To An-Unnamed-Goose- Yes! And they're not on the other side of the US! Lou and Arnie were at San Fran, but they were thrown into the Labyrinth, where Ma Gasket picked them up and her warehouse is in Detroit. I've been writing with a US map open :P Lou woke up somewhere over New York, which is the city she wandered into and found the bookshop! ^_^

To Covid-20- Percy!

To 8Ball3- Lou was put in an orphanage. She has no parents, not really, so yes, she's an orphan :3 Lou likes shortbread because I like shortbread, it's my weakness :O


"I think you've grown."

"No."

"Yes, yes, come here." Orbona gestured to her. Louisa set her duster down and hopped off her stool. Orbona placed a hand on her shoulder, kindly steering her to the doorframe. "Turn around, stand straight. That's it." With a flick of her fingers, the goddess summoned a marker. She drew a line above Louisa's head and smiled. "You have gotten taller!" Louisa turned and looked. The new line was about an inch above the old one, from last month. Just to make sure, she moved her hand from the top of her head, clumsily connecting it with the new line.

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"Cool." It was nearing the end of June now. Louisa had been here, in this bookshop, the entire time. She liked Orbona. If the goddess asked her to find something, it was her keys or a pen, and there were no monsters waiting for her. She dusted, now reaching a little bit higher with the help of her stool. She priced up books, stuck the coloured stickers on their spines, even helped put them in the right section.

And she read. Orbona did her magic and translated all the books Louisa picked up into Latin.

It was nice here. Warm. Kept her busy- little jobs, reading or drawing, there was always something she could do.

But there were two problems.

One was relatively simple and expected of a child her age.

"No! No trees!"

"They're not trees, they're broccoli!"

"Noooo!"

"Eat one."

"No!" Louisa stuck her tongue out, pushing her plate away. Orbona sighed. It was an uphill battle she was never going to win.

The other problem was not so simple, but as equally expected of a child with her experiences.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Orbona promised. Louisa screamed and thrashed, only waking when the goddess grabbed her by the wrists. Orbona sat, gently wrapping the girl in a hug. Louisa's breathing was haggard and she trembled like she'd been yanked from artic waters at the last second. She cried into the goddess's shoulder, hiccupping and soaking Orbona's shirt.

Nightmares, always the same.

Arnie, first and foremost, calling her name before disappearing under Ma Gasket's hand.

At the bottom of the lake, buried under rocks, unable to move.

Her skin on fire as the snake monster fought to swallow her whole, its acid searing through her flesh.

Tonight it was Arnie. He was the main one. Orbona cradled her, rubbing her back, encouraging her to breathe.

There was a solution to that last problem. Orbona didn't like it, but it suited Louisa just fine. She had gone without sleep before, she could do it again. She would run circles around the spare room, jumping across the squares of the checker rug. Sitting in the study on the window seat, reading whatever she could get her hands on. Sometimes she would ask Orbona to read to her, drawing as she listened.

It was nice here.

Nice didn't last.

Middle of July hit. Louisa stood on her stool, playing in the sink. Orbona had given her some plastic ducks and boats to play with. Louisa quite enjoyed manipulating the water to make little tidal waves, had the ducks terrorising the boats with loud ferocious quacks and demands for all their bread. Orbona was in the front of the shop, working at her desk and singing quietly.

The doorbell tinkled.

"Good mor- oh! Lord Neptune!"

Louisa dropped her duck, sinking one of the boats. Her mini waves sloshed back into place and she looked over her shoulder, at the doorway.

"Is she here?"

"Um… yes." Orbona said it quietly, reluctant. "Yes, she is, sir."

Louisa turned to her right, considering the back room. Could she hide out there?

But her feet remained glued to her stool. Movement behind her and she looked left.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hello." He regarded the sink for a moment, her dropped duck bobbing back to the surface. It stared at the god as if it was going to demand his bread next. "Time to go, Louisa."

"I don't want to."

"You must."

"Why?" She frowned. Neptune did too.

Orbona appeared behind him, making the hallway very cramped indeed. She smiled, although her eyes were sad. She glanced sheepishly at the god.

"You will always be welcome here, Louisa. But if your father says it's time…"

"I have to go?"

"Yes." They both said, him firmly, her miserably. Louisa faced her sink, the ducks and the poor boats that were their victims. "Come." Orbona extended her hand. "Let's get you ready."


The goddess helped Louisa pack. Her father disappeared at some point. "Can't stay long, I assume. Gods aren't supposed to interfere with their children's lives."

"He interferes a lot." Louisa grumbled. Orbona smiled weakly. "Why do I have to go?"

"He… he didn't say. But your father… well, he knows what's better for you." Her tone turned bitter, just for a moment. She didn't agree with that sentiment. "Here." Orbona helped Louisa shrug on her backpack, far weightier than anything she had had before. "There's some food in there. New clothes and shoes. Don't wear through this pair as well, OK?" Louisa nodded mutely. "And a coat, for when it starts to get cold again."

"Thank you." Louisa sniffed. Orbona touched her cheek gently.

She walked Louisa to the door, fussing over her hair, the straps on her backpack, making sure her shoelaces were tied and then remembering she didn't have shoelaces, but Velcro straps. "And make sure you wear sunscreen. And wash your hands after going to the loo. Look both ways before crossing a street. Drink lots of water, stay in the shade. Here, have a sun hat." She waved her hand and a red and white baseball cap landed on Louisa's head. "And eat your broccoli." Louisa pouted.

"No."

"I thought as much." Orbona sighed. She crouched and gave the girl one last hug. "Take care, Louisa."

"Thank you for helpin' me."

"It's my job." Orbona smiled. She adjusted Louisa's hat, cleaned an imaginary speck of dirt from her face with her thumb. "It's been a pleasure, my child. Go on now." She urged. "I don't think Lord Neptune will take kindly to me trying to kidnap you."

Louisa didn't understand her father's decision. She had been safe in the bookshop, the safest she had been in a long time. She had a decent supply of food, warm bubble baths and clean clothes, someone caring for her and helping her through her incessant nightmares. And books. Colouring pencils galore. Her armada of ducks attacking boats for bread. She was even on the wall, Orbona had put her work on the wall, put her height chart on the doorframe.

Now, she was trudging on again. Her gut instinct had her heading out of the city, although it took her a while (she got lost).

By the end of the day, she was on the highway, lined with trees. She rubbed at her eyes, heading down a grassy verge to the treeline. She unslung her backpack and crouched, needing some water.

She froze upon opening the bag.

Orbona had supplied her with clothes and food as promised, but she had also snuck in The Princess and the Frog, a rolled up wad of paper and two packs of colouring pencils. Louisa stared at them for a moment, touching them gently to make sure they were really there.

"Thank you, Orbona."