33.
Zeus came around for breakfast on the day of the winter solstice. He’d got over his health kick and Emily awoke to the delicious smell of bacon.
‘Ha, ha, ha,’ laughed Zeus, as he brought Emily a cup of tea in bed. ‘You can awaken the dead by frying bacon.’
They had breakfast on the veranda, eating in silence as they savoured their first proper breakfast in ages. To wash it down, Zeus made himself an espresso and Emily a hot choccy, sunlight lighting up the steam as it rose into the crisp morning air.
Once their cups were empty, Zeus cleared his throat and said, ‘Emily, I think I’ve taught you all I can. I want to spend some time working on my asteroids. Earth is yours. You won’t be seeing much of me now but I’ll always be there if you need me. Good luck!’
‘Does that mean that I’m God now?’ said Emily, sounding a little surprised.
‘No,’ said Zeus smiling. ‘You’re Emily and always will be. Just keep an eye on Earth, that’s all. Do nothing!’
He looked thoughtful for a moment then added, ‘One word of advice. There’s an old Arabian saying, Don’t lie, but don’t tell the truth either. Look at what happened to my sons. Be careful what you say to teroids about your job. Say nothing, do nothing!’
He clicked his fingers and was gone.
Annie was sad and depressed. Emily worried about her. Her dad had been hitting her again. She moved slowly, she talked slowly and had suicidal thoughts. Emily had to do something.
Calling her up, Emily said, ‘Come to Camillo, come for Christmas.’
‘Love to,’ said Annie. ‘Is there anything you’d like me to bring?’
‘Just yourself and a packet of Malteasers.’
Leaving a box of chocolates and a wee card saying, ‘Merry Christmas. Gone to visit a special friend, see you in the New Year, Your loving daughter, Annie XOX.’ Annie packed her bag and disappeared.
Jesus’s birthday was at the cafe. It was every bit as wonderful as two years previously. The girls spent the night on the comfy couches, squeezed in between Jesus and Azziz.
After Jesus had thrown the oranges he tinged a spoon against a glass to get everyone’s attention.
‘Ladies, anodes and zinodes, and all others who have given us the pleasure of your company, we have some special guests who’ll be performing for us tonight. All the way from Zwingli, please give a big hand to The Rolling Stones!’
Everyone cheered and hooted as spotlights lit up The Rolling Stones and they struck up the first cords of Honky Tonk Woman.
‘Let’s dance!’ said Annie to Azziz, pulling him to his feet.
‘Emily?’ asked Jesus, rising to his feet and offering his hand.
‘Let’s!’ said Emily and they danced through to the wee hours.
In a break between songs, Emily asked, ‘The Rolling Stones from Zwingli! Aren’t they still alive on Earth?’
‘Alive!’ exclaimed Jesus. ‘They’ve been dead for years. No one can survive that much substance abuse. They’ve been replaced by cybotic robots, all except Brian Jones, who was already up here.’
Annie seemed happy with Azziz’s company so Emily walked back along the beach alone. Cold, black waves swished up over her toes, then sucked back leaving a trail of phosphorescent stars. The Milky Way shone overhead, and shooting stars traced across the sky.
‘What a magical place,’ she said to Scruff as he splashed past, chasing Negrita and Enzo.
Sitting on the old weather worn sofa, Emily stayed up and watched the stars. Dawn appeared in the east and as soon as there was enough light to see, Scruff and her walked up to her special spot on the bluff. Emily watched the red disk of the sun slowly rise over the horizon and up into the sky until it was lost behind a bank of cloud. She stretched and was getting up to leave when gunfire erupted in the indigo sky.
Bam, Chume, Chume, Chume!
Green and red lasers sliced across the sky and a bluey-white photon torpedo ricocheted between Castor’s moon and a sleek spaceship.
‘Peace on Earth, but not on Camillo. Good morning Emily,’ boomed Castor’s voice, ‘I’m having a spot of bother with Baron. RUN!’
Emily stood there and watched the torpedo bouncing back and forth. A second, then a third and a forth torpedo joined the game of aerial ping-pong.
‘Run NOW!’ shouted Castor as the torpedoes slammed into his moon. It exploded, turning into an orange fireball as it tumbled to the sea.
‘Oh no!’ gasped Emily, and ran.
As she reached the orchard a slimeball crashed to the ground, knocking over a mango tree and tumbling into the banana grove. Seconds later, the banana trees were gone and out charged the slimeball devouring everything in its path. Jumping over the stone wall, Emily ran her fastest across the paddock. As she reached the style on the other side, she heard the panicked jingling of bells and glanced around to see the slimeball devouring the sheep, olive and almond trees as it chased after her.
Pausing on the style, she clicked her fingers to try and teleport.
Nothing happened.
Yap, yap, yap, bow, wow-wow!
Scruff went for the slimeball.
Yap, yap, yap, yooooowl!
The slimeball hoovered him up.
Oh Scruff, you daft stupid dog!
It’s getting close, I’ll be next. It’s not having me for breakfast, not just yet!
Emily jumped off the wall and ran along the path through the sugar cane. She ran like the wind, her lungs aching as she gasped for breath. The slimeball was gaining on her. The sucking sound it made as it vacuumed up the sugar cane grew louder and lumps of blue slimy spit splattered on the ground around her.
I’m almost home. I can make it, I know I can.
The slimeball was on her heels. Emily dodged to the right and jumped over the fence to the vegetable garden. Her foot caught on a post and she sprawled to the ground, splat amongst the lettuces. She looked around in horror as the slimeball smashed through the fence and let out a screamed as it sucked her legs in between its huge fangs.
Zap!
A bolt of lightning shot from the heavens and hit it.
Zzizzzit!
Blue electricity arced around its pulsating mass, sending sparks jumping through Emily’s body. Her hair stood straight, shrivelled and burnt.
Zimp!
Zeus appeared in the lettuce patch.
Emily felt his hand on her face as she passed out.
Swoosh!
Zeus threw a bucket of stagnant water over her.
It was smelly, horrible and disgusting. Emily coughed, spluttered and threw up.
‘Phew,’ said Zeus, looking around. ‘That was close. He almost got the lettuces!’
The End
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Also published by Vi Grim
Emily Taylor Book 1- Abducted
Emily Taylor Book 2- The Slave Girl
Emily Taylor Book 4 – The Teenage Mum
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