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over the past few years, demons squinted at nihilmyths and angels -- envy reeking off of them like a sour smell. they wanted power back, like they had when only angels and demons ruled alongside the gods… they wanted to take over, and they soon realized that doing so was fully in their power.
war was proclaimed, and hell broke loose on Neverworld.
the ringing of lily’s phone caused her to jump up from the bed she was laying on. She scrambled to the noise, picking up the cold device. ice churned in her gut and the air seemed to thin -- this was what she was waiting for, a single phone call that could seal the fate of her best friend’s life.
it’s hard to believe the war only started a few months ago, lily thought, waiting for the static at the other end of the line to clear up.
she closed her eyes for a second, mumbling a short prayer.
a voice cut out from the phone.
“he- hello? are- th-”
“Kampi?” lily asked, sitting up straighter, torn between a swell of hope and the impending truth in her throat. “the -- the line is cutting out.”
“oh -- sor- is it bet -- er now?”
“yeah, it’s fine now, i think. uh -- hi.”
“Hi!”
kampi’s voice came through much clearer, washing over lily’s consciousness like a gentle wave of seafoam. she’s here. she’s okay.
they both spoke at the same time; “i should-” -- “So what’s-” before pausing. Lily continued after a beat of silence from either -- awkwardness as such wasn’t common from the two of them, especially not from the six year friendship they shared.
“...so what’s your… status. from…”
“the government?” kampi picked up. “... i, um. well, they still haven’t raised the age of entry… to eighteen. yet. and they’re still… in the height of recruitment.”
and of course, what was a war without soldiers?
“i’m -- i leave on sunday. number 9643.”
lily sat there, the tension in her body melting away to numbness. shock. fear. a little part of her had known this would happen, but after shock is denial regardless.
“oh.”
it simultaneously felt as if a million thoughts and words were crowding around lily’s head, yet she couldnt recall a single one. she could hardly acknowledge them.
“...i’m sorry.”
“don’t say that,” Kampi tried to reassure her. “i mean -- i want this. they’re promising to pay me, enough to support the farm. i- we- my dad and i arent enough to keep the whole thing up. i can’t lose it.”
Lily’s brows furrowed. “you’re doing this for the farm...?”
“...I guess that’s better than being forced into it.”
Kampi laughed anxiously. “...yeah. it is. i just… i won’t know what’s going to happen. what i’ll have to do or face.”
her throat closed up.
“i’m just, i’m so scared, lily.”
“i know. i am too.”
“...i was meaning to ask about that as well,” Kampi weaved around the conversation about herself, “what’s your mom saying about your recruitment?”
“...she’s still trying to get me in. technically they need my consent, but --” she trailed off.
“...but?”
“i wouldn’t put it past her to lie on my fucking documents.”
it had happened before, it would surely happen again. the homeschooling forms, the state check-ins, the permissions as a legal citizen…
“it doesn’t help that she wants the service money more than she wants me around the house.”
“i know. i’m sorry.”
lily flopped backwards onto her bed, the space-themed bed sheets billowing up and animating the stars as if they were alive. “don’t you say that either, there’s nothing we can do. i’m just... so pissed. what the hell did i do to deserve a mother like her?”
kampi sighed -- in a loud, dramatic-while-somehow-also-being-understanding tone, “fate plays their pieces cruelly. we just fall into the footsteps of their moves.”
“wow,” lily snickered tiredly, “that was a banger one-liner.”
“i know, right?”
static bled over both ends for a moment, both still reeling over their former conversation. “i think i should go now,” she mumbled.
“o-okay. see you -- well, no, i guess i… won’t. stay in touch.”
lily got up from the bed, moving to put the phone back down where she’d gotten it.
“please.”
the device clicked on its base and the line went flat.