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College of Charleston

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Harvey Pugh asks as he bring Bryce a cup of water. The tall and cherub-faced student sits next to her, ignoring the way his friends look at him. “I wish I had some deep insight to say that would help you recover from your grief. The concept of loss and death change from culture to culture, so perhaps we simply make our own path. Do you find it difficult to be out of your room? It has been two weeks since Trina died and you two were becoming serious. Although, I’m unclear as to how someone can vomit up most of their digestive system.”

“Maybe you would have an answer if you ever went to class,” Chris Garcon mutters, taking the seat on the other side of Bryce. Putting his hockey stick on the table, he leans back and tries to put what he believes is a comforting arm around the young woman’s shoulders. “I can’t imagine how horrible this is. You two were in love and now you’re alone. Harvey shouldn’t bother you with questions when you need someone to listen to. I’m always there for you. No strings attached since you’re a lesbian, so it isn’t like I’m hitting on you.”

“For the last time, I’m bisexual,” Bryce groans, her fists clenched. The only reason she does not hit either of her friends is because she would not expect anything else from them. “Yes, I find it a challenge to be in public, Harvey. At least you’re trying to be kind, which I really do appreciate. Chris, you should go make out with Jennifer’s new friend. That anatomy dummy seems more your type. Why do you have that thing here? Hello? Hey, O’Connor, are you still with us?”

Snapped out of her trance, the red-haired theater major nearly falls out of her chair. “Sorry, but I was up late pledging and part of it involved the dummy. I’ll be giving it back once we’re done here. Going to have to play the role of an idiot again. All I missed was Harvey asking an awkward question and Chris speaking from his mouth while thinking with his penis. Can’t believe future generations will be entrusted to a man like you. Don’t teachers typically have morals?”

“Like I’m going to take that from someone who’s career path will eventually involve porn and a heroin addiction.”

“Only if you mean I’ll be playing those roles in the movies.”

“Don’t try for comedy. You’re terrible at it.”

“My professor would politely disagree.”

The students are startled by the slamming of a book, all four of them turning around to see the elderly librarian glaring at them. With a slow nod, the wrinkled woman goes back to her returns and whispers as a bald man comes through the door. Professor Jason Soleman stops for a moment to talk with his coworker, the pair keeping their voices low and watching the students through the corner of their eyes. Obviously uncomfortable with the conversation, the man fixes his crimson tie and does his best to hide his anger at the librarian. For her part, the woman remains calm and sits down to polish the star-shaped medallion hanging from her neck. By the time Thomas and Apollo came running inside, their advisor has given up on arguing and trudges to the group. He takes a final look at the librarian before pushing his glasses up his nose and taking a notebook out of his jacket pocket. Professor Soleman freezes at the sight of the anatomy dummy, his eyes immediately darting to Jennifer.

“My teacher told me to imagine people in their underwear, so I thought imagining them with no skin would be even more effective,” the young woman explains with a playful giggle. She keeps smiling in the face of her angry advisor, who eventually lets out a sputtering sigh. “I will bring it back as soon as the club meeting is done. Maybe we can use it for something. There has to be some old mythology that involves body parts. Minus one kidney that I’m still searching the house for.”

“It seems that I will be leaving as soon as I speak,” Professor Soleman says, hiding his amusement with a cough. The squeak of a chair causes him to turn around, the black-haired woman in a lab coat trying to act like she has always been there. “I get the feeling that none of you are interested in mythology today. One of you may have spent the night molesting an anatomy dummy, another just returned after a terrible loss, and a third obviously has something better to do. Let me leave you with a simple task. Pick a lesser god and write a paragraph about them. Everyone knows about the gods and goddesses that modern entertainment focuses on like the Olympians. All you have to do is find one, read a bit, and leave your work with Marcy over there to get your extra credit. I do thank you for helping with this club, which I hope will become a full class next year.”

“I’ll make sure we get the work done,” Thomas declares, cutting off the latecomer. He continues smiling as the professor carries the anatomy dummy out of the library. “So, why is our great leader late? That isn’t like you, Aurora. Oh, before I forget, I’m happy to see you again Bryce. Not really sure what else to say since I know how serious you two were getting. Apollo or I can help you with this if you don’t feel up to it. Just ease back into things and let us know if you need some air.”

“Why does he get to say stuff like that and not get in trouble?” Chris blurts out while putting his feet on the table. Turning to Jennifer, he starts to lick his lips, but stops when she returns the gesture. “How about we split into teams? Try to find deities who are polar opposites or have some kind of connection. I’ll work with Harvey and everyone else can split into pairs. Whoever wants to go solo can do so since there’s only seven of us.”

“I’m sure that’s directed at me,” Aurora says in a strained voice. Rubbing her neck, she tries to clear her throat by sneaking a sip of energy drink from a flask. “Had to pull a late night at the farm because a calf was being born. It didn’t make it, so I’m out of it. Sorry to let everyone down, but it might be best to let me sink or swim on my own. Feel like taking an obscure death god anyway. We have to call mom and dad before afternoon classes, Apollo, so don’t take too long with Jennifer.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the flustered twin asks, his loud voice earning him a glare from Marcy. Avoiding eye contact with the theater major, Apollo takes a seat next to her and puts his hands between his knees. “Not that I’m upset about working with you, Jen, but my sister made it sound like I had something else in mind. I . . . Do you want to get some pizza for lunch and help me get out of a boring phone call? Entirely as friends and it would help me get a rise out of my family.”

“I’ve always wanted to save a damsel in distress,” Jennifer teases, giving Apollo a quick kiss on the cheek. Getting both twins to blush fills the young woman with enough pride that she puffs out her chest. “This is my favorite club meeting to date. What about we all work together and choose a group of seven? That way we work and succeed together. My classes are doing a lot of team exercises this week, so I could use the practice. May I humbly recommend the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan?

Feeling cornered, Bryce slides out of her chair and crawls under the table to get closer to Aurora. “That sounds like a great idea since some of us are out of it today. Not a big fan of the topic, but don’t listen to me. Hard to believe in luck after what happened to Trina and her family not being happy about me showing up at the funeral. Never mind since that’s not club business and we need to get this assignment done.”

“Why weren’t they happy about you attending?” Harvey innocently asks. He yelps when Chris smacks him upside the head, the philosophy major covering his mouth when Marcy looks in their direction. “Okay, I think I understand. Sorry for asking. I forgot how often people refuse to accept the differences in others.”

“That is such an adorable way to say you forgot that people can be assholes,” Jennifer interjects with a giggle. The rest of the club cannot stop themselves from laughing, which is cut off by the librarian slamming a book as loud as she can. “Let’s get this done before Marcy over there starts hurling encyclopedias at our heads. Love to meet the people that still use those relics.”