{"id":24328,"date":"2023-11-17T08:53:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T13:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/?p=24328"},"modified":"2023-11-16T14:58:52","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T19:58:52","slug":"frivolous-fairy-tales-for-modern-people-a-dalliance-with-the-sun-part-iii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/2023\/11\/17\/frivolous-fairy-tales-for-modern-people-a-dalliance-with-the-sun-part-iii\/","title":{"rendered":"Frivolous Fairy Tales for Modern People: A Dalliance With the Sun (Part III)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Link to Part II<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selene was trapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or at least it felt that way, with how this strange deity<\/em> lingered in her home. Admittedly, he had become quieter since their first encounter. She had expressed a need for time before they got on with making her a baby, and so far he was respecting her request . . . supposedly. For, while he never verbally asked for it, his presence certainly did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever she awoke, she\u2019d find iridescent eyes peering at her through a crack in the door. While she cooked, there would be light but intent brushes against her waist. And whenever she went to take a shower, thinking he had taken a step out, she\u2019d find him standing outside her bathroom door once she was done. His gaze would caress her damp hair, and she\u2019d shiver uncomfortably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, he talked less, but his presence was ominous enough. Selene got the sense that she was running out of time. She didn\u2019t even feel like having a baby anymore. Yet soon, she would have to give in and make good on her promise to offer her body and soul. She was pretty sure of how he wanted her body, but her soul . . . she feared to consider what that would entail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day, while Selene was at work, she overheard one of her fellow new hires saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs it crazy that I want to be a mother now? I\u2019m only twenty-two, and men my age can never commit . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those words were familiar to Selene, as she had once said them before. They were words that had gotten her into her current predicament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they were words that may get her out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selene stood up with newly gained determination. She walked to her co-worker who just spoke of her desires. The other woman had soft and lovely brown waves that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were big, round, and innocent, and they gleamed a sparkling blue. She was tall with long legs. Most importantly, she was far more beautiful than Selene, and that would be Selene\u2019s saving grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, she went up to her personal nuisance\u2014 the Sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He eyed her up and down and gave her a salacious grin. \u201cSo are you finally ready?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selene tempered herself, putting on the mask that she had become accustomed to these past few days. Demurity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh actually, I\u2019ve come to a realization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He raised his eyebrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really think you would like me very much as a . . .\u201d she struggled to find a fitting word and settled for \u201c . . . lover<\/em>.\u201d And she continues, \u201cI\u2019m pretty boring\u2014 plain even.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you\u2019ve promised yourself.\u201d He said in a low, dangerous voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selene ignored the thinning ice she was treading and pushed on. \u201cYes, which is why, I\u2019ve found someone else to fulfill it for me. I\u2019d be very sad if you were displeased with me, so I think this other woman would be much better. She\u2019s much prettier than me, and she also wants a child and yearns for a committed man. Really she\u2019s a far better prospect!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She then opened her front door where her co-worker was already waiting. She smiled gracefully at the Sun as if she was delighted by his handsome appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She walked forward and held her hand out, \u201cHello, I\u2019m\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she disintegrated into ashes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selene screeched in horror. \u201cWhy would you do that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think I\u2019m a fool?\u201d As the Sun spoke, the sky darkened outside. \u201cI know what you were trying. You\u2019re not as cunning as you think you are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sun grabbed her by her shoulders and seethed. \u201cYou\u2019ll have to pay me tenfold now that you\u2019ve tried to break our contract.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He began to drag her toward her window. \u201cYou wanted a child so you will get one, and I will get you. But now, instead of just your lifetime, I will have you serving me for eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Epilogue next . . .<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Link to Part II ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Selene was trapped.  Or at least it felt that way, with how this strange deity lingered in her home. Admittedly, he had become quieter since their first encounter. She had expressed a need for time before they got on with making her a baby, and so far he was respecting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2257,"featured_media":23693,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[349,1257],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24328"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2257"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24328"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24329,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24328\/revisions\/24329"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artsatmichigan.umich.edu\/ink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}