#juno skinner

The distorted face of a woman looked down at him. She was like a surreal dummy in the moonlight, expressionless and pale. When he blinked away slumber, Juno could make her out better. Once he was able to see her properly, he wanted to scream.

“Juno Skinner,” she addressed him, her quiet voice steady. “The world has passed through the trial of fire at last. The time has come for mankind to gather together and fight for their survival. I am Amerille, a goddess of this world. I am assisted now by two others. We are the real gods of this world. Your kind has chosen many names and roles for us to play, but your capacity for knowledge is limited in both scope and understanding. I have come to give you the truth, and instruct you of the only chance you may have at surviving.”

“Wait, wait.” Juno sat up in bed and skeptically eyed the unexpected guest in his bedroom. His window had not been open when he had gone to bed. It had even been locked! How did she get in? Was he having some sort of weird dream? She was talking about some sort of fire or being a goddess. It made no sense to him. More importantly, how did she know his name? She could be another one of his grandmother’s senile friends that had come in late or something.

“There is very little time,” she interjected. He sized her up as she stepped toward him. She was a small looking woman hidden in something that resembled an ornate bath robe, hair silvery, her posture graceful and yet seemingly frail. Due to her hair color, he wanted to say she was old, but she looked barely middle-aged, with few creases on her face that he could make out. Definitely not one of his grandmother’s friends. But more than anything, she looked tired – but not as tired as he already was about what she was saying.

Juno was having a hard time believing that anything that he had just heard was actually real. Gods? The destruction of the world – the universe? The fact that Palm Creek was the only town left in his state, or maybe the only one left in his nation? What was he supposed to think about that? He was just a kid finishing his sophomore year in high school, laying in bed in his shorts, and probably having another freaky dream. He wanted to forget this was happening, but Amerille’s voice insistently commanded his attention. For some reason, he couldn’t deny listening to her.

“Juno Skinner, you are a special man. You are young, but you are strong, and you are not alone. I will watch over you and give you my blessing. I offer you my protection in exchange for your service. You must do your part. We did not create mankind to die so tragically. I want to give you hope.”

He was also having a hard time convincing her to leave him alone. Why was he having such a hard time getting rid of her? Was it one of those dreams that wouldn’t let you go? He didn’t want to think he wasn’t dreaming. That suggested too much responsibility.

“Listen, lady, Amy or whatever your name is, this isn’t my sort of thing. I’m just a kid, and you’re probably not even real. Even if the world really is going to hell and all, what am I supposed to do about it? Did you really think I could do anything? What if I don’t even want to? I’ve been living my life just fine until now. I don’t need some god lady telling me what to do or what’s going on. I can live on my own.”

“The world has changed, Juno Skinner. You may need help sooner than you think.”

“I don’t want help, and I don’t want you in my house or my room. Now get out!”

There was no way that this woman was any sort of goddess or whatever. She was annoying, probably a burglar, and the way out was the only thing Juno was going to give her.

“And if you don’t get out,” he continued, “I’m going to call the police and make you get out! Now get the hell out of my life!”

Amerille nodded in concession and turned toward the window. Had she really come from there? Juno started thinking that he didn’t care what she was or where she came from, as long as she didn’t come back. It didn’t matter. It was just a dream.

“Please remember, Juno Skinner, that my offer still stands. If you ever need me, simply call for me.”

“I’m calling the police is who I’m calling, you – ”

Juno looked at his window incredulously as Amerille stepped through it and disappeared. He stared dumbfounded for a moment before scrambling out from under his bed sheets and over to the window. He wasn’t much of a believer, but what he saw aroused some undeniable issues.

There, in his little forest town of Palm Creek, was a fire. That fire was spreading, it was spreading his way, and it was spreading quickly.