On Friday morning, Psyche was summoned to Aphrodite’s office as soon as she arrived. The Head of PR was sitting at her desk, typing rapidly. She spoke without taking her eyes from the screen. “You seem to have had quite a lucky run with your little projects. I’m impressed.” She typed for a while longer, …
As she tried to think of something, anything, to convince him, three children ran around the corner of the house; two with the black hair of the man in the doorway, and the smallest with a riot of bright red curls. All three skidded to a halt and stared at her. Then the tallest one, …
The next morning, Harmonia caught her before she reached Aphrodite’s office and handed her an envelope. “She’s in an executive meeting upstairs. She says you’re to fetch a flask of Loch Styx scotch for her.” Psyche stared at her. “How? Loch Styx is known for only selling from the cellar door, and even then, only …
The weekend was quiet, empty, and gave her far too much time to miss Eros. No one had heard a thing about how he was, or where he might be. It was almost a relief to walk past the silent desks to Aphrodite’s office door on Monday. She knocked, there was no response. Should she …
She entered the office, trying to ignore the feeling of a hundred pairs of eyes boring into her back. The owner of the voice was the elegant woman from the college corridor, Aphrodite herself, Eros’s mother. Psyche fought an irrational urge to curtsey as cool blue eyes looked her over. Finally, Aphrodite spoke. “You’re here …
She took a deep breath, and gave the rest of the onlookers a thankful, apologetic smile. At least the anger had squashed the immediate need to cry but she still needed to get away from the avid curiosity. They’d come to a halt outside the office Dr Thoth used when he was meeting with the …
It was Janet who found her, who got her home, and made her hot chocolate she couldn’t drink. Eventually, she left, and Psyche dragged herself to bed. Aglaura and Cilippe were at the pub. She forced herself to get up and moving the next morning. She had two major assignments and an exam coming up, …
Christos and Patrick weren’t pestering her as much. They were still around, but every time she started talking about her photos and what she was learning, they’d slink away, scowling. It happened one day over lunch and as Patrick stomped off to get a coffee, a girl at the same table, Psyche thought her name …
They went to their favourite Italian place, just far enough from the college that most students didn’t know it existed. It was comfortable, and local, and the regulars were masters of the silent, condemning stare if any newcomer tried to approach Persephone and Psyche’s table. If the interloper failed to take the hint, the manager, …
The older woman peered at her over her glasses. “There are two things I wanted to discuss with you. The first is Christos. The subject, the true subject, of his term assignment has been brought to my attention. I’ve told him to change it or fail and be subject to disciplinary action. I will not …
The DNA of Stories 