcus.” Shango added.

“Hey...” Marcus quipped.

“He’s Greek, got no feelings.” Balder teased.

“I do so.” Marcus countered.

“…only for Thianne.” Balder told the secret data which really wasn’t a secret.

Thian threatened, glancing over at Marcus. “Over my dead body, bro.”

Granny continued ignoring the banter of the young devas with the god-like egos. “Thank you for your input, deva Hansel! Today, we will fly to witness the Battle of Salamis.”

Marcus celebrated, clapping his hands. “Right on! Blood, gut and more blood. My kind of war.”
Granny clarified. “Our invasion will be after the defeat, during the victory party.”

“Banquet, food, wine, sing, dance.” Shivaa mentioned with nod and a smile staring at Marcus.

“Bor-rrring….” Marcus expressed.

“And girls.” Balder added, smiling, rubbing his hands together.

“Lots of slave girls.” Shango added smiling bigger, punching Balder in the arm.

“Heck fire, do it, now.” Marcus slumped with long arms drooping at his sides below the seat as he drifted into a deep mediation for the break out session.

Snickering bombarded the air waves.

Granny ordered. “Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, drop your head, slow your breathing, slump your body into a deep mediation just like deva Marcus.”


infinite space & time, Earth, Ancient Greece, blue skies, sunny, 75*F, 2:02 p.m. (CST)
The golden lion sat posed noble and proud at the foot of the arched limestone stone gate, watching the advancing flock of UFO’s. “What took ya so long?” The voice of Marcus whined as he lingered in space and time of the mesosphere waiting for his supernatural classmates.

The gargoyle flew ahead of the animals, squawking her voice. “Everyone dive.” The voice of Granny Hanover lectured.

One at a time, the inner spirits of devas and devis in the form of physical animals landed on the brown hard dirt. The green frog plopped down as Chun. Thianne moved elegantly as a white Persian cat. Archibald stomped the ground kicking up dust as the chestnut horse. Yaffa flipped somersaults as a beige otter. Liam flapped tiny wings as a yellow humming bird.

The lion teased. “Hey, short man is a short mammal, too.”

The animals hooted with naying, braying, stomping and tapping.

“Hush, teens.” The gargoyle ordered.

Hansel moved with numerous limbs as a brown monkey. Josefina leaped deftly as a red dog. Thian playfully attacked the lion during his touchdown landing as a black panther, starting a small battle which ended quickly in dust and dirt before the lion got hurt.

Bibi zoomed down as a blue swordfish. Rachel floated down as a graceful pink flamingo. Kruti jumped as the brown rabbit.

The gargoyle colored a dull shade of gray closed the sharp fangs around her four paws, bearing sharper white pointed fangs inside the mouth spoke. “Remember to fly high so you do not hit tree limbs, branches or bird nesting.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

The gargoyle reprimanded. “Hush, teens. They might hear. Now, fly in the V pattern formation.”

“Don’t bleep on me, either.” Marcus added.

More laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Xerxes has lost the final battle see the burning ships.” The voice of Granny narrated as the young gods and divas flew over the historical scene in history.


night, classroom, schoolhouse, 62*F, partly cloudy, sunset, 6:10 p.m.
“Did anyone note that Granny formed into a…” Bibi questioned as she sit at the dining table with her new classmates, gods and divas-in-training inside the class at the schoolhouse, used for all sorts of academic, fun and entertainment at Sanctuary.

Balder told. “Gargoyle, each and every time along with her apples.”

Bibi asked. “What does that beast represent?”

Shango corrected, chuckling. “Apples are fruit, not beasts, Bibi…you need to hit the old school books.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Not the apples?” Bibi told.

“What apples?” Shango asked.

“Granny’s apples...” Pele informed.

“I’m hungry.” Balder announced.

Is Chel explained. “Pele is referring to her clothes from S-Sung collection, the designer is famous for the making all her fabrics with apple shapes.”

“Don’t know.” Balder expressed.

“Is it supposed to have a meaning, Bibi?” Thian asked.

“I believe so. The gargoyle is…” Bibi tried to explain.

“Don’t care.” Balder countered.

“Let’s eat.” Shango ordered, moving to grab a plate at the buffet table.

“Pick a nickname, Liam?” Shivaa commanded, punching on the laptop at the dinner table.
“Donn.” Liam announced, smiling between bites of food.

“No.” Pele countered, shaking her head back and forth, waving her PDA in the air waves.

“No, Liam.” Shivaa repeated Pele’s command.

“You can’t select that particular Celtic god.” Pele explained.

“Why not?” Liam asked.

“Donn is the Celtic god of dead, meaning the ‘dark one’.” Shivaa informed.

“So...” Liam commented.

“So, you’re not allowed to pick the dark gods.” Pele informed.

“Why not?” Liam questioned.

“They didn’t like imitation.” Shivaa told.

Thunder rumbled loud, low, and long between clouds of the evening.

“Told ya.” Pele said.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Pick again, lame.” Balder commanded, grinning.

“My name’s Liam.”

“What does Liam translator into?”

“Liam is a big strong willed warrior in Irish folk tale.” He informed.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Pick a god name, big strong willed warrior.”

“Let me think for a moment.” Liam offered.

“Moment’s gone, lame.” Shango teased the new god on the block.

Liam told. “Lugh, the god called ‘the shining one’.”

Shivaa shook her head again, reasoning. “Liam, that particular god name has a much deeper meaning….”

Liam laughed. “That’s why I picked it, I’m a deep person.”

“A short person.” Balder joked.

“Hush, Balder.” Thianne ordered.

“Approved. He’s Lugh, god of the sun.” Pele announced.

“And how about Bibi?” Shivaa asked.

“I’m a pixie.” Bibi told with a smile.

Balder announced to the other teen devas and devis while smiling and winking at Bibi. “Pixies are the world’s cutest fairy-like little girls with bouncy ringlets and a squeaky voice along with a cutesy personality.”

“Balder’s in love, me thinks.” Thian whispered low to his sister, Thianne.

“Ya think.” Thianne acknowledged.

Giggling flooded the air waves.

“Your nickname but it can’t be pixie.” Pele informed.

“Mmm...I’ll select the Scandinavian pixie named Nikki, protector of children.” She giggled and winked at Balder, bumping his shoulder with her’s.

“Nikki, the diva of children.” Shivaa announced, giggling.

Marcus strutted from the dining room door wearing mud covered leather tasseled Gucci shoes with the same elements smeared across his dirty cuffed gold pants and a grass stained gold shirt under his wrinkled suit jacket missing his black silk pocket handkerchief, to the nearest table, sitting, and then complains started.

Shango voiced. “Ewwee, man, get a bath, ya stink.”

Thian told. “Cow patties smell better than you.”

Balder remarked. “Ya smell like horse turds, move your butt to the chair…inside the manor, Marcus.”

“Lay off,” Marcus griped at his pals as Thianne brought a large sized China plate over flowing with meats, vegetables and breads just for him.

“Replacing Hanover, dear?” Pele teased.

“She’s practicing to be a good wife, right, Thianne?” Shivaa added to the romantic site.

“Are you going to marry Marcus, Thianne?” Nikki, the diva name of Bibi asked out of curiosity.

“Over my dead body, bro.” Thian growled, stuffing his face with his third dish of chocolate cake.
Thianne didn’t comment, only smiled sitting between Marcus and Thian….just in case of any physical altercation.

“What’s your diva name, Rachel?”

“I like Isis, the goddess of fertility since I’m from Memphis, Tennessee, not Egypt.” She told in a deep Southern twinge.

“Is-is.” Marcus barked with amusement between chucks of food. “I like that, too. Easy to spell…only two letters.”

“For Ares, since he only learned those two letters, ‘I’ and ‘S’ out of the entire alphabet.” Shango taunted. Marcus ignored the comment since his mouth was occupied with delicious food and his hands with dripping hot buttered biscuits.

“Don’t insult the new diva. Pronounce it correctly, bro.” Balder ordered with authority, placing his arm on Isis for protection from the big bad Ares, pretend god of war.

“I just did…Is-is. Ya deaf and blind…Balder?” Marcus retorted spitting food, laughing.

“Ya lucky females are present, Marcus.” Balder threatened, again.

“I’m the ‘war’ god. Bring it on, Hansel and don’t forget Gretel, I know you need extra help.” Marcus threatened but was too hungry to start a fight at the moment.

“Fight outside…devis.” Thian commanded as san “leader of the pack.”

“List more of our powers as devis?”

“Girls are called divas. Boys...”

“No boys here, men, only men here.”

“Little boys are little gods with big...”

“…attitudes.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Currently, some of us, gods and divas, share the characteristics of being invisible to the physical human eye.”

“I don’t.” Balder told as food left his mouth.

“You’re a weenie, Balder.”

“Close your mouth when you get, man?”

“No one can see us. Is that what you mean?”

“Our presence can be masked for short term but experienced gods and goddesses can detect us who have an extrasensory power by which one can see beings from the same pantheon.”

“That sucks.”

“Big time.”

“Our voices can also be heard by those who have cultivated a similar power of the ear.”

“Like parents.”

“Like Granny Hanover.”

“...and adults with super great powers.”

“Some of us are capable of constructing illusory forms, monsters, other humans, animals...”
“….like rabbits.”

“Rabbits…what rabbits?”

“We can manifest ourselves into anything.”

“Can anyone do that, yet?”

Skulls nodded side to side with a negative response.

“We require food and water unlike the asuras and asuris.”

“We can move at great distances speedily by flying through the air, or aided by equipment like flying chariots....”

“Old school.”

“Flying cars.”

“Only in London.”

Nikki announced. “I’m from London…”

“London, England.”

“No, silly, London, Minnesota.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Flying like planes without engines in London, England.”

“Forget, Balder! He dreams during the day light hours.”

“The plane I took from New York burnt out one engine before it landed here in Alabama. I was really frightened. The pilot was good and safely the machine. I don’t like flying.” Dainichi told her tale.

“Kuan Yi, you’re from New York, also?” Lugh asked.

“You gods, yes.” Kuan Yi spoke.

“Interesting?” Lugh quoted, taking another bite of food.

“What’s interesting Lugh?” Shivaa inquired.

“I thought every deva and devi was born into a unique city.” Lugh explained.

“Unique city?” Nikki asked.

“New York is both, unique and bizarre just like Kuan Yi.” Shango commented, chuckling.

“Hey, my birth home, people?” Dainichi remarked with a pained expression.

Lugh clarified. “I meant I understood the god rule was one deva per city. No dups.”

“Why do you say that, Lugh?”

“Lugh’s correct. I understood the same reasoning, low exposure for the god or goddess-in-training.” Shivaa explained, glaring at Kuan Yi with intrigue.

“Exposure...of what?” Nikki asked.

“Our auras are car beams of lights to the stars.”

“Our weakness is the ability to shine with our own intrinsic luminosity.”

“What?”

“She means our bodies shines by our own light of colored auras.”

“Because we’re young, our aura glows from Earth into the heavens so our parents can see us.”
“That’s so cool.”

“My mom and dad can see me.”

“Only metaphysically.”

“Our parents and our enemies can find us.”

“We don’t have enemies. We’re teens. We’re too young.” Marcus exclaimed, chomping on the meat.

“Well, our friends could find us.”

“We don’t have friends. We’re teens. We’re too young. ” Marcus commented between food bites.

“Ares doesn’t but I do. I have lots of friends.” Balder commented, smiling. “Right, Thian?”

Marcus continued. “What friends, Balder? Ya got stinky feet and bad breathe. No body wants to breathe your contaminated H2O.”

“What’s he mumbling about, Thian?”

Thian quoted, laughing. “Ares, you can annoy the feces out of Satan’s grandmother.”

“Satan doesn’t have a grandmother, does he, Shivaa?” Balder turned to ask the smarter goddess in the room.

“Old Western expression.” Thian informed.

“Expressing…exactly what in the West…ya mean the US West with horses and….?”

“A worthy adversary…” Thian started.

“…for fighting…?”

Thian finished. “…or debating.”

Marcus summarized. “No, an imagery worthless enemy for non-fighting.”

“Wrong Marcus.”

“Ares, I’m Ares.”

“Right, Thian?”

Pele told. “Pick at topic, Shivaa?”

“Okay, pick your poison.” Shivaa broke eye contact, scanning the table.

“Snakes.”

“Spiders.”

“Bats.”

“Swords.”

“Darts.”

“Vikings.”

“Selected.” Shivaa told.

“I didn’t vote.” Marcus complained waving his fork in the air.

“Late again, Ares.”

“What are we doing?” Nikki asked Balder.

Shivaa clarified. “This is an old Roman debating technique. Once a topic is picked, each senator offered a subject. The orator of the previous night selected the new subject. Every night we vote…”

“I didn’t get to vote.” Marcus complained waving his fork and knife in the air waves.

“Stow it, Marcus.”

“For a subject to debate….”

“Ah! A game of wits.”

Lugh injected. “Seems to me, the winning senator could cheat by selecting his buddy.”

Pele offered. “Secondly, this is an IQ test, the selected topic by the senator has to be the expert on the topic, if not, another senator with more brains on the subject can manipulate the conversation and win the debate.”

Marcus continued. “Correct, the winning Roman won gold, wine, slave girls…”

“Not true.” Shivaa remarked.

“Yes, true.” Marcus debated.

“What does the Roman of tonight’s debate win?”

“The pleasure of beating the stuffing out of Marcus.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Not true.” Marcus whined.

“Yes, true.” Balder laughed.

“Shut up, Marcus.”

“Ares, I’m Ares.”

“The other added technique of the game is to display visual pics on the laptops, PDA’s and the plasma TV for all to see as we follow along with the verbal debate.”

“That’s tough.”

“No, it’s impossible.”

“Poor baby, limited goddess powers.”

“Yeah, since I’m big bad god with bigger badder god powers.”

“Whose saids.”

“Marcus does.”

“Shut up, Balder.”

“Who’s asking?”

“More fun.”

“More tension.”

“More nerves.”

“Get ready...”

“Set…”

Shivaa acted as facilitator ordered. “Balder start the game.”

Balder waved his hands as the glass windows inside the schoolhouse showing the snowy mountains changed into six 70 inches plasma TV screen. The monitors displayed large wooden ships and ancient men at sea. “The group of men, women and children known as the Vikings is recorded in world history about 700 A.D. to 1000 A.D., three hundred years to spread the virus by sailors exploring the North Atlantic Ocean from Greenland establishing a fort at Cape Cod in North America by Leif Erickson, a famous leader and explorer, traveling south to Sicily, Italy.”
Shango added. “The Vikings were housed originally in Scandinavia, which is now Denmark, Sweden and Norway. They conquered England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Russia and Spain, raiding these areas for looting and capital gain.” He stopped and snickered. “Scholars theorize the mother land was overcrowded with young, poor, and starving adults selected to travel the seas as a means to obtain wealth and honor…”

Marcus shouted above the noise from the TV monitor. “And FREDS…”

Nikki asked Shivaa. “What’s that?”

Marcus waved his hand as colorful bright ugly images appeared on the big screen, laptops and PDA’s. “Furry red-headed emerald-eyed dog sh…”

“Marcus.” Shivaa yelled.

“Yes, true.” Marcus countered.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Thian explained to Nikki. “FREDS are were-wolves who originated from the Viking Clan. They all have long curly hair…”

“…to cover their pointy ears.” Marcus added, laughing.

“Not true.”

“Yes, true.”

“Ares is correct. They have small pointy furry ears…”

“Two points, Ares.”

“He guessed. Good guess. No award for guessing for Ares.”

“No award for cheating, Balder, I got it right, man.”

“No points, Balder.”

“The ears are covered by the dark red hair with big bright shiny emerald eyes in their nature human state of six foot and taller during the day. At night, their pale skin changes to a fine soft white pelt…”

“I want a soft white ankle length coat for winter.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“The Vikings wore lots of fur especially in the color white.” Pele commented.

Laughter exploded, again.

“Two points, Pele.”

“The dog teeth on top and bottom grow longer for cutting and searing their prey. This medical condition occurred due to centuries of poor health and poor nutrition.  The cursed ones share depleted medically hormone sequences which require supplements of raw meat…”

“Raw as in blood and gut…”

“Two points for Is-is.” Marcus crowed with laughter.

“Isis….proper noun, chump.” Balder sneered and threatened Marcus. Ares flipped his hand up and chuckled.

“The law of the universe dictates FREDS only eat other wild animals…”

“…or each other.” Balder added.

“Two points, Balder.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Occasionally when a human runs into the clan…”

“They’re dead meat.” Shango told.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hey, that’s my line.” Marcus whined.

“No points, Ares.”

“FREDS exist with us on daily…”

“…and nightly feedings.” Thian told.

“Two points, Thian.”

“They work, pay taxes and have baby FREDS.” Pele relayed.

“Two points, Pele.”

“We live in sweet harmony.” Balder cooed in Nikki’s ear.

“Negative 400 points for Balder.” Marcus barked.

“Hey, I’m right, dude.” Balder debated.

“In the wrong way, get with it, man.” Marcus retorted.

“The full moon…”

“The apex toward the full moon intensifies their feedings.” Pele added.

“Two points, Pele.”

“And their appearance, they become more furry with blood red shot eyes surrounding the emerald iris from the lack of protein…”

“And smell like wet dogs…” Marcus told showing rain drops pouring down the red animals.

“I don’t like wet dogs.”

“Stay away from FREDS.”

“Do you know any FREDS?”

“No.”

“No way.”

“Go away.”

“Far, far away.”

“…from FREDS and GREGS…”

“GREGS?”

Marcus pointed his index finger up and down in the air. “GREGS are gray-skinned red-eyed goon shits.” The images displayed on all the electronic equipment.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Debate finished.” Shivaa announced.

“Who won?” Isis asked.

More laughter exploded in the air waves.


September 25, sunshine, classroom, bright & sunny, no clouds, 72* F, 1:34 p.m.
The scene inside the schoolhouse showed the Texas stadium for the Dallas Cowboys football team inside a domed covered metal frame. The carpet was grass. Chairs were long benches under square tables with food and drinks representing lunch.

Marcus was sitting beside his girl, Thianne. While her twin brother, Thian, was commenting with unkind verbal remarks regarding destructive pieces of Marcus’s body parts behind the couple’s backside along with Shango snickering at the audio insults.

Kuan Yi, Pele, Josefina, and Balder composed one team dressed in white football jerseys with numbers tossing the ball over the netting to the second team consisting Is Chel, Mithras, Dainichi and Isis, dressed in maroon football jerseys slamming the round object back to them. Lugh was referee. Nikki was cheering for Balder.

Thian shouted into his ear. “I thought you were going to play, be captain, Marcus.”

“Bu-sy.” Marcus touched Thianne’s arm ignoring her brother.

“FOUR and a quarter.” An active player yelled for the incoming missile heading into one of the tables.

Thian accurately levitated the ball in the direction of Marcus aiming and popping the side back of his black curly skull.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Marcus stood, turning with fury eyeing Thian for the oncoming punch, drawing back a flexed muscle with a folded fist. Shango tossed the white power onto the body of the isolated angry young god. Marcus disappeared into thin air.

More laughter exploded in the air waves.

Thianne stood and sharply turned to face the mischievous duo, red-faced with hands on hips. “Bring him back, now, Shango.”

Extreme laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hold your ponytail, Thianne.” Shango announced between chuckling fists and punching sessions with Thian.

The game stopped as Balder approached the bad boys, laughing with tears in his eyes from the magical maneuver. “How ya do that, Shango?”

Shango shrugged. “A native trick from Africa, vanishing powder, the substitute causes any life form to disappear into thin air.”

“Where’s Ares?” Thianne spit with fury and fright.

“At a locate of my choosing...” Shango told, smiling, smirking and sneering with success.
“Your choosing?” Thianne barked. “Bring Ares back…now.”

“Once tagged as abitus...” Shango remarked.

“ ‘Gone’ in Latin.” Shivaa translated.

Shango explained with a smirk. “I, and only I, can send the physical body to a safe...or unsafe place of my liking.”

“Bring Ares back...now.” Thianne shouted with more fury and more concern for her guy.
“Not hurt, Thianne. Relax. Enjoy the rest of the game.” Thian told his sister, leaning back into the chair watching the gathering god and goddesses walking and surrounding the table.

“I, and only I, Shango? Dang it, dude!” Balder inquired holding a hand high in the air.

Shango slapped with the high-five. “The poisons…” He started.

“Poisons…” Thianne shouted with angry at Shango.

“He means potions, Thianne, not poisons…” Thian clarified and turned to Shango. “Potions…”

“The seedlings are programmed into my DNA molecules. I, and only I, can touch them without a negative reaction…hence, Ares is gone until I, and only I, summon him back.”

“Now, Shango.” Thianne raised her voice and her hands in the air.

“She produces fire from mouth, pal.” Thian tilted his head to warn Shango of Thianne’s newest power.

“Yay! Hot and heated and ready to go.” Thianne eyed her target.

“Hold your spit, Thianne.” Shango warned, eyeing her with caution, cutting his brown eyes to Thian for aid.

“Granny’s coming.” Shivaa warned as she guarded the door.

“Game over.” Lugh shouted in loud voice.

Shango pitched the red powder onto the floor where the white dust bunnies were shimmering. Marcus re-appeared complete and whole and angry in a standing position.

“What the heck...Shango...you’re Auburn tiger meat.” Marcus stepped a foot forward, and then stopped. He scratched his neck, his face, his hand and his other body parts with his limber fingers.

“Something’s wrong here.” Thianne noted with anxiety, stepping close but not touching Ares.

Marcus spoke. “I...I...it itches. It burns.” He continued to slap his body parts with fingers.

Shango offered with a frown. “Alas! The after effects of the powder I’m afraid. Part of the ingredients is red pepper.”

“Peppers. Red peppers.” Marcus repeated as he continued pawing his arms and neck. He popped his fingers changing from the baby blue tailored made Louis Vuitton suit into a bright mint green Ralph Lauren jacket and pants.

“My eyes hurt, man.”

“Shut them for the rest of the day, Balder.” Marcus snapped.

“Use your vanishing powder, again, Shango.”

Granny entered in a rush yelling to the pupils. “They are here.”

“Who is here?”

“Whom is here?” Marcus kidded.

“Who’s here? Go back to grammar school, Marcus.”

“THEM?” Isis was looking outside through the big bay window pointing with her index finger viewing the rising clouds of black coming up and over the mountainside.

“Outside, teens. Everyone, outside. We have company.” Granny Hanover ordered.

The teens walked down the pebble path to the open meadow pasture minus the smelly horses which was re-located to another grazing grassy field.

Shango ordered. “Don’t step in that, Ares.”

“Levitated over it.” Marcus corrected.

“Show off.” Balder remarked.

“Thank you.” Marcus acknowledged.

“Hush, teens.” Granny commanded.

Out of the bright blue skies, a helicopter sounded like thunder before you could see the rotors twirling high in the white clouds. The machine was colored black carrying one person, landing on the level manicured grass field. 

Down the hillside, blue lightning bolts streaked the skies along with loud roaring and growling sounds as four Harley Davidson black and silver chromed motorcycles split the horizontal formation into pairs driving between the parked copter.

A tall slender woman dressed in a Dolce & Gabbana short black short dress to her knees, black neck scarf flying in the light breeze and wraparound Ray-Ban sunglasses stomping in the grass on four inches black Christian Louboutin platform shoes, hauling big silver Dooney and Bourke purse. As she moved forward, the four cyclists stood upright, shifting off each bike, walking slightly behind her forming a row of intimidating bulk and muscle dressed all in black, jackets, leather pants and boots with fingerless gloves for shifting the motorcycle gears. On each black T-shirt, there was a colored picture of a horse’s head, mane and bangs painted in one pastel: white, red, black and beige.

Mr. and Mrs. Windsor and Granny Hanover approached the mysterious woman along with her strange body guards, standing like posed granite statues in front of the motorcycle chain gang.

“A movie star?” Balder whispered to Shango.

“Don’t think so.”

“A model?”

“I didn’t know Mr. Windsor know any superstar runway models.”

“I wish. She’s hot.”

“Swim suit hot.”

Granny motioned with her arm high in the air for the teens to join the conversation. The devas and devis huddled beside the adults quietly listening to the on-going chat.

“Good morning, I am Apollyon. You may call me Polly.” The female from the helicopter greeted.

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless day.

“She’s hotter than hot.” Ares spoke to Shango.

“Not now, Marcus.” Thianne ordered.

“Didn’t you get it, hotter than the hot in....” Marcus continued.

More loud thunder rumbled in the cloudless day.

“Hush, Marcus.” Granny reprimanded.

Polly introduced. “There are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse…”

“Dressed as bikers…” Marcus joked.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“You have a good acute eyesight, young deva.” Polly complimented, nodding her blond head.

“She called you an arm chair, Ares.” Lugh turned to joke with Marcus.

“Shut up, leprechaun.” Marcus barked.

“Hush, Marcus.” Thianne ordered.

Polly turned to scan the blue skies. “Ah! Good timing. May I introduce Archangel Michael.” She spoke with a soft timber pointing at a very large bird with 30 feet wing span. The bird dropped beneath the white clouds flying gracefully and landing deftly on the grass without a puff of air pressure, tucking his wings neatly into his attire.

The man was very tall, six feet and nine inches with black shoulder length straight hair, black stubbed beard, intense baby blue eyes wearing a Zilli business suit designed of white silk, white silk shirt and a white tie. “Good morning, teens.” Michael declared, smiling. “Call me, Mic for short.”

Skulls bobbed up and down as formal introductions rounded the circle. “Chairs, refreshments.” The deep baritone voice ordered. The cozy and comfortable items materialized from thin air onto the grass field as young, old and ancient entities took seats with plates of food and drink.

Polly began. “We have…”

The teen god stood to speak. “Wait a sec…”

“Thian?” Granny interrupted.

“Precede, young teen.” Mic declared motioning with his hand.

Thian started. “If you are really…who you really are…”

Marcus added salt to the wound. “Just say it, man?”

Thian swung his head to Marcus. “I’m nervous…okay.” He jerked back and cleared his tight throat. “If they are really from up there, then answer this?”

Silence loomed the air waves.

“Precede, young teen.” Mic told.

“How do you kill a god?” Thian blasted.

Silence filled the air waves.

“By the…” Mic started to comment.

Thian nodded and spoke. “Alright. I believe.” He sat down on the comfortable chair.

“She didn’t answer the question, dude?” Shango turned to Thian.

“Yes, she did.” Thian smiled, pointing to his mind. “Telepathed it to me.”

“Do we all believe now?” Polly asked, scanning the young faces.

“Yes, sir and ma’am.” Thian answered as the leader of the pack.

Polly began, again. “We come with a message. Satan is dead.”

Muttering, mumbling and moaning filled the air waves.

“Truly?”

“Right on, brothers and sisters.”

“Let’s celebrate.”

Polly continued. “This message is a warning rather than a proclamation of celebration.”

“Truly?”

“Not good, bro.”

“Let’s not celebrate.”

Polly added. “The demise of Satan was caused by family rivalry, not external influences.”

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless day.

“Not very good.”

“Truly?”

“Satan’s very unkind…”

“Just say it, wicked, very wicked…”

Polly spoke. “I am here to warn his relatives had decided to take on...”

“INCOMING...” Mic stood, pointing and yelling.

Falling from the gray skies, like big long flying squirrels, bodies in humanoid shape which landed two by two and three by threes, each body was short only four feet tall with big blue eyes, big red shaped lips, big round yellow nose, no ears on a clean face with a bald head wearing a white tress dress to the knees with leather sandals and a gold solid circular necklace around the neck, holding arms parallel to the ground with four digits on each hand and four toes on each foot.

“Looks like bozo the earless clowns.” Marcus joked, laughing.

Mic manifested a two-handed long sword. Polly drew a Tomahawk into her hands.

“Don’t touch them.” Shivaa cried holding the wooden club she snatched from Gucci handbag high in the air.

Thian pulled a taser from his back pocket of his Levi jeans ready for the fight. Thianne jerked twin silver daggers from her Prada bag holding them parallel to the ground in the air for the attack. Shango presented a pouch filled with flavored powders composed of acidic and toxin poisons to any biological life form, aiming his hand filled with death. Kuan Yi displayed night sticks in each hand from her Guess clutch bag. Balder supplied a tool from his Gucci backpack.

Marcus looked at Balder, teasing. “A screwdriver?”

“Shut up, Marcus.”

Marcus didn’t have a weapon of mass destruction. He whispered to Balder. “Got another one, man.”

“On your own godless...” Balder taunted.

Suddenly a figure appeared beside Marcus. “Hi, I’m Guy.”

“Guy.” Marcus quipped.

“Archangel Gabriel....your BFF for today.” He addressed as he handled Marcus a long sharp spear matching his own weapon.

“Great and thanks, man.” Marcus stated.

Archangel Uriel appeared with a pike axe, Malachi holding a cross bow with arrow stringed and Raphael twirled a lance. Balder held a double axe, protecting Nikki at his back. Lugh fell to the ground covering his head with Pele standing over him as guard.

Shivaa held her bag of bead pellets, shouting to the teen gods and divas. “Don’t look into their eyes.”

“Don’t look into their eyes. What? Why not?” Marcus looked over and shouted back the command.

“Like she say, don’t look at the eyes.” Guy repeated the command to Ares.

“Got it.” Marcus nodded, targeting the prey.

“Got it.” Guy repeated and nodded.

“Hit their gold bands.” Shivaa shouted more instructions.

“What?” Marcus asked with confusion.

“The dog collars, hit them on the collars.” Guy explained, pointing to the exposed neck muscles.

“Understood.” Marcus spoke, nodding, holding the spear with both sweaty palms as he moved closer to Thianne to protect her.

“Roger and out.” Shango told.

The first wave of attackers landed, purposely or accidently, on the cows inside the open pasture, and then a strange thing occurred. When the clown landed on the cow, the animal disappeared and was replaced with a new life form. The upright clown morphed its skin into shapes of geometric black and white patches completed with rounded long flat pink ears and a long brush tail. Then, the clown exploded into tiny yellow and red fire balls becoming red ashes in the air.

Mic quoted. “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.”

“Hold my spit.” Shango told, shaking his bald head in confusion.

“Later, teen.” Mic spoke. He jumped ahead of the pack and sliced his sword into the gold necklace. The humanoid exploded into tiny red burning ashes.

Chun was impressive with her bare-handed fighting skills of kung fu, punching and kicking and twirling after each mimicry of a beast sound, and then spreading her can of Mace in its face. Alas! The thing continued walking holding arms stiff trying to touch her.

Mic pitched a sword to Chun as she grabbed by the hilt, yelling. “Hit the collar.”

She elegantly aimed the sword striking the gold band around its neck. The thing sizzled into small burning fire balls in mid-air turning fast to ashes as the wind carried by the remnants. Chun picked up the weapon turning to aim at her next victim.

As the clowns moved closer, weapons shot into the air using kinesis to tap the gold collar. Mini fire balls filled the air waves, and then ashes fall to the dry grass. The blue skies turned into a river muddy color as beige skins of the clowns wearing the white skirts crisscrossed the clouds, diving to the dirt, deftly landing in a slight crouch before stepping upright with arms extended for a loving touch of a warm body.

Shivaa yelled out loud. “Too many.” She was running backwards as she tossed her sword at the advancing clown, hitting the collar, watching the dust ball while another clown replaced it.
Polly screamed back to her since they were fighting side by side. “Agreed.” Polly stopped, eased her sword to the side and whistled really loud with two fingers in her mouth in an unladylike fashion.

A noise rumbled deep like a space shuttle launch above the clouds followed by a whimpering of toddler’s pain, and then the roaring of lions as figures dropped from the clouds attacking the clowns. The forms were shaped as gigantic dogs with one head, four legs with protruded sharp claws, short muscular trunk and hairless skin in the color of honey. The head possessed no ears, big silver eyes, short snout, big sharp dog incisors and drooling pink saliva from the orange lips. The dogs sent laser beams colored silver from their eye sockets aiming at each clown destroying the foes on the dirt, in the pasture and in the air.

Clapping, hooting, and whistling followed as the last clown was destroyed one by one and twos by twos.

The dogs landed on four feet gathering around Polly, their master. She petted the closet two animals with her hands. “Good Hanky.” Polly complimented the sweaty and smelly mutt.

“What the heck were those clowns?”

“JANES.” Polly informed.

“Your pets are...”

“HANKS.” Polly told.

Archangel Michael announced. “Hounds of Apollyon Nasty Killing Shits.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Mic.”

Polly informed, eyeing the archangel, turning to the teens. “Mic likes to joke. Please ignore his sideways humor. HANKS are really Heavenly Animal Neutralization Kindness Slayers.”

“Oh!”

“I like Mic’s...” Marcus started to comment.

“Hush, Marcus.” Thianne warned.

“My opinion counts.” Marcus whined.

Polly asked. “Yes, all your opinions counts....Mic, be kind and clean up for me.” He waved a hand. The torn white tent and nice furniture and food were replaced with dark purple items. She offered. “Thank you. Let us be seated. We have much to discuss, teens.”

“Amen to that.”

Polly named the other angels who assisted with the victory starting with. “This is Uriel.”

“El.” He offered.

“Malachi.” Polly told.

“Mal.” He mentioned.

“Raphael.” Polly listed.

“Ya called Rap.”

“Raphael.” He repeated.

“O!”

“Who invited the clowns?”

Shivaa sat down on the sofa next to Ares explaining in detail. “JANES are Hindu bad guys, kinda like trolls, demons, and spirits of evil. They are nicknamed ‘conquerors’ for conquering and imprisoning the soul of their victims into their bodies.”

“They don’t fight.”

“Soul eaters paralyze with their yellow eyes. Didn’t you see them?”

“No, you told me not to look at the eyes.”

“Good deva.”

Shivaa continued. “Once the victim is numb, JANES can touch any part of the biological body, absorbing the person’s complete physical appearance along with their soul.”

“The cows, I mean, the clowns, I mean, the things turned to cows.”

Polly nodded and explained. “JANES can only absorb the souls of mortals or gods…”

“Us, that’s us.”

“Just great.”

“Not good.”

“Dang it.”

“Bull frog crap.”

“Holy snot.”

Polly proclaimed with a stern tone. “Devas and devis met your new arch-enemy.”

“New arch-enemy?”

Marcus barked, standing. “We don’t have enemies. We’re teenagers. We’re too young for enemies.” He swung his body to the teen on his left. “Right, Thian?”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“I want to be an adult.”

“You want to be a god.”

“Full time god…”

“Or goddess.”

“I concur.”

Polly started. “JANES were…”

“Were?”

“JANES are now….”

“JANES were the slaves for the Titans, serving, slaughtering, and searing for the giants during the Golden Age.” Polly lectured with ancient history.

“Golden Age of what?” Marcus asked.

“Hush, Ares.” Thianne warned as she touched his arm for control and comfort.

Mic explained. “Another big hint, biological and chemical weapons do not work on their chemical body, and neither do magnets.”

“Rocker launcher.” Marcus suggested.

“No, Marcus.” Mic shook his head.

“Too much collateral damage…to me.” Thian purposed.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Mic offered. “Sonic or laser might work but the heat intensity will burn your limbs.”

“Incendiary...” Marcus purposed.

“Huh?”

“Damage with fire to the things, a flamethrower.” Marcus clarified.

Polly motioned with her index finger at Marcus. “Be very careful with firearms, missiles and nuclear weapons.” She cautioned.

“No prob.” Thian nodded.

“How about anti-matter weapons?” Marcus asked.

“What?”

“A hypothetical device using anti-matter as the power source which doesn’t exist in our universe, deva.” Mic explained.

“Just thinking out loud.” Marcus remarked.

“Without your brain...again, Ares.” Thian teased lightly.

Shango spoke. “Hold your spit. Trapped in Hell, seems to me they are out.”

Polly informed. “Correct…before we were interrupted.”

Thian recalled. “Your message Satan is dead means something...more…”

“Not good.”

“For whom?”

“For who?”

“For them?”

“For us?”

“Precisely, us, teens.”

Polly explained. “Satan was a fallen angel from Heaven given restrictions and rules to follow.”
“…like a game.”

Polly told. “For simplicity, similar to the rules of a game.”

Thian told, nodding his head to the teens. “The game changed. Therefore, the rules changed.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I understand.”

“I want to understand.”

Polly informed. “Someone got Satan out of the way, opened the secret passage, releasing the JANES out into the world.”

“Truly?”

“Not true.”

“Not good?”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“So, this new one is the new leader in Hell.”

Mic told. “No, Lucifer’s back in command.”

Polly explained. “This deity is a wild card, running its organization between the realms of heaven and hell…even Lucifer doesn’t want to mess with it.”

“Between heaven and hell is…”

“Earth.”

“Here, on Earth.”

Polly spoke with a stern tone. “Yes, on Earth.  Our Intel leads to one hint, Satan’s grandmother.”

Marcus spoke. “No way. Satan’s grandmother is an expression that means ‘one’s enemy.’ ”

Polly complimented. “A very apt analogy, young teen.”

“Hard to believe that son of a gun had a mother, much less a grandmother.”

“Truly?”

“Not true.”

“Not very good.”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“An expression.”

“No expression.”

Polly emphasized. “Satan’s grandmother is running the show. She wants to open the gates of Chaos for the Titans, releasing their fury upon Earth.”

“Talk about a population implosion.”

“That could toss us back to the Stone Age…”

“Beyond stones to amoebas…”

“Amoebas, tiny minuscule particles of life that formed the earth 65 million years ago.”

“That far…”

Thian told. “Impossible. The Titans are boxed into living graves even Satan couldn’t locate them.”

Mic explained. “Correct again, young teen. Satan didn’t have the power to open the door, either. However, he possessed the key of knowledge and was responsible for their unending fate as living corpses.”

Thian summarized. “Okay, Satan didn’t help them since he was blamed and punished. So, his grandmother is innocent of any and all cosmic crimes. Now, he’s dead. Therefore, she can open the gates of Chaos.”

Polly complimented. “Very good, young teen.”

“Way to go, Thian.”

“I hate being right.” Thian moaned.

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless day.

“Okay. I like to be right.” Thian huffed.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Where do we fit into the mix?”

“I got this one. Grandmother’s coming after us.”

Polly informed. “Absolutely, she’s the leader of the JANES.”

“JANES want us.”

“...and we want our mommies and daddies.”

“Amen to that.”

Polly lectured. “Power tips for the surviving the JANES. They travel in packs like dogs or swarms like locust or flocks like birds…”

“Run, hop, jump, check.”

Polly continued. “They travel during the day light hours only. The source of their power is the sun which gives their eyes the yellow illumination.”

“Power...check.”

Polly added. “GREGS and FREDS are their natural enemies if encountered.”

“Enemies...check.”

“Too easy. We toss a goodbye party and invite everyone.”

“…except us.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Destroy them by hitting the dog collars with any weapon available as long as you don’t look at the eyes.”

“Eyes...check.”

“What about the mortals?”

Polly explained. “JANES absorb any matter they can touch, humans, animals or insects.  Once the soul’s trapped, they transform into the person’s physical appearance for seven solar days and moon nights, utilizing blood, bones, skin, organs and muscles for their exist. Then, time to find another victim.”

“A god…”

“…or diva.”

Polly nodded with more information. “…or teens, they’ll trap you, imprisoning your soul to carry back to Satan’s grandmother, their leader and spit it out onto the dirt, then die. This is her short term goal.”

“Why does she want us?”

Polly told. “The key to opening the Tartarus gate is god or goddess blood.”

“My Mom and Dad are…”

Mic added with a smile. “Your parents are safe and sound.”

Polly explained. “They agreed to the fosterage ritual when you were born and taken upon the care of your special guardians.”

“Stupid idea for all of us.”

Polly lectured. “At the time, the old Celtic fosterage program ensured safety, education and skills for young rambunctious super beings living in a mortal world. The program worked very well for both parties for thousands of years, Zeus, his sisters and brothers and all their children and grandchildren endured the ritual.”

“I thought Cronus ate Zeus and his children.”

Polly told. “That’s a misconception. Zeus was fostered until 18 years.”

“A teenager on Earth, like us.”

“Precisely, young teen.” Polly nodded.

Mic completed. “When the young, bright and strong super members returned with greater powers…”

Polly added. “Advanced fighting techniques.”

Mic told. “Better social skills.”

Polly continued. “…and friends of hu-mans. Cronus went crazy, swallowing the children, securing his reign as king of gods and goddesses.”

Shivaa motioned with her hand. “Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. We know the rest of the story.”

“How does Satan’s grandmother fit into the mix?”

“Satan’s grandmother doesn’t exist. It’s an expression, right, Thian?” Marcus arched his neck at Thian, asking.

“Don’t know.” Thian muttered.

“Just great.”

“Not great.”

“Holy snot.”

“Dang it.”

“Heck fire.”

“Hold my spit.”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“Why can’t our parents help us?”

“They’ll be captured by the JANES, dummy.”

Polly sighed. She breathed deeply. She spoke. “Your parents can come back to Earth anytime they desire. However, they must stay and accept their new fate…as mortals.”

“Mortals, not gods.”

“My parent would be a human. Not fair!”

“I don’t understand.”

“I understand.”

“I don’t want to understand.”

Polly explained. “As protection from Satan’s grandmother, they have elected to live peacefully in another part of the galaxy.”

“Are they safe?”

Mic repeated. “Very safe.”

“Unlike us.”

“Send us away with them…”

Polly shook her head and spoke. “You’re not yet winged…”

“She means winged at 18.”

Polly lectured. “Exactly. On your 18th birthday, as dictated by the fosterage ritual, you can see your parents.”

“That sucks…”

“Big time.”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“Can we see them for a short brief three second visit?”

Polly told. “No.”

“Talk to them?”

Polly said. “No.”

“Communicate with my mother?”

Polly answered. “No.”

Thianne asked. “Is that your rule or their rule?”

“What are you asking devi Thianne?” Granny inquired.

“Forget it.” Thianne waved her hand in the air.

“Do they know about our fate?”

“No one knows your fate.”

“Your fate’s not set in stone. You future depends on how well you fair…”

“With FREDS, GREGS and JANES…”

“And the grandmother from…”

Polly explained. “Satan’s demise and grandmother’s arrival changed the rules of the game.”

Thian purposed. “The new game play, stop Satan’s grandmother from opening the gate of Tartarus and releasing the Titans creating Chaos.”

“You got it.”

Polly told. “The only clue is Granny needs to acquire god blood to open the gate.”

“How much blood?”

Polly answered. “The measurement is uncertain.”

“Whose blood of the gods and divas is required to open the gate?”

Polly said. “Uncertain.”

“Where is Tartarus?”

Polly told. “Uncertain.”

“Where is the Calvary?”

Polly expressed. “Uncertain.”

“Who is going to win this battle?”

Polly stated. “Uncertain.”

“Who has the Frankenstein freaking answers?”

Polly informed. “Uncertain.”

“Who is going to lose this battle?”

“Certainly…us.”

“Man, I’m living in Land of the Lost.”

“…on the Planet of the Apes.”

“…in an episode of the Heroes.”

“What do we do?”

“Our homework, we find out.”

“Right, teens.”

“Can you help us, Polly?”

Polly looked at Mic. He shook his head side to side. “We can’t interfere. Ya know. The good versus evil thing….”

“Free will.”

“I hate that word.”

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless skies.

Pele explained. “Need I remind you, we don’t know who are mothers and fathers are. We were deprived the information as well as a family life together which means Satan’s grandmother could come after any one of us and our blood.”

Polly addressed with a tender heart and smile. “I’ll take on your guardianship for...”

“Polly?” Mic warned.

Thunder rumbled in the cloudless skies.

The elder woman stood from the chair stroking her necklace, talking. “I am Granny Hanover. I am their guardian, you, Apollyon are not needed.”

Polly nodded, speaking. “Very well, Granny Hanover. I’ll place the teens in your hands.”

“Thank you.” Granny spoke, still standing holding her necklace.

Polly provided objects. “Here’s my business card with my email address. Text me. I can ask questions and seek answers.”

“Seek the road?” Thianne announced.

“What did you say Thianne?” Marcus asked.

“We’re supposed to seek the road, right?” Thianne asked, looking over the weary teen faces.

Thian looked at his sister in puzzlement. “That statement doesn’t make any sense Thianne.”

Nikki jumped from the chair with enthusiasm. “I’m help.”

“I’m harm.” Balder told, holding Nikki’s hand as she bounced up and down on the grass.

“I vote to harm…them.”

Thian offered. “Teens, vote? We live in America…”

“Land of the free.”

“…and home of the brave.”

“Fighting rebel brave gods and goddesses.”

Thian stood, announcing. “Vote?”

“Help.”

“Harm, massive intense bloody body parts that ain’t growing back.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Help we, us and all between.”

“Harm them, they and all between.”

More laughter exploded.

“Okay, raise hands to help, or harm, or all between.” Thian requested. No hands lifted into the air. Thian twisted to her and proclaimed, softly. “We accept, Polly.”

“Okay, raise hands that we all die…shortly.” Ares shouted, loudly.

All hands rose.

classroom, schoolhouse, party cloudy, 69*F, 4:01 p.m.
“What do we do now?” Shivaa asked as the door knob slammed into the walls of the schoolhouse at Windsor Manor in Birmingham, Alabama.

“Eat.” Marcus answered, heading to the buffet table.

“What do we wait on?”

“Eat.” Marcus repeated.

“What do we plan next?”

“Eat.” Marcus repeated, again.

“She’s Apollyon, the destroying Angel of the Apocalypse.” 

“I feel honored. I just met Pestilence, War, Famine and Death…”

“…dressed as bikers with cool riding machines.”

“They are referred to as ‘the four spirits of the heavens,’ symbolize the agents of destruction or judgment.”

“What’s the battle plan?”

“Stay alive and breathing.”

“Eat.”

“I mean the plan for engaging and battling the enemy.”

“JANES, her own personal immortal, sexless and painless army.”

“Ya mean pain...full enemy.”

“Yeah!”

“Most military tactics are confined on a battlefield.”

“Et tu, Balder.”

“Open plain or terrain.”

“Plowed field.”

“Too many ditches.”

“Right, too rough for the girls.”

“I was talking about Marcus.”

“We should have a battle drill.”

“Why, Balder?”

“We need to practice, Shango.”

“In the open, where Mr. and Mrs. Windsor can see us practicing our military tactics on open terrain utilizing militia weapons. I don’t think so.”

“Precisely, teens.” Granny yelled as she walked into the classroom.

“We have enemies, Granny.”

“Nonsense, young devas and devis.” Hanover countered.

“You were there, Granny.”

“Those things were following them, not you.” Hanover spoke readying the debate.

“We were attacked, Granny.”

“Those things attacked them, not you.” Hanover lectured.

“We are in danger, Granny.”

Hanover held the necklace tight and spoke. “I am your protector. Speak no more of this conversation. I will cancel academic classes for the remaining p.m.”

“Marcus, go with Granny.” Shango ordered, pointing at the door.

“What for?” Marcus asked.

“Duties for...” Shango started.

“I’m not in trouble, Shango.” Marcus cried as he stopped filling his plate with good food.
“Devi Marcus has not contributed to any duties this p.m.” Granny replied with a smile.

Clapping, hooting and stamping echoed in the air waves.

“Thanks, I think.” Marcus told with confusion, shaking his head, returning to the food.

Granny turned to speak once again the young supernatural beings, hanging at the door frame. “Teens, you have been warned by me. You are not in danger. Go and play with your electronic toys and such. I am meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Windsor to discuss you and yours.”

“Our and ours what?”

Hanover slammed the door shut blocking the setting sun’s rays into the classroom.

Shivaa ordered. “Follow me.”

“Who died making you leader?”

“Follow her.”

“Thian did.” Shivaa giggled as she waved her hands and fingers creating a library of computers and book stacks. “We need to do our homework.”

“Why?”

“Research.”

“Ain’t dogs.”

“We’re gods.”

“…and goddesses.”

“I’m a diva.”

“I’m a pixie.”

“We’re searching for Satan’s grandmother.”

“She’s doesn’t exist. Western expression, words, not person. Right, Thian?” Marcus whined between his bites of food.

“I believe Polly and Mic.”

“You heard Granny. She’s our protector. She’s going to protect us.” Dainichi complimented.
“Let’s surf for girls.” Mithras smiled, punching at Shango.

“Young light brown hair, eyes of...” Shango listed, punched Mithras back, grinning.

“No, Shango.” Pele lectured.

“We need more clues.”

“Ya mean, more gods, geez.”

Giggling bombarded the air waves.

Thian was bopping heads of the males walking around the room as Marcus was tapping on the keyboards creating errors and weird noises dancing with Thianne as she giggled.

Shivaa yelled. “Sit down, Marcus.”

“Ares.”

“Airy what?”

“I prefer to be called Ares.”

“Hairy what?”

“Ares.”

“What part is hairy on Ares?”

Marcus moved to punch his face. “Shut up, Balder.” Thian grabbed his shoulder.

“Sit down, Ares.”

“I think we should start at the beginning with the Golden Age of Saturn.”

“The beginning is in Genesis, moron.”

“Shivaa is referring to the Greek poet Hesiod who divided the gods encounter with humans into five periods.”

“First came the Golden Age of Saturn, we lived with them…” Shivaa pointed to the TV screen of farm workers in the cotton fields. “Peace and happy.”

“We still do.”

“Don’t.”

“Do.”

“Followed by the Silver Age of Jupiter.”

“What’s that?”

“The Bronze Age of Neptune.”

“He’s your uncle, right, Balder.”

“Maybe.”

“Could be.”

“I have to ask.”

“The Heroic Age.”

“That’s me. I’m the hero of the age.” Marcus stood with arms crossed.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Are not.”

“Is so.” Marcus told.

“No, way.”

“Yes, way.” Marcus continued to debate.

“You didn’t live back in Heroic Age, Marcus. Thian is referring to the time period of heroes and half-gods fighting in the battle of Troy from the poem Iliad.”

“Too young but I’m a hero in this age…the modern age.” Marcus insisted as he continued to stand with arms crossed over his arms for the verbal or physical fight with any male god.

“Whatever.” Shango spit.

“Sit down, Ares.” Thian ordered. Marcus moved down to continue eating.

“You’re turd man, right, Marcus?” Balder offered, grinning.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Noooo, wrong-o, Balder.” Ares yelled, standing, again.

“Sit down, Ares.” Thian as leader ordered to the chaos.

“Yeah, turd man of the universe, right, Marcus?” Balder teased.

“Cool it, Balder!” Thian ordered.

“The last age is the Iron Age.” Shivaa told.

“Shivaa brings to the table a very good point…”

“That being…” Marcus spit between bits of food.

“Shut up, Marcus.”

“Ares.” Marcus corrected with his god name.

“Shut up, Ares.”

“Ares, god of war.” Marcus told, arrogantly.

Balder suggested, slapping Fabio on the arm. “Hey, Mithras, I’m feeling punchy today, want to join me for a round or two with Ares?”

“Any time, war god.” Mithras winked at Ares.

Ares stood with fists in the air. “Bring it on!”

“Sit down, Ares.” Thian ordered.

Ares tried but landed flat on the floor when Balder used kinetic energy to shift his chair to the far wall.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Marcus jumped to his feet, moving to Balder. “Fight, six p.m. sharp.”

“Sit down, Marcus and hold your spit, Balder.” Thian ordered, shaking his head.

“We must explore the ancient historical periods of time to find Satan’s other relatives staring with the past ages…”

“Such as…”

“Middle Ages, Dark Ages...”

“Prehistoric Age.”

“Not that far back.”

Snickering echoed in the air waves.

Thian listed. “Alexandria, Augustus, Feudalism, Hellenistic and Victorian ages.”

“Wow! I’m impressed Thian.”

“I’m not.” Marcus muttered between bites of food.

“This is going to require hours of time…”

Marcus stood, grabbing at Thianne’s free hand. “Not my time, I’m going to…”

“Sit down, Ares…” Thian threatened as he saw Ares touching his sister.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Marcus didn’t move but countered with folded fists. “Before you make me…pretty boy.”

Thian retorted. “Before I, pretty boy, order Balder to make you...’war’ god.”

More laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Hey, I don’t have to play with in the kiddies swimming hole.” Marcus whined.

“Yes, you do. We’re all at risk. You heard Polly.”

“Got excellent hearing.” Marcus spit.

Shivaa lectured to Marcus and all the teen gods and divas. “Good super power to possess, allow me to reiterate we, gods, goddesses, divas, and divinities are in danger, hence our very existence. So our common goal is to find Satan’s grandmother before she finds us.”

Thianne pulled Ares to the chair, whispering in his face. He smiled as Thian studied the both of them while Pele talked.

“Polly and Mic didn’t bother to mention which of us were going to receive the golden ticket for her private party. Does anyone have any clues or hints?”

“I do.” Shivaa told.

“Go ahead, Shivaa.”

Shivaa started. “During my free time, I have many hobbies, dancing, reading…”

“Your point, girl…” Marcus growled.

“Behave, Ares.” Thianne lectured.

“Art gallery and painting. I have a collection of pictures from our parents’ period of time since we don’t have parents or lived in that time period and can’t talk to them about their past or our past with them….” Shivaa told with a sad tone to her alto voice.

“Your other point, little girl.” Marcus bit.

“Hush, Ares.” Thianne warned.

Shivaa expressed. “I have pinpointed some art work that might trace the interested gods of Satan’s grandmother.”

“Excellent work, Shivaa. Show us.”

“Here.” Shivaa opened the large binder with clipped out drawings and paintings. “These are my special collection of art photos from the different galleries that I have had the pleasure to admire throughout the world. Look at this one with interest.”

Shango commented. “Greek vase with a painting of Ajax, a Troy warrior of stature and prowess playing a board game with Achilles, another warrior of Troy.”

Marcus concluded. “Ain’t gods, mythical heroes of a wordy nerdy ancient poem.”

“Good point, ‘war’ god.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Here…pic is Adonis, god of great beauty in the painting by Veronese of “Venus and Adonis.” Shivaa explained.

Balder commented, laughing. “What the heck are these two men doing to each other? Where’s Venus? I don’t see her, only two men…”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Her point is the art work is linking a god to the mortal field.”

“Oh, that’s the point of the pic.”

Marcus clarified. “The other missed point is Adonis, a wimpy god of prettiness, wasn’t in the war with the Titans.”

“How do you know that Marcus?”

“The ‘war’ god reads.”

Marcus proudly exclaimed. “I read.”

“Comic books.”

Marcus defended. “Ya can learn lots of stuff from comic books.”

“…not gods and goddess stuff.”

“He means he learns from the colorful pics in the comic books.”

Marcus continued. “Hey, I like the pictures in the comic books. They’re colorful…and…”
“Girly…with big…”

“Shango!”

“Back to this picture book….”

“This cup shows Aegisthus slain by Orestes.”

“More myths, not gods.”

“Amphora with the pics of Aphrodite and Dionysus…”

Marcus laughed, looking at Balder. “Means nothing, man, jug and Dionysus, the god of wine, right, Frances?”

“Right, Marcus.” Balder agreed with the fluff and puff stuff.

Marcus pointed. “Hey, her picture book’s in alphabetic order staring with A, acanthus, Achilles, acropolis, Adonis, Aegisthus, Aeolian harp, Aeolus…” He laughed. “Here’s the Ajax thing.” He read out loud. “What’s at the end?” He flipped the large binder to the back.

Giggling flowed in the air waves.

“I’m…OCD.” Shivaa offered.

“You’re a cod fish.”

“Not...C.O.D., stupid, O.C.D.”

“Huh?”

“Obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD, means she counts systems numerically subsets, arranges objects in groups and alphabetizing binders like her personal hobbies.”

“Shivaa and her OCD has stumbled upon a very good hint at finding Satan’s grandmother.”
“I agree. This next entrance is Aeolus…”

“A what?”

“A who, the god of winds, an ancestor of the Aeolians, a people who lived in Greek village of Aeolis.”

“A god, who might have played in the war with the Titans, we don’t know all the gods or goddesses.”

“How do you figure them out?”

Thian told. “I can’t guess an answer to that question. But, the Aeolians created the Aeolian harp, a rectangular open paneled musical instrument consisting of stretched strings that sound when wind passes over them.”

“The thing plays pretty music to the humans. So what, Thian?”

“Grandmother needs some type of source to find the cave, right?”

“She’s right.”

“This might be one of few sources left by the Titans or our parents to aid her in accidentally accomplishing that feat.”

Marcus commented. “I thought she know the location.”

“Thian just told you that, Marcus. Satan’s grandmother does. We, young and inexperienced teen gods, don’t.”

“Ah! We find the opening of the Titan cave with the Aeolian harp device which...”

“…would locate Satan’s grandmother and that would be the dangerous for us.”

“Right, bro.”

Marcus huffed. “Wrong, bro. I don’t like your suggestions, ideas or plans.”

“This is a developing into a good plan, Thian.”

“Good start, Thian.”

Thian accepted the compliment as leader. “Thanks, but we have a lot more work and research to do.”

“Gimme, the last page shows…” Marcus demanded, grabbing the big book, flipping to the back.
“Zeus.” Balder shouted out loud for every ear to hear.

“That’s the first pic with the letter Z, how ya know that Balder?” Marcus stared at the pic and inquired.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

Balder told with laugh. “I’m a genius, Marcus.”

“Hey, King Ding Dong, Zeus is the leader of the gods.” Lugh insulted.

“Yeah, right! Okay, knew that. There’s another pic with the letter Z, guess?” Marcus quizzed.
Silence filled the air waves.

“Tell us.”

“No, guess, smart god, get it, got it…instead of smart ‘guy,’ I substituted smart ‘god’.” Marcus teased.

“He’s not a smart dog is he?” Lugh suggested.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Zither. It’s a zither, see a zither. What’s a zither?” Marcus told.

“Read the caption, smart god.”

“Zither is a musical instrument constructed of a flat box with 40 strings, played horizontally with fingertips.” Marcus read.

“Kithrara…”

“An ancient guitar.”

“Sorta and it’s another Greek instrument.”

“Just great, I thought we had it figured out. There are two instruments which one works...”

“Which one doesn’t?”

“Or do both work on dirt, soil and air?”

“My guess is lending toward the Aeolian harp.”

“Don’t forget the Maya culture used conch shells as musical instruments.”

“She got that right.”

“Too bad we couldn’t ask our folks.”

“Forget it, we’re smart. We have millions of years of DNA from the deities. We’ll fit the puzzle together.”

“And stop Satan’s grandmother and the Titans, forevermore.”

“I found another clue.” Isis motioned to the teens as they gathered around the large picture book.
Marcus teased. “Let’s hear it, Is-Is.”

“Isis. I’m not warning you again, Marcus.”

“The detail of figures on this painting entitled The Greek Gods produced around 300 B.C. on a Greek vase, show the gods fighting and defeating the Titans. It reads. Born from the blood of Uranus, father of the Titans is attacked by his children. Zeus strikes with a thunderbolt. Hercules, kneeling aims his arrow and Athena spears with shield and weapon. I believe this is the proof that they defeated their parents in battle.”

“Our grandparents.”

“The War.”

“The beginning of a new war if we don’t stop this…thing…person….”

Balder pointed to the object. “Do you recognize that?”

“No, what is it?”

Balder explained. “Aegis, the shield of Ares, lent by him to Athena during the war for protection.”

“Fascinating point.”

“Your point, Balder.”

“What do you think it means?”

“Beats me.”

“Theories, any one…”

“Anyone with a brain…”

“Mic mentioned Satan’s grandmother is after some of us…”

“We don’t know who.”

“I think we got a lead.”

“This physical artifact shows three gods who would be on Satan’s top hit list for harm and destruction.”

“Zeus, Athena and Hercules.”

Pele commented. “Add Ares…” The teens stared at Marcus.

Marcus barked. “Hey, it’s a nickname I selected. I picked for fun. I don’t know my daddy just…like…you…you…you…”

“Hush, Ares.”

“Good point, Shivaa.”

“See in this picture, the anlace showing the outline of Ares.”

Marcus called. “An ancient Greek two-edged dagger, so what? Everyone carried one back then…”

“Back then, when is back then, Ares?”

Marcus talked. “Ya know, way back then, ancient times…olden times…before me.”

“This vase depicting an Amazon fighting with Hercules.”

“A bunch of tall female warriors on a water jar.”

“Count the episodes of Hercules so far, two. The god is depicted in a jar, in a painting.”

“’I’m following your pattern. Achilles is shown in a painting and a jar, also which is two times.”
“Ares is shown twice…”

“Not right, not pictures.”

“I meant the symbol of the war god is on the anlace and his weapon he give Athena for fighting.”
“Right, sis.”

“You are brilliant, Shivaa.”

“Thanks, Thian.”

“Don’t you see? Satan left clues for his grandmother to find the marked gods needed to unlock the hidden cave in works of art produced by men throughout the history of time.”

“My book contains works and pieces of art consisting of hundreds of portraits, paintings, drawings, vases, amphora, sculptures, statutes, frescos, murals, weapons, cups, plates, coins and jewelry…” Shivaa stopped. She breathed deeply. “Then adding in poems, music, plays and physical buildings.”

“Ya heard Shivaa. We search for ancient masterpieces of literature, music, paintings, sculptures and architecture for all divinities.”

“What do we do with all these art stuff?”

“Investigate.”

“We play private eyes.”

Thian sighed. He breathed deeply. He decided. “I’m theorizing here so anyone jump in with more guesses. If we count the number of items and tally the number to the corresponding god, goddess, diva or divinity, we’ll find out who Satan’s grandmother is looking for.”

“That’s your terrific guesstimate theory. I don’t like it.”

“I agree with Thian. Satan left clues for her to find. We just beat her to it.”

“Once we figure out who she’s looking for we can hide them.”

“Are you kidding me? How do ya hide a god?”

“Bad plan but we can defend ourselves better.”

“How?”

“Don’t know.”

“What’s does your book say about Tartarus?”

“Below Uranus, Gaia, and Pontus is Tartarus, a deep, gloomy place or pit.”

“That’s location of Tartarus?”

“Right?”

“Wrong?”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Well, we did our homework on this topic.”

“We got an ‘F’.”

“Granny would be proud.”

“No…she would be mad.”

“Lack of evidence.”

“Lack of knowledge.”

“You gods…” Kuan Yi fumed.

Shango asked. “Is that an insult or a compliment...Kuan Yi?”

“Kuan Yi is about to honor us with her renowned wisdom...again.” Shivaa announced.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Is her greeting a compliment, Balder?” Ares asked. He didn’t like Kuan Yi. She always seemed to possess too much knowledge for a teenager. He turned to face Balder. Balder distorted his face with a sneer. The Norse god has bad blood with Kuan Yi. No one knew the story but them. Ares wanted to find out the truth or lies. He snickered.

Kuan Yi shouted, annoyingly. “You gods, if you can’t find Tartarus maybe you can find Mount Olympus?”

“Why would we do that?”

“Olympus is real.”

“Yes.”

“Where is it?”

“That’s the 5 million dollar question. When the gods left Earth, they took Atlas with them?”
Snickering bombarded the air waves.

“All deities know the Titan god, Atlas is the world’s biggest GPS device. The only Titan to defect and protect his children and nieces and nephews, he retreated with the others to unknown paradise when Satan’s grandmother showed up threatening to rule the world…”

“…and them.”

“…and us.”

“…now us.”

“We gotta to save the world, them and us.”

“Right on!”

“I think we need help.”

Kuan Yi said. “You gods, all people are descended from the Titans.”

“How?”

Kuan Yi explained. “Witches, warlocks, psychics, etc., etc. have Titan blood in them.”
“Interesting theory....diva.”

Kuan Yi debated. “No theory, bud. A fact, Titans are the first species of the planet. They bred over and over again producing retarded ‘joe’s’ and ‘mary’s’.”

Pele reprimanded. “Very unkind statement, Kuan Yi.”

“As well as the inhuman, Chun.” Shivaa glared at Kuan Yi.

Kuan Yi explained. “But, true. The ‘joe’s’ and ‘mary’s’ are the un-talents called humans.”

“So goes your theory...babe.” Balder laughed.

Pele stated. “The concept goes Titan talent is passed down to generation after generation with powers of the gods and goddesses.”

Kuan Yi barked. “You gods, you are so arrogant.”

Balder joshed. “You arrogant god would be Ares, god of ‘war,’ he makes believe he composed of two or three powerful gods.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Shut up, Balder.”

“Humans are our cousins. Witches are sisters. FREDS and GREGS...”

“…step things...”

“Ugly, smelly step things...”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Don’t admit it. But, we are related to them, if you leave them out of the equation...”

“Okay. Titans are their grand, grand, grand, grand, grand...”

“Grand to the zillionth power grandparents of FREDS and GREGS.”

“Wow, that’s some theory.”

“Fact, jack.”

“Whatever.”

Pele manifested a paper map. “Back to Tartarus, any ideas?”

“The mythological city always starts with myths.”

“Great idea, Is-Is.”

“Secondly, when we find the Earth pit.”

“Cave…”

“Gloomy place…”

“Good luck!”

“Ares gets to lead us there after we find the hidden passage.”

“That’s bull sh…bull frog crap.” Marcus spit, shaking his head.

“How do we find it?”

“I want everyone to research their particular pantheon regarding the creation of gods, the creation of man and the beginning of time. That information will hold more clues or hints for us to investigate and hopeful reveal some answers toward our goal.”

“Our goal of existence.”

“That would be one.”

Ares whined. “Ya know! I got other things to do with my time.”

Pele expressed. “Ares, if Thian’s right, you are one of the three top gods that Satan’s grandmother might be looking for.”

Marcus remarked. “That’s your theory, Pele, not mine.”

“Top three, ya mean…top dog.”

“He could be number one on grandmother’s most wanted list.”

“She wants your head, Ares.”

“Cutting off his empty skull, doesn’t kill Ares?”

Lugh voiced. “She doesn’t want your head, bro, by the…”

Thian reprimanded. “Whoa there, little brother! Don’t mention how to kill a god?”

Lugh asked. “Why not?”

“That’s god rule number two.”

Lugh asked. “What’s rule number one?”

“Insulting Ares.”

Marcus spit. “Funny… little man.”

Balder laughed. “Yes, I am the man.”

“Thian’s right. If Ares is one of the three gods, you’re doomed man.”

Marcus barked, lightly. “It’s a nickname, people, read my lips…geez.”

“You’re a real Greek, bro.”

“A geek, ya mean.”

Laughter in the air waves.

Marcus posed with a frown. “I could be a Greek prince, not a god.”

“Below par, bro.”

“Ares, pay attention.”

“Balder started it.” Marcus pointed at Hansel with a sneer.

“How do we find these hundreds of artifacts?”

“The Internet, state-of-modern-technology, the world at our fingertips.”

“Balder’s got it right.”

“We work in teams for efficiency for the rest of the evening.” Thian ordered.

“Alright, teams of two. Start your work, now, report findings tomorrow at supper.”

Isis slipped behind Thian, pushing though the crowd, touching his arm. “We’ll make a good team, didn’t you think, Thian?”

His eyes widen staring at the female. Thian spoke. “Uh…yeah, right, Isis.”

“Great, let’s work over here at this station.” Isis grinned to him, turning to head to the computer.
Balder whispered low into Thian’s ear. “She’s only 14.”

Thian countered as he moved to join Isis. “Don’t lecture me. Work, do you work, slick?”

“14 going on 18.” Balder voiced in a deep baritone walking beside Thian.

“Let’s move princess,” Ares grabbed with both hands Thianne’s shoulders shifting her toward the computer on the south wall.

“You asking me to dance at the ball, Ares.” Thianne joked.

“Dance the night away. Let’s get this done and then we can have so real fun.” Ares chuckled.

Thianne whispered into his face as they chatted and giggled. “Don’t let Granny Hanover hear your amusing comments? You’ll get extra duties.”

“That 1,000 year old bat, she’s sound asleep in bed by now.” Marcus laughed. “You type. I watch.”

Thianne rolled her eyes. “I’m glad you have a plan.”

“Always, baby, a plan with you.” Ares leaned behind her shoulders breathing down her neck, looking at the computer screen.


night, stairs, first floor, Windsor Manor, Waxing Moon, clear skies, 58*F, 12:01 a.m.
The teens finished their assignment searching for myths of Tartarus and Satan’s grandmother as each teen shut the door to their private chambers. Rachel patiently waited for Thian to escort her upstairs.

“Is-it, life isn’t tea parties, holding hands and cuddling teddy bears?” Kuan Yi spit drawing up close behind Rachel’s back, lecturing the young girl who was lovey-dovey with Thian this evening.

“My name is Isis, Chun or do you need new ears, or is it eyeballs?” Rachel threatened with an evil tone.

“Your boyfriend going to help ya.” Kuan Yi posed.

“Thian would assist me with any dirty deed that needs doing. So, I would suggest you retire to your abode while your face is still intact.” Rachel informed.

“You are more than you seem…Is-it.” Chun tilted her head studying the young girl.

Thian pulled behind Kuan Yi’s back and whispered to the teen girls. “Divas, go to bed. We don’t want to attract attention from the Windsors.”

Rachel was shy and meek speaking. “I was waiting for you…Thian.”

“Isis, I’m sorry to keep you up, let’s proceed.” Thian held out his hand for Isis. She took it with force. Thian turned to Kuan Yi as Rachel posed on the steps. He spoke low into Chun’s face. “Isis, I expect you to retain her name inside your long term memory banks for the rest of the time.”

“Good night, Thian and Isis.” Kuan Yi called out as she watched them walk upstairs.



September 26, day, sunshine, schoolhouse, 67*F, partly cloudy, 5:13 p.m.
“Hey, ya’ll.” Isis called as she entered the schoolhouse on Windsor Manor in Birmingham, Alabama for supper, reporting on last night homework assignments directed by Thian. “I found out some great info…”

Thian ordered. “Hold on! Let’s hear everyone’s reports on mythology beings, places and symbols for the creation.”

“Which one first.”

Thian instructed. “Start with the mythical places.”

“Me, I want to go first.”

“Report Is Chel.”

“Summary your findings, sandbag the classroom dissertation.”

“He means two or less lines of dialog, tops.”

Is Chel began. “Japanese mythology locates the divinities on Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in the country.”

“Brrr! To cold for my godly body.”

“Greeks believed their gods lived on Mount Olympus. That’s a mountain in northern Greece.”

“Warmer Greece, it’s warm there not cold like in Japan.”

“How about Hades, hot there, the Greeks also believed the souls of the death resided there.”

“Live gods, not dead ones, stupid.”

“The Norse believed in Hel, an underground home of the dead except soldiers want to Valhalla, a great hall in the sky.”

“Eskimos believe the sea goddess, Sedna lives under the ocean.”

“The Nile River in Egypt is the location of all the gods and goddesses.”

Thian summarized. “So far, we got mountains, skies, underground pits, rivers and oceans...any more ideas.”

Silence loomed the air waves.

“Still an unsolved puzzle.”

Thian commanded. “Agreed. Moving on to the mythical symbols.”

“Greeks saw the sun as a flaming chariot.”

“Can you explain that Ares?”

“Nope.” Ares nodded in the negative, slipping his orange juice.

“Egyptians represented the sun as a boat.”

“Asclepius, the god of healing uses the serpent as a symbol of health.”

“Zeus used the lightning bolt as a weapon.”

“Add the warlike sky god Indra in India for utilizing lightning bolts on enemies.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“No cigar there.”

“Aw, you smoke, man.”

“Just a famous quote, dude.”

Thian ordered. “Moving on, mythical beings.”

“The Egyptian mythology believes in nine gods. Atum…”

“Bless you my child,” Ares formed the Holy Trinity with his hands.

Snickering flooded the air waves.

“Atum is the god of the setting sun. Shu, god of air, Tefnut, goddess of dew, Geb, earth god, Nut, sky goddess, Osiris, god of the afterlife, Isis, goddess of fertility, Nephthys, god of blessing and Horus, god of protection.”

“The Norse, known as the medieval Scandinavia, believed the god Thor made thunder and lightning by throwing a hammer at his enemies.”

“Don’t give Balder any iron made instruments, please.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“I’m not amused, bro.” Balder countered.

“Ares, your next.” Thian ordered.

Marcus stood, cleared his throat, rattled the paper, and then spoke in a loud deep baritone. “Deities, known as gods and goddesses, protected their citizens only if they sacrificed their newborn babes for blood offerings slicing...”

“Wrong, bro.” Balder yelled.

More laughter exploded in the air waves.

Marcus pointed to the small slip of paper in his hand. “Right, bro. I copied if word for word from the Internet article.”

“You admitted to plagiarism, Ares.” Balder tattled.

“Ain’t school, you don’t wear peaches on your shirt. Shut up, Balder.” Marcus retorted.

“Granny Hanover’s dresses are apples, not peaches.”

“Shut up, Shivaa.”

Thianne stood, moving beside Marcus, announcing. “I have the Greek mythology being report which I composed for Ares.”

Marcus chimed, giving Thianne a teddy bear hug, quickly, releasing her before Thian punched his gut. “My true love.”

“Sit down, Marcus.” Balder ordered.

“Ares.” He quoted.

“Shut up and sit down, Ares.” Thian ordered.

Thianne spoke. “The most important item in the summary that I found interesting…”

“Besides me.” Ares grinned, grabbing her hand quickly and releasing it before her twin brother knocked his teeth down his throat.

“Besides the god of war…the Greeks believed the gods foretold the future. They crowded around shrines to consult with priests and priestesses called oracles. The most important oracle was named at the city of Delphi.”

“In our break session when we visited the battle, the oracle was from Delphi.”

“A coincidence.”

“I think not.”

“What else, Thianne?”

“The gods resembled human beings…” Thianne told.

“Of course.” 

“Except for the immortality and supernatural powers.”

“Are we immortal?”

“No.”

“How do the heck do you know, Balder?”

“I know.”

“Explain.”

“Lord Almighty God told me.”

“When?”

“In my prayers….”

Thian ordered. “Shut up, Ares and listen to your report.”

Thianne continued. “They showed emotions of love, hate and angry. The chief gods were Zeus, king and his wife, Hera, queen, Aphrodite, goddess of love, Apollo, god of sun, Athena, goddess of wisdom and Ares, god of war.” The teens looked at Marcus.”

“A nickname, geez.” Marcus moaned.

“Analyze.”

“Let’s eat, I’m hungry.” Balder told, laughing.

Thian asked. “Who’s leading the popular contest of deities?”

“Shivaa has 21 artifacts.”

“Zeus has been noted on 39 pieces of art works.”

“Hercules, 41 items of interest for Satan’s grandmother.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Athena, 43 items and…trumpets please…Ares with 56 items.” The teens turned to view Marcus.

“Forget ya’ll.” Marcus waved his hand in the air pretending to avoid the staring eyes.

“Number one fugitive of evil.”

“Shut up, Balder.”

“No, he’s good. We’re the good guys.” Nikki told.

“Correction, number one fugitive of good.” Balder told, snickering.

“Shut up, Balder.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“I’m surprised. I’d thought Apollo’s name would be leading the gods.”

Marcus commented. “He’s the god of light, music, poetry….wimpy stuff.”

“In this case, I admit I agree with Ares. The war and battle themes have always raised warrior gods more in the limelight than peace and love.”

“Right, bro.”

“The next step is to find the cave.”

“I’ll be thinking about that. We should inspect the popular art pieces with only Hercules, Athena and Ares.” The teen turned to stare at Marcus.

“That’s it! I’m changing my nickname to Apollo, starting now.” Marcus stood. “I… am…Apollo.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Too late, Ares.”

“Sit down, Ares.”

“The first art piece to inspect is the…”

“I vote we inspect the art work in teams, again, the method would be faster with best results.”
“Okay. Who wants to inspect…?”

Marcus stood holding Thianne’s hand in the air as she sat in the chair. “The princess and I will take Paris by storm.”

Thianne stood, clarifying for the teens. “He means ‘The Greek Gods’ piece at the Louvre.”
“Right, princess!” Marcus complimented his girl.

“Go, man.” Thian motioned with his hand. “Who wants…?”

Ares grabbed Thianne around the shoulders, smiled and snapped his fingers.

POP! 

They disappeared.


sub-basement, art gallery, Louvre, Paris, France, Waxing Moon, partly cloudy, 54*F, 8:01 p.m.
Thianne circled around the enclosed dark damp room with hands on her hips puzzled with mental thought since this was supposed to be the art galley in Louvre, Paris where she and Ares were send to inspect the Greek vase. “Where are we?” She demanded.

“Sub-sub-basement of the eight-mile galley.” Ares spoke pulling the door shut, locking the bolt. He turned to face Thianne.

“And what’s down here to inspect, may I ask?”

“Only you and me.” Ares smiled as he approached her from the far wall after examining the hidden door was sealed and locked like a stalked prey pushing her with both his hands pressed on her shoulders against the glass display of a solitaire granite figure.

Thianne smirked with a wicked grin. “Alone with Ares.”

“You are the only one who voices my name with true emotional passion.”

“The war god, big, bad, bold bronze deity of the universe.” She ran her two fingers up his shirt to touch the jaw of his heart shaped handsome face.

He exhaled heavy. “I…have waited three years for this moment.”

“…to be with you.” She finished.

They were brought to Windsor Manor the same day at the same time as 14 year old kids under the protection of Windsor Manor and the introduction to Granny Hanover, academic monitor.
Thianne was accompanied by her twin brother, Thian. She was tall and awkward for a young teen with matted long silver hair and matching gray eyes and a little shy since her older brother stole the limelight of constant attention from the adults, all the time.

Marcus arrived from Athens, Georgia, not Greece carrying one bag filled with numerous game CDs, music CDs and Hollywood film DVDs. He forgot the clothes. Mr. Windsor and he had to go shopping that afternoon for pajamas to wear to bed. The boy was tall dark and mysterious. Not your outgoing teen like Thian, Marcus enjoyed observing his environment before jumping into action as he was taught by his Greek adoptive family members. Once at the farm with his new playmates, Marcus adapted to the American ways and lifestyle, quickly, becoming arrogant, boisterous and loud just like the rock and roll music he loved to sing and hum.

The next day brought Balder from Utah, Shivaa from California and Is Chel from New Mexico. By the end of the week, Windsor Manor housed leftover baby deities from all over the USA.
The common factor shared by all the teens, they were birthed by one divine heavenly entity and a mortal earth bound parent in which both parents were unknown, unreachable and unavailable. The baby deities were adopted by “special people” who were entrusted with their security and secret for the rest of their days. The adoptive unit provided food, clothing, shelter, education, love and entertainment for each child.

Until the tragic day, when Thianne’s parents were accidentally killed in an explosion at the gas company where they were employed as managers, Thianne and Thian were loaded into cars and driven to a secret passage upward into Sand Mountain located in the northern part of the Appalachian plateau in Birmingham, Alabama.

Life changed drastically in a second but provided a calm wave like a lake. Mr. and Mrs. Windsor, an older and mature couple, without their own biological children, accepted the teens along with Marcus and the other un-natural beings into their home. Upon which time of eighteen, the teen could leave the nest to fly onto their own into the hard tough world of mortals and men.
Instant affection blinded both, Thianne and Marcus, from the first day of salutations, they had dreamed of escaping the boundaries of farm and the wondering eyes of Granny Hanover since the fall dance at the local high school last year. They danced each dance with each other all night long.

During periods of entertainment from training and schooling and when Marcus wasn’t getting punishment duty from Granny, they spend time talking, chatting and planning their lives together starting at eighteen. They will marry, get jobs and have a dozen kids, little baby gods and goddesses to fuss over.

This is the first step of their eternal plans, getting acquainted, just like a real teenager couple in America.

“Practice makes perfect.” He teased with a sweet smile, holding her tiny waist in his big paws, shifting his hands to touch her delicate featured face with chiseled flushed cheekbones, big beautiful diamond colored irises and soft pink lips for kissing.

“Perfection takes practice.” She giggled, placing her hands gently around his muscled neck. He eased down to gently touch her parting lips. She closed her eyes for the new emotional sensation building inside her hot body.

His turquoise eye caught the glimmer from the side window. “WHAT THE HECK?” Ares released Thianne’s face, moving to stand in front of the window display as her limp head and body banged against the glass.

“ARES.”

“Look at this, isn’t it strange, Thianne?”

Thianne turned with hands parked on hips staring fire balls her almost nearly closer than ever boyfriend, who was going to deliver her first ever closer than ever kiss. “Look at me, Ares...Me...I’m standing here, not there.”

Ares popped his physical body inside the glass display without oxygen but he was a god and didn’t need to breathe air all the time. He shouted from inside. “Check this thing out, Thianne. It’s so cool.”

She dropped her voice into a growl. “It’s cold, not cool…in here…I must say.” She eyed the granite which was colored a light pink, a known mineral in the dirt of Alabama. Common mineral, as a matter of fact.

The figure represented looked like a man, instead of a female, who was wearing a modern tailored business suit colored a deep shade of purple, displaying Ray Ban black tinted sunglasses over the sculptured pinked face, Oris gold plated waist Swiss watch with diamond studs on the extended pink arm as the same hand held a circular silver tinted cell phone.

“Dig this! It’s a male.” Ares shouted inside the case touching the granite.

“Doesn’t look like an artifact from history to me?”

“It’s Greek.” Ares declared, smiling.

“How do you know that you can’t tell by his appearance?”

“The sign on the bottom of the floor reads. Ares, god of war.” He chuckled, and then spoke. 
“This is me.”

“It’s an advertisement stand, Ares. Get out of the glass coffin before you get hurt or before I hurt you.”

“Not yet, I like that suit. Cool threads. I’d look great in purple.” He tested the fabric with his fingers.

“Buy one when we got back to the farm.”

“The sunglasses are so-so but survey the cool digits on the wrist.”

“Buy one at home. Come out, now, Ares. Or I’m popping back.”

“Wait, Thianne. Please don’t leave. I’ll get out.”

“Now, Ares.” She pleaded watching him move around in the display case. She puffed. “What are doing?”

“Just a sec, want to touch the electronic gear. I’m registering heat.”

“Heat, where’s the heat coming from?” She told with another growl. “Because it’s cold and icy out here…like…my…heart.”

“Hear ya, hold on!” Ares spoke as he slipped the sunglasses over his physical eyes, then clicked the big wide-rimed oversized watch onto his muscled arm and finally held the new slick looking cell phone in the air with his free hand. He turned to face Thianne, posing for fun. 

“Out, Ares.”

“How do I look?” Ares asked, bouncing up and down in the display case excited with his new discoveries.

“Really cool, get out!”

“The cool one, that’s my new nickname.” He offered, stroking the equipment with his free hand. “These gadgets are fine. Ya think I can take them without anyone noticing, Thianne.”

She stomped toward the middle of the room for her getaway back to farm, speaking with an irritated tone. “I’m counting to three, Ares…one.”

“Wait! Thianne. Don’t leave. Lemme put those back on the dummy.” He tugged on the sunglasses. “Ahhhh! Stuck!”

She turned to view Ares locked and sealed inside the glass window display still wearing the shades, wrist watch and palm phone. “What’s wrong, Ares? What are you saying?” Thianne moved closer to the glass surveying his manner. “Something’s wrong here.” She shivered with goose bumps. “Get out, Ares. NOW!” Thianne demanded.

“Ahh! The pain. I can’t see. The shades are blinding my eyes.” He screamed as he grabbed for his face with the arm of the wrist watch.

“POP! out, Ares!”

“Can’t move! Pain! AHHH!” He continued to grab at the sunglasses over his face. His face was turning red from his yelling and the heat of the object over his eyes.

“What’s happening, tell me?”

“Can’t see. AHH! My arm, pain. AHHH!” Ares stumbled to his knees, shaking his head trying to fling the sunglasses off his face without luck. Holding his arm inside his chest from the pain of heat from the watch clipped around his wrist. He tried to toss the cell phone to the floor. It seemed bonded to his palm and was also generating heat to the point of tears forming in his blinded eyes. “AHHH!” He screamed. “Help me.”

“Hold there! I’ll get help.” Thianne galloped to the door, jerking the handle open, locked and sealed by Ares. He used his kinesis bonding the door to the frames. The god rule number one, you can’t break another god’s magic. She yelled to herself. “Frick. Frack. Do something, Thianne.” She turned to see Ares kneeling on the floor still holding the objects like they were attached to his living limbs.

“AHHH! Stop it! Pain. Heat! Burning.” Ares screamed in pain. 

Thianne ran back to the glass. “I’ll break it. Move clear, Ares.” She moaned holding her arms out and hands moving the currents of air forcing it to break the glass. The air current bounced off the window. “What the heck?”

Ares felt an invisible push him against the back wall display made of concrete. The pain in his back couldn’t offset the pain of being blinded and burned on his arms and hands. He felt another round of invisible power shift the air currents inside the display case. The sunglasses were shaking and shimmering with light. He could see again. He could see the overhead lights reflecting off the polished floor of the case. He could see the bay lights inside the sub-basement on the ceiling. He was relieved. He wasn’t blinded. Something else was happening.

The glasses were growing and expanding in size and shape around his head. Not good! He still couldn’t use his one hand connected to his arm. The phone was glued to his palm. The watch seemed to be growing in weight, size and heat around his entire arm.

“ARES!” Thianne shouted as he hit the wall and disappeared behind the massive granite statue. She hit the glass over and over against with her naked hands and arms creating ugly blue bruises on her body but the glass would not shatter. Then, she realized it was made of armor, maybe bullet proof materials in which she could not break by itself. She needed another tool. The statute.

Ares felt the stretch and pull and sound of metal re-shaping around his head, his arm and his palm all at the same moment. He saw with his own eyes as the once gold watch metals formed into a small round plate in front of his wrist secured with metal bands around his arm. The heat had resided leaving only an intact object which was cooler in temperature. The cell phone re-sized into a long tear-shaped object ending in a sharp point. He suddenly understood.
These are lethal weapons of some ancient curse, or charm. His god powers activated the morphemic status.

Ares glanced down at the watch transforming into a wrist shield covering and protecting his arm out to the elbow. The long silver tipped halt fit easily into his large hands. He swung the sharp metal in the air, light but strong. The sunglasses transformed into a black helmet over his face, eyes to his neck. “Awesome!” He whispered.

Ares shuffled to his knees, trying to stand with all the new metal around his weak and aching body. The effects of the transformation zapped his physical strength, emotional nerves and biochemical enzymes from his perfect biological form. He rattled the objects against the wall and floor making echoing noises inside the enclosed structure.

He stood, smiling. He could see the distress in Thianne’s pretty eyes. He held the shield against his chest, lifted the sword in the air and posed for his girl, shouting with confidence. “Ares, the ‘war’ god.”

“ARES. Are you okay? What happened? Forget it! Get out, now.” Thianne ordered with fear and panic in her voice for his well-being.

“I transformed…”

“The statue is shaking, rumbling.”

“Geez, move out of the way, Thianne. It’s going to implode.”

“NO, get out Ares. Please get out. I can’t break the glass. Its armor plated.”

“Armor plated. Dang, it’s a trap and I’m the prey.” He told, thinking.

“The display is shimmering and shaking out here.”

“Move back, I’m going to push the statue through the glass.”

“It won’t work.”

The granite started to fall apart inside the display case in finger sized chunks from the internal heat generated from his powers. Ares used his foot to push parts of the granite slapping the glass.

POW! BOOM! BANG! 

Thianne assisted with her kinesis by holding the feet of the statue intact so the flying rocks could do the job of bursting pin sized holes into the armored plating allowing the glass to shatter a small opening for Ares to climb out of for safety.

He continued to fling the hand sized rocks at the glass as Thianne steadied the statute from falling onto the Ares. The dummy’s chest made of the granite hit the wall exploding into the air waves of the sub-basement. Thianne rolled and hit the south wall covering her head and creating a force field around her body protecting her life form.

Ares jumped to the opposite performing the same maneuver as the massive chunk collapsed the display case creating a hole for escape. He ran and dived through the hole, exiting his prison, rolling on the floor onto his shoulder, banging his entire body against the metal door. “UGH!” He yelled.

“Are you hurt, Ares?” Thianne was at his side, probing and pinching his arms and legs for injuries.

“Get us out!” He whispered. 

She didn’t say at word but snapped her fingers. 

POP!

They disappeared and landed on the hard wooden floor of the entertainment room at Windsor Manor as she fell unconscious across his still body.

“THIANNE.”


hallway, Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C., Waxing Moon, thunderstorms, 58*F, 9:34 p.m.
“This is so romantic. Don’t you think, Thian?” Fourteen year old Rachel, nicknamed Isis, asked as she held tightly to his arm walking through the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. corridor looking for the art work entitled “Hercules at the Crossroads.”

Thian stuttered. “This piece…uh…was painted by Annibale Carracci…”

“He’s Italian. We should POP! to Sicily this afternoon for lunch.”

“Right, Italian. The brochure saids he painted it in 1597 showing Hercules has to choose the path of pleasure and sin or noble deeds. I guess we both knew which path he took.”

“What path are interested in taking, Thian”

“Path, where’s the path?”

Isis teased and giggled. “Pleasure or sin path?”

“Carracci painted an allegory which is a moral lesson in the form of a story, clever isn’t it?”

“Do you like moral lessons?”

“I like morals…all the time for you, for me, for everyone. Carracci was telling the viewers that a person could acquire fame and fortune if they worked for it rather than take life’s easy pleasures.”

She giggled. “I would take the pleasures. What would you take as your path, Thian?”
“I think we go down this corridor to the left.”

They turned the corner finding themselves inside a naked hallway without framed drawings, painting or art work. On the right was a glass room of filled with dresses standing tall on headless manikins.

Isis giggled. “These are the first lady dresses, outfits from each lady of the president of the United States. The sign tells the first frock belonged to Dolley Payne Madison, wife of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States.”

Thian studied the room and then map, speaking. “I guess I missed a junction. We should backtrack from the weapons room.”

“Can we stay a little while, I want to peruse the costumes, just a moment, Thian?”

“Alright for a little bit then we need to finish our business and return back to the farm.” He told concentrating on the paper.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Isis whispered.

“Yeah…” He grunted as he unfolded the rectangular map studying which intersection would represent ancient Greece artifacts.

“Can’t you imagine being presented a royal palace?”

Thian lectured. “Americans don’t have royal balls or palaces, we are a democracy. We believe everyone is equal.”

“I remember reading that. I was referring to royal parties, getting dressed up in beautiful gowns with tiaras.”

“During the holidays, we have pageants and parties, you can get dressed up and dance around the room with music and...” Thian expressed. She’s only 14 years old, not your age, boy. He could hear Mr. and Mrs. Windsor and Granny Hanover’s remarks clearly in his head.

She turned to stare into Thian’s eyes. “Dancing, I love dancing. Will you be my dance partner, Thian?”

“It’s early for that…”

“Please, Thian.”

“Guess so.”

“So nice, I can’t wait. I’m getting excited right now thinking about long flowing gowns, dancing and tiaras. We can wear tiaras.”

“Guess so.” He looked over her head. He blinked his eyes shut and then open. The big bulky dress in the corner shifted forward which was impossible since the gowns are housed in an air-tight room without ventilation because the moisture in the air and winds would rot the old lace and silk from the gown causing it to disintegrate on impact. That’s what the glued hand-painted sign told stamped on the glass mentioned.

“I can dance the tango, cha-cha. I can waltz, also, not many girls can do a proper waltz.”

“Guess so.” He continued to stare at the gown. The dress shifted again. Nope. His eyes. He was tired from reading and surfing on the Internet and computer from last night, researching numerous on-line articles, papers, letters and memos regarding the different pantheons of the deity world. There were the Greek, Roman, Spanish, Mexican, African, Chinese, Indian and more than he recalled at the moment.

The dress moved forward to the next row.

“I may be short but I have long legs. Do you want to see my legs, Thian?”

“Impossible.” He spoke. The dresses were marching forward toward the glass.

“Do ya?”

“Isis, we should leave this place?”

“Why? I like the dresses. They are pretty and give me ideas for my frock for the dance.”

Thian pointed with an index finger to the right side. “Isis, can you see the dresses in the corner?”

She turned to stare at the rows of first lady gowns. She narrowed her eyes to the corner. “Which one, there are 62 dresses here I counted them?”

“The ones in the right corner.”

“Which dress do you like Thian, I’ll make a copy for our dance and then model it for you.” She giggled.

“The ones with the sequins are moving like soldiers in a march.”

“I like sequins, pretty ones that shimmer and shine. I’ll get a dress with sequins, would that please you, Thian?”

“They are moving toward us. Impossible. I see it.” Thian stood unmoving staring at the event. He was tired, that’s all.

“Or maybe a silk dress the color of rose, I like roses, the flowers. Do you like roses, Thian?”

“Not happening, theses things are not moving. Not possible.” He continued to study the weird movement talking to himself.

“You could give me roses any time you want, Thian.”

The row of dresses collided with case display of glass creating a shattering pattern of millions of pieces of cut and sharp particles over the tile flooring. Tattered and mangled dresses floated in the air, falling to the floor, still and quiet. Other dresses continued to march forward through the small opening, tearing and ripping sleeves, hems, collars, skirts fabrics from the dress.

“Jump back, Isis.” Thian wrapped his arms around her waist, jerking her to the wall away from the flying glass pieces, covering her with his shoulder. He turned to look at the dresses.

“AHH! What’s happening?” Isis cried.

“Can you form a shield around yourself?”

“I guess.”

“Do it! Stay put! I’ll clear a path to the door.” He looked toward the door on the east side of the room which seemed close to them with less debris covering the floor.

She sobbed with tears of fright. “I’m scared.” He gave her a slight teddy bear hug.

“We’ll be okay. Stay put!” He stood, levitating the three brooms and two mops stored in the corner, sweeping the trash of tattered fabrics from the torn dresses of the first ladies of the presidents.

“Okay, Thian.” She whispered, sobbing with fear. Thian advanced half way to the door when he heard the sound and looked back to see.

“Owww.” Isis was yelling and crying. “Pain, my legs…” He raced back to the her position in horror three dresses held a limb, right arm, left arm, right leg and left leg. The dresses were dragging her small body across the piercing chards of glass, cutting into her backside. Isis was half way to the display case.

Thian god-leaped into action, hurling the brooms and mops at the floating dresses like baseball bats, whacking the torn fabric onto the floor, halting the capture of Isis. Thian jumped on top of the dresses, ripping and tearing sleeves with his dagger tossing the waste back into the case. More dresses attacked his body directly, pounding and striking with loose garments and accouterments consisting of beading, buttons, bows and sequins. The small light weapons bombarded his body, striking his face, cheeks, chin, arms, chest, stomach, legs, thighs and feet. He god-twirled, kicked, twisted, leaped and soared in the air between strikes. His counter punches useless against tall standing soft yarns of materials. He hit the fabric. The dress bounced back like a punching ball used for boxing smacking him in the chest or face.

“Frack. Frick. Do something.” He moaned, jogging over to Isis. He lifted the bleeding and weak Isis into his arms, snapped his fingers. 

POP!

They disappeared.

Thian landed on two feet at Windsor Manor, puffing and huffing with pain stumbling to the floor on his knees, laying Isis gently on the ground.

“THIAN.”


night, barn, San Diego, California, rain showers, 85% precipitation, 66*F, 7:09 p.m.
“Lugh...” Shivaa whispered.

Shivaa and he landed on the west side of the old red barn huddled under the awning trying to stay out of sight of the ranch house. Shivaa did not speak but motioned with her hand toward the double doors.

Lugh shook his head, pointing to a door along the other side of the barn. They crouched low to the ground, moving into the structure. The smell of wild animal permeated the room.
The animals were not friendly barn yard livestock of chickens, goats and pigs instead they were….

“FREDS...” Shivaa said with a nervous tone.

The super creatures were very tall, seven foot and more with lots of white fur, lots of red bushy hair, bright round emerald-eyed growling dog-like animals, known also as werewolves. These particular animals of the supernatural world to the teen gods and divas as FREDS normally hunted and devoured the raw meats of wild animals from the outlying forests consisting of coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, stray cats and dogs and the occasion cow, if not missed by the owner. This was odd to see FREDS out hunting during the early evening hours and a more odd behavior was them picking out teen gods and divas for dinner. The mortals were off-limits for FREDS unless an occasion homo sapien wandered into their path.

“Let’s scat.” Lugh told.

“No, we need to see the artifact. We have to defeat Satan’s grandmother.” Shivaa told.

“We need help.”

“Agreed, get Ares and Thian to come back and fight.”

“Right!” Lugh commented as he popped out for the rescue. Shivaa attacked with her plan.


night, classroom, Waxing Moon, clear skies, 56*F, 9:02 p.m.
“Help her, Isis is bleeding.” Thian shouted for aid.

Teen gods and divas gathered around the couple as Thian laid her on the floor of the schoolhouse located at Windsor Manor in Birmingham, Alabama after popping back from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.

“I can do it.” Nikki laid her hands over her body, closing her eyes, mediating a healing touch to Isis.

Balder helped Thian to stand as Thianne and Ares moved to form a circle. “We’re attacked at the Smithsonian.”

“Who attacked ya?”

Thian told. “Dresses?”

Balder laughed. “A bad lady in a dress.”

Thian explained. “First Lady Dresses in the display room of the Smithsonian, the entire closet of clothes decided they wanted blood.”

“Your lying, man.”

Thian shook his head, examining his cuts and bruises. “The dresses acted like they were possessed.”

“Garments ain’t alive, bro, only people.”

“The dresses attacked us, hurting Isis.” Thian told, looking at her in healing hands of Is Chel and Nikki.

“Are you hurt, Thian?”

“Bruises, maybe a few cut.” Thian commented, moving to sit on the sofa, examining his wounds.

“Dresses, ya say.” Mithras remarked.

“Something’s wrong here.” Thianne expressed.

“Sequins cut and buttons sting.” Thian told, chuckling.

“Leave him alone…guys.” Thianne reprimanded.

“What’s with the sunglasses, Ares? Ya went blind.” Thian asked, sitting on the sofa examining his wounded arms and legs while Thianne pressed her hands to each injury healing her brother.

“Watch this.” Ares smiled. He slipped on the sunglasses, instantly turned into a knight’s black helmet with protection over the skull, eyes, and ears to the neck.

Thian asked, laughing. “Cool toy, can I have one?”

“Unique to me, only one of a kind.” Ares replied which echoed inside the enclosed metal.

“Watch the wrist band, Thian.” Thianne motioned with at hand at Ares. The watch transformed into a gold shield anchored to his left arm to the elbow.

“Where ya get these things, Ares?” Thian inquired. The items were weapons which teen gods and divas shouldn’t possess until adulthood.

“At the Louvre, we found them…” Thianne turned strawberry red thinking of why they were in the sub-sub-basement instead of inspecting “The Greek God” painting.

The loud voice of Ares echoed in the room. “In a display case which was labeled for Ares, god of war. Look, the cell phone’s a sword.” Like magic, the phone transformed before everyone’s eye balls.

“What’s happening, Ares?”

“Don’t know, bro. But it’s really cool.”

Thian told. “Not for Isis or me. We almost get killed.”

“By dresses…”

Thian continued with his final conclusion. “By something un-natural evil which possessed the dresses.”

“Wait a minute. Maybe the evil is Satan’s grandmother.”

“We don’t know who she is. What she is? Where she is?”

“What are you suggesting Thianne?”

Thianne finished healing her brother. She stood, talking with hands on hips. “She might have given us a clue without realizing it. Look at the facts, Ares found weapons when we were looking for the main deity device to open Titan’s cave at the Louvre by accident. Secondly, Thian was at the Smithsonian to inspect another artifact when they were attacked.”

“So we’re getting warm.”

“I was say we are getting hot.”

“Agreed. We can’t stop our progress now. We are getting closer to finding that b..b..big babe.” Ares commented, smirking.

“SHIVAA…” The alto voice yelled in the center of the room. The teens turned to stare at Lugh, who was bleeding and crying at the same time.

“Where’s Shivaa?”

“Gone, I mean, there. I mean, she…left her.” Lugh explained.

“Lugh, sit down, tell us what happened to you and Shivaa.” Nikki told.

“Where’s Shivaa?” Thianne asked.

“At the barn, we were…she was…attacked.” Lugh stated.

“Dang it.” Ares cursed.

“More details, Lugh. Is she at the barn or her room?” Nikki asked.

“Is Shivaa hurt?” Thian asked.

“Speak, Leprechaun.” Ares moved toward him with his sword drawn swishing it in the air waves.

“We were attacked by FREDS.” Lugh answered with a panicked voice.

“Heck fire.” Balder said.

“Dang it.” Thian stated.

“POP! us back.” Ares demanded to Lugh.

Lugh whined. “Noooo, I’m not going back to there.”

“You’re the only one with the locate pointer, Lugh.” Thian calmed observed.

“Now, small man.” Ares threatened, holding the sword high in the air like he was going to stab the leprechaun in the gut.

POP!

They disappeared.


barn, California, partly cloudy skies, red and pink sunset, 66*F, 7:39 p.m.
Liam and Ares landed in the rain storm, marching to the cracked door. Ares and Liam crawled on hands and knees hiding behind the bales of green fresh cut hay. The odor would disguise their god sense for a little while. 

Ares removed the sunglasses, stowing the precious weapons in his coat jacket. He also held a tight force field of invisibility around Liam and him for protection and observation.

The FREDS had surrounded Kruti. She sat upright in a chair bounded by ropes around her wrists and ankles. Her hands tied to the wooden arms. Her feet flat on the hay. Her head bowed to her chest.

Ares narrowed his acute eyesight to see her close-up. “Heck fire.” He cursed. He could see very clearly blood and missing body parts. Kruti was gone. Dead.

Out of the wandering light day mist, a figure materialized in the form of an animal. The thing possessed the head of an elephant along with the trunk, two human feet, big belly and four arms and hands. It spoke. “I am Ganesh, Hindus god of peace. I have come for my daughter.” 

Ares gasped. One of the deities was visiting Earth only during his time of grief and mourning. He was gathering his daughter’s soul for the journey to the afterlife.

The werewolves stepped back out of reach of the large super entity. Ganesh changed into the human form of a man, holding an anlace in his left as he cut the bonds from Kruti’s hands and feet. He gently lifted her limp body into the air and quietly disappeared into dust. Sunshine illuminated his position.
 
FREDS growled and sniffed the air waves, moaning over their lost lunch for the day. 

Ares jumped upright, placing the sunglasses over his eyes, watch on wrist and phone in hand.
“Ares, don’t?”

“Heck fire. I’m ending their hunt.” Ares growled between clanked teeth.

Liam watched as Ares god-leaped onto two of the four FREDS, slicing and dicing arms, legs, torsos and heads into onion bits. The bits and pieces of body parts, blood, muscle and tissue ignited into tiny fireballs, burning into airborne ashes which the winds would carry away to the forests, ponds and pastures. Ares finished quickly, returning to Liam huffing and puffing from the thrill of the kill.

“POP! us out.” Ares ordered grabbing Liam’s shoulder and snapped his fingers.

POP!

They disappeared.


night, classroom, Alabama, 10:02 p.m.
“ARES.”

He removed the sunglasses which has transformed from the helmet, pocketing the toys inside his jacket.

“Where’s Kruti?”

Ares tightened his jaw and spoke the single word. “Gone.”

“Kruti’s gone where. We have to find her.”

“Kruti has gone to the afterlife.” Lugh explained in more detail.

“Specific, Lugh?”

“Ares saw more than I.” Lugh told with a sober timber.

“FREDS cut her…” Ares stopped.

“By the…”

“Yeah, we know.”

“Dang it.”

“Heck fire.”

“Nooo….not Kruti.”

Thian told. “Kruti wasn’t one of the gods that Satan’s grandmother is looking for, else she wouldn’t be captured instead of...”

“Dead. Say it, Thian.”

Thian expressed, looking out the window at the Windsor Manor since she was in her suite. “I believe Isis might be one. The first lady dresses were after her, not me.”

“Good point, Thian. We need to protect her.”

“Any suggestions about the other two gods?”

“Clueless.”

“What do we do now?”

“We keep hunting, tracking and tracking more of the ancient artifacts, I am convinced more than ever that the art work holds clues to finding Satan’s grandmother, the cave...the Titans.”

“And danger for us.”

“Danger comes either way, bro.”

“Balder’s right, we fight or flee.”

“I, for one, want to fight.”

“Agreed.”

“We should go back and gather her body for…”

“Her dad, Ganesh…” Ares started.

“I can’t believe this. One of the gods came to Earth.”

Lugh told. “The Hindus god of peace, he was her dad.”

Ares informed. “He materialized in the barn I’d guess after she quit breathing. He collected the body and disappeared.”

“What do we tell Granny and Mr. and Mrs. Windsor?”

“The truth.”

“We lie.”

“We wait.”



September 27, night, forest, Rainbow Mountain, Birmingham, Alabama, Waxing Moon, clear skies, 52*F, 1:24 a.m.
Thianne mapped the star cluster of Monoceros with the help from Mr. Windsor who was a science fiction and astronomy buff. She wondered the woodlands for hours using her senses and a pair of spy glasses when she spotted the family grazing on the tender grass near the stream.
She could sleep since the demise of Kruti. The teen gods and divas needed location of Tartarus to discover the whereabouts of Satan’s grandmother. The last message from her mama was to find a unicorn.

“So precious. Come here baby.” Thianne cooed with a quiet tone.

The tiny creature covered in pure white fur inched closer on tiny hoofs in her direction. Thianne held the fresh ripe blueberries with an extended arm hand upright in an open palm for the animal to smell. The female blinked her big green eyes shut and opened and then stomped her small hoofs twice.

Thianne giggled lightly in fear of scaring the unicorn away from the hidden brush. “Good…mmm.mmm.” She gently hummed, placing one berry on the clay dirt. The baby moved to smell the berry.

Thianne studied her little body intently. Her ears were pink coated. Her nostrils flamed with a red lining. Her tongue was orange. Her hoofs shimmered in specks of yellow, blue and purple. The unicorn was a walking rainbow. Thianne giggled.

The unicorn snorted, moving closer and nibbling the berry juice. Thianne fetched another from the brush, placing the food closer to her knees. The baby smelled the smell odor and moved closer to Thianne, licking the sweet fruit. Thianne giggled ever so softly.

Dropping a third berry, the creature stepped another hoof, standing inches from Thianne’s folded knees on the wet grass. Thianne reached to touch her head, feeling baby fine hair of soft fur, softer than Fluffy’s kittens at the barn.

Thianne placed a blueberry in her lap. The baby folded her legs down, tucking them behind her stomach as she smelled the food. She cautiously and calmly stoked her little ear and a tiny hoof as the animal nibbled on the fruit. WHACK!

Thianne felt instant pain as her eyes closed shut with the funny sensation of falling off a high mountain cliff. Impossible! She was hidden behind the old oak tree sitting in the thick carpet of bushes. She could hear the soft whimpering of the baby unicorn in her ears and then, the sharp tangent smell inside her nostrils of another beast, a dog as she lost her sense of smell and sight.


sunshine, forest, red and yellow sunrise, partly cloudy, 61*F, 6:01 a.m.
“THIANNE. THIANNE.” Marcus shouted with a loud baritone tone.

“Ugh!” Thianne rose from the wet grass rubbing her eyes and her aching head.

Marcus rushed to her side after viewing the movement behind the oak tree. “Thianne, are your hurt, princess?” He probed her shoulders, arms and legs with his hands.

“The baby...” Thianne whispered.

Marcus teased his girl, who had journeyed on another adventure in the middle of the night. If he didn’t sleep so sound from all his extra fun activities with Granny, Marcus would be babysitting his love but that was her brother’s job. “Thianne, are you playing with baby cubs or is it baby lions, this week?”

“Ares?”

“Time for school, Grandma’s going to be infuriated if you’re missing without an excuse from...your parents…well, from Thian.” Marcus chuckled. Gods and goddesses don’t get sick or miss school since mom and dad can’t provide a note of absenteeism.

“Where am I?”

“In the forest like Robin Hood, Maid Marian?” Marcus teased his girl, chuckling.

“Robins?”

“Playing with song birds like Cinderella…can you stand, baby?” Marcus asked with concern and care for his girl.

“Maybe.”

“You got a cut on your precious forehead, princess?” Marcus observed as he pulled her hair from the face.

“Ouch!” Thianne cried out as she touched her head.

Marcus placed his rough hand over the wound, closing the injury instantly leaving a small red patch which should heal in minutes. “Better, precious?”

“Yes, much better, Ares. Thank you.”

Marcus smiled sweetly, kissing her hand, speaking. “Anything for my girl. Look, ya going to have to fake it being well, today…”

“Today...”

“School…in about two hours, princess.”

“I’ll be fine for school but Thian’s going to notice I’m missing.”

“Clueless?” Marcus remarked, chuckling.

“Thian isn’t easy to fool. He’ll find me and then question me and then…”

“Chill, precious!” Marcus snickered, telling. “I stole Archibald’s powder making Balder disappear, this morning?” He grinned with a wicked smile and pecked her wet cheek.

Thianne gawked in horror and shock. “You what?”

“Balder’s official MIA. The boy-gods are searching for the body.” Marcus roared with laughter at his evil deed.

“Thian will murder you, Ares.”

“Only when Balder returns?” He snickered, pecking her forehead with his lips.

“Where is he?”

“The last place any one brain-celled moron would look?” Ares smiled studying her beautiful silver eyes.

“Where’s that?”

“Under my bed.” Marcus laughed with a hardy and healthy tone of revenge.

“You are so …”

“...ingenious.”

“I was going to say beaten. Thian and Balder will tear your hid apart.”

“Is that supposed to impress me, princess?” Ares held her tight, hugging and breathing on her neck wishing they could stay in the forest for the day. School and Granny beckoned. He knew Thianne was a powerful goddess. She could whip both, Thian and Balder into a tiny yarns of ball if she really tried. However, she was too sweet and too nice for such dirty deeds. That’s why Ares loved and protected and overprotected her like her twin brother. He snapped his fingers.

POP!

They disappeared.


sunshine, classroom, partly cloudy, 72*F, 7:56 a.m.
Marcus and Thianne walked into the large room surrounded by white walls and ashen faced teens. Marcus smirked. Thianne held his arm very tightly.

Granny was talking. “Once upon a time there was a devi named Kruti. She lived here at Sanctuary. She traveled from California when her adoptive parents were accidently crashed by a train...”

Pele explained for the fourth time she had re-told the tale. “Kruti, she went by the nickname of Shivaa, dive of destruction.”

“I know the ‘real’ Shivaa. She is a most certainly one hot tempered goddess.” Granny counted with an index finger. “13 teens, no more and no less.”

“Granny, Kruti is this tall with dark curly shoulder length hair. She started here at age 14.” Is Chel added.

Granny turned from the gathered teens, addressing in a pinched tone. “Deva Marcus.”

“Present.” Marcus smarted.

“Deva ‘Trouble’ with a capital T.” Shango commented with a devious smirk.

Granny growled in a low tone with angry. “Where’s deva Hansel?” Shivaa and Pele were smiling. Nikki was crying. Shango and Thian were folding and unfolding fists at the sides of their legs. The other teens sat around the tables grinning, waiting and watching the verbal and maybe physical catfight. “Bring back deva Hansel?”

“Fine. If you think the room can hold his ego.” Marcus mocked, grinning and snapped his fingers.

POP!

Balder appeared on the clear section of the wood floor in the fetus position unconscious sleeping like a baby. Nikki ran to him, asking, touching and rubbing his forehead. “Balder, sweet.” She stared at Marcus. “You hurt…”

Mithras joked. “….only my eyes are from that loud shirt. Change your outfit, Archibald?”
Balder shifted moving feet, hands and arms as Nikki help sit him upright on the floor. “Nikki.” He crowed.

“Are you alright, Balder?” Nikki asked.

“You’re Auburn tiger meat, Ares.” Balder threatened rubbing his eyes with sleepy crumbs. The Auburn Tigers are the revel college football team against the great and powerful Alabama Crimson Tide. Roll Tide! Alabama is Thian’s favorite sporting team in the US of A. So, when a teen god is threatened, he soon will become tiger meat…when Alabama beats Auburn in the Iron Bowl each year.

Marcus retorted with a grin, sitting next to Thianne. “Gingerbread man, don’t threaten me.”

“Deva Marcus, you will have extra duties until suppertime.” Granny punished.

“Dang it, Granny! I was only providing fun and games for the teens entertainment.” Marcus whined.

“Class dismissed for the day. Follow me, deva Marcus.” Granny ordered.

“Hurray!” Voices yelled together.

Marcus stood hoping she was teasing him. He was only protecting his girl until she was found lost in the forest. “Ya mean…, now…right, now…Granny.”

“Come along, deva Marcus.” Granny opened the door allowing sunshine into the dark room.

Marcus barked as she was walking out the door trailing behind Hanover. “Heck fire, Granny, it was joke, a tease, a taunt. Balder’s a big boy or maybe he’s a big baby wussie like Thian.” Marcus spit head spinning his threat to the god, laughing.

“Ares, ya asking for a pounding.” Balder threatened as Nikki rubbed his shoulders.

“Deva Marcus.” Granny called at the edge of the porch.

“Punishment befits the crime, boy.” Thian spoke.

“Thian?” His sister moaned with sorrow for both Ares and Thian. She wanted them to get along.

Thian hugged her shoulders, eyeing her presentation, asking. “Thianne, are you sick? You look really pale.”

Thianne sighed. She breathed deeply. She talked. “Not sleeping well, bro?”

“Too much excitement for the week.” Thian chuckled.

“Ares?” Thianne whispered burning holes at the door when Ares was getting punishment by Granny for rescuing her in the woodlands.

“Forget him, Thianne.” Thian demanded with a soft voice.

“Ares, he doesn’t deserve punishment from Granny…this time.” Thianne whined. This time was her fault but she promised Ares not to tell Thian. He would worry and watch her too closely.

“Yay, he does….lots more this time.”

“Not fair to punish Ares, he…” Thianne started, and then stopped.

“Thianne, punishment isn’t really a punishment. Granny gives Marcus extra work around the farm for exercises and disciplining his inflated ego.”

“The extra work drains his talents.” Thianne debated.

“Drain Ares. Naw. T-rex couldn’t drain Ares. He’s too arrogant and too powerful, Thianne.”

“I don’t understand. He comes back tired and bruised.”

“You don’t note his mental condition, Thianne. But the guys do.”

“Note what mental condition?”

“Ares has jumped about 13 and half steps advancement in his god ways.”

“You’re mistaken, Thian.” She was shaking her head with the wrong conclusion of Ares.

“He’s an accelerator as well as a conduit of power just like an outlet.”

“No.”

“When he jumped with Lugh to rescue Shivaa, that was Ares.”

“Lugh had the locate pointer.”

“Lugh described how Ares singled-handed mopped the barn floor with the FREDS by himself, Thianne, all Ares, not Lugh.”

“What are you saying, Thian? Lugh was just hurt and confused with the tragic situation.”

“Before that he stumbled upon the magical toys, sunglasses, mobile phone and watch. These are not baby teething toys. The items were placed and used by a full status god.”

“Full status god of the real Ares?”

“The real Ares!” Thian shook his head up and down. “Our pretend Ares accessed their power and used it for himself. Our pretend Ares worked their raw supernatural powers for good.”

“Awesome, Ares…”

“Thianne, Ares possesses more than awesome talents. I don’t understand Granny’s punishments, either. It seems that she can tell and see and feel that boy’s stuff or things…or whatever.”

“Thian, are you saying Granny is testing him…his limits?”

“My best guess would be his limitations.”

“I’m still concerned and worried and anxious.”

“Don’t get upset. Granny isn’t beating Ares with a tree branch.”

“We can only wish.” Shango added to the ease dropped private conservation, chuckling.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.


pasture, horses, wagon, trees, grass, sunny, party cloudy, 69*F, 8:35 a.m.
The tree branches pounded at his head, his back and his legs as Marcus struck the objects to the ground, into the skies and out into the woodlands, “Granny, stop it.”

“Again, god.” Granny growled pulling larger tree limbs from the forest. She circled the old wooden wagon which was used to fetch wood piling for the chimney to the mansion. Ares stood in the middle defending his body from the plummeting targets of torn oak branches complete with leaves and bark and ants. He sailed the brush into the deep forest scaring foul and foal.

“If you insist...” Ares spit, laughing. He was having fun since upping Balder along with his sidekick, Thian both at their physical and mental mind game while rescuing his princess from the forest fairies.

Why was Thianne in the woodlands?

Ares wanted to ask her a dozen questions but was more concerned about her safety after knocking on her bedroom door without a verbal or physical permission from Thian, and then discovering she was gone from her private chambers.

Ares was very worried about Thianne. That wasn’t like his princess not to answer the door without peeking outside first. She also sensed him coming and greeting without the prompting ear blasting knock. Strange! He felt a sense of danger for Thianne once he discovered Thianne was missing from her bedroom. Marcus shifted his senses immediately locating her in the forest on Rainbow Mountain, far, far away from her home of Windsor Manor. He snorted. The feeling was like the magic Granny always told to the young gods and divas. Their powers would exponentially grow the closer to the year of eighteenth birthday. Ares was getting mighty close.

He deflected the last leaf. “Time out, Granny.”

“Again, god.” Granny growled.

This game was getting tiring since the second day of his acceptance at Sanctuary, Marcus endured punishment. Granny wasn’t completely mad and insulting to him during the workout sessions. But, she had a bite and a sting if you get close to her lightning bolt.

Ares made that mistake insulting Granny, resulting in his “first” initial punishment, and then sequential after that. The exercises were really more fun than school. Academics were boring. If he needed to find a fact, he could POP! to the museum or to past, or present event. He rather enjoyed the physical workout with his growing muscles except when the exercise ruined his designer suits. And lately, the fun exercises were upsetting Thianne.

Ares could take the brow beating of Granny and the insults of Balder and the threats from Thian for flirting with his only beautiful twin sister. However, Thianne was his life, his princess. She and he are going to get hitched in two more weeks. So close. Ares would be a god and Thianne, his goddess.

“Again, god.” Granny growled.


classroom, 9:00 a.m.
The teens sat around the tables discussing the current events of the night and the day. Pele shook her head. “Poor Kruti…”

“Granny doesn’t believe us.”

“That’s a bad thing.”

“Kruti…she did exist.”

“Hold that thought, Nikki! What’s the plan?”

“The plan?”

“What plan?”

“The new plan?”

“Our new plan.”

“Our new plan to save our souls.”

“Is Balder feeling okay?”

“Stow it, Archibald.”

“We should be training like Ares.”

“Training…is Ares in training?”

“Punishment isn’t violent and destruction.”

Thianne told. “Ares would object to that comment.”

“He ain’t here.”

“Because he’s training.”

“Training, he’s getting his butt beat…bad…badder than badder.”

“Et tu, Balder.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Ares is receiving work detail, exercises.”

“Is it fun?”

“Where’s Is Chel and Isis?”

“Scoping out new magical toys like Marcus owns.”

“Where did he get those, Thianne?”

“At the Louvre Galley in Paris.”

“How did he locate them?”

“I don’t know. He just did.”

“What does that mean, Thianne?”

“Ares popped us to the exact point in the galley.”

“Without GPS or…” 

“….locator pointers?”

“Right!”

“I’m impressed.”

“He told me the sign read ‘Ares, god of war’.”

“Whoa, back up. There was sign.”

“Ares, god of war.”

“Balder, you’re very quiet.”

“Which isn’t often enough for me.”

“Shut up, Shango.”

“He’s perturbed at Ares for making him disappear.”

“Balder?”

“Tell them, Archibald.” Balder motioned with his hand.

“Tell us what, Shango?”

“My powders…” Shango started.

Mithras asked, chuckling. “Work perfectly, can you teach me to do that trick like Marcus did?”
Shango shook his head side to side, talking. “That’s my point, no one but a Thunder god can touch the mixture. The powder should become white cooking flour in another human’s, or non-human’s hands.”

“Whoa, replay, man.”

Shango detailed. “A Thunder god mixes the prime ingredients with special abilities and spells. Ares shouldn’t been able to execute my trick.”

“Treat for you, huh, Balder.”

“He’s a Thunder god.”

“No, he ain’t.”

“What are you saying, Balder?”

“What are you not saying, Balder?”

“He could be the one.”

“The one.”

“What one?”

“Satan’s grandmother.”

“No way.”

“Wrong-o.”

“How close is Ares to eighteen, Thianne?”

“13 days, 11 hours, 16 minutes and 4 seconds and counting down.”

“There’s your explanation.”

“Not before 18, it doesn’t, Ares shouldn’t possess those talents, only a full pledged god can do that.”

“We get full power on the 18th.”

“…with a big learning curve, taught by our parents…”

“By the divine parent….”

“Ares is talented, very talented, so what? I possess powers. You do. He does. She does.” Pele stopped and pointed. “However, I do wonder about Lugh.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“What does this mean, dude?”

POP!

They appeared.

“Hey, we’re back.” Isis greeted, placing the items on the table around the teens.

“Look what we found?” Is Chel exclaimed, holding up the sunglasses.

“Where?”

“You went back to the Smithsonian after the flock attack?” Thian asked Isis.

Giggling bombarded the air waves.

“I’m not a scary cat. I’m a big girl with big powers.” Isis announced.

“Arrogant tiny fly nat, little girl.” Balder teased.

“Enough, teens.” Thian hollered.

Is Chel explained. “The New York Museum, looking over more artifacts when we find these in an old storage closet in an unoccupied department on the sub-basement floor.”

“How?”

“Is Chel created Ares.” Isis told as Is Chel held up the voodoo doll. The doll was mini-Ares with blue eyes, black hair wearing a baby blue mini-suit over the body.

“I’m impressed, Is Chel.”

“I’m scared. How did do you do this?” Mithras asked, studying the tiny doll used with real Voodoo magic.

Is Chel demanded as the teens stepped closer to her doll. “Don’t touch! It’s real. It’s really Ares.”
“Without blood and tissues, but he’s alive.”

“Does it breathe?”

“May I borrow the dolly from you, Is Chel?” Balder kindly asked.

“No, Balder, Shango, Thian and Nikki.” Is Chel shook her fingers at the revengeful teen gods and goddesses.

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Look, we used his real hair to create the essence of Ares. Then, placed his sunglasses over the eyes. The eye wear act like a beacon. When we hit the lobby, the shades light up like a Christmas tree, pinpointing a new route to my baby toys of the gods.”

“Nifty.”

“Crafty is a better term.”

“That, too.”

“I believe this is the confirmation needed that we’re meant to possess weapons.”

Thian cringed. “Don’t repeat that in front of Granny….okay, Shango.”

“Bull frog crap. We’re in danger. Polly warned us. Shivaa…” Shango uttered with fury and fear.
Kuan Yi told. “You gods, Granny’s being protective, overly protective. She has powers to save us. You gods…all got Shivaa…” She paused. She sighed. She breathed deeply. “…killed by nosy around places where you shouldn’t have been.”

“She was our comrade, Kuan Yi.” Pele glared at her.

“Dead comrade. Granny’s stronger and smarter and something greater than us. We should trust her reasons and judgment.” Kuan Yi lectured.

“I don’t trust anyone especially Ares.”

“Stow it, Hansel.” Thian barked.

“I’m not sitting like a decoy duck waiting on Satan’s grandmother to show. I want to be ready and prepared.”

“Agreed.”

“Concur.”

“Ditto.”

“I’m there.”

“Pass out the weapons, Isis.”

“One, two, three, four.”

“Fourteen…”

“Thirteen of us, now.”

“Thirteen, is that a bad sign?”

“It’s only a number, un-smart god.”

“There’s more weapons for the rest of us someplace else in the world.”

“Good luck.”

“Who gets to be the lucky four in this round?”

“I volunteer.” Pele picked up the cell phone. “Nothing happened! No bright lights or fireworks.”

“What is it supposed to do?”

Thianne reached for the cell phone from Pele. “For Ares, the cell phone transformed into a long silver sword. The color is right, silver.” She shook the cell up and down. She hit the buttons. “Dead.”

Pele retrieved it back. “Dead line. Not activated.”

“A phraser, not a communication devise, Mr. Sulu.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Gimme.” Shango grabbed the phone. Like magic, the silver mobile phone shook, shifted and shimmied into a long silver saber inside his hand.

“Incredible, each weapon must be representative from our parents.”

“The weapon was crafted only for the child, not any god or diva.”

“Right, only the real owner can morph the equipment into a weapon.”
“Correct, spread them out.” Thian ordered. He worked to move each item to the table as he grabbed the third item, the watch. He paced backwards from the heat, power and shaking sensation occurring in both hands.

“Awesome power.”

“Like one million volts of electricity surging from your hand, Thian.”

“You’re glowing Thian.”

“Shut up, Shango.”

The watch stretched and groaned its metal shaping into a golden shield covering Thian body from neck to knees. “Heavy, too.”

“Wimp.”

“Wuss.”

“Time to hit the arm weights, Thian.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Two out of four complete, Captain Kirk.” Pele saluted to Thian, the leader of the teens.

Thianne touched one. “We’re twins. Mom or Dad left a weapon for each child.”

“Makes sense.”

Thianne touched the sunglasses to her face. The object immediately twirled, danced and whirled into a helmet with a face plate. “Neat-o.” She removed the helmet as the sunglasses returned to the original looking eye wear.

“Who’s contestant number four?”

“No signs, either.”

“Signs?”

“Whose god property is this?” Kuan Yi held the phone.

“Where’s the god manual?”

“We don’t need instructions for the toys. Slice it up, down and around and then turn it around and dice up and down, Satan’s grandmother.” Balder told, laughing, imitating a beheading.
“Kuan Yi means name tags on the phones.”
“So…Marcus is the real son of Ares from the name tag.”

“We don’t know that for certain. Some human could have placed the tag there for fun and games.”

“True.”

“Last one, go ahead touch the phone. Its electrical shock is shorter than the shield.”

“Shorter.”

Laughter exploded in the air waves.

“Do it, Pele.” Thian ordered.

Pele touched the phone. Nothing happened.

“Loser.” Balder announced and laughed.

“Stow it, Balder.”

Lugh was handled the phone. The small object activiated into a heavy weapon that he dropped onto the wood floor. THUD!

“Lugh, winner and reigning champ.” Shango announced with a smirk.

“I don’t feel like a winner.” Lugh commented.

“He’s joking.”

“Where’s the next museum, Pele?”

“Before we venture out for the ball, are we going to hold a memorial service for Kruti?”

Silence loomed in the air waves.

“When Ares returns, we can…”

“I don’t understand. Why doesn’t Granny remember her?”

“I can explain.” Thian told, scanning the faces of the over wrath teens.

“This isn’t good. There’s exactly a scientific explanation behind this…thing…stuff.”

Thian spoke. “Transcendence, the ability to be go beyond space, time, matter, anti-matter.”

“Wait! Who taught you this?”

Thian held up the book which belonged to Kruti. “The book has lots of data about everything. I read it last night since I couldn’t sleep.”

“Kruti has gone to where, heaven?”

Thian told. “Kruti is gone.”

“Gone where, Thian?”

Thian explained. “Kruti’s soul has died into nothingness.”

“Nooo!” Nikki objected.

“Her body was attacked…”

“…and her soul was attacked.”

“So what? She owns the soul.”

Thian cleared his throat. “Not really, we are creatures of the universe. There is a balance of good and bad.” He balanced his hands in the air. “If good wins, great. If bad wins, not so great.”

Pele confirmed based on previous private studies and information from her adoptive parents. “Thian’s right. The balance exists for both good and bad. If bad wins, they got to keep the prize.”

“Kruti’s soul was not a prize.”

“Polly warned us that Satan’s grandmother is after us because our blood can open the gates of Tartarus releasing the Titans.”

“Okay. I buy that. Kruti’s blood wasn’t the proper type. FREDS killed her body…”

“And took her soul.”

“Not really, we have a default clause.” Thian shook his covered head with the baseball cap.

“What default clause?”

“When evil wins, we lose. Big time!” Thian told.

“And…”

“We non-exist into nothingness.” Thian proclaimed.

“We are dead.”

“Far more than dead, we are non-existent.” Thian informed.

“Nothing.”

“Nothingness.” Thian mouthed the single word.

“We die and go to our parents.”

“Nothingness.” Balder repeated.

“Stop using that word, Balder.”

“Kruti is nothingness.” Thian repeated for all ears.

“I want the FREDS and GREGS and Grandma dead and burned.”

“I want my mommy and daddy.”

“Does anyone know where our parents live?”

“Polly does.” Thian pointed to the heavens.


lounge, Mount Olympus, planet of Jupiter, Milky Way Galaxy, infinite space and time
“I vote we help our children, Zeus.”

Zeus tattled. “You mean your sire, Is Chel.”

Is Chel commented with a happy smile. “She named herself after me. She knows that I am her mother even from a far. I’m the goddess of medicine and caring. I care very greatly for my sire and the other sires…Zeus.”

Cupid cried. “Keep your multi-hands to yourself, Aizen.” The goddess of love, Aizen Myo-o in Japanese tradition was transformed into her natural state with six hands and six arms poking arrows at Cupid for fun.

Zeus lectured. “You have been peeking again, Epona. You know my rules.”

The Celtic goddess of horses, Epona spit. “Your rules are fresh piles of green cow patties obeyed only by large black horseflies.”

Zeus, king of the gods stared into space without blinking as laughter echoed off the golden walls of the temporary residence of Mount Olympus in outer space from the gathered attendees of Poseidon, Greek god of the water, Apollo, Greek god of the sun, Athena, Greek god of wisdom, Danu, Celtic goddess of Mother Earth, Goibhniu, Celtic god of the smith, Cliodna, Celtic goddess of beauty, Luctha, Celtic god of wrights, Epona, Celtic goddess of horses, African god of rain, Tsui, Tore, African god of wood, Shankpana, African god of angry, Gbadu, African goddess of fate, Yemaja, African goddess of fertility and Mugasa, African god of sky, I-Ti, Chinese god of wine, Pa, Chinese goddess of droughts, Fu-Hsi, Chinese god of love, Lu-Pan, Chinese god of masons, Lo-Shen, goddess of rivers, Quetzalcoatl, Mexican god of wisdom, Tezcatlipoca, Mexican god of war, Tlaloc, Mexican god of rain, Xolotl, Mexican god of death, Patecatl, Mexican god of medicine, Tlazolteotl, Mexican earth goddess, Chalchihuitlicue, Mexican goddess of water, Xilonen, Mexican goddess of corn, Kune, Hawaiian god of trees, Lake, Hawaiian goddess of the song, Lono, god of storms.

Zeus threatened. “Don’t make me start… another war, Epona.”

“The war has started…on Terra.” Tezcatlipoca, Mexican god of war told revealing part fate of the teens.

“Don’t whine about the kids, Tez.”

“If one of the teens were your sire…” Lono, Hawaiian god of storms informed.

Zeus stated. “Don’t rain on my parade, Lono.”

“We should.”

Zeus proclaimed in a loud baritone timber. “We can not and will not interfere.”

“They need our help. They’re only babies.”

Zeus exclaimed with a warning. “If I find out someone beamed messages to the teens…”

Hera ordered her husband. “You’ll do nothing, Zeus.”

“Windsor has them under control and on a long dog lease. They won’t let anything happen to the kids.”

“Windsor, how did they get that job?” Pele inquired with puzzlement.

“I could turn them into piglets would that appease you, Pele.”

“Only if you roast them with peanut oil, I am the goddess of fire.” Pele told with a smile.
Laughter exploded in the air waves.

The alto familiar female voice echoed in the room. “Only if I give that command…” Faces turned to view the new visitor to Mount Olympus.

“Apollyon, nice of you to visit…for a while.” Zeus spoke.

Apollyon moved from the doorway to stand in the middle of the white and gold marbled floor. “Just checking in…”

“She means checking on us.”

Polly reminded. “You were placed here for your protection regarding Satan’s demise.”

“Where’s the old goat?” Zeus asked, staring at Polly. She didn’t flinch a facial muscle.

“We do understand basic physics, Apollyon, matter is not destroyed it only changes form.”
Cooing flowed in the air waves.

Polly answered with a nod. “Very well, Satan is living, should we say, in a new galaxy, beyond the Milky Way.”

“New home.”

Polly smiled with a slight smirk. “More like an experimental home for experimental beings, a working proto-type.”

Snickering flooded the air waves.

“That should be an interesting outcome.”

“…for all of us.”

Polly addressed quickly. Her time was valuable and her tasks many. “The current matter of the day, teens.”

“Are the teens alright? I can’t believe we had to…to leave them out in the rough and tough world, all alone.”

“We had no choice. What about the teens?”

Polly inquired with a caring tone. “They are doing well, learning and growing. How’s Ganesh?”

“Holding his own, Durga, Vishua and Indra are with him.”

“What has happened?”

“Kruti was…cut…”

“By the…” Polly started.

“Don’t say it.”

Polly told. “I would never tell how to kill a god.”

“Her person was attacked by werewolves during day light hours.”

“Polly, don’t you find that an odd incident…”

Polly answered. “As well as odd behavior. We suspect that Satan’s grandmother is involved and in the process of influencing the FREDS, GREGS and JANES.”

“Is that possible?”

“Anything is possible, now.”

“This is very serious business…”

“…for all of us…”

“I will let you attend to your hobbies.”

“Polly, some of us…our eager to help the teens.”

Polly lectured. “You understand the rules of the new game. It’s called free will.”

Zeus commanded with a nod for her dismissal. “Thanks for the update, Apollyon. See you next time.”

“Yes, next time. Good day, deities!” Apollyon announced vanishing off the polished marble floor.

“She could help us if she wanted too.”

“She can not.” Zeus told, quickly.

Pele informed, flatly. “Free will. It is our own choosing, choice and chance.”




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drinks Dr. Pepper, drives fast & dreams beyond….