| Chapter 23 Athel and Tigera
Thousands of rats began gathering around Athel. Globs of mud flung from her hair as she looked this way and that. In all directions, the dim torchlight caught the reflections of thousands of black beady eyes. Tigera relished the look of fear in Athel’s eyes.
Suddenly there was a crash as a key light stand came crashing to the ground, scattering a few of the small rodents.
"Whoa," CUT, get that glass cleaned up. Everybody hold for a minute," the director called out. A couple of crewmen came up with brooms and dustpans and began cleaning up the mess. Athel stood up and stretched a little, swinging her arms back and forth lazily. Tigera coughed a little and asked for a drink of water, which was provided by a production assistant.
"I'll be right back, I need a bathroom break," the director said as he walked off, popping a stomach pill into his mouth. The crewman continued their work repairing the broken light. At Tigera's command, the army of rats stood patiently around Athel, their little noses twitching happily.
So, did you hear they are making a new The Son of Adama series?" Athel asked as she swung her arms. "It's gonna' be totally leafy."
"Not another one," Tigera sighed. "How many more are they going to make?"
"A ton, I hope," Athel said kicking some sand around. "If they keep making 'em I'll keep buying 'em."
"I lost interest after Belle ended up with Michael," Tigera admitted.
"Oh, please, don't tell me you are on Team Jerome?" Athel accused.
"Of course I am," Tigera boasted. "Jerome and Belle have a true relationship. Michael is toxic love, an unhealthy love. There is no way they will still be together in ten years."
"You have got to be kidding me! Even the author admitted that Jerome was only a kind of beautiful, how can you compare that to inconceivably beautiful? You can't, it's like comparing starlight to the sun."
"That is only because Michael has a hypnotic scent and a seductive voice that hide his true nature from Belle. For all we know he could be hideous in real-life and we just don't ever get to see it because his spells cloud our perception of him."
"Great Mother!" Athel yelled. "Michael cares more deeply for Belle then Jerome ever will. He loves her so much he even protects her virtue when she's practically begging him to take it from her."
"Who was protecting her when Michael was a continent away? Huh? Jerome, that is who! Michael is withdrawn, argumentative, and sullen. Who wants to spend eternity around that, huh? Jerome is happy, cheerful, and adventurous. That sounds like a real-life partner to me."
"You are just jealous because necromancers are way better than shape-shifters."
"What did you say?" Tigera challenged, grasping his necklace. The hundreds of rats hissed and crouched down, ready to pounce."
"I said that necromancers are waaaaaaaaaay better than shapeshifters!" Athel repeatedly spitefully, her hands on her hips.
At Tigera's command, the thousands of rats leaped into the air, descending down upon Athel in a downpour of tiny razor-sharp claws and teeth.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE?" the director screamed as he returned, a cheese danish in his hands.
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