Author Games: A Heroes' Charge

Female Entries

Female 2: Adira Sullivan

Used automatic 12

Female 3: Saige Wilkinfyre

And they attacked. The beasts roared at us, harpies flapping their wings and the cyclops' single eye whirling around, finding its next target. Me.

I screamed as the giant creature- of which I would have thought was just a myth- came storming towards me, ready. And as it did so, I tried to remember what had gotten me into this situation.

***

Melody and I stood at the edge of the camp, staring around to see what was going on. I clutched her hand, squeezing tightly, remembering the dream that I had last night- no it wasn't a dream. So what exactly was it? I thought of my spontaneous meeting with my mother, whom I had only seen once or twice in my life. In my pocket, I could feel the coins that she had given me jingling around. Five coins. Five minutes of advice.

As I watched the quiet street, my thoughts wandered to why exactly was I hear. Why did I stand at the edge of the forest? Why did I feel so uneasy about this?

My heart gave a jump, hand reaching to the knife that was sheathed in my belt. A white van came rushing down the road, skidding to a stop in front of us. The vehicle looked suspicious, much like one that my father had told me to stay away from as a young girl. But soon after, a second car came speeding down, taking a halt behind the first.

I could feel my hand instinctively creeping toward the hilt of my dagger- which was almost always hanging from my belt loop- as the van doors slid open. But what came out was much to my- and apparently many others'- surprise.

The woman I had seen the previous night. She stepped out of the first car, her eye glinting as she caught a glance at me. I tried to press a smile back, but I could still feel the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach.

A younger woman appeared from the door of the second van. She looked about as young as Melody. Someone a few down from me breathed her name and I immediately recognized her; Artemis.

We all boarded the suspicious vans, some looking strong and others, like I, feeling weaker. And we were off.

***

A few hours later, we arrived in Charleston and the van pulled over to a famous fast food restaurant. The giant "M" shown boldly and I suddenly felt my stomach churning with hunger.

I was so relieved to finally get off the car that I staggered to the side, not very used to the ground after a long period of sitting. Melody jumped out beside me and followed me into the McDonald's. A few minutes the crowd of teens all flooded out of the restaurant holding a variety of milkshakes and Happy Meals.

Then, a sudden roar thundered from the road and I looked up, startled, from my vanilla milkshake, something Carter- no I couldn't mourn about him now. My hand immediately went to my belt, but I had soon realized that I had left my knife in the van. Panic started raising to my throat, heat filling my head. The butterflies that had been there before back at camp flutter back in as I saw them.

The distant rumbling came closer as many many monsters came running forward. I dropped the shake in my hand with shock as everyone else around me screamed. I saw the eyes of mortals in the restaurant stare out the window. For a brief moment, I wondered what they were seeing. But I knew it didn't matter right now. We were in danger.

I ran towards the van, trying to get others to follow me to safety, but most of them stood planted in their spots, Melody included.

"Melody!" I screamed and I screamed the names of my half sister, "Astrid!"