Ch. 4

(updating Sundays)

“I have no idea!” Sunny said cheerfully, a reddish sun coming across as joyfully sinister.

“Oh come on,” Minerva said. “Someone must have some idea?”

“Maybe they went away forever?” Sunny said hopefully. Little specks of yellow were trying to peak out of the red, but Minerva kept giving her a look and the full red kept coming back.

After a moment, Minerva sighed and went over to a section of the room that was set up like a bar, with a long table framing running next to a window that peaked from the common room into the kitchen. She just sat there, on a stool, leaning to the point where the area crossed with the back wall.

Well, what shall we do instead then?” She asked.

“Well, I feel like, since last week, we've done nothing but unpack and keep our head down,” Cassandra said.

“Well, Mel said that she'd be putting out newsletters that she'd post around the area,” said Minerva, bouncing a finger off her lip. “We could see if anything interesting is happening, perhaps? Now that we don't have a plausible vector for Flys outside “accidentally” getting shot? Still too dangerous to leave, maybe, but shouldn't we know more about our humble little neighborhood while we all dream of emancipation?”

“Actually go outside? Sounds good.” Cassandra said, already putting a hand on the doorknob for the first time in what felt like forever.

“I miss the sun,” Sunny grumbled as they headed out into the outside space between apartments. It was still shielded from outside viewing from the road, at least.

“Even dreadful balls of gas have to sleep, or at least be on the other side of the world, “ Minerva mused.

Sunny crossed her arms and hovered wearily outside, sinking a bit toward the ground and looking for all the world like a reluctant puppy who's done with its walk and just wants to go home and nap.

Minerva sighed as Cassandra locked the door.

She reached into her pocket and produced a long rectangle nearly the length of her arm.

“Is that the Super Max Phone Battery Extender Version 10.1 from Cellphone World?” Sunny asked excitedly.

Frowning, Minerva looked down at her

“I...guess? Well then, that is rather specific.”

“But, you don't need it? When I take from it, um it often-”

“Fries instantly? Oh, don't worry dear. I have a- friend who has a hundred of them. She told me she could give me as many as I pleased. Tried to give me 5 of them yesterday. I'm sure they wouldn't mind. You know what? I'll take care of it right now.”

Minerva took out her phone and tapped at it a few times.

“There. She said she'll gladly give me many more. I had to practically beat her back. The lady wanted to drive over right now from work! I will have many more later. So this one's yours, Sunny.”

Sunny immediately zipped around it, visible electricity sparking from it and directly into the red orb that was Sunny.

Gingerly, Minerva put the bar on the ground and took a few measured, cautious steps backward. It wasn't long before a single whisp of smoke came out from the bar, and Minerva picked it up, tapping at it for heat a few times, wrapped it up in some rubber, and put it in her purse.

“Thanks!” Sunny said, her red orb showing bits of bright yellow sunlight coming through here and there, like a sun through clouds.

“Um- Sunny-” Minerva said, biting her finger to avoid hissing again.

“Oh right, got it,” Sunny said, and the yellow winked out, and now it was a smoldering bright sphere that bathed the night red.

“Perfect,” Minerva said. She licked at a little blood from where she had bit her thumb.

“What kind of friend would you give you amazing energy like that?” Sunny asked.

“Why, the best kind,” Minerva said mysteriously, smiling. A single fang stuck out over her lip. She looked over at Sunny and frowned a little. “I do realize we are in a place that was founded for strangeness, but we may pass by an area that's visible to the street. It may be best, Sunny, if-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sunny said, and the red light dimmed, until it looked more like an outline of red lights, swirling right next to her shoulder, where she got the sense only she could see Sunny clearly as a faint glowing outline of a girl. To everyone else further away, she likely just looked like a trick of the light.

She pulsed suddenly in the quiet space between apartments.

“Don't worry Sunny, think of it as conserving energy so you can really go nuts when you need to do so. We'll find something that will really help. For certain.”

Sunny blinked in her red outline, looking like a gingerbread...woman.

“OK,” Minerva said, clapping her hands together. “Let us find out what is on this, board of messages?” She looked around and saw only one other apartment across from their own, and stairs leading to the lower floor.

Except-

Something glittered in the moonlight at the top of the stairs. She saw a round shape, as a small satellite dish, but flexible and thin, like gossamer.