Flash Fiction: A Mother’s Patience

Note:
Demeter, Persephone/Kora and Hades are main players in the Eleusinian Mysteries (Greek Mythology). In short, a tale to explain life, death, and the seasons. Hades kidnaps Persephone (because it’s what Greek Gods do) and Demeter goes searching for her daughter. Demeter’s absence causes crop failure, humans suffer and the other gods get cranky. Enter god politics, Zeus as Judge Judy. Eventually, a deal is made and Persephone splits her time between the Underworld (Hades) and her mother. Thus restoring the natural order and creating the seasons (Demeter loses her shiz and nothing grows every time Persephone is out of her sight, once a year; some mothers can’t cut the umbilical cord.).- If my recap makes no sense please read the Wiki page.

More flash fiction staring the gods in the 21st century can be found here. 

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Demeter’s patience ran cold – her daughter late. The frigid air burned her cheeks, an abnormally long winter. If Persephone didn’t arrive soon, the father god himself would squeal like pigs. Rules were rules, no Kora, no spring. Zeus’ beloved pets, humans, fated to die from starvation. Her SIL would hate it, more souls for him to process.

Take your time, child.

The goddess of harvest sat down. Plastic… Nasty mortal material. 

Not even Gaia could repurpose this furniture.

Demeter’s glare matched the icy lake before her. 

A leaf grew on the bare tree. 

“Sorry, I’m late. The Underworld is chaos, Hades frantic.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

Never mess with the Mumma.