Persephone the Phony (Goddess Girls) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Joan Holub
Tags: Fiction, General, Social Science, Children's Books, Juvenile Fiction, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Social Issues, Children: Grades 4-6, Girls & Women, Friendship, School & Education, Folklore & Mythology, Schools, Legends; Myths; Fables, Social Issues - Friendship, Legends; Myths; & Fables - Greek & Roman, Mythology; Greek, Greek & Roman, Goddesses; Greek, Hades (Greek deity), Persephone (Greek deity)
her seat. He obviously didn't have a clue about the problems she had to deal with!
Later, as she stood in line for lunch, she looked nervously around for Hades. Fortunately, she didn't see him. Come to think of it, though, she'd never seen him in the cafeteria. He must eat lunch somewhere else--probably by himself, since he didn't seem to have any friends. The thought made her feel a bit guilty for avoiding him, but what else could she do?
Persephone accepted her steaming bowl of nectaroni and cheese from the eight-armed lunch lady. Then she headed for her three friends at their usual table. They were talking animatedly until she drew near. Then they exchanged glances and fell silent. Her
55
friends must have been talking about he r! It kind of hurt her feelings.
"So how is everyone today?" she asked in a fake, sunny voice as she sat down.
"Good, thanks," said Aphrodite.
Artemis and Athena nodded. "And how are yo u?" asked Artemis.
"Fabulous," Persephone said brightly. "Couldn't be better." They all looked relieved. No one seemed to notice the false note in her voice.
Athena was eyeing Persephone's bowl. "Would you mind trading?" she asked. "The nectaroni and cheese was gone when I went through the line. I'm not that fond of ambrosia chowder."
Neither was Persephone, but she let Athena trade with her anyway. As she dipped her spoon into the
56
too-sweet chowder, she thought sadly that things had returned to normal. Once again she was going along to get along. Once again she'd slipped into being PersePHONY.
Athena began to talk about something funny that had happened in her second-period class involving Pandora and a two-headed godboy, but Persephone tuned out. Her thoughts returned to the cemetery, with its grand stone monuments and its peaceful air. Was it really only two days ago that she'd first discovered the place? She smiled to herself, remembering how startled she'd been when Hades emerged from below the earth on the back of his great black stallion. But of course, he'd been startled to see her, too.
Later, when the lyrebell sounded the end of the
57
lunch period, Aphrodite turned to her. "Any after-school plans today?" she asked lightly. "Want to go shopping again?"
Oh, no ! thought Persephone. Shopping again ? But, much as she disliked the idea, she really didn't have any other plans. She was about to go along as usual when she noticed that all three of her friends were looking at her intently, waiting for her answer.
They're worried that if I say no, I'll go see Hades again instead ! she realized. Anger burned inside her. She felt like she'd swallowed a lit coal. How dar e they try to control her life! Why, they were as bad as her mom. "No, thanks," she said crisply. "I have something else to do." Her friends could think what they wanted!
Rising abruptly, she left the table, hurrying away
58
before anyone could ask what her plans were. Truth was, she didn't even know herself. As she marched out of the cafeteria and down the hall to her next class, Persephone smiled to herself. This time it was a genuin e smile. It was amazing how good her tiny act of rebellion had made her feel.
59
Pomegranate Seeds
BY THE TIME THE SCHOOL DAY WAS OVER, Persephone knew what she wanted to do. She would visit the cemetery again. Holding on to an image of a dove in her mind, she felt her arms turn to wings and her body grow lighter. When the change was complete, she fluttered toward Earth. Just before she reached the cemetery, she came upon a pomegranate orchard.
60
Unable to resist the sweet fruit, she changed back to her goddess form and picked the biggest, juiciest pomegranate she could find. Then, cupping her prize in both hands, she walked the rest of the way to the cemetery.
Persephone looked around for Hades, but he wasn't there. Unsure whether she should feel disappointed or relieved, she split open the pomegranate against a gravestone and settled onto the grass to enjoy her favorite fruit.
It was nice
Later, as she stood in line for lunch, she looked nervously around for Hades. Fortunately, she didn't see him. Come to think of it, though, she'd never seen him in the cafeteria. He must eat lunch somewhere else--probably by himself, since he didn't seem to have any friends. The thought made her feel a bit guilty for avoiding him, but what else could she do?
Persephone accepted her steaming bowl of nectaroni and cheese from the eight-armed lunch lady. Then she headed for her three friends at their usual table. They were talking animatedly until she drew near. Then they exchanged glances and fell silent. Her
55
friends must have been talking about he r! It kind of hurt her feelings.
"So how is everyone today?" she asked in a fake, sunny voice as she sat down.
"Good, thanks," said Aphrodite.
Artemis and Athena nodded. "And how are yo u?" asked Artemis.
"Fabulous," Persephone said brightly. "Couldn't be better." They all looked relieved. No one seemed to notice the false note in her voice.
Athena was eyeing Persephone's bowl. "Would you mind trading?" she asked. "The nectaroni and cheese was gone when I went through the line. I'm not that fond of ambrosia chowder."
Neither was Persephone, but she let Athena trade with her anyway. As she dipped her spoon into the
56
too-sweet chowder, she thought sadly that things had returned to normal. Once again she was going along to get along. Once again she'd slipped into being PersePHONY.
Athena began to talk about something funny that had happened in her second-period class involving Pandora and a two-headed godboy, but Persephone tuned out. Her thoughts returned to the cemetery, with its grand stone monuments and its peaceful air. Was it really only two days ago that she'd first discovered the place? She smiled to herself, remembering how startled she'd been when Hades emerged from below the earth on the back of his great black stallion. But of course, he'd been startled to see her, too.
Later, when the lyrebell sounded the end of the
57
lunch period, Aphrodite turned to her. "Any after-school plans today?" she asked lightly. "Want to go shopping again?"
Oh, no ! thought Persephone. Shopping again ? But, much as she disliked the idea, she really didn't have any other plans. She was about to go along as usual when she noticed that all three of her friends were looking at her intently, waiting for her answer.
They're worried that if I say no, I'll go see Hades again instead ! she realized. Anger burned inside her. She felt like she'd swallowed a lit coal. How dar e they try to control her life! Why, they were as bad as her mom. "No, thanks," she said crisply. "I have something else to do." Her friends could think what they wanted!
Rising abruptly, she left the table, hurrying away
58
before anyone could ask what her plans were. Truth was, she didn't even know herself. As she marched out of the cafeteria and down the hall to her next class, Persephone smiled to herself. This time it was a genuin e smile. It was amazing how good her tiny act of rebellion had made her feel.
59
Pomegranate Seeds
BY THE TIME THE SCHOOL DAY WAS OVER, Persephone knew what she wanted to do. She would visit the cemetery again. Holding on to an image of a dove in her mind, she felt her arms turn to wings and her body grow lighter. When the change was complete, she fluttered toward Earth. Just before she reached the cemetery, she came upon a pomegranate orchard.
60
Unable to resist the sweet fruit, she changed back to her goddess form and picked the biggest, juiciest pomegranate she could find. Then, cupping her prize in both hands, she walked the rest of the way to the cemetery.
Persephone looked around for Hades, but he wasn't there. Unsure whether she should feel disappointed or relieved, she split open the pomegranate against a gravestone and settled onto the grass to enjoy her favorite fruit.
It was nice
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