Ten more days of quarantine passed. Athena arrived.

“Hello, Ives,” Athena mumbled while twiddling her fingers. “Good work.”

Ives, painted a mess, flashed a thumbs up.

“I did it,” he said, choking back tears. “I did it. I mean I didn’t do it. I didn’t leave.”

“You didn’t do it.”

“I did it.”

“No, you didn’t… I mean, yeah, you did do it—”

“No I didn’t.”

“I will slap you. Fear me.”

“No!” A voice boomed from the shadows like a boombox. “Fear me! The mighty Zues—!”

Athena disappeared. Somebody yelped in pain, but that’s not important.

After Ives returned home, he would sometimes find notes written in different elegant handwriting in his room after a day out living a relatively normal life.

He didn’t touch the keys. But he did make sure to get in bed only when he was tired.

His sleep was great.