Chapter 2: Horace
749 Words
Chapter 2: Horace
Having nothing to do and being on the other side of Athens, Horace went to a cafe and plopped himself down opposite his box. He ordered a vodka instead of a coffee, because his nerves were shot.
He still couldn’t believe what he had done. This was so out of character for him. He read and reread the printed letters of recommendation for him and Evie. Glowing words for the both of them, signed by the boss himself.
His vodka lime came and he downed it in a single chug. It gave him a slight buzz, but that was exactly what he needed right now.
“Not a p***y, then,” a familiar voice came from behind.
He turned around, and found the same lady from before, sipping a latte on the table behind him. And it seemed like she had been there for quite some time.
Horace squinted at her. “Thanks for the kick in the balls, but who are you?”
She sighed but she looked more sexy than annoyed. “Superbia Hyperephania. Call me Superbia. And I don’t take s**t from anyone.”
“No, you wouldn’t. I’m Horace. Cadmus. As in call me Horace, and my last name is Cadmus,” he stuttered.
“Okay then, Horace, why don’t you join me at my table?” She seemed very inviting and… well, hot.
“We barely know each other,” Horace complained weakly.
She waved it away. “Oh, Horace, we’ve fought a corporate minion today and won! You should be delighted. Come celebrate with me.”
He thought about it for a second, then picked up his box and his glass of water and sat across Superbia. He caught her smiling at the box but decided to let it go. She had prodded him to stand up for himself, after all. Gosh, he still couldn’t believe it.
“Another vodka? Or not, let’s not make Gula happy this early.”
“Who?”
She clicked her tongue. “You’ll see. Now, Horace, let me give you my token. Download the app so you can collect it.”
Horace frowned at that. “The what? No, lady, you don’t need to give me anything.”
“Download the Evil Thoughts app, please.”
He shook his head, but curiosity got the better of him. He located the app, which was real much to his surprise, and tapped the button to install it. It popped up a Terms Of Service legalese sheet which Horace instantly accepted with his thumb. It took a minute or so to finish, during which he took the time to look more closely at the woman. She was dressed in a violet skirt suit, which despite being modest drew plenty of attention to her lovely legs. She had perfect blonde hair, full lips and makeup that turned her blue eyes magnetic.
If this day hadn’t been so weird, he’d have time to question why such a gorgeous woman would give him the time of day.
The app glinged and he opened it, pointing his phone at Superbia.
Hovering between them was an Augmented Reality Object, semi-transparent and visible to anyone with an AR app. It was indeed something like a token, with the word pride written in Greek on it, ΥΠΕΡΗΦΑΝΙΑ.
“What am I supposed to do with it?” Horace asked, scratching his nose.
“Take it. It’s yours, you’ve earned it.” Superbia seemed real proud for the entire thing.
“Okay,” Horace shrugged and tapped on the app. The token was collected and he saw it increasing a counter, one of seven. “I don’t understand, Superbia, what is this? A video game, what?”
“It is a game of sorts, but the stakes are much higher,” she said meaningfully. She added with a deeper voice, “And so are the rewards.” She swapped her crossed legs and gave him a full Basic Instinct.
Horace gulped. He lost his words for a while. “I-I don’t understand, the token, you, anything.”
She raised her head, practically staring down at him. “You, Horace Cadmus, are to go through the Evil Thoughts test. Many, many mortals have gone through it but few have survived. The dangers are great but so are the rewards, as I said earlier. You will meet my sisters and we will help you along with your life, nudging you in the right direction. Should you manage to satisfy all seven of us and pass the test, you will be amongst the few men who have achieved their dreams.”
Horace went through a dozen of emotions. He frowned, he winced, he smiled, he gritted his teeth, he leered at her legs, he rubbed his face.
Finally, he stood up and said, “You, lady, are nuts. Goodbye.” He picked up his box and left the cafe.
- Writer
