The Game

Hillsdale, the otherworldly home of the Gods, boasted lush green trees, vibrant flowers and the brightest sun. The mountains, waters and gardens inspired the creation of the most majestic scenery on Earth. The Goddess Maeve was particularly proud of her contributions to humanity, encouraging the people on Earth to cultivate beauty and promote harmonious connections. She took her appointment as the God of Human Heroes very seriously and spent a great deal of her time imparting her infinite wisdom on her children, Angelina and Dante. Maeve knew it was by divine design to have been blessed with twin offspring who would join her and turn her appointment into a familial endeavor when the children completed their training. Earth was in dire and growing need of heroic and selfless people and required a level of expertise Maeve could no longer sustain on her own. She loved humanity and vowed to preserve the good in their world. 

Angelina and Dante would be considered in their early teens had they not been born into their celestial roles. Humans grow with the passing of time, but Gods do not adhere to time, only experience. The twins had a long way to go before advancing to directly influencing humanity. Maeve was honored to be their mother, chosen to usher them into the most meaningful positions among the Gods. The twins were diligent in their studies, but as with all children, reveled in those rare moments when they could exercise free will away from the watchful eyes of their mother. Having a day to themselves was rare and coveted, much like a snow day for the children on Earth. 

One particularly glorious morning, Maeve greeted her son and daughter with a breakfast feast fit for the Gods and a bit of news the children thought they’d never hear. “Good morning my loves, please, sit and eat; I have something to discuss with you both.”

The children replied in unison with sweet voices rivaling those of Angels, “Good Morning Mother!” Angelina and Dante ate while listening to their beloved mother inform them of the emergency meeting of the Gods. She explained it was imperative she attend alone as they weren’t yet qualified to accompany her. 

“My darlings, I trust you will make the most of the time without me today. Please take care of one another and enjoy this beautiful day. I will return home as soon as I can, but this is a matter of the utmost importance regarding a detrimental imbalance on Earth. Upon my return this evening, we will discuss our newest charge, Sophia Wells. It is imperative we work together to ensure her acceptance into nursing school and eventually achieve her doctorate. Sophia is our latest human hero destined to save innumerable lives on Earth.”

The children agreed to occupy themselves with relevant and advantageous activities until she returned. Angelina hugged Maeve, “Work your magic, Mother. We will wait patiently for you to rejoin us and tell us more about dear Sophia.” Dante nodded in agreement and offered a sincere hug of his own. The twins watched as their mother ventured out into the Hillsdale community, gathering fellow Gods and neighbors as they made their way to the Holy Hall. 

“What should we do with our free day?” Dante asked his twin with a sly smile. 

“Well,” Angelina began, “I was thinking we could explore the attic in search of mother's old books. I’d love to learn more about the history of the Gods and their appointments.”

“But we aren’t supposed to go up there without our mother, you know that.”

“I do. However, I am extraordinarily curious as to why we must be chaperoned in our own home, aren’t you?”

Dante wrestled with his conscience. Angelina knew he could not resist her suggestions and would ultimately accompany her into the attic. Respectfully, she gave her brother a moment to conclude on his own volition even though she was certain he would agree. 

“Let’s go then.” he conceded meekly, following his sister as she enthusiastically bound up the staircase.

The attic was just as the twins imagined it to be, immaculate and well organized. There were tall wooden cases lining the walls brimming with books. Angelina squealed with delight as she selected a few peculiar titles to browse. She sat on an old rocking chair and cracked open the thickest book. “Oh, I’m in all my glory!” she announced. 

Dante ran his fingers lightly over the consecutive book spines as he strolled past the cases. “I wonder, what do you think could be in that trunk?” suddenly pointing under the eaves in the far corner of the room.

“Go and open it.” Angelina demanded, hardly noticing what had her brother intrigued. 

Dante knelt in front of the enormous trunk and pulled it forward. He carefully lifted the latch and raised the lid until it balanced itself on its hinges. The corner was dim, and Dante could not identify the contents simply by peering into it. He reached his hands inside and pulled out a wooden box, setting it on the floor. “Angelina! Come look.”

Angelina found herself authentically intrigued by her brother's find. She stacked her books aside her chair and joined Dante on the floor. “It looks like some kind of game.” 

Dante tugged at the lid, “It’s sealed!” he announced disappointedly. 

“Here, let me take a look.” Angelina slid the heavy wooden box toward her, “Oh, I see. Mother used her power to seal it. It seems as though she alone can release the lid, how terribly discouraging.”

Dante reached for the box. Unbeknownst to either sibling, the combination of their emerging powers would suffice in releasing the seal. For a fleeting second their hands made contact simultaneously breaking the magical seal and freeing the lid. “We did it!” Dante exclaimed. “Mother always says we are strongest together.”

The siblings enthusiastically unfolded the game board and inspected the game pieces stored under it. They discovered a pair of twelve-sided dice and a stack of directional cards to be read and followed. Almost instantly and to their surprise, a hologram of a young woman appeared on the “start” square. Just under the eerily translucent figure read the name, “Sophia Wells.”

Angelina gasped, “Oh, this is our newest charge; the woman mother mentioned during breakfast.”

Dante selected a card from the stack and read aloud. “If you want the lonely afternoons to end, it must be time to make a friend.”  Instantly, another hologram appeared. A young man smiled at Sophia and took her hand. 

“How lovely!” Angelina swooned. “My turn. She announced selecting another card and reading aloud, “His friends don’t think you’re awfully cool. You may want to join them and skip school.”  The holographic figures moved across the game board to the left of the start square. 

“Delightful!” Dante exclaimed. “Let’s read another.” He selected again ignoring the fact he was out of turn. “Your parents want to make a plan to celebrate your graduation. It’s not like you, but now you’re two and you don’t agree with their idea of infatuation.” Once again, the tiny illusions advanced farther to their left. 

“Did we just make her defy her parents?” Angelina inquired, suddenly feeling guilty.

“Did we?” Dante echoed.

“Maybe we should put the game back where we found it.” Angelina attempted to fold the board, but to no avail. As if the game had a lifeforce of its own, the board resisted and the cards shot forward, spreading themselves across the floor. The twins scrambled to collect them and place them back in the box, but each time they tried the cards escaped, encouraging the twins to continue to select and read. 

Dante selected the card nearest his right knee, “Hopefully this one will put her back to start. I fear we have accidentally changed her path in the game and possibly in life. Angelina, I’m feeling a bit sick.”

“It’s guilt and dread, I’m feeling it too. We need to tell Mother, immediately.”

Dante lifted his card and read, “Wasting time with friends is best, forget you have to take that test.”  Sophia’s image clung to the young man accompanying her as they swiftly advanced to the square just before the finish. 

“Look, there’s still hope Dante! She hasn’t crossed the line yet. Please, I beg you, do not read another card. We should wait downstairs for Mother, and pray she returns soon.” 

The celestial siblings clung to one another as they left the attic and settled in the kitchen to await their mother’s arrival. Mere seconds passed before they heard her soothing voice ring out, “Children, we have work to do!” 

Maeve knew instinctively her children had stumbled upon trouble in her absence. She was, after all, a God and a mom. “I’m concerned for Sophia. I wish you two had stopped after the first turn in the game. However, I believe if we work together, we can set this right.”

Dante lowered his eyes, “We were disobedient, can you forgive us?”

Maeve detected their remorse, “If we are being honest, I should have told you two why I didn’t want you poking around the attic. This is just as much my responsibility as yours. Now, enough dawdling, let’s go clean up that mess and save our Miss Sophia Wells.”

The children sat on either side of Maeve and watched closely as she manipulated the cards. “There is a way to reverse the unfortunate maneuvers the cards dictated for Sophia. However, the true Sophia on Earth must be open to the suggestions. Otherwise, she will continue on a path that very well may lead her into a future she was never meant to see.” 

Maeve selected a card and waved her right hand over its face. The printed letters scrambled, creating an alternate message. She handed the card to Angelina, “Go ahead darling, read it.”

With great apprehension Angelina took the card and raised it to eye level and read aloud, "Instinctively you know it’s true, this boy and his friends aren’t fit for you.” 

Much to their relief the luminous figures moved in a backward direction. They remained together but Angelina noticed the image of Sophia had let go of the young man's hand.

Maeve clapped her hands, “Miraculous! Let’s keep going, shall we?” The next card selected was given to Dante to read. His hands trembled and his voice cracked as attempted to once again redirect Sophia Wells. 

“Love and support from your family is paramount. They will know what’s best for you, more times than you can count.”  Dante was elated as Sophia’s friend dissolved into thin air leaving her to travel backward across the board alone. 

“Brilliant!” Maeve declared. “One more card should do it.” She selected one for herself hoping to end the game. “Your heart and soul; your astute mind all drive you to your destined objective. Although you may stumble and experience doubt, all you require is a new perspective.”

Resounding cheers filled the attic as the Sophia hologram returned to the start square and slowly dissipated, ending the game. Maeve folded the board and packed it away as her children collected the cards and returned them to the box. She closed the lid and magically resealed it before placing it back into the trunk. 

Angelina sat in the wooden chair next to the books she had selected earlier, “Mother?” 

“Yes, my darling?”

“If the game can cause such strife, why was it created in the first place?”

Maeve sat on the trunk and straightened her skirt. “That’s a very good question. You see, my friends and I constructed the game when we were as young as the two of you. We meant no harm, of course. The lot of us thought the game would prove to be a useful tool for navigating our human charges on their intended paths to become real life heroes. Our efforts were well intended and the concept quite earnest and thoughtful. However, upon presenting our game to the elders, we learned the most crucial of lessons. Our elders reminded us of free will and the game’s manipulation was much too powerful to preserve that very human right. I was tasked with sealing it indefinitely, with my power being the only force in any realm capable of opening it. Because you are essentially extensions of me, your combined power emulated my magic perfectly and broke the binds.”

“We are very sorry, Mother. We meant no harm.” Dante hung his head, still feeling as though he had been unforgivably disobedient. 

“Fret not my darlings, all is well for now. Together, we will continue to monitor our Miss Sophia Wells, ensuring her rightful and well-deserved place among human heroes on Earth.”