TVO Chapter 5

Milkshakes Do Not Make Everything Better

Enjoy TWO chapters this week!

Phena didn’t know how long Cal drove for, but the sky was beginning to darken, when she realized she had no idea where they were headed.

“Cal? Where are we going?”

“What?” The car had been silent, not even music playing, as the two girls absorbed what had happened.

“It’s getting dark, and we haven’t decided where we’re heading. Let’s pull over.”

The highway was empty. The moon shone above them. Phena’s head swirled with new information. One moment, she was trying to enjoy a day on the beach and the next she and Cal had deserted their team.

“Do you think they’ll be worried?”

Phena frowned. “I think…whatever we were trapped in has them trapped, too.”

“So, they might not even realize we’re gone?”

Let’s hope not. Phena shook her head.

Cal’s face fell into her hands. “What are we going to do? Should we call the police or my parents? Is it worth it to try and explain to them—”

“Phena!”

Phena froze and turned to Cal, fully alert now.

“Pick up the phone!”

Phena dug out her phone. The screen brightened with the call screen. Phena held it between them. “Hello?”

A woman’s voice sounded. “Finally, I’ve been trying to contact you, Phena.” Phena gasped and nearly dropped the phone.

“What?” Cal poked her., “What is it?”

Phena put the phone on speaker and held it between them. “Who is this? Are you a 9-1-1 operator?”

“Phena Elidi and Calliope Brennan. I am Sun Young Cho, but you can call me Sun. I am a member of The Vestal Order. I imagine you are both scared. The men you fought weren’t really men, but daemons, the Goddess Eris’s henchmen. I’m sending you an address to a safe place. I’m sure you have plenty of questions. I assure you, I am here to help.” The voice was that of an older woman and had an authority that reminded Phena of her mother.

Cal looked at Phena, unsure.

Cal’s hair looked wild in the moonlight, the flyways creating a jagged halo around her head. She still wore her bathing suit and coverup. Phena began to understand the gravity of their situation.

Their teammates were lost to them. Phena’s mother was lost to them. Their summer break was ruined and surely the rest of their lives would be changed immeasurably. They couldn’t go home. The damage would have already been done.

And even if she did make it back to her mother, by now those monsters might have tracked down the rest of their families. Cal’s parents could be next. Going back wasn’t worth the risk.

She had dragged poor Cal into all this. Cal, whose only desire was to win their championship. Who still got excited by stuffed animals, who still let her mother brush her hair. Cal, who seemed so unprepared that a simple gust might take her up.

She looked out into the dark sky. They had nowhere else to go. “Fine,” Phena agreed.

Phena didn’t say anything, there was no way for her to apologize. She typed in the address and stared out at the empty road.

☼

Phena chewed quickly, pausing to grimace as Cal licked her fingers. But Phena couldn’t fault her. They were both hungry. Cal had missed lunch and Phena hadn’t eaten all day.

She looked across the small diner – her second or was it her third – savior of the night.

Phena had spotted the glowing yellow sign as she counted the streetlights to distract from her boredom. She had perked up, pointed, and shouted, “Food,” which had done the trick. Now, they were both sitting, scarfing down cheap, greasy diner food.

Phena eyed the large, chocolate milkshake on the shiny, plastic menu.

Cal sighed. “That was so good.”

Phena grinned at the dab of sauce across Cal’s face and threw her a napkin. She almost forgot about the night ahead of them. Food had a way of fixing everything. Almost everything.

Phena leaned in, looking over the blonde girl’s shoulder for the waitress wiping down the countertop. Although she looked tired, the waitress had been nice enough, refilling their drinks and bringing them more fries. Free of charge, she had grunted in her Georgian accent, he made too much.

Phena still wanted to discuss the call with Sun. “Do you think she’s legit? Like, how did she know what just happened?”

Cal frowned. “You think we shouldn’t go?”

Phena sat back. She didn’t know what they should do. Here she was, her aching back and butt laid across a hard, diner booth unable to look outside and know where they were as the approaching night sky blotted out all she could see. What she wanted felt so far from her now.

Phena threw her arm across her face and yawned. “Do we have any other choice?”

Cal didn’t say anything, and Phena squinted at her. Surely, she could leave. Fly home using her emergency credit card and be safe. For a moment, Phena thought the worst before Cal smiled at her.

“I think whatever we do will be better with milkshakes.”

Before Phena could be the mature one of the two and remind Cal of their dire situation, Cal called the waitress. “Excuse me, ma’am. Your finest milkshakes, please! One strawberry. One chocolate.”

“Cal, can you pretend to be serious.”

“We’ve had a shit day. We deserve this.” Cal poked Phena who sat up, failing to hide her grin.

“But after this,” Phena pointed, sobering up, “we leave.”

Cal nodded, all serious now, and crossed her heart. “Besides, what could be worse than those monsters? If this chick does anything, you’ll blast her, and I’ll drive us away.”

Cal struck out her arms, her face fierce, as she pretended to drive and then…. Phena raised an eyebrow. Supposedly crash the getaway vehicle? Cal veered the makeshift wheel to the right hard, making noises with her mouth that sounded more catastrophic than anything.

“Maybe don’t drive like that and we’ll get away.” Phena laughed, lowering Cal’s arms before a clang rang out in the silent diner.

Phena halted, her eyes finding Cal’s, whose body had gone rigid. Before they could move, the lights in the diner flickered. Phena grabbed Cal and shoved her under the table, falling down next to her.

“Is that what I think –”

Phena clamped her hand over Cal’s mouth and waited. The clanging got louder as the scuffle continued. Phena poked her head out. The door was at the other end of the diner. She thought of tugging Cal and making a run for it. Then there was a scream.

Phena’s heart plummeted.

The waitress, the cook, they were innocent. Phena gritted her teeth. If Eris wanted to pick on someone, she shouldn’t have chosen such easy targets.

Phena scrambled out. “Don’t move!” She shouted at Cal, standing. She hoped her adrenaline would propel her forward, but she feared she had used it all up. If she was gonna help these people, she would have to do it despite her fear.

Phena jumped and shook her arms out, much like she did before starting a game, and ran. Her sneakers skidded to a stop as she came upon the scene. Through the window into the kitchen, the daemon began to morph. Its shoulders lurched as its bones and skin reformed into the shape of the waitress. When it looked at her, the waitress’s face hadn’t fully snapped into place, leaving the daemon’s eyes and mouth black and cavernous.

“You are one ugly sonofa –”

Something hard hit her back and she fell to the ground, her right wrist crumbling under her.

“Phena?” The mass said on top of her.

“Cal, what the hell?”

“I’m sorry. I thought you needed help!”

“I barely did anything,” Phena grumbled, kicking her off. She held her wrist, trying to move it but the sharp pain prickled as if submerged in a bowl of broken glass. She looked up at her Cal, horrified. “What did you do?”

Cal began apologizing, reaching out to Phena, who evaded her arms. A shadow loomed over them, and Phena looked up. The daemon waitress stood over them.

“Oh, is your poor hand hurt? I know just what would make it better.” It reached for her, but Phena kicked it. She jumped to her feet and reached for the only thing she could. She gripped the cold glass in her hand and flung it at the daemon, nailing it in the chest. It fell backward, strawberry pink slush dripping from it as if shot and that was what it bled.

Phena blinked as it got up. Hands gripped her arms, pulling her along. “C’mon. They’ve got to have a back door.”

They ran past the kitchen, slipping slightly on the sticky milkshake remnants.

Cal shoved open the door to the back room and yelped. Phena crashed in next to her. Tied up and propped against the wall were the waitress and cook. The stripe of skin through their cheeks was red from the rope tied through their mouths. She was glad they were alive, but their bugged-out eyes told her she’d have a lot of explaining to do.

If she survived this.

“Cal block the door!”

Cal rushed to the door, closing it shut and locking it. Then she pushed herself against the door for good measure.

Phena began untying the waitress. “I’m so sorry. This all must look pretty crazy right now. But I promise we’re,” Phena looked back at a struggling Cal and grimaced, “gonna get you out.”

The door bucked against Cal’s back just as Phena freed the cook who ran out the back door. Phena, still holding the ropes, looked at the woman before she, too, scrambled to her feet, fleeing.

Welp, there’s one less thing to worry about.

“Phena? What now?”

Shit. She couldn’t just leave it to chase them. She would have to take it down.

She stood, working her stiff wrist.

“Phena! Do that thing!” Cal bucked against the door, her shoes sliding. The daemon on the other side roared. Phena hadn’t realized just how strong Cal was and pride bloomed in her chest.

“I can’t…my wrist is,” Phena trailed off. Her heart pounded in her chest, her blood crashing in her ears like waves. Black dotted her eyes and her lungs ached, tightening. She had nothing. She, unlike Cal, was useless.

A hissing sound rang out. Phena flinched, running up to help Cal, but really, she was afraid that another daemon had found its way to them. The hissing grew.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know!”

“Wait, that goddess. Didn’t you say she had snakes?”

“Shit.”

Phena looped her arms around Cal, squeezing her eyes. Cal clutched her, the door rocking them.

“I love you, Phena!”

Phena opened her mouth to shout it back when something wet hit her face. She gulped, coughing. She opened her eyes just in time to see the faucet of the sink sputter and pop off, sending water crashing into the flimsy ceiling. The water teetered, veering down to the girls. Phena watched it pool at their feet.

“Cal, unlock the door.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Just trust me,” she gritted.

Phena gripped Cal as Cal reached behind her, twisting the lock. Phena dove with Cal in her arms just as the stream of water blasted the daemon. It screamed, gurgling.

Phena pushed them back to the wall and opened her eyes to the onslaught.

She had been right. The water had turned down towards the door, but it didn’t seem to have the same properties as normal water. The blast alone could have taken off human skin, but a daemon’s?

The daemon slashed at the blast, but with each swap, the daemon melted. It fell to the ground just as Phena and Cal got to their feet.

“C’mon, Phena!”

“Wait. I want to see it disappear.”

“And what if it doesn’t?”

Phena tugged against Cal, her eyes locked on the melted figure. She walked forward. The daemon screeched up at her, it’s shrinking arm reached for her as it melted into a puddle of muck on the floor.

The water slowed to a calming drip behind her.

This wouldn’t end. Phena knew this now. There was no escaping a goddess. Which meant, eventually, she’d have to play her game.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Cal gritted, unlocking the van’s door.

The evening’s cold made Phena well aware of every part of her that had gotten wet. She shook her head. “Always make sure the creature’s dead. It’s horror-rules 101.” She sighed, resting her head against the seat.

Cal nodded, doing the same and closing her eyes. “I’m too tired for this shit.”

☼

The address led them to a warehouse in Savannah, Georgia.

Rows of cars in various states of battery filled the parking lot. “Are you sure this is it?”

“It’s the address she gave me.” Phena peered into the cars as Cal weaved through the parking lot, avoiding broken fenders and windows of shattered glass. A few diming streetlights illuminated their way.

Cal parked alongside the warehouse. “Hey, I’m going to change.”

Phena looked her up and down. “Are you sure you don’t want to change inside? It’s a bit cold out here.”

“And meet this mystery woman half-dressed? No, thank you. Just cover me.”

Phena got out of the car, pulling on a hoodie she had stuffed into her bag. Phena peered inside. Through the dark glass, she could make out rows, but not what they held.

When Sun had mentioned The Vestal Order, Phena immediately recognized the name. The Vestal Virgins had run temples in ancient Rome. This looked nothing like a temple. In fact, it looked like the opposite. There was no god here to pray to, but it did look like an easy place to murder someone and hide the body.

Phena stuck her hands in her pockets and turned around, absent-mindedly. The van’s windows were tinted, but not tinted enough to prevent Phena from seeing the white of Cal’s bra. She turned immediately, her face heating in the night’s chill.

She pressed her hands to her face. She and Cal undressed together all the time. It wasn’t a big deal.

Phena looked down at her Converse, zeroing in on where the rubber tore and the white scuffed.

The wind blew and Phena put her hair up, stuffing it inside her hood. She focused on looking straight ahead but couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder.

Cal had opened the back door, fully dressed in sweats and their team hoodie. Her face was red from the cold.

“Good to go?”

Cal’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “Yep, all good.”

“Cool.”

“Cool.”

They stood there, Phena with her arms crossed, a loose strand of brown hair tickling her face. Cal stood beside her, her hands in her pockets.

“So, shall we?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

They followed the length of the warehouse until they came across a door. Phena looked to Cal and Cal shrugged. Phena raised her hand to knock when the door slung open.

A woman a few inches shorter than Phena opened the door. Her face was round and somewhat youthful, like the face of a young aunt. Her fawn skin looked pale in the light. Her deep brown eyes held a warmth that reminded Phena of home.

“I have been waiting for you.”

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