Zachary felt bad. Sophronia’s eighth birthday was ruined and, even though her parents made her a large carrot cake, she wouldn’t leave her room. They held a small celebration in her bedroom, eating together on her bed in quiet.
Sophronia didn’t cry or anything, but she looked nervous. She didn’t speak much to Zachary or her parents, but she’d eventually told them she’d gone down to the cellar. “It was for House,” she said.
Her parents exchanged looks. They looked like they couldn’t decide whether to be worried or cross. They even talked about punishing her somehow, but she was already cooped up in her room, and it wasn’t like she could go anywhere. Eventually, they relented and promised her they were here if she needed to sleep in their room or anything. The remaining carrot cake would be in the fridge, and Mona even left out a slice on the dining room table for Zachary. He waited a bit to use Ingestion on the cake, and again there was no Essence, but still, it was a kind gesture.
He watched Mona pace in the living room later that morning. She talked with her husband in muffled voices for a while and clearly, they were in distress. But there was nothing Zachary could do for them, so he busied himself. He kept his consciousness on the outside of the house, focusing on how the sunlight felt different across his body as it climbed the sky. How the light moved so slowly but surely across the yard.
A bit later, Haden sat down with sheets and sheets of paper at the table, scratching his head and tapping away on a calculator. He was working from home so that Sophronia wouldn’t be left alone. Zachary wanted to assure her parents that he would be here for her, but... he was frightened too. Whatever was down there beneath the cellar... that was downright terrifying. After kissing her daughter goodbye, Mona went to work at the clothing company and promised she’d bring something nice home for dinner.
But Sophronia still wouldn’t leave her room or speak much. Over the next few days, she hardly left her bed, only to eat her meals at the table or use the bathroom or take a bath. Zachary wished there was something he could do for her. Using Poltergeist on her books or windows didn’t cheer her up, though sometimes she’d give him a little smile and say, “It’s okay, House. I’ve always known about the ghosts. I’m just sad about what they said.”
They spoke to her? All he’d heard was... he hated to even remember that voice. That whispery slither voice. But it had said, “A daemon... in the house?” Whether it was surprised or angry about Zachary’s presence, he didn’t know, but were those words only for him? Had the ghosts told Sophronia something different?
What could they have said to make her shut down like this?
More days went by, and Zachary idled for a while. He kept thinking about going back into the cellar, trying to see if he could communicate with the ghosts, but the sheer terror he’d felt that day still haunted him. One time, a snake got into the backyard area, hissing, and he’d flinched so hard he thought the entire house would tumble away. It sounded like the ghost’s voice. But he’d made quick work of the slithering creature, ensnaring and ingesting it before it got closer to the house. Snakes tastes like chicken, he thought. Its emerald scales glistened one last time before turning to dust.
Essence +38
He’d Ingest other things too, and he kept hoping that would improve Soprhonia’s mood to see him growing. She’d smile at his book, but when he opened a window or shook the table, she’d shake her head and say she was too tired to play.
Haden continued to work from home, though he and Mona grew increasingly worried about Sophronia. But it seemed like other things were going on too. Haden sounded stressed when he discussed work. There were issues at the bank, many people pulling out their funds, and the larger companies were making changes. The Governor issued new decrees to increase interest rates on loans. Loans that included how much money they paid for their home every month. Zachary took the opportunity to learn about this world’s currency. Instead of dollars, they used golden coins.
Ten silver coins were the equivalent of one gold. And it took a hundred bronze coins to amount to one gold. If Zachary were to guess, a single bronze coin would be roughly one dollar back in his world. So a silver coin was like a ten-dollar bill, and a gold would be a hundred-dollar bill.
Haden earned five gold a week. Mona made two gold and five silver. It didn’t seem like a lot to run a house, but they’d lived comfortably till now. Food was costing more. Rice and meat and vegetables... they’d bought the house on a loan through the bank Haden worked at, and the pressure was building. Mona came home looking more and more exhausted with each passing day. She complained sometimes about there being fewer clothes to wash. “People can’t afford the service anymore,” she explained one day to Haden while he cooked dinner. She’d sat down at the table. “So they laid off the older women. But even though there’s less clothes, we don’t have enough people to wash them all now.” She sighed and grumbled and stared at her shaking, weathered hands until Haden came over and brought her fingers to his lips. He held her, and Zachary pulled away to give them their space.
Did every world have to be like this? Things only got worse as, one day, the newspapers stopped printing. Mona had nothing to read in the mornings. And even the mailman came by less often. There just wasn’t any mail. The only thing they got anymore were bills. It felt like the world was shrinking somehow.
Two weeks went by, and Zachary focused more intently on various parts of himself. He fed carefully on the animals that happened onto the yard. He ventured his mind toward the fenced-off backyard, thinking about the woods a lot. In his human life, he'd always wanted to take the train out of the city and go on long hikes. He’d never found the courage to do that alone, and he’d always wished to have a buddy to go with, but maybe he could enjoy that in this world. He wasn’t sure yet if he was limited to the house’s space. Could he expand his mind and presence further? Would raising Awareness give him the woods and his neighbors and the roar?
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Trying to grow stronger, Zachary focused on the mushrooms growing in his shade. Unlike salads or grass, when he used Ingestion on these white and growing things, he got Essence. A lot more Essence than he’d expected.
Essence +344
They were all connected somehow! So many, many mushrooms grew along his back wall. Up the fence. And even beyond the fence, scattered between the grass on the hill and leading toward the forest. He couldn't access the hill with his mind, but when he used Ingestion on the mushrooms on his wall, it was like a series of lights going off in his head, twinkling just out of reach. Somehow, he was able to Ingest many of the mushrooms on the hill as well.
Awareness: Silver 1/5 -> Silver 2/5
Yes! So he was still able to grow. And like a balloon expanding, he felt his consciousness encompass land beyond the fence. He now had the bottom of the hill; he could feel all the grass and the dirt and the countless bugs and creatures buried underground. Some of the mushrooms must grow further, into the forest area, and he figured if he let them grow further, if he let them spread out even more, maybe he could... The thought of all that Essence was exhilarating, and he hoped his patience would pay off. He’d wait a while before using Ingestion on the mushrooms again.
Sophronia finally left her room when her next lesson with Ms. Jezebel came around. Her parents had both left for work, and she sat at the circular table with her teacher. She didn’t try any magic or anything fun. She just listened as Ms. Jezebel told stories and lectured about ancient magical families that ruled thousands of years ago. When that was over, Sophronia tried to ask about dead people, about the dead ancient magical families, but Ms. Jezebel shook her head. "The dead is no topic for a young lady to ponder."
"But you said history is important. And everyone in history is dead."
Zachary thought that was a brilliant response, but Ms. Jezebel frowned, a line appearing across her forehead. “That may be true. But perhaps when you are older.”
“Have you ever spoken to the dead?" asked Sophronia in a quiet voice.
Something changed in Ms. Jezebel’s body language. She stiffened, and Zachary moved closer to see perspiration forming across Ms. Jezebel’s normally stern face. Then she cleared her throat and straightened up. "I'm sorry, but I cannot discuss such matters with young students. As I said before, once you are older, you may ask me any such questions as you wish."
"Fine." Sophronia clenched her teeth. Then she looked up at Zachary. "Okay then. Can we talk about now things?"
"Now things?" repeated Ms. Jezebel, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," said Sophronia. She stuck out her chin. She looked more like her usual self, tough and confident. "I want to know more about the Governor and Cerluea and our people’s history."
"That was some of your early lessons," said Ms. Jezebel. "And today we are discussing..."
"It's important," she said. "I forgot some things. Can we go over... what was the word you said? Die.. spore.. uh?"
"Diaspora," sighed Ms. Jezebel. "Very well. About fifty years ago, our ancestors, the Nodai People lost their homes to a series of natural disasters."
"Volcano," said Sophronia. Zachary got the feeling she was asking these questions for his sake, so he listened intently.
"Yes. A volcanic eruption covered much of the homelands in lava. No amount of magic can fight the planet. Even the strongest, the Ruby and Sapphire ranks, and even the Emerald Mages failed. Many lost their lives as they weren't just fighting the lava but the Daemonic spirits and monsters and behemoths that were set loose by the eruption. And, as we know, the planet carries immense Essence, far outweighing anyone or anything."
Sophronia nodded listening intently. Zachary wondered about the ranks Ms. Jezebel just mentioned. Ruby. Sapphire. Emerald. Those must be the highest. Could he get to that rank? And this great disaster sounded terrible. The entire land covered in lava? Had that ever happened in his world?
"The survivors fled across the world. The Nodai people, homeless but full of promise and potential. Like you, young lady. Your grandparents came across the Great Sea to settle here in Cerulea."
"But the governor," said Sophronia. “He doesn't like us. That's why we're stuck here.”
"That is true,” said Ms. Jezebel cautiously. She frowned and crossed her legs, picking at her black skirt before continuing. “The former Queen Rani, may her soul rest in peace, welcomed us with open arms. She said our people would be her people, and together we are mightier. It was a beautiful sentiment. But after her passing, when the young prince was just a babe, and with no king to assume command, her brother, Rollo became the Governor. A stepping stone before the young prince Gehani is of age."
"Rolo hates us," said Sophronia bitterly. "That's why we're all so poor."
"Young lady!" snapped Ms. Jezebel. She glanced around nervously as though someone might’ve overheard. “You will address our governor by his proper title.”
"Sorry, Miss," said Sophronia. But it was clear the girl knew more than she was letting on. "Why did the newspaper stop?"
Ms. Jezebel shuffled papers on the table. "Governor Rollo decided our community was no longer allowed to. And his word is law.”
“But why?”
“We are a minority in this kingdom.”
“Aren’t we stronger together?” asked Sophronia, dropping her voice and looking away. Her little fists were balled up tight.
Ms. Jezebel sighed deeply. “My dear. Sometimes, rulers change. And different rulers have different ideas of what is right and wrong. One day, the prince will take the crown and perhaps he will be kind. The important thing is to learn as much as you can. To become knowledgeable so that you can one day shape a better future for yourself and those you care about.”
“We can't afford you anymore,” Sophronia blurted out.
Zachary would’ve gasped if he could. She looked like she was about to cry, and he’d gotten so engrossed in what they were talking about, piecing the info together with things he’d overheard from Sophronia’s parents about the Governor and the Rebellion...
Ms. Jezebel didn't say anything. She didn't even look surprised. Her frown softened. She reached over and touched Sophronia’s hand, and the girl raised her head, her eyes swimming with tears. Ms. Jezebel even tried to smile, a strained, tight smile. "Things may be difficult, but your parents assured me that we can continue our lessons. I’m still here for you."
Sophronia sniffled and didn't say anything more, but her bottom lip wouldn’t stop wobbling. Zachary hovered by the kitchen, his mind reeling with sadness and frustration. What did the ghosts beneath the cellar tell Sophronia? Was it about their financials? Was it a bad omen or something? He wanted to go down there right away and thrash the ghosts until they answered his questions, but he knew that was impossible. He couldn’t reach them, and they might be too powerful, and he was too chicken.
But Sophronia could’ve picked up on all this by herself. She was perceptive and capable beyond her years. Had she overheard something?
Ms. Jezebel slid her chair around the table to wrap an arm around Sophronia's shoulders, and for the first time since Zachary had become the house, he watched Sophronia cry. She buried her head in Ms. Jezebel’s blouse, trying to stop sobbing, but she couldn’t stop shaking.
“What if I lose House?” whispered Sophronia. She rested her chin on Ms. Jezebel's shoulder, looking up at Zachary with tears streaming down her cheeks. Snot glistened beneath her nose. “I don’t want to be alone again.”