Fire and Ice

Chapter 1

The hustle and bustle of the streets of New York had a way of making me feel small and insignificant. I could blend into the crowds and hide away from the world I ran away from. My bright white hair which usually draws attention was now ignored as it wasn't the oddest thing here. It's the reason I chose New York as my new temporary destination. I wanted to be alone, with no friends, no relationships, and no one from my past. 

I have hurt those I love and ran away from the rest unable to face them. I am not the goddess I was before. I used to be fierce, confident, and a great goddess overall. These days I have abandoned my duties, become unsure of myself, and lost trust in my abilities.

As I walked down the crowded streets, I felt a sense of unease wash over me. I could feel eyes following my every move, and I knew the possibility of it being a monster getting ready to attack was high. I tried to keep my head down and walk faster, as I was in no shape to fight. I continued to feel the sense of being followed. My heart was racing, I needed to get out of here. The only part of my past I could not hide from was the monsters. They could sense me from a mile away, smell my divine blood.

Suddenly, I crashed into a man, and I stumbled to the ground. I looked up to see a tall stranger with deep brown velvety eyes, broad shoulders, and a kind smile. However, Like the monsters, I too could sense when someone has divine blood.

"Halfblood" I mumbled annoyed that I ran into a demigod out of all the mortals on this sidewalk. Despite my clear annoyance, the demigod was still friendly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding his hand out to help me up

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I could trust him. But something in his eyes made me feel safe, and I took his hand.

"Thank you" I muttered looking around us now fully aware the sense of being followed had gone away. The stranger smiled and introduced himself as Derek.

"Sorry for running into you but I must really be going now," I told him before he could continue any further. Without waiting for his reply, I quickly went around him and continued on my journey towards the coffee house I visit every morning.

Despite the weird occurrence of being followed and running into a demigod today, I still decided to continue with my routine. With my iced coffee, I went to Central Park where I sat on my favorite bench for the rest of the morning and enjoyed the little amount of nature New York has to offer. During my time at the park, I tend to observe the mortals going about their day. I have always been fascinated by their simplicity and their resilience. They had no idea of the power that existed just beyond their reach, and yet, they managed to find happiness in their mundane lives.

The morning came to an end as the temperatures began to rise, the sun at its peak glaring down at me. I used to hate summer and how hot it would get but now I welcome it with open arms. Even though I feel like I'm melting, the heat rays tend to help keep my powers at bay. But there were times like now when my abilities threatened to cool things down.

I could feel the chill flow through my veins making me remember my tragic past. When my powers first lost control. The memory playing in my mind only made the feeling worse. The chill turned into freezing and my fingers began to tingle. My breath could now be seen with tiny snowflakes floating out despite the warm weather.

If I don't act quickly, I could hurt someone or worse turn Central Park into a winter wonderland in the middle of May. In a panic, I gathered my things and made a run for it.

As I ran through the park, I tried to calm myself down. I have been in situations like this before, but it never gets any easier. I needed to find a remote area where I could be alone and try to get my powers under control.