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Circus

Chapter 2

The girl tossed and turned in her sleep, shadows crowding in around her. She whimpered as another dream shook her grasp on reality. She was drowning in despair. Why did this happen to her? Why couldn't she control her own mind...?

-

She sunk to the marble tile of the bathroom floor, clutching the thing that had just ended her life. She could read minds, but how could she have known this would happen? How was she supposed to face her parents? Why did the strip have to be positive?

-

The light was hard on her eyes at home; she couldn't study properly. That was the only reason she was doing it. She let her molecules rip away from each other. Why did it have to be so difficult to use her power? It had been so easy, too easy, as a child, and now when she needed it most, why was it painful?

-

Tears poured from the girl's face as she squeezed her mother's hand. A steady beep and the constant flow of nurses and doctors in and out of the room to check the many tubes protruding from under the sheets were the only indicators the woman was still alive. The girl stared hard at her analogue watch. Surely, if she could go backwards and forwards in time, she could stop time for her mother to live just a little longer... couldn't she?

-

"They need you. You must live to do your duty once more... Pandia."

-

Jimena Castillo sat straight up in bed, holding her hand over her heart. Cold sweat drenched her entire body, and she could barely catch her breath.

"Baby, you ok?" Nick asked groggily from beside her. She patted his bare chest.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just... need some water." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and got up. After padding into Nick's kitchen, she poured herself a glass of water and stood in front of the sink, staring out the window over the New York skyline.

She stood there past dawn and until her alarm rung from inside Nick's bedroom. Finally she took a sip of the full glass and poured the rest out.

Work, she had to get ready for work.

Hours later, she stood at the coffee pot in her office, staring at the wall like it wasn't even there.

"Helllloooo!" the call and a hand waving widely in front of her face snapped her from her reverie.

"Hey, Sarah."

"Hey. I've only said that like ten times."

"Sorry, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Ooh, sounds like my kinda night. Especially with a guy like Nick."

"No, not like that." Sarah raised an eyebrow. "I mean, yes, but... I just couldn't sleep... afterwards."

"Really? I always thought a guy like Nick could wear any girl out."

"I had a really strange dream that kept me awake. Besides, I don't think it's going to work with Nick."

"Not going to work with Nick? Are you crazy?"

"Yes, actually, yes, I think I'm going loca, Sarah!" Jimena waved her arms around frantically, wishing she could explain things to her friend.

"Ok, just calm down." She placed her hands on Jimena's shoulders. "As your best friend," Jimena barely kept herself from wincing, "I am obligated to remind you that you are 38 years old. You have a job a thousand women would die for. And you have a great guy. You're not going crazy and things are going to work out with Nick."

"What if I don't want things to work out with Nick?"

"What are you talking about? Of course you do! He's funny, has a great ass, a steady income, isn't married, and is fantastic in bed. What else could you want in a guy?"

"Someone I could – " Tony, her assistant, stuck his head in.

"Ms. Castillo, Sandra McDonnell is on her way over."

"Ok, thank you, Tony," she said with a false smile. As he left, Sarah rushed over to the mirror Jimena had on her wall and began to fix herself.

"Ugh! How can you be so calm about Sandra McDonnell?"

"She's just a supermodel, Sarah," Jimena responded with a sigh as she pulled Sandra's file. The supermodel in question had just had the best article written on her but she insisted on coming to speak with Michelle Richards, the editor-in-chief of People, whose office Jimena managed. "I was raised in Hollywood," she continued when Sarah remained completely unconvinced, "I can't remember ever being star struck."

"I don't think I'd be able to speak with Sandra McDonnell in the room."

"That," Jimena said as she brushed past Sarah, "Is why you don't have my job."

The haughty supermodel exited the elevator just as Jimena stepped out of her office.

"Ms. McDonnell," Jimena walked towards her. "Welcome. My name is Jimena Castillo. Mrs. Richards is expecting you; her office is this way." Jimena smiled graciously and led her to Michelle's office. "Mrs. Richards, Ms. McDonnell is here."

"Of course." Michelle, always the epitome of grace and professionalism rose to greet the disgruntled supermodel. "Welcome, Sandra. Please take a seat. Jimena, water for our guest." Jimena poured a ice water and handed it to Sandra with another gracious smile, repressing entirely the urge to pour it into her lap.

Once Sandra was comfortable, Michelle dismissed Jimena, who eagerly but calmly left her boss's office.

A delivery boy was waiting in the reception area of the office. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm lookin' for a Jim-ee-nah Cast-ill-oh."

"Jimena Castillo." She smiled tightly and took the package from him.

"There's a water spill over by the couches," an elderly woman walked up to Jimena without preamble.

"Thank you for informing me, ma'am. I will have someone from the janitorial staff come take care of it."

"Well, isn't that your job?" she asked looking at the obviously Hispanic woman with slight disdain.

"No, ma'am. My job is to run this office. Tony."

"Yes, Ms Castillo?"

"Have someone clean up the spill over by the couches please."

"Yes, Ms Castillo."

"Thank you." She turned to the shocked woman. "Excuse me, please."

Jimena turned and walked into her office, nearly slamming the door. She let out a frustrated scream, thankful that the walls of her office were sound proof, then slumped against the door. It was going to be a long, long day.

Jimena finally shoved her keys into the lock of her apartment door at nine-thirty that night. "No, Nick, honestly, tonight I just want to pass out," she said into her cell phone as she struggled to get her keys to turn.

"All right, I love you," he said dejectedly.

"Yeah, you too." She flipped her phone shut without saying good bye and after a couple shoves against the door, it opened for her.

She walked in, kicking off her shoes and dropping her purse as she went. And when Jimena looked at her couch, she suddenly wished she was still at work.

She had taken the form of a young woman, platinum blonde hair, pretty blue eyes, and were it not for the ethereal glow and too serene smile, Jimena would have thought Barbie broke into her apartment.

"You know, most deities would have taken the hint."

"Pandia."

"Jimena."

"Pandia, I've been calling to you for months now. You receive my visions yet do nothing!"

"Selene, the Atrox is gone; Nefandus is locked up! You have no more need for me, so leave me alone!"

"The Atrox may be gone, but evil is not! Adamantis does not think I see his plots, but I do. You must train my Daughters!"

"Thanks, but no." Jimena walked into her kitchen, ignoring the moon goddess following her.

"You have seen the visions, how those girls suffer from lack of guidance. Should they continue without guidance, they will all be destroyed or worse!"

"Selene, look. I have a boyfriend and a job and an apartment and a life and it's across the country from where those girls are. I'm happy being just Jimena Castillo – "

"Jimena Castillo? I have watched over you for your entire life. You are not Jimena Castillo; you have no hope. Even in your darkest days, you hoped for the future. You were always a warrior who lived life with every breath you took, and now you breathe."

"Get out."

Selene looked away, pain apparent on her features. "There's an interesting message on your answering machine." She turned back to face Jimena and placed a warm, soft hand on her face. "Regardless of how you reject me, you are my daughter, and I love you, Pandia... Jimena." She turned her face towards the window. "Even though you cannot see it, the moon is still there, shining our light upon the world." And Selene was gone into the night.

Jimena rubbed her temples. This was not how she wanted to end her day. After pouring a glass of wine, she walked back to her living room and hit the blinking button on her message machine.

Hello, you have reached Jimena Castillo. Unfortunately, I am not available, so if you will leave your name, number, and a message, I will call you back when I can. Thank you. Alo, has llamado al telefono de Jimena Castillo. Disafortunademente, no estoy aqui. Por favor, dime tu nombre, tu numero del telefono y un mensaje. Te llamare cuando es posible. Gracias.

Senorita Castillo, alo, me llamo Adrian Melles the Salvadorian accented voice rang from the speakers. Trabajo para People en Espanol en Los Angeles. Una colega me dijo sobre ti. Te llamo por que nosotros tenemos una posicion para ti con nuestra seccion de los intereses humanos. Por favor llamame...

Jimena stopped listening as Adrian Melles recited his telephone number. Human interests... no more supermodels or drama queens, no more being mistaken for a maid simply because she was Hispanic... She didn't even know what the position was and she was already hooked. She shook her head; she couldn't believe the steps Selene would take to manipulate her into returning to LA.

Jimena collapsed onto the couch where Selene was sitting when she had entered. Her hand grazed something hard and metal. After picking up the offending object, she gasped as she realized what it was.

Jimena had thrown the gorgon head medallion into the Hudson River upon moving to New York twenty years before. And now, as she held it in her hand, tears sprang to her eyes.

But the gorgon only stared, stone eyes unblinking, captivating her in their magic.

"They need you. You must live to do your duty once more... Pandia."