19 A creature's envy

"Tap, tap, tap!"

Time felt halted as Follia peered from behind her hair at the beautiful 'man' who sat across from her. The tapping had started when they sat down and has been going since, it filled the room with a palpable tension.

'What was that? Why did I behave in such a way?'

'I just wanted to be a little more... friendly.'

Follia's mind continued to swirl as she attempted to formulate a sound explanation (excuse) for herself.

Still, she couldn't calm herself from the previous moment of confusion. The sudden surge of emotions surprised her, she thought they had dulled to the point of nonbeing by now.

Now she was panicked by her panic, she wanted to hide, and if she didn't know any better, she would say her heart shook just by the sound of when he approached her.

'It's because you're guilty of breaking and entering.'

The logical and most malicious side of her brain sneered at her, yes, if only she had followed logic, she wouldn't be in this mess!

'Curse your ability to sway me, Eve! I should've just eaten those cursed Castanea and never come here! I-"

"Oh my god, stop thinking so much, it's giving me a headache!"

Follia snapped back into reality from her cursing, just in time to see Satan stop tapping his finger against the table to pinch the space betwixt his eyes, in a tired disdain.

Ironically, as Follia attempted to choose only the prettiest words to explain her presence, she had forgotten someone could hear her unfiltered thoughts, which flooded out like a storm drain just now.

'Dear mother of-'

"Look. I guess I understand enough why you're here; your reasoning is far from sound, but who am I to judge? You can go now."

Honestly, seeing her in his domain surprised him, he never expected her to suddenly materialize in his living room. He didn't even hear the battle within herself, deciding if she should enter or not.

He could blame Guiliano Carmignola for that.

"Y- yes. I should definitely leave."

A smile was present on her face, but her eyes danced, trying to avoid eye contact. She convinced herself that what she was feeling was the guilt of being a perpetrator.

"You should take these, even if they're cold now."

She slid the paper bag across the table towards him, "Bye now."

Trying to save herself from further embarrassment, Follia pushed back her chair, grabbed her things, and raced from whence she came.

He watched as she turned around and fled, leaving as abruptly as she arrived.

The bag was moistened from cooled steam, leaving the gift she toiled so hard to deliver in his mind, inedible.

***

Follia found herself back in her basement, which now surprisingly felt less electric and more suffocating. Her heart was still beating in her throat, and as she tried to swallow the feeling she couldn't understand, she found herself looking back, something stung in her marrow.

"Why did I do something so foolish?"

Follia began her hike back upstairs. She never really paid attention to her living quarters before. She didn't see the point, one day she would leave when she got bored, and go somewhere else. There was no point in doing what 'normal homeowners' did. Painting the walls, installing lights, and choosing drapery, it was all a waste of energy and money. Money she could be spending on food.

She often remembered feeling cold, needles stinging the inside of her stomach, and strong wild resentment. Towards who?

She couldn't remember, but every time she felt this way she found herself looking for the nearest thing to quiet them, ten times out of ten that was always food.

Also, she was never talented when it came to homemaking, anyway. The only thing she brought to a new house was her extensive collection of useless tools, which she admittedly had become slightly attached to.

So why was she now surveying her house, searching for any semblance of warmth and consideration in every crack in these forsaken walls?

"I really have become a fool."

Follia finished the forlorn tour of her house and made her way to bed.

The mattress sank as she crawled in, what was this confused feeling in her chest?

Was it envy?

It was typical for creatures to envy Satan, she rationalized.

Whether it be beauty, money, or power he had it all, but to be perfectly narcissistic, Follia felt she didn't lack the two important components.

Was it power? The ability to control one's life?

Was it the fact that he alone knew the details of their contract?

Now that she thought about it, she came down to that cursed place to entice him into telling her.

Follia sat up as straight as she could on her flabby mattress.

'Satan. Give me my chestnuts back!'

***