Aphrodite saved through Zumba? Heracles undercover in the Underworld? Elle summoned back to midwifery? All of the above this week in “Beyond Big-G City”!
Week Sixteen:
October 17th through 23rd, 2025
Unable to shake her worry about Aphrodite’s alcoholic demise, Hera calls a meeting with the Goddess of Love on Friday, October 17. She shares a recent insight with drunk and disheveled Aphrodite, related to a long-ago beauty competition between the two of them and Athena: the Trojan War era Judgment of Paris! The mortal Paris chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess. The two of them have been competitors instead of allies ever since because of a situation someone else (Hermes) tricked them into. In short, they’ve been used!
Galvanized by a sudden need for revenge against anyone and everyone who has made fools of them, Aphrodite suggests flaying the skins off their enemies! Hera suggests the best revenge is in living well. She presents Aphrodite with a hot pink gym bag that matches her own red one, and announces they will start their revenge with a Zumba class.
That evening in the Underworld, Heracles catches a ride with boatman Charon over the River Styx. He visits the triple-headed hellhound guardian of the gate, Cerberus, a pleasant side-activity to subbing for Hermes as escort to the backlog of the Newly Dead. Heracles has been bringing the dog treats and teaching him how to shake. Curious about alleged Underworld gate crashers, he’s also been poking around in that world like a tourist- -against regulations- -and has discovered alternate entries to Hades’ kingdom that could prove handy one day…
From her beloved mortal world posting in the War Against Hunger, Apollo summons Elle back to Mount Olympus as Goddess of Childbirth. Thursday, October 23 she consults with him regarding his patient, Monique. When Elle performs a physical examination of the expectant mother the baby’s heartbeat is present but won’t localize in the swirling diaspora of muscle and blood. A chill runs through her, reminiscent of how it felt when she was treating Veronica, temporarily struck blind by the ancient, evil force known as The Power [see Book Two, “Big-G City”].
In a private meeting Apollo implores Elle to convince Monique of the seriousness of the situation. If she can persuade Monique to reveal the identity of the father, they can then determine the best path of maternal care.
Elle’s heart cries out for her mortal world humanitarian work, but, called upon by Apollo to assist with a pregnancy, she is bound to obey.
Hera and Aphrodite breaking a sweat? Heracles teaching an immortal hellhound new tricks? Elle delivering a demon?
Crazy times abound in “Beyond Big-G City”! What happens next resides here:
https://www.susandmatley.com/beyond-big-g-city/
