All the gods of myth and legend are real, but having your prayers answered depends on discovering which god can hear you. You figured out which god is listening to your prayers, but they’re not what you expected.
Suzy
was dissapointed. Most people her age had discovered their deity so
far, and she was starting to think she was godless. She turned the
next page of McBayers’ Little Book of Deities,
and tried reading their names aloud to see if she’d get a reaction.
It had taken her weeks just to get through Chinese spirits and
deities, and had finally reached the first page of Egyptian
Gods and you.
“Ammit?
Amun? Anhur?” Nothing. Her heart slowly sank again.Three
more tries, and she’d stop for now.
“Anubis?”
The
ground shook. The lights in Suzy’s room flickered and went out. A
single flame hovered in the middle of the room, and as it grew to a
blaze it changed form. Within the blink of an eye, there was a tall
figure standing in Suzy’s room. The body of a man, and the head of a
jackal. His eyes shone bright as he peered at her.
WHAT
IS IT, SUZY OF THE HOUSE MILLER?
“You’re
the deity that answers my prayers?”
INDEED.
I, ANUBIS, WHO RULES OVER THE LAND OF THE DEAD, IS HERE TO ANSWER
YOUR REQUESTS.
Suzy
thought for a moment. “O great and mighty Anubis who rules over the
afterlife, can I please have a puppy?”
Anubis
seemed taken aback.
IN
THE CENTURIES THAT I HAVE BEEN PRAYED TO, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I
HAVE BEEN REQUESTED SOMETHING LIKE THIS. CHILD, HOW OLD ARE YOU?
“I’m
eight and a half. My mommy says that if I can take care of a puppy, I
can keep it.”
ARE
YOU CERTAIN YOU DO NOT WISH FOR ME TO BRING PLAGUES UPON YOUR ENEMIES
OR WEIGH A SOUL FOR YOU?
Suzy
shook her head. “I want a puppy.”
CHILD,
IN TRUTH THIS WISH I CANNOT GRANT. MY JOB HAS BEEN TO BRING PEACE AND
LEAD SOULS INTO THE AFTERLIFE, NOTHING MORE. IF I WERE TO CREATE A
HOUND FOR YOU, IT WOULD BE FORMED OF BONE AND SOUL ALONE.
Suzy
thought for a second. She would have liked to have a nice fluffy
puppy, but then she remembered how Aunt Marge’s Sphinx cat was still
nice, even without fur.
“No
fur is fine, as long as they don’t bite and make a mess.”
Anubis
nodded, and raised a hand. Underneath his palm an intricate symbol
appeared on the floor. It glowed bright, and the floorboards burst
apart. Up sprang a massive skeletal dog, bigger than suzy herself.
Its eye sockets held blue flame, and its jaw hang partly open in a
perpetual grin. It slowly walked over to Suzy and nuzzled her.
“What
does it eat?”
IT
WILL NOT NEED SUSTENANCE, AND WANTS NOTHING MORE THAN TO SERVE ITS
NEW MASTER. I HOPE THIS WILL SUFFICE.”
“I
love it. Thank you, Anubis.”
Anubis
looked slightly taken aback, but nodded peacefully.
FAREWELL
FOR NOW, SUZY OF THE MILLERS. IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE
BUT TO ASK ME.
Suzy
nodded, and ran over to her parents’ room to show them her new dog.
She was pretty sure they couldn’t object to this pet.
“aries is: ananke,
lady goddess of inevitably, compulsive and old, held in regard of emotion. taurus is: epione, lady of the soothing of pain, her hands easing aches, agony dissipating at her touch. gemini is: pandia, goddess of the full moon, illumination at full brightness, with her silent radiance. cancer is: kalypso, nymph with the isolated island, soft and lonely heart, the yearning soul. leo is: hemera,
our vibrant goddess of the day,
her rosy cheeks and golden skin,
hope in the sunrise. virgo is: astrea, lady of celestial purity, ambassador of the golden age, mistress of control. libra is:
eulabeia,
spirit of discretion, circumspection and caution, keeps us wary and safe scorpio is: menoitius, lord of rash anger and human mortality, god with a flaming heart,
cold eyes. sagittarius is: khaos, the void from which all other creation sprang, a lord over potential, the beginning of everything. capricorn is: koios, god of the axis of heaven that the constellations revolved around, the turning point, dark skin to meld with the night sky. aquarius is: asteria, lady of nocturnal oracles and falling stars, triumphant stars shed from the heavens, her brilliant mind full of the aurora borealis. pisces is: morpheus, god of dreams, shining eyes as he leans over bedsides, presses fingertips to dreamers.”
“She is made of glittering eyes and lithe lines.
She commands a fire so bright,
it could set the whole country ablaze.
She never sat right beside your throne;
there was no room for her to pace,
no chance for her to roar. She leads pharaohs into battle,
and you can hear her war cry,
as you sit and rule, so still
you fear you may become stone.
But she does come back to you,
and she will stay for quite some time. You should not trap a lion.
A goddess made to hunt
does not deal well with confinement. She leaves when you cannot,
proud and harsh and beautiful.
She leaves,
and it is too hard to watch,
so you turn away.”
ImagineCreateDevour 
