“The Goddess likes black. She will appreciate this look, smart-casual.”

The Priestess had been a persistent companion over the last week. She was even turning up at her class in school. Life had been far more complicated since her discovery by the divine ruler of her world. Becky turned and bowed to the Priestess, the woman quickly jumping up and disavowing the bow.

“Please stop bowing to me, What if the Goddess appeared, No, Stand up straight!”

Rebecca shook her head in annoyance as she pushed past the flustered priestess and strode into her kitchen, swiping the tiny Veronika from her perch on the shelf. Stashing her small servant in her purse, she turned back to face Priestess Lisa.

“Thank you for all your...Help, Priestess, Although for the thousandth time, I would like to remind you I rejected Charlotte's offer to join her temple, I just want to be left to live my life.” 

Lisa gasped as she stepped back, raising her finger in objection;

“Goddess Charlotte, Let’s not get too casual, and my time as a Priestess has taught me that mortals live such short, delicate lives. Without someone looking over you, there are a million and one things that could snuff you by accident!”

Rebecca just shook her head in annoyance and walked out of her apartment. Her Divine stalker chose not to follow her. Her stomach was fluttering as she rode the elevator down to the ground floor of her building—tea with a Goddess, No, Tea with Charlotte.

Charlotte Valis, Universal Goddess

The planet exploded in a gooey ball of magma as it struck the wall. The Goddess turned and glared at Emma, who was cowering in the corner. 

“That is what I do to WORLDS that fail me. What do you think I do to SLAVES who burn my meals!”

She raged as Emma begged in the corner. Karen was lingering behind her, holding a pair of discarded socks. Charlotte sneered to Karen who bowed her head.

“What the fuck do you want, Can’t you see I am having a moment with a potential butt plug!”

Karen sputtered, clearly already regretting entering the room.

“I found your socks under the bed, and they had this in them.”

The Maid lifted the delicate chain before her, the small jewel containing a world. Her gift from Emma. Charlotte snatched the chain from Karen before wordlessly dismissing her with a glare. Turning back to Emma, she took two slow steps towards her. The chain was dangling between her fingers.

“This was a thoughtful gift, One I enjoyed very much…”

She spoke softly with a sinister promise in her tone. The Goddess stepped close to Emma, looming over her grovelling form. 

“Look up at me and open your mouth!”

The command was firm, and Charlotte felt a stir of power as she glanced over to the table. The tiny disciple reporter was filming her motions. The world dangling between her fingers, one of the hundreds receiving the footage from her new news network. Emma’s tear-streaked eyes meet hers as she lifts the jewel over her Chefs open mouth.

“Swallow this, I hope it gives you stomach pains before it digests, or maybe it will pass through you…I’m not sure what would be worse for the billions of lives trapped within.”

She glanced at the small camerawoman and winked at her. Knowing they could see her judgement made her nethers stir. Charlotte dropped the trinket into her Chefs mouth and closed it with a finger. Her servant immediately swallowed.

“Rebecca is on her way. You need a new main course. I’ll give you twenty minutes…”

Rebecca Keats, Mortal Friend

Rebecca checked her phone. She had been in the elevator for nearly five minutes. The trip down should have only taken at most two. The floor number slowly changed from seven to six. She sighed as she pressed the five on the panel. Stairs would be faster than this elevator. As her finger pressed the button, it fell out of the panel and dinged as it bounced to the floor.

“What the fuck.”

In a moment of panic, she pressed the other floors, each button popping from the panel and clanging to the floor. 

“This piece of shit is choosing now to give up finally!”

The floor changed to Five as Becky pressed the alarm button, she felt it try to ping from its slot as held her finger on it. Applying more pressure, she fought to keep the alarm button pressed in. Frustrated she let it fall free, stamping her foot in agitation. As her black low heeled shoe struck the floor, the walls of the elevator fell away. Leaving her standing in a blank white space, surrounded by elevator wall panels.

“CHARLOTTE!”

She screamed into the void. There was nothing in any direction. The surreal expanse was messing with her sense of perception when a neon pink number appeared. 12:00. The number started counting down, minutes. Rebecca took a deep breath and reached into her purse, pulling Veronika out.

“She’s fucking with me. I’m fucking with you!”

The small girl yelped in anguish as Becky squeezed her before sliding her into her bra. The comfortable and familiar feeling washing over her as the little slave began her ritual of worship. Checking her phone once more, she noticed the power symbol had changed to an infinite sign, while her connection was dead.

“Infinite power but no signal, Insecure Goddess much…”

As she spoke, her signal appeared at full strength. She swallowed deeply as she looked around the void.

“Oh look, Signal, A polite host, would give their guests a chair.”

She said, looking around, the ground shook violently as a massive object rolled in from a distance. An enormous desk chair that was only getting larger as it hurtled towards Becky. She fell into a brace a large plastic wheel four times her height came to a gentle stop before her. 

“I’ll just shut up and wait, nine more minutes…”

The vast chair loomed taller than anything Rebecca had ever seen. She took a moment to walk around the massive wheel that had nearly flattened her. Her phone started to ring as she tried to comprehend the scale of the chair. Checking the caller ID, she was surprised to see the name of her boss, Gerald, flashing on the display. She sighed as she pressed the answer call button.

“Becs? Where are you? It’s the parent-teacher conference tonight. You have parents waiting to see you?”

Rebecca swore under her breath. She had been so focused on meeting Charlotte she had forgotten about the conference. Thinking quickly, she coughed down the line.

“Sorry, Gerald, I’m not feeling very well. I think it's contagious. Can someone cover for me?”

She babbled, trying to sound as breathy as she could.

“What? Cover for you? No, of course not! You have to be here. I don't care how sick you are! If you’re not here in Twen—”

The voice on the other end of the phone cut off.

“Gerald? Are you there?”

She asked worried as dead silence took over, The line was still active there was just no sound coming through.

“NEW VALIS IS STOPPED IN TIME”

The voice was booming and came from everywhere. Rebecca jumped backwards as she spun around looking for the source. As she turned a massive barefoot hung in the air, the huge leg dangling over the edge of the colossal chair.

“I’LL SEND YOU BACK JUST BEFORE YOU LEFT, YOU CAN DO YOUR LITTLE MORTAL WORK THING.”

Her voice was powerful. Rebecca had never experienced anything like it. As she looked up to reply, the chair vanished. There was a slight ding, and her elevator doors appeared before her, slowly sliding open. 

As the doors parted, it revealed a bright open modern-looking lounge area. Three women in white robes were kneeling before her. The middle women rose slowly and offered a curtsey in greeting.

“My name is Karen. I am the head maid, If you ever want for anything, just speak my name, and I’ll be happy to serve.”

The other two stepped forward and bowed just as reverently as Karen had.

“I’m Matilda, Karen’s First Priestess, Can I take your coat and bag?”

Rebecca was stunned as she wordlessly shrugged off her coat and handed it over to the waiting-woman. 

“Uh, The pleasure is mine, I’m Rebecca, I teach 12th grade.” 

The three women looked to each other in confusion before they suddenly stiffened and hurried from the room. Rebecca stepped into the room to watch the women retreat through a door hidden in the wall. When she turned back, Charlotte stood in the entry to the room—dressed in a soft, deep purple robe and a warm smile on her lips. 

“Rebecca, You made it! Sorry about the whole elevator delay, Turns out even Goddesses sometimes need a few more minutes to get ready.”

The memory of the white room and giant looming foot came to mind as the Goddess blushed slightly. Becky shook the memory from her mind and smiled at her friend. Stepping into the room, she extended her arms for a welcome hug. 

“You are my friend Charlotte. She gets a hug regardless of her job title.”

The Goddess took a moment before tepidly stepping forward and accepting the embrace. As she felt the soft robes’ warm embrace, she saw another woman standing in the next room. Her mouth hung open in awe at the display of affection. As they split apart, the Goddess let out a light giggled as she gestured for her to follow her into the next room.

“My Chef, Emma, has prepared us a light meal, Come and sit, we can discuss this parent-teacher thing I am keeping you from.”

Rebecca smiled as she followed the Goddess in the lavish dining area. She took a seat opposite her friend at a table remarkably similar to their regular one at the coffee shop. The serving woman who was assumed to be Emma placed a goblet of wine before and the Goddess before vanishing into the kitchen. 

“And maybe you can enlighten me as to what “New Valis is stopped in time” means? You put my world on pause so we can have lunch together?”

The Goddess smirked as she sipped from her wine, licking her lips slowly with the liquid as if spreading it over her lips. Placing the wine back on the table, she met Rebecca’s eyes.

“It means exactly that, Your lit...uh...Your home can wait for you. No need to create problems for you over a simple time stop.”

Becky slurped on her wine. The liquid was divine, literal ambrosia, she thought. There was a strange film across the surface, a membrane protecting the succulent wine. As her tongue broke through it stuck to her tongue, making it tingle with delight. 

“This wine is....well, Divine.”

Charlotte giggled as Emma came in and set down a small plate between them. Skewers of some kind of fish that Rebecca had never seen before. The Goddess plucked one up and offered it to her.

“Whale skewer? Six varieties from six worlds, I think the yellow one is from New Valis?”

Taking the small stick, Rebecca studied the small goldfish sized whales. Now it had been highlighted, and The yellow one did look similar to the Great Ocean Whales of New Valis. She poked it with her finger. It was slimy. 

“The Great Whales are hundreds of feet across...they are titans of the sea…”

Charlotte gulped down the whole stick of whales with one squelchy slurp as she ignored her friends’ question. Swallowing most of them whole she spoke.

“I don’t eat much seafood, but the whales are a weakness of mine for appetisers.”

Becky felt her eyebrows rise in surprise as she sucked the first whale from the stick. The meaty mammal tasted like a salty piece of chicken. It was certainly not an unpleasant taste as she moved to the next on the stick.  The Goddess leaned forward, placing her head in her hands. 

“So, I noticed Lisa discovered you, Is she bothering you? Should I make her into a toe ring for you?”

The whale down her throat almost choked her as she baulked at Charlotte's sudden offer. Recovering her posture and swallowing the largest animal on her world whole. Becky raised her hands in a defensive motion. 

“No, No need for that, Lisa means well, and she’s very popular on New Valis”

Charlotte sipped her wine as she studied her friend's face. Then she spoke again with a corner of her lip in a smile.

“I could make you Priestess of New Valis and Lisa could serve you?”

Rebecca was more prepared for the nonsense this time and took her time swallowing the final whale. Placing the stick back on the plate, she lifted her wine. She was making the Goddess wait for her reply.

“No, You know I don’t want that, I want us to be friends, outside of work friends.”

The Goddess laughed as she lifted her wine once more. When she replaced it on the table, her cheerful demeanour was gone, and she spoke with a severe tone. 

“Then I have one request for you, Friend to Friend.”

The atmosphere had shifted at that moment, and Rebecca was left wondering if she had gone too far. She downed the last of the wine. If this was her last moment alive, she wasn’t leaving any of this delicious wine behind. 

“What is it?”

Charlotte extended her hand over to her empty goblet and ran her finger around the rim. A purple liquid slowly filled the receptacle. 

“This is...divine essence...I won’t force it on you. It would mean a lot to me if you would drink this. It won’t force you into my service, just the basics: immortality, some low level of magic. You see, Mortal's are delicate little drips of existence. They meet accidental fates and illnesses all of the time, and I would like to know I have a friend when I need one, be it next week or next century…”

The liquid in the goblet before her had a luminescent glow. Rebecca took a long moment to study the drink as she considered the offer before her. She was about to speak when Emma walked in. Becky turned to acknowledge the woman when Charlotte’s hand struck out, turning the Chef into a white marble statue. The Goddess turned back to meet Becky's eyes. 

“Was that necessary?” 

The Goddess just kept her severe expression and gestured to the drink before her. Becky took one final deep breath before lifting the goblet to her lips and drinking the flavourless purple juice. Charlotte’s expression visibly relaxed as Becky placed the empty cup back on the table between them. Then she snapped her fingers and Emma resumed moving as if nothing had happened. The Chef was placing a bowl before each of the women.

“Goddess, Mistress Rebecca, Allow me to present the dancing ballet soup, A light herbal soup with soft bread discs and an introductory performance.”

Charlotte giggled in delight as she lowered her head to the bowl. Rebecca did the same as her eyes widened. Twelve 1cm tall people were standing on floating bread squares. As if on command they all began to dance. They were jumping from bread piece to bread piece in a delicate ballet to unheard music. Then they started to stack up and throw each other across the bowl in a hypnotic circus performance. The moves and jumps became more complicated and elaborate before finally finishing a human pyramid in the bowl’s centre. They all held their final position as if waiting for something. Becky glanced over to Charlotte’s bowl as she pushed her spoon into the bread under them, sending them all tumbling into the soup. She stared in shock as she looked back at her bowl.

“Really? All that just to be pushed in?” 

The Goddess giggled as she shook her head, her spoon chasing a swimming dancer around the bowl.

“They don’t know they are part of the meal, not until the final moment when you add them! Isn’t it delicious!”

Rebecca stared in horror as her friend scooped one of the people from the soup and sucked them from her spoon. She sat up away from the bowl, her stomach suddenly feeling sick.

“That’s messed up...I can’t eat people.”

Charlotte lifted her eyebrow as she pushed the tiny person in her mouth to the side so she could speak without wasting the little squirms. 

“You already drank like, ten thousand people, why would this be any different?”

Her mind swam as she took in her friends' words. The wine was indeed a liquid, and it wasn’t alive—the membrane. The realisation struck her as she remembered the tingles on her tongue and how Charlotte had spread it around her lips. 

“Ten thousand...swimming on top of the wine...how small were they...how could you trick me like that.”

As she spoke the Goddess reached over and poked the small piece of bread with her spoon, sending the tiny dancers tumbling in Rebecca’s soup.

“It wasn’t a trick. You’re having lunch with the Goddess of the Universe, This kind of stuff is normal around here. Where do you think all the tributes go? Also, if you don’t eat them, they’ll just end up in the trash, give their lives some meaning.”

Becky looked down at the small people treading water in her soup as she lifted her spoon. What had she been expecting when she joined her divine friend for lunch. She suddenly felt very stupid for not realising this was exactly how this would play out. Her spoon quickly snared its first victim as she drew him to her mouth.

“When in the divine temple…” *SLURP*