The Writings: The Feast of St. Zig

So, speaking of meat posts, I haven't posted any actual writing in a while. Now that I've finished my NaNo, I'm a little at a loss for what to post that isn't what I'm working on currently. Asylum just isn't ready to come out yet, and I don't want to rush it.

On the plus side, Cait and I have this lovely little writing process called "Outtakes" where we write something in universe but unrelated to any of the current story lines. Sometimes its cannon, sometimes it's mostly cannon, and sometimes it's completely off the wall. This one is a brief look into Zig's everyday life, for curiosities sake.

Zig liked to use the downtime during the new moon to take stock of the Underground. He was sure some new age hippie type would tell him it was cause the energy vibes were right or whatever, but honestly, it was just easier to make himself do it when he knew there was no other work to be done that day.

He'd start by making a list of every major chore, and assigning it to various Spiders to complete by the end of the month. Then he'd take a look at the past month's list and see what was left to be done. Depending on what it was and who it was assigned to, he'd either raise some hell, or just go take it on himself.

Delegation complete, he'd start in on the chores he never trusted anyone else to do. Tripp would handle all the store crap, making sure inks and other supplies were ordered, doing inventory and paying whatever bills they actually had, which were few. He always handled the shop finances and basic ops, leaving Zig free to tend to the house.

He'd make a grocery list, clean out the fridge, make a plan of frozen meals to cook over the next few days and set his kitchen to rights in general. Then he'd fire up the monstrous ten passenger van and go shopping, usually with Delphi, who liked to feel useful and who seldom had a chance to get out of the Underground. Sometimes Zig wondered if that much magic was bad for the girl, but honestly, she was messed up enough as it was, what was a little fey crap on top of it?

Shopping complete, they'd almost always stop for an ice cream cone, or a donut, or something, anything. Zig liked to indulge, especially when it meant spoiling someone he cared about.

Groceries done, he'd put everything away, harrass anyone who still had chores left undone, then start on some meal stuffs. Spiders would wander in and out as he cooked, eating portions that struck their fancy before Zig could freeze them. Jack said it always felt like a holiday, going so far as to name it the Feast of St. Zig, patron of starving orphans and busty ladies. He usually got whacked with a spoon.

After cooking came a movie, or family game night, or whatever ridiculous thing the Spiders already had in progress by the time Zig finished cleaning the kitchen. Then, once in bed, reading until sleep finally came.

Day two yielded a glorious breakfast and more serious cleaning for anyone not smart enough to take advantage of their days off and sleep elsewhere. Then more preemptive cooking, and almost always a trip to the dog park with Duke when Zig got restless. Delphi usually came along for that trip too, as well as Seven, who was surprisingly fond of frisbee. After that, another feast of St. Zig, another movie night, another night alone in bed reading quietly.

The third night was always the big luau, and the Spiders usually attended that, for the food, the fun and the dancing. More inclusive than the re-charge nights, it was a colorful mix of people and races from interesting places and the party atmosphere was hard to ignore, even deep in the Underground. Often, Zig would spend the night in the arms of some fey, or feys, or who knew what and how many.

And then “monday” would come and life would go back to its regularly schedules nonsense.