"I'm not actually mad," you continue, like nothing was said. "Do you need help up? I'm all strong now. I could probably just pick you up."

"...I-I-I think I'm alright." Gil rolls himself onto his back, flopping one arm over his forehead. He squints up at you. "Horns too, huh."

"Huh? Oh." You guess you were bending your head to look at him. "They don't do anything. I don't think they're even good for headbutts."

"Aw, geez. No headbutts?" He raises his eyebrows. "I-I-I-I won't ask to touch."

"It'd be okay if you did. I can't feel very well with them. I think they're pretty much just bones?"

"Spooky. Have you... I-I-I don't know, maybe this is dumb... have you thought about how you're going to explain this to everybody? You vanish for a few weeks, and you come back with a... with all that. Not that I-I-I think you'd be kicked outta camp or anything, but it'd be a lot of questions. A lot of questions."

"Half of them know I'm God already." Thanks, Ellery. "But the other half doesn't... and I couldn't exactly go into town or anything. But it's fine! Because I don't have a tail."

"Huh? Yes you..." You turn sideways, and Gil's mouth opens. He props himself up on his hands. "...What the fuck?"

"Do you have a problem?" you say smugly.

His eyes are pingponging all around your tail-region. "I-I-I know it's there, Lottie. I-I-It's literally right there."

"What's right there?"

In response, he lunges and makes contact. "Yeah!" he says, relieved. "Goddamn, that's— that's creepy as shit. I can still look at the horns, though."

"Oh. Okay, I don't have those either. Woosh."

Gil drops your tail and squints up. "Yeah. That'll work."

"Yes!" You pump your fist. "Let me tell you, Gilbert, being God has perks! Are you jealous?"

"Me? Um, no."

Ugh! Wrong answer. You thought he'd know better by now. "Not even a little? I think I'm probably going to be able to woosh— I'm saying that now. Woosh. For magyck things. I'll be able to woosh you into being human again. I mean, real, and fleshy, and stuff. Really soon."

"...You don't need to do that."

"Yes I do! It wouldn't even be hard, I bet. And what's the point of it all if I can't help? It's #2 on my list, I think. Bringing my father back is #1, sorry. Um. Okay, maybe you're #3, because my mother... but the point is, you're high on the list! And I'm sure I'll have plenty of time. So watch out! Soon!"

"Soon," Gil echoes. "What if you forget the list?"

"What? I won't forget—"

"What if you're not Lottie any longer? I-I-I'm sorry, I just... it's been months, and... I know I can't stop anything, and I shouldn't, and... I-I-I just don't— I've talked to Teddy about it, and he thinks— he thinks it's going to be really, really hard. To survive the Wyrm. Even if you've been training. Even i-i-if you have a— a tail, I guess. It'll be really hard, and— you probably won't— even if you win— will you be Lottie? I-i-in the very end? Or will you be—"

(2/5)