Chapter 3
A few days have passed since Steven's secret talk with Khonshu. So far the god has kept his promise and never told Marc and Jake. The god also didn't interact directly with him like before, at least not in front of the other two.
Steven also talked more with Jake. Steven learned that Jake has this witty humor that always gets a laugh out of the former.
Once his initial shock cooled down, he is able to see how harsh and cruel his words are to Jake. Steven apologized for all the things he said to Jake, like his first encounter with Marc. Jake didn't seem to be that offended. He said that he gets where Steven is coming from, but Steven still feels guilty about that. Now that he remembered how Wendy would insult Marc with horrible and cruel words, and realized He nearly said the same thing to both Marc and Jake.
Steven wished he could wash his mouth with bleach after that realization.
Steven still continues to wake up at 3 am to privately talk with the god though. One time he actually brought a snickers bar. He joked that Khonshu needs to chill a bit now that Ammit is not a problem anymore.
Khonshu just gave Steven an unimpressed glare at this. But when Steven actually beckoned the bar to the god, a gesture indicating he is genuinely giving it, Khonshu looked unsure on what to do.
"I do not need to consume like you do. Nor do I want your pity Worm."
"Then you're not getting some. I'm only doing this because I have an extra bar and I already ate my share. It would be a waste to throw it away now." Both of them know this is pure bullshit and Steven is just looking for a reason to give something to Khonshu. While Steven is disappointed with the Egyptian God he is stuck with, he wanted to see if he can placate Khonshu by trying out the traditional practice of offering. He actually noticed neither Marc nor Jake even tried it before, so he decided on this experiment, and the temptation to try a Snickers Joke is just too great.
After a few seconds, Steven's arm is getting tired of being extended. Khonshu doesn't seem to believe Steven is being genuine, Both of them are just standing still on the side of the dark road, but Steven stubbornly pushed on.
"Just take it as an offering. It's not fancy myrrh, gold or animal blood, I'm sure the last part is banned in some countries." He reasoned.
"You're not going to stop, are you Worm?" Khonshu said. To which Steven just replied with a matter-of-fact tone.
"You're the one who claims to know me already, Birdhead."
The god just continued to just stare at the candy bar on Steven's hand, before lifting his skull head to look at Steven's face, and back again to the man's hand. Steven just gave an encouraging smile, a bit amused at Khonshu's reaction.
Steven really wants to take a picture of Khonshu's face right now.
Then slowly, Khonshu reached to pluck the Snickers from the opened hand before inserting it within the wrappings that make up his entire body.
Steven does not know how the god does it. The wrappings look skintight. There are also no pockets or loose wrappings except the one that floats around the god like a scarf, but Steven just saw Khonshu make a Snickers bar disappear withing some thin floating bandages.
Where did Khonshu put the Snickers bar? Inside his body? In another dimensions? How will the god even eat with without a proper mouth or a neck? Steven might ask later, when he is sure the god is in a good mood.
During these meet-ups. Steven just talks about whatever is in his mind. He would rant on about how Marc and Jake coddling him. Though he finds it endearing and sweet, he is getting tired that Marc still thinks Steven is not capable of facing his real past yet.
He would also to talk about his interest in antiquities, Egyptian history and other related facts. Khonsu didn't reply or say anything during these tangents. The god is rather indifferent about this, not hating but not liking it. Steven just takes this as a sign to continue rambling. The god doesn't think much about Steven's rambles through, he does put his opinions on some things. This only spurred Steven's interest more.
But Steven didn't ask about Khonshu's family just yet. He did ask Khonshu if he and Hathor are still a thing, but the god quickly dismissed the question. Getting tense and mad once Steven tried to push it.
Steven didn't ask about it again for a few days.
Khonshu is very aware that he is being rude about it, and he doesn't care. Khonshu knows that Steven will ask again and he will need to tell the mortal in the future. Just not now, maybe later. Or never if he's lucky.
After a week, Steven is having another one of his tangents.
"I mean, sure, crocodiles used to be common in the Nile back then. But it's hard to believe they can be tamable enough to live close to humans for a long time. Sobek 's temple is supposed to have domesticated crocodiles inside. One of the most common things about him though was his appetite. Was he really that hungry and horny?" Steven asked the god. He is sure that Khonshu is calmer, and the question is not related to Khonshu's direct family, at least any one of the current Ennead.
"Sobek is one of the brusquer Gods, actually more so than I am. He also does have a libido, but those tales about his sexual appetite are exaggerated slightly. The Nile is simply a great breeding ground for crocodiles, which was later spurred more by Sobek's influence." Khonshu answered.
"So is that epithet of him being 'Mr. Steal Your Wife' is a bit inaccurate?" Steven joked, he was meaning to ask Khonshu about this.
"Oh, it is very accurate. Sobek can be called, what you would say, a womanizer. His drive and passion can be as great as his temperament. But he is not one to be unkind to his partners. Even if he knows the benefits of basic etiquette. If he doesn't, it makes women angry and leave him. The Goddess' in my family is more than capable of taking him down."
Steven chuckles at this. "Oh yeah, Hathor was one of his consorts. And uh, yours. Makes sense that you know about that."
Steven's next question is now stepping on dangerous territory, but he continues anyway. "So uh, you sound like you spoke from experience. Have you ever made Hathor angry before?" Steven is now nervous. The last time he asked about Hathor, Khonshu didn't to take it lightly. The man hoped that Khonshu is in his better moods. Marc and Jake completed a mission earlier and managed to kill alot of Khonshu's targets, so the god should have been well fed and not cranky from hunger.
To Steven's surprise, Khonshu actually answered, in a slightly somber voice. "….I did once. And it is one experience I do not want to repeat."
"Really? What did you do? Hathor seems like one of the more chill Goddesses." This is new for Steven. Marc told him that Hathor's Avatar, a woman named Yatzil, talked to him and she sounded really sweet. She seemed to be the more nicer ones.
"Don't mistake her kindness for weakness. Hathor can be one of the most fearsome and indestructible beings when provoked. Love and Hate are no different with each other and both can be a drive for violence and death." Khonshu said with sure conviction.
"Sounds like you really respected her. " Steven did read that Hathor was Khonshu's consort. Sort of making her the god's ex-girlfriend. Or are they still in a relationship? The sources vary so much that it is hard to keep track on which one he should really consider.
"…I do." Khonshu replied in the same arrogant tone, but Steven can sense an underlying fondness hidden in the word. And a bit of suppressed sadness. Maybe he's getting used to the god. Enough to actually read between the words.
"Love can make you do crazy things. Sounds romantic if I being honest"
"Or stupid, it turns you into a reckless idiot who makes mistakes and just says things you will end up regretting."
"Reminds me of someone I know." Steven said to himself, but he is glancing at his companion.
"What was that worm?"
"Nothing." Steven quickly replies. He suddenly found the lamppost across the street very interesting.
He can tell that Khonshu is glaring at him now. If the god had eyeballs, he would be squinting at Steven angrily. Things were tense for a second and the wind was actually picking up. Steven wondered if he pushed too far.
Until a growl can be heard. Breaking the tension like a knife. Steven looked around and realized it was his stomach. He is both embarrassed and relieved by this. It to broke the ice but he remember that didn't bring anything to eat. There is that bakeshop but it is 2 blocks away, and Steven don't want to walk all the way there. Khonshu also realized this, and promptly forgot about being upset.
"You didn't bring any sustenance with you?"
"I was busy okay! I ate all of my vegan snacks and the only thing left are the bacon flavored chips Jake bought. I'm not eating that" Steven exclaims. This did not change the fact that he forgot to bring anything to eat and Khonshu found this amusing.
"I would have expected you to be more prepared. Since you were the one who repeatedly advocated strategic cautiousness. This proves that even you can't fully commit to your own ideals."
"Oh shut up Pigeon head." Steven countered annoyingly.
Steven can feel the god's smug smile even though Khonshu does not have any lips, or facial muscles to emote. But the man just knows that even with just a bird skull head, Khonshu is smiling so obnoxiously that Steven really wants to punch that boney beak, regardless with the fact that Khonshu is a God or not.
"Next time, do be more prepared. It would be a shame if you died of starvation or inappropriate planning. Many lives are lost due to forgetfulness alone."
Khonshu then reached inside the loose linen that wraps around his body, and plucked out a single unopened Snickers bar. Now Steven is the one who looks lost and surprised. He is staring at the candy bar in Khonshu's large hand like it is going to jump at him.
"Is that the candy bar I gave you before?" Steven asked, warily looking up at Khonshu.
"I told you before, I do not consume the same way you mortals do."
"It's supposed to be yours anyway. I don't want to owe you. And I feel like I'm stealing if it's an offering to a God."
"And what am I going to do with this? Keep it until the end of time? You need it more than I do, and it is not stealing if I am giving back something that used to belong to you. So technically you don't owe me."
Steven is still distrustful of Khonshu even though things have cooled down a bit between them.
The god hasn't reached that level of friendliness yet. But Khonshu does make a point that the Snickers bar did belong to him once, so Steven is technically just taking it back.
And he is really hungry too.
"Aw well. Can't think straight on an empty stomach." Steven grabs the bar from Khonshu's extended hand before inspecting it. So far it is completely fine, as clean as it was when he bought it. He opened it and took a bite. It still tastes and smells like chocolate.
"Are you sure you didn't add anything? As far as I know, you could have messed with it and resealed the packing like it was never opened. With magic and stuff." Steven said while chewing.
"If you won't eat it then stop stuffing your mouth with it, but I assure you I have never tampered with the packing seal. If I did then the contents would smell and taste like old linens and resin. Not something you mortals would enjoy nowadays."
Steven chuckles at this, his mouth is still full.
Once he finished, he threw away the wrapper and headed home. It has become a routine for the pair. The god would walk beside him and Steven would sometimes continue on his one-sided ramblings if no one were around. To others it would look like he is talking to no one, and it would be hard to explain that you are actually talking to a 7 feet tall Egyptian mummy Moon God.
Steven also made a mental note to start packing his own vegan sandwiches. And to do groceries again. It was embarrassing when Khonshu heard his stomach growling, and he do not want to see the god's overly superior and smug smile again.
He does not dwell much on the fact that he is now able to tell when the god is smiling.
Khonshu even started appearing inside the flat. Somehow able to warp his form to fit inside but still look menacingly tall to mortals.
Like an odd reality bending optical illusion. But this did not faze Steven much, and he just continued his one-sided rant like it's nothing. He may not realize it but he is starting to be more familiar with the unnatural appearance of Khonshu.
It’s not the first time he had one-sided talks with a very quiet figure. If anything the man is simply falling back to old habits, when he used to spend hours chatting with the living statue Crowley or his fish Gus.
And Steven has always been a creature of habit and familiarity.
“I swear Jake is deliberately buying meat flavored chips just to spite me. There are other flavors like cheese but he always picks the bacon or beef. I'm vegan, I can't eat bacon even if it's artificial flavor.” Steven chatted while he keeped this stuff away.
Khonshu just stays silent, he stops really listening to Steven, but it seems the man does not mind that Khonshu does not talk back. It’s hard for Steven to tell if the god is really listening.
"Next time, I'm buying nothing but vegan products. Let's see how he likes seeing nothing but almond-based stuff for days." Steven continued while he changed to his nightwear as usual and went to sleep. Waiting for his headmates to wake up and take over.
Khonshu stayed where he was since he materialized inside the flat, leaning by the window. Steven didn’t say goodbye, or good morning. Steven just continued chatting to him like nothing and went straight to bed. But the god does not mind this. He actually prefers it this way, to be acknowledged in a way but at the same time, seamlessly blending in the background. Being put in the spotlight too much tends to disturb him, he craves the silent security and privacy of the night. He is a Moon God, a dimmer light that shines in the absence of the sun. Not a Sun God whose light shines so brightly it exposes all secrets for the world to see.
The pressure of being in the spotlight is too much, such as the trial where the entire Ennead is watching.
He definitely did not get nervous, jumped in blindly and messed up that trial, it was the Osiris being a prick as usual. Yeah, it was definitely because of Ennead, not him. Khonshu would usually tell himself that.
The god didn’t leave his spot by the window just yet, he waited until Steven’s breathing slowed down until he could sense the man’s consciousness was deep asleep. There he just stood, vigilant until the room was slowly filled with morning sunlight.
He is just making sure Steven is asleep so his knights won’t suspect anything. And not because he is getting familiar with the Worm.
After a while he can feel another consciousness, not Steven this time, worming its way to the surface. That’s the god's cue to leave.
6 hours later, Rooftop of [REDACTED]
A young girl looks at the city in front of her. Her face is the perfect image of calmness and serenity, she takes in the wide view of the city scape and the clouds in the distance. After a while, she takes a calm step on to the ledge of a concrete rooftop. The steel mesh fence that surrounds the roof perimeter has rusted away, exposing all sides to the elements. The wind is picking up.
She estimates it to be around 80 feet above the road, or 20, she doesn't know and she doesn't care.
Why doesn’t she care?
Why was she here again?
She doesn't remember, her mind is a haze ever since she went inside the old but oddly still working elevator. But she only knows she needs to. The wind is getting stronger now. Old papers, empty can bottles and debris are flying everywhere as she moved closer to the edge of the roof. Some hitting her face and torso, but she felt nothing and continued her slow walk.
Earlier she just walking to the convenient store to buy some drinks, then things went hazy as she found herself inside an elevator and stepping out to the open roof top.
A voice calls her to feel the wind as it whips her brown hair. Someone is calling her to come. A soft voice like a warm blanket wrapped around her head.
She wondered for a while on why would she even be here? The wind is loud and ear-grating, it also brings with it the city noise of people bumping to you, trying to not miss the bus. But those noises are dampened by something. She can't hear the irritating cars, people screaming or the annoying car horns anymore. All she hears now is the soft rush of the wind, and people softly chatting about their day.
And to see the roses. The beautiful, bright Red roses.
But where are they, where are the roses?
She takes one more look at the horizon in front of her. The roof top is hot from the afternoon sun, but she feels cool. In the far distance she sees birds flying, away from the noise, the traffic and to some warm paradise. Away from the depressing land of England.
It would be nice if she can fly too.
Flying is great. It is free and liberating. No more deadlines, no parents, no school, no doctors, no glass, no prisons, no medicines.
Fly Away, away....
Fly, fly , fly....
Please Come Fly with me
The girl slowly starts to lean forward, little by little off the ledge. A very powerful gush of wind pushed her slightly backwards, but it is not strong enough against the strength of the Earth's gravity. Soon she is now free falling.
For a short while she felt weightless. She wondered if the world around her no longer exist and she is a free bird in the air. She can feel a huge gush of wind from below her. The young girl felt like she is floating in space, until it suddenly went black.
Her body hit the cold, hard concrete ground with a thud. She immediately died upon impact, the blood splattering around like an abstract Pollock painting. High above, the red liquid spreads radially outward, like someone's twisted painting trying to imitate a rose blooming in a bird-eye view. At least that is what a spectral decaying-looking figure thought, as the only witness of this macabre play.
2 hours later, Elizabeth Holmes didn’t show up in class, and was marked absent.
8 hours later her family reported her missing.
10 hours later her corpse was found mangled inside an empty compound.