Song of the Day | Queen by Client Liaison| Spotify | YouTube
Soda couldn’t see a thing through the billowing mist. She realised she was screaming. The Mustang surged forward at what felt like high speed, but the mist outside didn’t change. It was intensely nauseating, so she closed her mouth quickly, only to have it drop open again as they surged out onto a very different scene.
It was a quiet street, mid-morning. The sky was a wan grey, with clouds drifting listlessly overhead. They were in a carpark, a squat brick building up the back. Across the road was a petrol station. 3.90 per gallon. Per gallon? Finally her struggling brain caught up, and her head swung around. Rowan was still grinning like a lunatic.
“That was fun! I almost want to go back! You were right by the Gate… I thought I’d at least get to mow down a few Grabbers…”
“ohmygodpleasedon’tkillmeidon’twanttodieplease–"
Big Red rolled his eyes. “You happy? You’ve broken the girl now. She’s gibbering.”
The sorceress laughed again. “I think she’s holding up well considering she’ll be dead in a few hours.”
“What?” Soda's hands flew to her face in horror.
“The curse around your neck kid,” said Rowan, pointing at Soda’s chest.
Her hands slid down.
“Oh, that. Nah, that’s handled at the moment. Wait… aren’t you going to kill me?”
Red looked like he would also like to hear the answer to this question.
“What do you mean, handled?”
“I swallowed an Ambrosia seed.” Soda tried to say it with confidence but ruined it by immediately looking uncertain. “That does mean I’m in the clear for now, right?”
Rowan sucked in a thoughtful whistle through her teeth.
“That would make sense,” she said slowly. “But is also very annoying to me, because we clearly don’t have a lot of time left.” She looked down at Big Red and scrunched her nose in disdain. “I tried to turn you into a worm, but I was so angry the spell misfired. I was going to turn you into a worm and step on you. That was my plan.”
The car steamed gently in the empty car park. She felt Red tense up in her lap, his claws flexing against her jeans.
“Yeah, well, you fuckin’ would think of that, yeh psycho! You and Evangeline are two sides of the same damn coin! You just think people are worms to be crushed under your mighty boot! You don’t give a fuck about anyone but yourself!” He was bellowing at the top of his lungs, his fur all standing on end, his back arched.
“Oh ho ho, that’s pretty rich coming from a pathetic turncoat who snitched the first chance he got!”
“You abandoned me!”
“Goddess below, are you a child? Grow up!”
“OK I’M GETTING OUT,” said Soda loudly.
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Chapter Seven: Swingin' Dick's
Siblings, secrets, slappers