tactile silk and a
pair of magenta suede court shoes. From her jewellery boxes she
selected a neat gold band interspersed with rubies to wear around
her neck. Glory wouldn’t wear earrings with it as well; she thought
that would be too ostentatious. Before she put these on she sat at
her vanity table and set to putting her war paint on. As flawless
as she was Glory found comfort in make-up. The routine placated
her. She started with a little eye shadow, then some feline eye
liner and mascara before applying her red lipstick. The shade was
called ‘Siren’. Glory looked at her masked face and felt calmer,
the gaudy wax and powder distracted you from her. From a draw she
removed a little bronze knife and strapped it to her leg as she
always did, just in case.
***
Liberty had
heard Glory cross the landing and jumped into the bathroom for a
super quick shower, before going to get dressed. In front of her
wardrobe Liberty was struck dumb by indecision. Eventually she
chose a red dress that made her look like Jessica Rabbit, a pair of
delicate black kitten heels and a string of pearls to wear in
solidarity with Bea. Liberty never really bothered with much
make-up but she felt that her dress warranted lipstick in this
instance. Out of a draw she found her favourite: a red shade called
‘Siren’. As she was applying it Liberty heard a ruffle of feathers
at her window, turning in anticipation of some mangy pigeon
stalking her windowsill she saw a far more harrowing sight. Someone
had breathed onto the window pane and in the condensation had a
drawn a heart with an arrow going through it. She had fleetingly
felt the presence of another audacious immortal. That fucked her up
a smidgeon. Liberty rushed downstairs to where she found Glory
alone in the kitchen reading over Honour’s presentation and already
nursing a pint of vodka. She was too shocked to tell Glory what she
had seen, even though she knew she should, and instead poured
herself a gin. She had sat down in the seat next to her friend
because she wanted that closeness, that protection, that safety in
numbers.
***
After
correcting her slides Honour went up to her room and pulled out the
first dress and pair of shoes she could find. She rummaged through
her jewellery box and found a pair of earrings that actually
matched and put them on. She really didn’t care about clothes very
much, which quite frankly was fair enough. Uncharacteristically
Honour decided to put on some lipstick. She opened the draw that
contained all the small random things she owned and tipped it out
on the bed. Underneath some paperclips and a pack of matches from a
bar she couldn’t remember having ever gone to, was the only
lipstick she owned, a somewhat bright red in a shade called
‘Siren’. She hastily applied it before picking her phone up and
ringing Valour’s number. She was again directed to voicemail. With
that she went downstairs for a quick pre-pre-drink.
***
Bea sat on her
new bed in her new room, her new empty room and thought for ten
minutes. She then got up and put on the lovely things that Liberty
had lent her earlier. Bea wasn’t bloody wearing make-up. For a
fleeting second she had felt the presence of another god fly past
her window. It had begun. She went downstairs to join the others in
the kitchen.
Bea came into
the kitchen to find Honour dealing a deck of cards. Honour’s brow
was furrowed.
“Liberty are
you sure you want to test your premonition abilities like this?
It’s a little degrading.” Honour said.
“Yes, yes I do.
I am nothing if not already degraded. Now deal.” Liberty said.
Honour dealt a
row of five cards along the table and looked quizzical.
“I’m degraded
and biodegradable.” Glory laughed to herself.
“Ace of
diamonds, seven of clubs, three of clubs, jack of clubs and queen
of hearts from left to right.” Liberty pointed to each of the cards
in turn. Honour flipped the cards over one by one and they were
just as Liberty had
pair of magenta suede court shoes. From her jewellery boxes she
selected a neat gold band interspersed with rubies to wear around
her neck. Glory wouldn’t wear earrings with it as well; she thought
that would be too ostentatious. Before she put these on she sat at
her vanity table and set to putting her war paint on. As flawless
as she was Glory found comfort in make-up. The routine placated
her. She started with a little eye shadow, then some feline eye
liner and mascara before applying her red lipstick. The shade was
called ‘Siren’. Glory looked at her masked face and felt calmer,
the gaudy wax and powder distracted you from her. From a draw she
removed a little bronze knife and strapped it to her leg as she
always did, just in case.
***
Liberty had
heard Glory cross the landing and jumped into the bathroom for a
super quick shower, before going to get dressed. In front of her
wardrobe Liberty was struck dumb by indecision. Eventually she
chose a red dress that made her look like Jessica Rabbit, a pair of
delicate black kitten heels and a string of pearls to wear in
solidarity with Bea. Liberty never really bothered with much
make-up but she felt that her dress warranted lipstick in this
instance. Out of a draw she found her favourite: a red shade called
‘Siren’. As she was applying it Liberty heard a ruffle of feathers
at her window, turning in anticipation of some mangy pigeon
stalking her windowsill she saw a far more harrowing sight. Someone
had breathed onto the window pane and in the condensation had a
drawn a heart with an arrow going through it. She had fleetingly
felt the presence of another audacious immortal. That fucked her up
a smidgeon. Liberty rushed downstairs to where she found Glory
alone in the kitchen reading over Honour’s presentation and already
nursing a pint of vodka. She was too shocked to tell Glory what she
had seen, even though she knew she should, and instead poured
herself a gin. She had sat down in the seat next to her friend
because she wanted that closeness, that protection, that safety in
numbers.
***
After
correcting her slides Honour went up to her room and pulled out the
first dress and pair of shoes she could find. She rummaged through
her jewellery box and found a pair of earrings that actually
matched and put them on. She really didn’t care about clothes very
much, which quite frankly was fair enough. Uncharacteristically
Honour decided to put on some lipstick. She opened the draw that
contained all the small random things she owned and tipped it out
on the bed. Underneath some paperclips and a pack of matches from a
bar she couldn’t remember having ever gone to, was the only
lipstick she owned, a somewhat bright red in a shade called
‘Siren’. She hastily applied it before picking her phone up and
ringing Valour’s number. She was again directed to voicemail. With
that she went downstairs for a quick pre-pre-drink.
***
Bea sat on her
new bed in her new room, her new empty room and thought for ten
minutes. She then got up and put on the lovely things that Liberty
had lent her earlier. Bea wasn’t bloody wearing make-up. For a
fleeting second she had felt the presence of another god fly past
her window. It had begun. She went downstairs to join the others in
the kitchen.
Bea came into
the kitchen to find Honour dealing a deck of cards. Honour’s brow
was furrowed.
“Liberty are
you sure you want to test your premonition abilities like this?
It’s a little degrading.” Honour said.
“Yes, yes I do.
I am nothing if not already degraded. Now deal.” Liberty said.
Honour dealt a
row of five cards along the table and looked quizzical.
“I’m degraded
and biodegradable.” Glory laughed to herself.
“Ace of
diamonds, seven of clubs, three of clubs, jack of clubs and queen
of hearts from left to right.” Liberty pointed to each of the cards
in turn. Honour flipped the cards over one by one and they were
just as Liberty had
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