The door was in pieces on the floor. Holes in the wall marked where her body had been thrown. She sat up, examined herself — no scars. She almost laughed. Almost.
"Thanks Hecate I guess"
She stood up moving towards the empty door frame. Exiting the house, the sun beat down on her relentlessly. People stood outside men, women, and children, who as soon as they saw her left immediately, whispering among themselves as they walked away. She wanted to search for Holt straight away, but she had no idea where Holt could have been taken.
The thought burned hotter than the sun on her skin. She kept letting people in, and they kept paying for it. Her parents. Uryia. Now Holt. Everyone she let close enough to matter paid for it eventually. She started to walk through the streets with no plan in mind.
She moved like a lost soul, stuck in limbo. As she walked her frustration built up, clearly displayed on her face. People walking the same streets looked away, moving to the side as she passed by. Without realising, she had ended up back at the dock. Sailors were praying and offering tokens of thanks. Small idols hung from the ships—bone charms etched with names, coils of rope tied into sacred knots, bowls of saltwater left at the edge of the dock. Desperation masquerading as gratitude. Astrea watched the silently, wishing that Kujira could choose her without all the steps required. She watched as the fishermen loaded up bags of bait onto their boats.
"Bait…"
Astrea started to smile as an idea started to form in her head. If she couldn't find Sodom, she'd find someone Sodom would come to. Someone who owed him money. Someone he'd visit himself. She left the docks to gather information on Sodom.
Entering the towns marketplace, she went from stall to stall talking to each vendor.
However, the market vendors wouldn't talk. Those who knew Sodom's name went pale at the sound of it. Those who didn't pretended they hadn't heard her. Dead end.
"Well, that's one idea down the drain. Time to try something else". Astrea thought.
Leaving the market Astrea left to go back to Holt's house. After arriving searched through the drawers until she found a kitchen knife. Quickly leaving the house she ran to the docks as the fishermen returned. Astrea watched each fisherman took their hauls from their ships. However, she spotted one fisherman that after getting of his ship, walked away with nothing.
"There's my target." Astrea thought.
She waited in the for the fisherman to start walking back to his home. As soon as he was a suitable distance away, Astrea started to follow. Walking down streets, Astrea went of what she planned to say again and again in her head, steeling herself for what she was about to do. She slipped the knife from her sleeve.
The man finally stopped at a door opening it to go inside. Astrea who had only been a few paces behind sprang into action running straight towards the open door. Before it closed, she stuck her foot in the door then forced it open.
The man was surprised before noticing the knife pointed at his face. His surprise turned into fear. Her hands shook so badly the knife trembled with them; the tip hovering inches from his throat.
"Who are you, what do you want," the fisherman said his fear dripping from every word.
"Shut up and listen" Astrea demanded. "Do you know Sodom."
At the mention of his name the fisherman's face drained of all colour. "Did he send you? Please we need a little more time, have mercy I beg".
"Lucky me I guess." thought Astrea
"Relax old man, I'm not with them. I just want you to do something for me. Just let me be here when Sodom comes back." said Astrea
"Ok. Ok. Whatever you want, please just put the knife away." said the fisherman.
Astrea lowered the knife but didn't sheath it. Her grip stayed tight, knuckles white, as if she might need it again at any second.
"Let me live here until Sodom comes back." said Astrea "Oh and if I'm living here, we should probably know each other's names. I'm Astrea" with that last part she stretched out her hand.
"My wife – Nora she won't like this."
"Would she like to see you dead?" said Astrea raising the knife once again.
Shaking his head, he gave up his futile resistance.
"My name is Eddie."
######
Astrea sat at the kitchen table with Eddie waiting for his wife to come back. While they waited, they started to talk.
"Are you one of the touched." Astrea asked.
"Yeah, it was almost a year ago now. I wish my power was more useful though." said Eddie is face turning downcast "Kujira really fucked me over man. He made me one of the touched, And then left me half-finished."
"You're lucky to have any power at all" retorted Astrea.
"What use is power if you can't use it to provide for your family" said Eddie, clearly starting to get upset. "I'm sure your power is much better than mine".
"I haven't got shit, no power or anything." said Astrea looking down.
"They say the gods judge three things," Eddie muttered. "Your body. Your will. Your… self. Khat. Ka. Ba. I don't know which one I failed…"
"Khat, ka, ba. What the hell are those?" thought Astrea
Finally, the door opened with Eddie's wife visible in the door. Astrea jumped up as she saw her, dashing towards Eddie putting the knife to his back once again.
"Sit down." said Astrea
The woman didn't recognise who Astrea was.
"Can you let my husband go, we aren't running anywhere," Nora said.
Astrea lowered her knife as Eddie let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to make sure Sodom doesn't bother anyone again. I want you guys to help me out. Let me live here until he comes back, then I'll defeat him then." said Astrea.
"And how do you plan to do that." Nora responded.
"I have ideas and I'm probably your best bet considering Eddie here hasn't gotten any fish to sell." said Astrea with a small smile.
At those last words Eddie looked down ashamed. His hand clasped together bound by sweat. His wife looked at him with an indecipherable look. Shame, disappointment, loathing or pity, it was impossible to tell.
"Ok. You can stay. Sodom is meant to arrive in 3 days for his repayment on our loan. Figure something out please," said Nora.
Smiling Astrea nodded in response. Turning to Eddie, she hit him with one simple question.
"Right. So. The Touched — start talking."