Emily and her mother Paula left the subway station and hurried down the sidewalk. “We’re running late,” Paula said, “so we’re going to have to take a shortcut down Small Gods.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “Oh! We get to see the semigods? That’s so cool!” She adjusted her dress, smoothing the fabric like she had seen her mother do before answering the door.
Paula shook her head. “I don’t want you talking to any of them. They’ll ask for cash or try to get us to run off and join their cult. So no stopping to watch miracles. Just keep walking, and don’t make eye contact.”
The girl sighed like she’d just been denied a pony. “Alright, fine. But when I’m older, I’m going to go out and watch all the miracle shows.”
“Semigods just want to take your money and tell you what to do. Don’t waste your time. When you’re older, you’ll learn how important it is to be independent and make your own decisions.”
Small Gods Road was a long, winding street with hotels on one side and restaurants on the other. The sidewalks were lined with minor deities attempting to convert the tourists and other passing pedestrians into new followers. Enough followers would give them the power they needed to be full-fledged gods. Until then, they were required to have signs displaying their names, domains, and busking permits.
Emily stared at the strange people as they walked past, while her mother kept her head down and did her best to avoid looking their way. Most of the semigods were fairly human-looking, but a few had animal features like antlers, tails, even fur and feathers.
“Curse your enemies, lady?” asked a horned man in a black robe. The sign identified him as Claudius, God of Vengeance. “Want your boss to never have a good parking spot? Want your ex to get dive-bombed by pigeons? I can make it happen! Minor inconveniences are free!”
Emily waved. “A boy in my class made fun of my pigtails. Can you make him go bald? His name is Bryon!”
“Shush,” Paula said. “Just ignore him.”
Claudius scowled and snapped his fingers.
Paula stumbled as the straps on her heels came undone. “Really? What a stupid waste of a miracle.” She bent down to refasten her shoes. As they continued on, she urged her daughter to move faster. “Let’s get away from this creep.”
“Behold new life!” a glowing woman announced. Esther, Goddess of Nature. As she spread her hands, a cloud of butterflies erupted from her palms.
Emily turned and stared. “Can you make fireflies? I could keep them in a jar on my bookshelf!”
“Honey, quiet,” Paula said, pulling her closer.
They passed three gods arguing over who got to take the sidewalk space in front of a coffee shop. They were yelling and cursing each other with various ailments and misfortunes. A small sign taped to a traffic cone said “Reserved For The God Of Harmony.”
A bearded man lounging in an armchair waved languidly, the sleeve of his bathrobe flapping. “The end is coming!” he called. “Not today, but I’ll totally get around to it next spring! By Halloween at the latest!” His sign read “Dave, God of Procrastination.”
Emily giggled. “Can you make the world end before Thursday so I don’t have to go to the dentist?”
Paula wagged her finger. “No talking to the semigods! They just want money and power. They’re not going to do what you want, so stop asking.”
“Sorry, Mom.” Emily huffed. She pulled away and crossed her arms, pouting. As they continued walking, she watched the other pedestrians. Most ignored the semigods, just like her mom. A few people tossed some coins to their favorite deity, but nobody stopped to watch.
At last, they made it to the hotel. The event was in a crowded ballroom on the first floor. They found their table and sat down just as the lights dimmed.
A row of lights came on, shining on a small stage. A woman in a white pantsuit stepped up and took the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, the man who will heal our nation, your next senator, John G. Hendrickson!” She gestured dramatically as a white-haired man joined her onstage.
The adoring crowd cheered.
