Human

Two months later, Serenity found herself even more conflicted and confused. “Humans are too complex,” she muttered to herself as she sat invisible on the roof of one of the slums taller buildings, not that they were very tall in the first place. This one, just across from one of the many churches in the area, barely stretched more than four stories into the sky.

Spring was slowly fading into summer and the changing of the seasons meant more and more crowds. For Serenity, the city streets were too densely packed and populated. She felt stifled. Up on the rooftops, however, the air was sweet and pure, save for when the winds shifted, carrying the air from the factories up the mountain.

Having rested far too long, Serenity slowly rose to her feet, remaining invisible, of course, and stretched. She wasn’t sure why—her body didn’t need to do such things, perhaps she thought that in mimicking the humans, she might understand them better.

This was also why, after a short funeral, she had also retrieved the body of the small girl she had found upon entering the city. Having repaired its wounds, she’d started to use it as a secondary vessel. After all, her normal appearance was a bit much compared to those of the humans she’d seen.

She’d also quickly learned that the girl’s name was Charlette. Additionally, she’d learned that people tended to go pale in surprise when they saw Serenity in that body. Thankfully, this only applied to a few people the girl had known in her life, and Serenity had been pleasantly surprised to learn that those who had numbered very few. So far, she’d only managed to traumatize two children and one adult.

“Ceres,” she whispered lightly on the wind as she stretched. “How’s the other one doing? Tez.”

“In statis, like usual,” she replied. “I don’t know why you ask. Nothing is going to change.”

Serenity frowned. “It could,” she said.

“I highly doubt it,” Ceres said, boredom oozing into her voice. Serenity could almost see her rolling her eyes.

“You’re so mean,” she pouted, looking down from the roof. Nobody was below her.

“And you’re childish, if I had to choose a description. I think being in that body is affecting you,” Ceres said.

“Nonsense,” Serenity said, jumping into the alley below. She landed lightly on her feet, still invisible. Exiting the alleyway, joined the throng in the main street.

“You really should see yourself right now,” Ceres said.

“Why’s that?” Serenity asked, stopping to pluck a flower from a peddler’s arrangements. She set it in her hair above her ear and took off through the crowd once more.

“Just forget it,” Ceres said, changing the subject. “Have you been practicing with the Worldheart?”

“Of course,” Serenity replied, bobbing and weaving through the empty places between the groups roaming the street. “I’m using it right now, in fact,” she continued. “That’s why nobody’s bumped into me.”

“I’m not convinced,” Ceres said flatly.

Serenity felt her eyebrow twitch in a tinge of annoyance. “Fine,” she muttered grumpily, stepping towards the side of the street. “You want to see the results of my practice?”

She blinked a few times, connecting her sense with Ceres, then crouched into a squat, waiting until the gathering around her dispersed slightly, then leaped forcefully into the air, throwing dust into the crowd from the dirty streets, causing clothes to ripple as if from a gust of wind. As she approached the apex of her jump, Serenity slowly brought herself to a hover, almost two times higher than the roof she’d been relaxing on earlier.

“Is that enough for you, Ceres?”

“Um, yes,” Ceres replied, obviously shocked.

“You sure?” Serenity asked, then, not waiting for an answer, stretched out her hand towards the lake at the top of the terraced city and pulled herself towards it. She slipped into the Flow, the place from which her powers stemmed, and the world around her paled blue. Everything froze then stretched into infinity as she flew forward at impossible speeds.

Then, like the sun splits the darkness, she suddenly appeared above the lake. The Flow faded away and the color of the world returned to normal. Ceres words still echoed in her ears. No time had passed.

“Serenity,” Ceres chided.

Serenity didn’t listen, instead shooting out her hands to her sides, creating a bubble of illusion and time, then raised the water of the lake into the air. She froze it outer shell, then, within its still-liquid center, she quickly recalculated its elements. It exploded around her in billions of fractals of glass and beads of mist, slowly, like her bubble commanded.

To those outside the bubble, the scene would remain the same as it was before her arrival, but inside, was a beautiful site. “See?” Serenity said.

“Show-off,” Ceres grumbled. “These aren’t powers for you to play with.”

“Why not,” Serenity asked, staring at the frozen explosion before her. “I’m a god, Ceres.”

“For now,” Ceres replied. “You’ve forgotten those beyond the stars. What will you do when they come?”

Serenity sighed, releasing the bubble. Time resumed and the water showered back into the lake. She shot back into the sky, higher and higher until the sky faded into indigo, the edge of night. She watched the faint twinkling of the stars for a moment before letting herself drop back towards the earth. “You saw what’s become of this world, it’s the same that’s happened to them all. No one could have survived such destruction.”

“Then what of this planet’s current inhabitants? How did they survive?”

“They live on the edge of their world, Ceres, of course they’d survive the Collapse.”

“Then what’s to say others didn’t? We don’t know for sure.”

“Then find out,” Serenity grumbled. “If you’re right, I’ll fulfill my mission.”

“You should fulfill it anyway, Serenity,”

“Hmph.”

Serenity spread her arms, catching herself on the wind, converting her downward velocity into a graceful arc that allowed her to soar horizontally across the water’s surface, throwing up small waves and showers of mist behind her. She zoomed towards the shore, soaring over it in an instant. In a flash, she was over the city.

She slowed her speed, watching the people below as they went this way and that, some working, some playing. Living. “Humans confuse me,” she whispered.

“I know,” Ceres said. “It’s not an easy task they’ve given you.”

“How will I know, Ceres? I’ve tried. Again and again, I’ve tried. I’ve lived with them, I’ve tried to act like them, but everything I do is met with opposition. I’ve tried being this girl but the people run or pretend they don’t see me. I’ve thought about Tez’s words, but I don’t think he’s right either. These people are just so… complex. I don’t know what else to say.”

“Is that why you’ve been messing around so much lately?”

Serenity sighed, spying a small park below, near the wall market, on the Named side of the city. She descended towards it. “What would you have me do, Ceres?”

“First, you should get out of those clothes. They aren’t helping.”

Serenity glanced at at her dirt covered, torn, and fading remains of an outfit, barely clinging to her small form and bit her lip. “Right,” she muttered. “That would be wise.”

Touching down in the park, she glanced around. After making sure she was alone, she made herself visible and started for the park’s exit. Only then did she realize that she was not in a park but a graveyard. “Why do they bury them?” she asked Ceres.

“What else would we do?” an unfamiliar voice replied, starling Serenity. The voice came from an older woman, sitting on a small bench, overlooking the gravestones. She turned towards Serenity and smiled. “What’s a young girl like yourself doing here,” she asked. “Where are your parents?”

“I don’t have any,” Serenity replied, staring at the woman. Crap, she thought. Did she see me?

“Ah,” the woman said, her smile waning. “Maybe I could keep you company then?”

Serenity started to back away but paused, stilling the fears and anxieties in her mind. This was her mission. She needed to get to know these people. So, instead, she nodded, walking over and taking a seat next to the woman. “What’s your name?” the woman asked.

“Char- Serenity.” I should just be myself, Serenity thought.

“That’s a beautiful name,” the woman replied, her bright brown eyes twinkling.

Serenity felt her face grow hot. She smiled, unsure how to reply, then noticed the woman looking down at her outfit. The woman pursed her lips. “How long have you been out on your own, Serenity?”

“Just a little bit,” Serenity lied, not meeting the woman’s eyes.

“Hmm,” the woman hummed, before gently taking Serenity’s hand. “Come with me, she said. “We’ll get you all cleaned up.”

Before she knew it, the woman was sweeping her along, out the graveyard and through the city, until they arrived at a nice home surrounded by hedges with a small stone path leading to its door.

Once inside, the woman led her to the washroom and set a hot bath. She checked the water, then, seemingly satisfied, turned towards Serenity. “Alright,” she said. “Get those rags off and clean yourself up. I’ll set some new clothes on the counter for when you’re out. She stepped past Serenity and opened a small cabinet, pulling out a towel, handing it to Serenity.

“I’m sure my granddaughter has some clothes you could borrow,” she muttered to herself as she left the washroom, closing the door behind her, leaving Serenity to herself.

“What a strange woman,” Serenity muttered, looking at herself in the washroom’s mirror. She really was filthy. How had she let herself walk around like that? No wonder people ran.

A knock at the door startled her. She opened it to find the woman with a bundle of clean clothes. “Put these on once you’re done,” the woman said. “I’ll cook something up while you bathe.”

Serenity took the clothes, noting the quality fabric. “Why are you doing this?” she asked the woman as she turned to leave.

The woman turned back and smiled. “You remind me of my granddaughter,” she said. “And who would I be if I didn’t? You should always help someone in need.”

“Thank you then,” Serenity said, then realized she didn’t know the woman’s name.

“It’s Yuri,” the woman smiled. “Now get cleaned up. The sooner you’re done, the sooner we can eat, and I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Serenity smiled as Yuri walked back down the hall towards the kitchen.

After her bath, Serenity dressed herself in the clothes the woman had given her. She took a moment to admire them in the mirror. They were nice, but by no means fancy— a pastel yellow dress with black leggings and a bow that matched the dress to tie back her hair.

Satisfied with how she looked and felt, she opened the door and made her way to the kitchen, where Yuri was busy ladling soup into two bowls. She turned as Serenity entered. “You look great,” she beamed, picking up the bowls. “Let’s eat,” she said, leading Serenity to a small table. Not too far off from the kitchen.

Serenity followed, taking the seat across from Yuri. “Thanks,” she said sheepishly.

“It’s what I can do,” Yuri smiled.

Serenity spooned a mouthful of soup, letting its warmth course through her. She didn’t need food, but she appreciated Yuri’s kindness, nevertheless. That said, she really enjoyed the taste. I should eat more often, she thought.

As they ate, Serenity looked around at the room. She noticed a framed photograph sitting on the mantle above the fireplace showing Yuri and two other people. A young man as well as an older man. “Who are they?” Serenity asked.

“My son and husband,” Yuri replied, taking a sip of her soup.

“Where are they?”

Yuri set down her spoon and looked away from Serenity. “My son’s got his own family now, that picture was taken a long time ago. My husband… he’s been dead for years.”

Serenity shifted awkwardly, unsure how to reply. “I’m sorry,” she said, lifting a spoonful of soup to her mouth.

“Don’t be, dear,” Yuri replied. “It’s been a long time. I’ve made my peace, though I’ll admit, I would have liked to see him again, before the end.”

Serenity didn’t reply as the woman moved from her seat to the mantle, lifting up the photo in her wrinkled hands. “It was just too quick,” she said, falling silent for a moment. “But that’s the way of things, I suppose. You never know what’s coming and once time has passed, there’s nothing you can do to change it.”

A few moments passed as Serenity contemplated on what to say Yuri. Something within her stirred. A tender thought, blossoming into a full-grown idea. “Is that why you were at the graveyard?” she asked.

Yuri nodded. “I always like to visit him. Sometimes it’s just a nice place to think, sometimes I tell him about my day.”

“What was his name?”

“Mirus,” she said, then looked down at her soup. “But, like I said, that’s the past. Let’s finish our food before it gets cold.”