THE WEAVE:

Lilith Facetimes with Venus…

"Love, I found a goal!"
Lilith exclaims.

"OK, that's great honey,
what is it?" Venus encourages.

"I will be better than Orpheus
and just, not look back."

"OK..." Venus trails.

"Instead, I'm going to be
a remorseless sociopath,
like the narcissists
who created me," she says
still brandishing the flaming
cross, from Lucifer's grave.

"Lilith, no, sweetie,"
coos Venus.

"Too far?" Lilith asks.

"Yes, babe." Venus calls back,
"But I think this whole thing
where you don't look back
is great.  Just, you know,
don't become your abuser,
or a dictatorship."

"Yeah, yeah, I know,"
Lilith says, drowning
Lucy's grave-marker, in a tub.

"What are you going to do
with that?" Venus says,
pointing at the Now smoking
cross, and scrunching her nose.

"Maybe use it to like,
stab vampires in the Heart?"
Lilith says, feigning jabs.

"Lilith, no sweetie,"
Venus looks disappointed.

"But that's what crosses are for!"
Lilith stomps her feet.

"Why are you like this?"
Venus questions, exasperated.

"THIS IS HOW SOCIETY MADE ME!!"
Lilith tilts her head back,
screaming to the Heavens.

"Why don't you carve it into
wooden mala beads, or something?"
Venus proposes.

"That is the worst idea
you have ever had, Venus,"
Lilith says, matter of fact.

Venus rolls her eyes, "Fine,
mail the cross to me,
I'll do it."