1
9527 BC
In a place the gods called Kalosis, Simi hesitated in the shadows of a small courtyard. Her big sister, Xirena, had told her this was a hell realm, but it didn’t feel like hell to her.
It felt like home.
Maybe it wasn’t as sunny and brights as wheres they used to nest, but still, Kalosis had her matera, her big brother and her big sissy, so to Simi it seemed very nice and special. Homey. Excepts for the fact that Simi couldn’t find her matera at the moment.
Not anywhere she looked. Where could she be in this dark place?
She missed her mommy.
Her matera had told the Simi that she was going ons an errand and that she’d be right back. But right back was a long time ago now, and that made the Simi’s heart hurt. It gave it a mighty pain that was only equal to the one in her belly that said it was time to eat.
And the Simi needed her mother. Not just because she was hungry and her heart ached. The Simi missed her mother’s hugs and warm tickles. So she’d snucked away from her big sissy who was always watching her and fussy about everything and everyone, and came here to where the beautiful goddess paced in a wide circle around the dark, shimmering pond that let the goddess see other places and things.
Only it wasn’t things the goddess looked at mostest. Mostest the goddess watched a boy Simi didn’t know.
With long white-blonde hair and swirling silver eyes, akra-Apollymi was the Atlantean goddess of destruction. She was also her mother’s bestest friend and Simi’s second mama-akra. Though others called the goddess scary and mean, Simi didn’t see that. Akra-Apollymi was forever nicest to her. She always had the bestest tasting treats and lots of toys and dolls.
And hugs. Lots of hugs.
Even when akra-Apollymi was upsetest, which the goddess seemed to be at the moment, she gave the Simi extra treats and warm, gentle hugs.
Maybe the goddess was missing Simi’s mama, too.
So Simi stepped forward through the doorway, in the dark, pretty garden filled with black roses and dark green shrubs. “Where’s the Simi’s matera, akra?”
Akra-Apollymi stopped pacing and turned toward her. The beautiful goddess knelt down and held her arms out for Simi so that she could run to the goddess and gets a hug that Simi was missing from her mother.
“She’s not back yet, sweeting. Soon.”
Simi pouted before she ran to her and threw her arms around akra-Apollymi’s neck. She put one small thumb into her mouth and buried her other hand deep in the goddess’s white, silky hair.
While it wasn’t quite as nice as her mama’s hugs, it was enough to make her feel better.
Akra-Apollymi tightened her hold on her.
Simi laid her head on the goddess’s shoulder as akra-Apollymi began to sing and rock her.
How strange, especially given that the goddess didn’t seem to be in the moods to sing. “Why is akra so sad?”
Standing up with Simi in her arms, akra began to pace the garden again. “I’m not sad, Simi. I’m anxious.”
“Is anxious like when the Simi eats too much and her stomach hurts?”
She smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Not exactly. It’s when you can’t wait for something to happen.”
“Ooo, like when the Simi is hungry and she’s waiting on her matera to feed her. Or like the Simi now wanting her matera to come for her.”
“Something like that.”
Then all of a sudden, Simi felt what she needed to feel. That slight stirring in the air that she’d been waiting for.
“Matera!”
Her beautiful mother flew in with her black wings fluttering. Like Simi, her skin was a swirling combination of red and white. The red of her skin matched her mother’s hornays …
