5.23

Hunter, Jimena, Gauzelle, Woolpack, Silas and Brickla squeezed into the tiny cottage that they had found in what seemed to be a pocket dimension filled to the brim with all sorts of trash.

Brickla and Hunter stood while the others sat on the floor, chairs, and random furniture.

Gladys had toddled off to her kitchenette and pulled out the fresh oven-baked carrot cake and set to making some coffees for everyone.

“Did you ever think about any of this stuff, at all, when you’ve fought against the Trash Queen?” Hunter asked Brickla.

“No, its weird. And I don’t know how I feel about it all. The Trash Queen has killed thousands of people over the years. And now I’m in her mother’s home and know the Trash Queen’s real name.”

“Nobody’s ever noticed before she seems to be attached to another world, another dimension?” asked Silas.

“No. We were all too distracted by death and destruction to think about most of that. Theories came later, when we started learning about other dimensions, that she disappeared somewhere between her attacks. But that’s the furthest we ever got.” There was frustration in Brickla’s voice.

“A lot goes on, all the time, in Athena City,” said Jimena. “Its too easy to overlook a few details.”

“Yes.” Brickla eyed Gladys as she returned to the rest of them. She placed the cake down on the table and then slowly grabbed cups of coffee and handed them to each of the heroes.

“If this whole place is trash, what are we eating?” asked Silas.

“Why trash of course!” Everyone slowly pulled their food and coffee away. The elderly woman let out a shrill cackle as she enjoyed their reactions. “Of course there are things here I can grow and eat. I wouldn’t be alive if I couldn’t. You should’ve seen the looks on your faces.” Bertrand yapped at her and spun around her legs before laying down for a nap. She put her feet on the dog and slowly massaged his body with the balls of her feet.

“This cake is delicious,” said Woolpack.

“I don’t mean to be rude Gladys, but we have a lot of questions and I’m not sure we have a lot of time,” said Hunter.

“You’ll have plenty of time here. Time works differently here. And if you’re with me, Bernita will leave you alone until you’re ready.”

“Why did she bring us here?” Brickla asked.

“She considers you worthy, which is a first.” Gladys took a slow and shaky sip of her coffee and let out a contented sigh when she brought the cup back down.

“Worthy of what?” Silas asked.

“Why, to try and kill her of course.” An unsettling chill ran down everyone’s spine.

“Why. Why would she want us to try and kill her? Why would she let us do something like that?” asked Jimena.

“Oh dearie, she’s not letting you. But she sees you’re all up to the challenge. You see, my dear Bernita, she’s suffering. She’s in a lot of pain and needs to be released.”

“Wait a sec, back up. She’s in pain, she’s suffering. What about all the people she’s killed, all the people that have been affected by her actions?” Brickla spat the anger out through her words.

“Oh, I don’t excuse her for what she’s done. She’s done many, many horrible things. There’s a reason behind them, but she’s gone the wrong way about handling it all.”

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked. He felt as though he shared the same thoughts as Brickla.

“Oh where to start and how to progress? I often jump around when I try to explain a story, it drives Bernita bonkers.” Gladys took another sip of her coffee.

“Start from as early as you think you should and flow however you think you need to. If we can’t keep up, we’ll ask questions,” said Gauzelle.

“How very kind of you. Bernita, is not alive, so to speak.”

“What?” the group said together.

“I always like to open the story with a real whizzer. Now, let me explain.”

“Bernita was born to me and her father Amir. We were a happy family. Not wealthy but we weren’t struggling either. We lived in that blissful space of being a naïve young family and thinking the world was our oyster. Did anyone want another coffee?”

“No thanks,” said the group, except for Woolpack.

“I’d love another one please,” said Woolpack.

“Okay then. I’ll continue the story as I make the coffee.” Gladys went back to her kitchenette and went about making another coffee. Hunter noticed that both of Brickla’s hands were clenched into bulging fists.

“Are you okay?” asked Hunter.

“Yeah. Just, I lost family to the Trash Queen. I’m not about to fall for some sob story and let it all go.”

“Yeah, I get you.” Hunter looked over the group, but it was hard for him to read the room. Only now had he noticed that Woolpack had sat close to him.

“So things were going well for us for a few years, but then things took a harsh turn, and they didn’t look so great. Amir was taken over by a strange illness and as a result of his health, lost his job. I took on whatever bits and pieces I could to make money, but things weren’t going well.” Gladys reappeared with another cup of coffee and handed it to Woolpack. She sat back down in her chair and continued to massage Bertrand.

“We fell through the cracks of Athena City and the system. Nobody could help us, with both Amir’s health and our financial struggles. Bernita and I watched as Amir withered away to a husk in front of our very eyes. I could no longer afford for us to live there, and we had to move into the worst parts of Crooked Downs.”

“What happened after that?” asked Silas.

“We continued to struggle, but we just got by. For a while, we were able to be okay with what we had. But of course, not all good things last and that’s when things went real bad.”