Chapter 2 – Cigarettes and rebellion

Contrary to Godfrey’s expectations, however, the Small Pixie Woman did not leave the following day. In fact, she was still there at the end of the week and showed no signs of leaving. The friendly little voice at the back of Godfrey’s mind grew impatient. It no longer sounded so pleasant. In fact, its constant reminders of tobacco started to taunt him. Godfrey began to feel murderous.

“Go – just go!” he hissed at the Small Pixie Woman after a smokeless fortnight had passed.

She stared up at him, her big green eyes slowly growing wider and wider.

Godfrey felt slightly embarrassed. Perhaps this was not the correct way for a Cult Leader to address his disciples. He drew himself up, stared impressively at the ceiling and added:

“The Cult has diminished in its power and glory. I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air. Things that should have been tended to have been cast aside and forgotten. The members have deserted the Cause. There is no going back. This is the End. You must go forth and multiply – there is nothing for you here. The Godfrey Simmons Cult is no more.”

The Small Pixie Woman’s face cleared. She beamed and nodded vigorously. “Mmmm!” she said. “Yes, that’s what came to This One’s mind! Only this morning, One found Oneself thinking to Oneself. And then, you know, One heard One saying to Oneself. You know, Godfrey, the being River Boy that thinks of itself as a male has left and Cloud Berry who is a girl has left and all the other bodies that were here have left. And only a fortnight ago, Fiona left and it came to mind, Godfrey, that mebbe...” Her smile became broader than ever. “Mebbe – it came to mind – One thought that perhaps the Cult was breaking up, Godfrey! Do you think this might be so, Godfrey?”

She stared earnestly up at him, her small, round face shining like a moon.

He clenched his jaw, baring yellow nicotine stained teeth. “I just told you!” he hissed down at her. “The Cult is no more!”

She nodded fervently. “Mmmm! Yes, that’s what came to This One’s mind! One thought that perhaps destiny... that, you know, it was preordained that This One should become leader of the Cult! One thought it over, Godfrey and, you know, One heard Oneself saying to Oneself that it seemed – it seemed far more appropriate that, you know, that a Woman should be leader of the Group. In fact, One said to Oneself...”

Godfrey’s heart began to beat very fast and a vein flickered dangerously beneath the yellowish skin on his forehead.

“Look!” he said and his voice shook slightly with suppressed apoplexy. “Look, I – I don’t-want-to-talk-about-it! I’m the Leader of the Cult and I say it’s no more! I have spoken!”

“Mmmm! But when a being that thinks of itself as a man shirks his duty – then a Woman must take its place! One thinks that mebbe it was preordained that this should be, Godfrey!” She drew her small frame up gravely. “This One will be Leader of the Group! This One accepts the responsibility. It has been preordained that This One should be Leader. One thinks that mebbe…you should go forth and multiply, Godfrey! After all, this is what beings that think of themselves as male usually do in the natural world, Godfrey. Mmmm! This One has spoken.”

Godfrey's pale blue eyes began to flicker dangerously from side to side. His gnarled fists clenched at his side. Hatred surged through his veins. But he went into his study and slammed the door. The Irish massacre could wait...for now.