"Where am I," Astrea thought.
Sitting up she realised she still was in Holt's house. The door in pieces on the floor, holes in the wall where her body had been thrown against it. Examining her body, she found no scars.
"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. 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. She left the docks to gather information on Sodom.
Entering the towns marketplace, she went from stall to stall talking to each vendor.
"I'm looking for someone named Sodom. You know where I can find him," said Astrea to one of the vendors.
The woman face instantly paled.
"You should know better than to ask me that. We all know what happened to you and Holt yesterday. You should leave right now." the woman whispered.
"Fine, if you won't talk someone else will," said Astrea
Leaving the woman scowling Astrea continued going to stalls asking the same question. Some didn't know who Sodom was. Those who did refused to talk, seemingly scared to do so.
Astrea, after speaking to everyone that she could at the market, still had no information about where Sodom was located.
"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 curdled into fear. His 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, 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 face turned 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 at first. Then it clicked.
"You're the girl from this morning." Eddie's wife said. "Can you let my husband go, we aren't running anywhere".
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." Eddie's wife 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.
"I wonder why he still is a fisherman, clearly this is a frequent thing." Astrea thought
"Ok. You can stay. Sodom is meant to arrive in 3 days for his repayment on our loan. Figure something out please." said Eddie's wife.
Smiling Astrea nodded in response. Turning to Eddie, she hit him with one simple question.
"Tell me everything you know about becoming one of the Touched".