Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
But what if you have no choice? What if the only reason you exist is to play your part in the story?
“And if we’re in a story,” Pie continues, “don’t we owe it to the story to see it through to the end?”
I look Pie in the eyes and shrug. Because it’s the best I can manage. “We’re going to lose, you know that, right?”
She looks away and lets out a breath. “Feels that way, yeah.”
“They’re gods, Pie.”
“They are.” She looks back at me. “But we’re monsters. And there’s some synergistic, or maybe even symbiotic, bond between gods and monsters, right?”
I smile as she talks.
“Right, Pell? It’s all through history. Gods and monsters. I mean, think about it. If there was no Medusa there would be no Perseus.”
“That’s Greek.”
Pie laughs because I kinda sneer that out. “OK. Well, whatever. If Saturn didn’t have a monster nemesis, then… well, he’s stupid.”
Now I laugh. “Nemesis is actually a goddess. Not Roman, though. She was like… karma. When people got too full of themselves she would knock them down.”
“Well”—Pie is frustrated—“if Saturn doesn’t have a monster, if he didn’t fight his way out of some great… shit show, or whatever, then who cares about him anyway? Why is he so fuckin’ famous?”
“He ate his sons.”
“What?”
“Yeah. There was a prophecy, I think. Saying one of his sons would usurp him.”
“So he ate them?”
“I did mention he was a dick, right?”
“Ewww.”
“But I would say, that if he did have… like a nemesis, or whatever, it would’ve been another god.”
“Which one?”
“I don’t know. But he’s a jealous fool with no self-esteem. That’s why he eats his sons. He’s just full of fear and doubt. He is threatened by the power of others.”
Pie makes a face. “Anyway. Forget him. My point is… monsters are powerful too. And we’re monsters. So we’ve got skin in this game, right?” She sighs. Like maybe she wants to believe this, but she’s not quite there.
“What you’re really saying is… you want to fight back.” She nods. “You want to save everyone.” She nods again. “Even though we both have this feeling that we’re totally gonna lose.”
“Listen, I get it. We’re… out-powered. We’re not gods. My little analogy with Saturn doesn’t work, so there’s no fate in any of this. At least as far as us coming out winners, anyway. But still, Pell, we can run. And we can probably get away. Maybe have a really great, normal, boring life together. And don’t get me wrong, that would be perfect. But wouldn’t we just spend the rest of our days wondering what happened to everyone? Wouldn’t it drive us nuts?”
“Wouldn’t we feel like cowards, you mean?”
She bunches up her shoulders. Like… If the shoe fits.
“So what should we do? Go back to the tomb?”
“I think we should go to the Bottoms, and even though I don’t want to, I should talk to Callistina. Then look over the Books of Debt. Maybe even… set everyone free.”
I cringe, but want to hear more. “OK. Then what?”
“Obviously, we have to go check on Tarq, and Talina, and all the girls.”
“What about the other monsters? And the wood nymphs? They want to go to Vinca too. Are you saying we should just give everyone what they want?”
“Why not, Pell? I mean, who the hell are we that we get a say in the lives of others? Why should we have power over anyone?”
“Because maybe they’re a bunch of assholes and by keeping them locked up the worlds are a better place?”
“But is that our job? Shouldn’t there be a god or something who sorts all that shit out? Shouldn’t everyone just be free to live their own life?”
“But what if these monsters hurt people?”
“Then hopefully they cross the wrong person and get what’s due to them.”
“Sounds a bit like anarchy.”
“Or”—she points at me—“natural order.”
“I think there’s a fine line between shirking one’s responsibility and going with the natural flow of things.”
“I think you’re right. And we’re walking that line, whether we want to or not. But if I have to choose, then I choose to set them all free. Because if I keep them prisoner, then I’m… well.” She throws up her arms. “I’m their keeper. And I don’t want to be a keeper. I don’t want to be a caretaker of slaves. I don’t want to be anything but Pie.”
“Yeah. I totally get it. I don’t want to be anyone but Pell.”
Pie gets up from the fallen log we’re sitting on and takes both my hands. “So we’re in agreement?”
I love how she is no longer self-conscious about her monster body, even though she’s naked. Her hair is so long, it’s almost always covering up her breasts. And I understand better than most how the velvety fur that begins at her hips and spreads down over her ass and legs can make a person feel clothed, even when they’re not.