The Simi was alone with no matera. The very thought of it caused a scream to echo through her soul.
Akra-Apollymi brushed the dark curls back from her red and white face. “It’ll be okay, little one.”
“How? I have no matera to hugs me and takes care of her Simi. Simi can’t be alone. She a small simi. I need my matera!”
“You’ll have a new father.”
“The Simi don’t want no new father,” she wailed. “The Simi didn’t even know her old one. Simi wants her matera! Make her come back to life! You a goddess. Bring her back to me!”
“I wish I could, precious. But I don’t have those powers.”
“Then find them!”
Akra-Apollymi sniffed back her tears. “It doesn’t work like that, child.”
“Then I hate you! The Simi hates you! I’ll always hate you!” She left the goddess and returned home to where her brother and sister were hunting for her.
“The Simi wants to leave here!” she demanded, tugging at Xirena’s hand. “Take the Simi to her old house.”
Her sissy looked horrified. “I can’t, Simi. We’re not allowed to go there.”
Simi cried even harder. She didn’t want to be in the hell realm anymore. It was dark here.
Cold.
There was no matera to make it warm and homey. No more cuddles or kisses. How could her matera leave her like this? Didn’t she know the Simi loveded her and needed her? That her Simi was losted with no matera to keep her safest?
She didn’t want to be here with her Rik-rik and her sissy.
Covering her eyes, she screamed and screamed. But the pains wouldn’t stop. They just kept hurting her and making her heart ache so much that she couldn’t breathe.
Why was her mama dead?
Suddenly, she found herself back in front of akra-Apollymi who must have used her powers to drag Simi to her.
The goddess took Simi’s hands and pulled them from her eyes.
“Look at me, Simi.”
She didn’t want to. She hated the goddess who’d hurt her matera. Hated the world. But when she hiccupped, her eyes opened, and she saw the mean goddess who had taken her mother from her.
“Listen to me, Simi. The evil Greek gods killed your matera. I hate them as much as you do.”
She hiccupped again as those words chased through her mind. “The Greek gods?”
Akra-Apollymi nodded. “They are our enemies. Never forget that. And I have a favor to ask you.”
That made no sense. Akra-Apollymi was a goddess. What favor could a simi do for such a powerful goddess. “What?”
“I’m sending you to your akri. He will take care of you and love you just like your mother did. I need you to watch over and protect him. To love him as your family. Can you do that?”
How could she love someone she didn’t know? “I want my matera!”
The goddess ignored her. “He will be waiting in your old home, and he will need you. I promise, Simi. Your akri will take care of you. He will be a good father for you.”
Her breathing ragged, she looked up at the goddess. “The Simi can go home to her old house?”
“Yes. Back to Katateros. Would you like that?”
