Riddley's Nightmare - Chapter 11

Riddley tries too cope with it all.

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Riddley, bored after a long day at school, decides to treat himself to a can of soda from the canteen and takes a leisurely walk in the nearby park. He greets some friends with a fist bump, promising to see them again tomorrow.

Declining an invitation from one friend to join him, Riddley walked off, craving some time alone.

As he turned the corner to enter the park, Riddley was greeted by the joyful sounds of children playing tag. The shrieks and laughter filled the air around him, reminding him of a simpler time.

Despite living in a world full of chaos, these kids seemed to have no trouble coping with the dire situation at hand. He admired their resilience and ability to find joy in even the darkest of times.

Their brains failed to comprehend the fact that the world was no longer functioning as it once did, that the bottle of the hierarchy of it was shaken like a cocktail until a bratty teenage girl with the powers of a Goddess spritzed out of it, ready to take her place as its uncontested ruler.

Riddley took a seat at a bench near a pond where a group of ducks were fighting and quacking at each other for a few pieces of moldy bread thrown by an old lady with a hunchback.

As he looked out into the distance, Riddley could make out the downtown area, with its tall buildings towering above a line of trees. Amidst the urban landscape, he caught a glimpse of a grand statue being constructed, enclosed by scaffolding to ensure safety and stability for those working on it. The statue was still far from completion, but the plan was for it to stand even taller than the tallest skyscraper in their city.

One of Riddley's friend's uncles, a metalworker, is involved in constructing and installing bronze plates. This is the largest project he has ever been a part of, and he would probably be proud to work on something so grand under any other circumstances.

As Riddley contemplated the reason behind funneling all of the city's tax money into this project, he shook his head in disgust. It was disheartening to think that these funds, along with valuable time and human resources, could have been used for more worthwhile endeavors. Instead, they were being wasted on a project aimed at boosting the ego of an egotistical teenage tyrant whose demands could not be ignored.

Riddley's mind still held onto the memory of that evening when Stephie, known as Your Divineness, made a grand entrance on national television. Her youthful face was adorned with a haughty smirk as she appeared during a breaking news program to make an important announcement. Everyone held their breath, knowing full well that her words would shake the world.

To honor their ruler, Lindsy–the loud-mouthed high school brat who had basically become God and held the universe in the palm of her hand–each grand city in the country was ordered to construct a majestic statue in her likeness.

This extravagant display was an effort by Stephie to gain favor with her mistress and potentially receive a power boost that would allow her to ascend to goddesshood as well.

A chill of dread crept up Riddley's spine as he contemplated the possibility of not one but two teenage goddesses possessing unimaginable powers wreaking havoc on their planet and its helpless inhabitants for their amusement.

The realization of such powerlessness sent a chill down his spine.

The gravity of the situation could not be denied.

Stephie, with her immense power, could wipe out entire countries with a single glance.

Her rule was absolute, as she had announced on live television that evening. The task at hand was clear: each city had a mere eight months to create the most magnificent statue imaginable. It didn't have to be the tallest, but it must capture the true essence and likeness of Lindsy, the Goddess herself.

An independent panel of judges shall be appointed by Stephie to award points, and on the designated day, the three cities with the lowest score will be completely eradicated.

This meant that individuals were essentially competing for survival—not just their own but also that of their loved ones—by trying to avoid having their statue placed at the bottom of the point board.

"How you've been holding up?"

Caught off guard by the sudden sound of his sister's voice, Riddley turned to see her standing behind him. Despite being a goddess, Lindsy didn't exactly look the part at the moment.

True, she was exceptionally beautiful, but she still looked like the brat Riddley used to know—dressed in dungarees, a pair of worn sneakers, and a ponytail with stray strands of hair framing her face.

It was an incomprehensible thought that this girl—who looked like she was about to hang out with her friends at the local mall, giggling at cute boys and scoring a milkshake—was now basically God.

It was pretty crowded in the park, and Riddley found it odd that no one seemed to recognize her despite the fact that her countenance had been a hot topic on the news these last months.

Riddley stood up from the bench, facing his sister. Her attention seemed to be absorbed by the quacking ducks on the pond, which were reacting to a barking dog near the pond.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

Lindsy shrugged. "I guess I was curious to see what Stephie is doing with her gift. I heard some things, though." Lindsy's eyes squinted as she looked at the downtown area where a statue was being erected in the distance.

"It was better when it was only you." He said.

Lindsy's gaze met his with a hint of suspicion. "Are you forgetting that I made you obliterate an entire city? Oh wait, you had to choose three more cities, right? As punishment for slapping me in the face."

Riddley shook his head. "Stephie made me watch as she destroyed six cities even."

Lindsy's eyes widened. "Six? Why six?"

"Three because I slapped you in the face. Two because of some insolence behavior in the eyes of Stephie and one more because she found six a better number than five."

Lindsy shook her head while glancing at the flock of ducks. She saw some of them taking flight, flapping their wings with loud claps, and the same dog from before jumped into the water to chase them. "This is the last time you will see me here, dear brother."

Confusion crossed Riddley's face. "What, you're going to live on some planet where everything is perfect on the other side of the galaxy far beyond humanity's reach?"

Lindsy shook her head. "I have found something."

            "Like what?"

Lindsy turned her head, facing Riddley. "I have found bliss."

"Bliss?" Riddley said, amused.

"Yes, bliss. It's a state if you can call it a state, beyond comparison - neither nothing nor something can measure up to it. It's actually the source of both. Perhaps you and everyone else might join me there someday, when you die – if you happen to live a good life, that is, of course." Lindsy winked. "But don't worry though. I will leave a parting gift for you all."

Riddley let out a derisive snort. "You did that already, by creating an unstoppable and incomprehensible force we have to deal with - Stephie."

"Yes, and isn't that wonderful?" Lindsy replied, grinning mischievously. "But what if I add one more element to this mixture?"

Riddley eyed his sister warily. "What are you planning?"

Lindsy leaned in close to her brother, her voice barely audible as she whispered in his ear. "I'll give Dunya superpowers too. And not just that - I'll make her slightly more powerful than Stephie, but also ensure she has less confidence. It should make things more interesting."

"Seems like a recipe for disaster with catastrophic consequences. You can't do that, sis, especially after what you've already done to this planet and its people." Riddley said.

Lindsy casually shrugged her shoulders. "I can do whatever I want. Plus, a girl needs some excitement every now and then."

Riddley lifted his head as his sister moved closer to him.

He instinctively flinched, thinking she was going to hurt him. But then he relaxed when he saw her arms reaching out for a hug. She wrapped herself around him, and he couldn't help but lean into the warmth of her body. "You were right," she whispered in his ear, "I do care about you." He looked at her with surprise, noticing a gentle smile on her face that he had never seen before. Usually, his little sister would give him looks of disgust and hatred.

As he opened his mouth to speak, he realized that Lindsy had vanished into thin air. His arms grasped at empty space as he pulled them back. "Lindsy?" He scanned the area, hoping to see her still standing nearby. But she was nowhere to be found.

If her words were true, Riddley feared the worst. For some time, Stephie had been the unquestionable ruler of the planet, degrading Dunya to a mere subject and humiliating her, knowing she was powerless to do anything about it.

Only time will tell how things will unfold when Dunya realizes that she also has superpowers and is even slightly stronger than Stephie.