The Backup Plan

Together, Darlene and Brenda drove forty minutes, arriving at the house of Rose Walthrop, leader of the other gathering. In her mid-fifties and built as some would describes as pleasantly plump, she greeted the two women with a derisive look on her face born of the women’s failure to fulfill the promise of bringing Inanna back into the present world.

“Thank you for taking us in,” expressed Darlene with a smiled. Brenda bobbed her head.

“Uh huh,” Rose said brusquely, ushering the two women into her home with an irritated wave, before closing the door and moving passed the pair.

Darlene removed her jacket and boots before ascending the handful of stairs leading up into the kitchen and seating herself in one of the four chairs around the small table there. Brenda followed suit, taking another of the chairs.

Rose folded her arms under her prodigious bosom, “So explain to me how this all got cocked up,” she instructed.

Looming at her hands folded on the table, Brenda deferred to Darlene.

Spending the next hour getting the other woman up to speed, withholding bits she felt irrelevant or incriminatory, Darlene explained how everything unfolded while Rose prepared some tea.

A stern expression on her face throughout the retelling, Rose, simply nodded at the end of Darlene’s explanation.

“I think you’re wrong about your girl burning out,” offered Rose.

“Oh?” inquired Darlene. “What makes you say that?”

“I think she’ll come to terms with whatever residual power Inanna left behind, and safeguard herself,” she replied.

“I don’t think so, I think she’s too naïve and will lose herself to the power, she’s like a butterfly wing brushed by the hand of the goddess, never to fly again,” Darlene countered.

“Then you’re an idiot and that’s a stupid analogy. Let me be plain. Your daughter was touched by the hand of Inanna and given gifts beyond our meager comprehension and if you try to give yourself some solace by thinking she will burn out, then you are fooling yourself. Face it, Vera was a glory hound and preemptively tried to perform the ritual to curry favor and now she’s dead, pure and simple. You’re here because you’re on the run from the monster you’ve created,” she stated bluntly.

Both Darlene and Brenda remained quiet in the aftermath of Rose’s words, there was not much either could say to counter the other woman’s assertion.

“Fortunately for all our sakes, we still have a viable vessel and a little time to prepare for the coming of our goddess and an end to your blundering,” she said smugly.

“When will you perform the rite?” Darlene asked.

“On the solstice, as it was intended to be,” answered Rose, “As it should have been.”

Nodding, “Is there anything we can do to assist?” Darlene asked.

Rose shook her head, “Allow us to complete the ritual, I’m sure you will have to answer to Inanna for your failures,” she stated bitterly.

“Who is the new vessel?” Brenda inquired softly.

“The girl’s name is Imogen Hall, daughter of two of our gathering. Of course she is the same age as your Veronica wasn’t it, and Anna. Unlike your vessel, this one is unaware of the glorious destiny that awaits her,” Rose replied.

Brenda nodded absently, not the name held any particular meaning to her, she’d simply been curious.

Darlene nodded as well. Once the ritual was complete, and Inanna was returned, there would need to be a reckoning, she understood this. She felt confident the goddess would recognize her devotion and be merciful, certainly more so than she imagined Anna might be.

“So you are the only two who remain?” Rose inquired, sitting back down at the table.

“And Lyle Collins, a teacher from the high school,” explained Darlene.

“I know who he is,” acknowledged Rose, taking a sip from her bone china teacup.

“As far as we know,” Brenda added.

“She’s just a little addled, given Anna shrank her last night and made her watch another member of our group inserted into my daughter’s ass,” explained Darlene.

“Why did she do that? Shrink so many people, I don’t understand,” interjected Brenda.

“I believe it is because Inanna’s true form is gigantic. There are descriptions and examples throughout history of giant beings from Greek Titans to the Viking Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Whether they are variants of our lady or contemporaries, I do not know, needless to say, she is accustomed to us as small little things in need of her guidance. Ingesting would be one way to truly become one with our goddess, body and soul. It is only speculation on my part. Once we’ve completed the ritual, I’m sure she could better explain it should she choose to humor your ignorance,” answered Rose.

“You don’t understand what it feels like, to be so small and at the mercy of Anna’s whim, it’s terrifying,” countered Brenda, remembering how she felt just hours earlier when she witnessed Vance’s insertion and feared for her life.

“Just desserts for ineptitude,” Rose replied casually.

“How can you be so nonchalant?” Brenda questioned, voice rising in pitch.

Rose snorted, “Nonchalant? You failed the goddess and you whine about being scared by her damaged vessel? Really? Was it the girl you feared or your stunning failure?”

“Enough!” inserted Darlene, slamming her hand down on the table. “No good can come from this petty squabbling. Let us all hope you are as prepared as you claim to be so that we may rejoice in the rebirth of our goddess and all of the tribulations to make it so are in the past.”

“We’ve still some time to get properly prepared, until then you are welcome to remain here,” Rose said, rising to standing and carrying the teapot back to the counter near the sink.

“I pray you experience the dread I felt,” seethed Brenda. Rose turned, glower on her portly face.

Darlene slapped Brenda with an open hand across the face with an audible smack, “I know you’re still a lot rattled by recent events, but I said no more of this,” she barked.

Bringing a hand to her reddening cheek, Brenda ducked her head.