The doctor examined my bones and discovered that they were fully recovered, which was a huge shock. So they took the makeshift casts off and said that I could go. Same with Spencer so we were just waiting in my room, fully dressed, waiting for my mom to come get us. Which wouldn't be for awhile because she was working today, but she managed to get off at two, and it was 1:30.
I was glad to be wearing my jeans because my pocket knife was in it. My dad gave it to me when I was seven, a day before he died. Yes it was very irresponsible of him to give a seven year old a knife, but to my defense I never really used it. I always kept it with me to remind me of him and what he said when he gave it to me.
He got really sick with some unpronounceable, incurable disease, and he was in the hospital. My mom, sister, brother and I were visiting, and my mom and siblings got hungry so they went to the cafeteria. When they left my dad turned to me.
"Leah I have something for you," he said.
"A present!" I exclaimed.
"Yes a present," he reached to the table and grabbed a little white box and handed it to me. "Go ahead, open it."
I tore the lid of and in it was a pocket knife. "Daddy it's just like yours!"
"Almost sweetie. Flip the blade out," he said.
I flipped the blade out and instead of it being a silver-grey color it was a bronze color. There was also a few different screwdrivers, and on the other side a little pair of scissors. "It's a different color! I like this color more."
He laughed a little which lead to a series of coughs. "Leah I need you to listen. Okay?"
"Okay!" I looked at him with my sea green eyes wide.
"Spence you're different from other people. There's something special about you, but you can't tell anyone this. Okay?" he explained.
"I promise," I said nodding my head.
"I made this special for you."
"Do Harry and Reya get one when they get older?"
"Nope because they're not like you, Leah. They're special, but not like you. You're different."
Even at age seven I felt like I didn't belong in my family. I have jet black hair, sea green eyes, a natural tan, and I can't forget that I have dyslexia and ADHD. Everyone else in my family has light brown or dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, pale skin, and no mental diseases. The thought still floats around my mind today, nine years later.
"Don't use it unless you need it especially the knife. Unless you're battling a monster," he said it seriously, but ended up smiling. I giggled.
"Why would I be battling monsters?"
"You'd be surprised sweetie." He fell asleep and died the next day. I've carried the pocket knife in my pocket ever since.
...
The moment I opened the door to my family's apartment I was attacked.
"Leah!!" shouted my sister as she and my brother hugged me.
"Hi munchkin and Harold," I laughed.
"I'm not Harold!" Harry huffed.
"Relax it's a joke," I said.
"Look it's Spencer!" Reya exclaimed.
Spencer who came over since his mom was at work and couldn't get off, and his dad was, of course, elsewhere. Also Spencer didn't want to have to deal with the baby sitter.
"Hi Reya," he said.
"Are you all better too?" she asked him.
"You bet I am," he said ruffling up her hair.
"Ah Leah I got to go. The boss needs me. Are you okay with watching them?" my mom asked.
"Yeah we're good," I shrugged. She nodded her head, said goodbye and left.
"I'm going to go get something from my room be right back," I crossed the living room and entered my room. I didn't know what I needed I just for some reason needed to see it. My bed was in the same mess as I left it in. With the blue and green comforter half on half off the bed.
I look around at the white walls that were covered with posters of beaches and lakes, and horses. I've always loved water. I was the greatest swimmer in my school's swim team. Whenever I was in or even by water I felt more alive. I felt renewed. Horses are just my favorite animal. I don't know why.
I walked over the movie shelf and looked for a movie. When I heard Reya ask Spencer an interesting question.
"Spencer? Do you like Leah?" she asked him.
"We're best friends," he answered.
"No she means like, like," Harry said.
"Oh well-" he started.
I knew what he was going to say; that we were only best friends and that we didn't think of each other in that way.
"Um...," he started. This was taking him longer than needed. The answer was simple. "Hmm..."
Wait a second. Did he feel that way? Did he want to be more than best friends? Butterflies flew around in my stomach. I was certainly happy with being just friends. In fact I'm proud to say that of the age of 16 I have never had a boyfriend or have kissed anyone. Make fun, I don't care!
I never heard his answer. He must've whispered it to them. I grabbed a random movie and walked out to the living room.
"Took you long enough," he said with a bright red face.
Reya and Harry both had their hands clapped over their mouths, and they looked like they were trying not to laugh. That wasn't isn't a good sign. Oh well I deal with it some other time.
I gave Spencer a questioning look and he just shrugged. I put the movie in. Then I heard a buzz meaning someone wanted to be let into the building. I pressed the microphone button.
"Hello? Who is it?" I asked.
"Hello I'm Lily. I was your nurse at the hospital," said a female voice.
"Oh hi," I said.
"I needed to ask you a few questions about your current condition. May I come up?" she explained.
"Um... I'm not aloud to let anyone up unless they're family," I explained.
"Could you come down here then?" she asked.
"Yeah I can do that," I guessed.
"Is your friend Spencer up there?" she asked.
"Yes he is," I answered
"Could he come down too?"
"Um... I'll get back to you on that. Could you wait a minute?"
"Yeah sure."
"Hey guys I'll be right back. I'm going to go ask Miss. Grey a question," I told Spencer, Reya, and Harry.
"Ok don't get lost!" Spencer exclaimed. I walked across the hall and knocked on the door. I heard a dog bark, yes this building allows you to have pets. A few seconds later Miss. Grey opened the door, her black lab was at her side. She looked like she was in her lower thirties or younger. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, and her skin was seriously pale. Today she wore a dark sleeveless dress, like any other day I've seen her.
"Hello Leah. It's nice to see you!" she said with a smile.
"Hi Miss. Grey I was wondering if you could do something for me?" I asked.
"What would that be?" she asked.
"Would you be able to watch my brother and sister for a few minutes? I have to go deal with someone downstairs," I explained
"Oh sure! Of course!" she replied.
"Great thanks! Could you go over to our apartment? They're watching a movie," I asked.
"No problem!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks Miss. Grey," I said.
"You're very welcome," she said.
I walked back across the hall followed by Miss. Grey. I unlocked the door and let her in. "Spencer! Come along!"
He jumped up and started for the door, "Hello Miss. Grey!"
"Hello Spencer!" she replied.
"Harry, Reya! I'll be right back," I told my siblings.
"Ok!" they exclaimed.
I closed the door and we headed towards the elevator. I pressed the down button, and almost instantly the doors opened. I pressed the button with the L and the star on it, indicating the lobby. We exited Lily was right there.
"Hello you two. How are you feeling?" she asked. She had kind of a devious look to her.
"I'm good," I shrugged.
"Same here," Spencer said.
"Well good, very good," she nodded her head. "No pain or anything?"
"Nope," I shook my head. "Not even a little."
"I'm in agreement," Spencer agreed.
She frowned, which confused me, "Oh well. Good thing I have assistance." She gave a terrifying grin. By instinct I backed up, shoved my hand in my pocket, and wrapped it around my pocket knife.
"Um... What?" I asked.
"You're not weak so I'm probably going to need help. Especially with two children of the Big Three," she explained. I was really confused now. Help with what? Children of the Big Three? What did that even mean?
"Help with what?" Spencer asked.
"Killing you of course! What else?" she explained. At this she whistled and someone jumped over the railing. It was the blonde girl with the flaming hair at subway. Today she wore a cheerleaders outfit showing a bronze mechanical leg for the right leg and the left leg was a... donkey leg?
Her hair was blazing and she was baring her fangs at Spencer and I. Her eyes were red and her skin was white as snow.
"Vampires?" Spencer asked.
"Ugh! Why does everyone say that! We're empousai! Not those sparkling things from that horrid movie twilight! For that you will suffer!" The one from subway yelled.
That's when I realized. I forgot my key and they were standing in front of the call thing. We had two options, that involved living. The first option was fighting them, which looked unlikely. I was the only one with a weapon and we'd probably turn into toast or get all our blood sucked out of us.
The other option was to run across the street, to the park and hopefully find a hiding place. I went with the second option. I grabbed Spencer's wrist and tore across the street. I heard the sounds of hooves on pavement.
I let go Spencer's wrist so that we could run side by side. We came up on a huge oak tree that was next to a pond. So I climbed it and Spencer followed. I climbed high enough so that we would be hidden in the foliage and could still see down below. The empousai stopped just at the base of our tree.
"I smell them, but I don't see them," Lily growled.
"You should've just killed them when they were weak!" the other snapped.
"Shut up Sally! I had no choice, but to wait! There were too many witnesses!" Lily hissed.
"Whatever! I'm hungry," Sally exclaimed. "Let's find those demigods!"
What? Demigods? I must be dreaming. Spencer and I aren't demigods! Like I said earlier; Greek Mythology is just that, Mythology.
"Come on out little demigods," Lily said sweetly. "We're not going to hurt you."
For a second that sounded convincing, but then I remembered that were trying to kill us. Then Spencer began climbing down the tree.
"Spencer what are you doing?!" I whispered.
He didn't answer. His eyes were glazed over like he was in a daze. I smacked him across the face. He snapped out of it.
"What was that for!" he hissed.
"You were starting to climb down the tree!" I whispered.
"I was? I kind of felt something come over me I guess. I can't explain it. Can you remember anything about these things from Greek Mythology class?" he asked.
"Um... All I can remember is Mr. Brunner telling us that they can, like, mesmerize boys into their trap and then eat them," I recalled.
"Ah great!" he whispered a little too loudly.
The empousai looked straight at us.
"Oh look there you are!" Lily exclaimed.
"We've been looking everywhere for you! Why don't you come on down!" Sally said.
Spencer nearly fell out of the tree.
"How about you die!" I heard a guy's voice from my left.
The empousai snapped their heads in the direction of the voice. "Percy Jackson! You killed our leader for that you must die!" Lily yelled.
"Tempting, but how about we kill you!" the voice shouted.
A guy with jet black hair came into view, followed by a girl with blonde hair. They both looked a little older than us. They both wore jeans and orange t-shirts.
The guy pulled out a ball point pen and took the cap off. The pen grew into a three foot bronze sword that had a faint glow to it. The girl pulled out a dagger that looked like it was made from bone.
"Holy cow," I whispered.
"This day couldn't get any weirder," Spencer whispered.
The guy, I was guessing was Percy, swung at Lily. She tucked and rolled trying to grab his arm, but he spun causing her to miss. The girl advanced on Sally with her dagger. She slashed, Sally ducked.
Suddenly two more appeared baring their teeth. I had to do something, I had the weapon. Without thinking I flipped the blade out on my pocket knife and jumped down from the tree and onto one of the empousa. I stabbed her in the head and she exploded. The other one advanced and I felt a tugging sensation in my stomach.
The next thing I know is a wave of water, coming from the pond, wrapped around the empousa and pulled her into the pond. I got up and brushed myself off just as Percy and the girl killed Lily and Sally getting all full of dust themselves.
"What just happened?" Spencer said still up in the tree.
"We all killed some empousai while you stayed up in that tree like a scaredy cat," I smirked.
"Oh shut up!" he snapped.
"Are you two alright?" the girl asked.
"Yeah just startled and confused," I said.
"That's good. Hi I'm Annabeth and this is Percy," she said gesturing to herself and Percy. I shook hands with both of them.
"I'm Leah and the dude in the tree is Spencer," I pointed to Spencer.
"Hey!" Spencer waved.
"Why don't you come down?" I asked him.
"Uh because I don't know how," he said sheepishly.
"Just jump down its fun," I said.
"Fine." he fell out of the tree. "Ow."
"Um... Ok then. You two should come with us," Annabeth said.
"Why?" I asked.
"You guys know about Greek Mythology?" Percy asked. "All the gods and goddesses?"
"Yeah best class in school," I said.
"Well this may be a shock, but you're demigods. Half human half god," he said.
My mouth fell open. Okay no use in denying it anymore. Spencer and I are actually demigods.
"Well after what just happened I'm not surprised," I said eventually.
"Neither am I," Spencer said. "But wait they're still alive? All the myths?"
"Yes. You two need to come with us to camp where you'll be safe from monsters, and we'll explain everything there," Annabeth said.
"But my brother and sister. And school we have a week left till summer vacation," I said.
"Don't worry it'll all be taken care of. Come on we have to go. Now that you know what you are they'll be coming," Percy assured.
"Who's coming?" Spencer asked.
"Monsters. Now let's go!" Percy exclaimed. He whistled really loudly and three horses with wings landed in front of us. I'm guessing they were pegasi.
Hey boss! the lead one exclaimed. The lead one was pure black.
"Hey Blackjack we need a lift to camp," Percy said.
Will do! Blackjack said excitedly.
"Can you believe it? A talking pegasus!" I whispered to Spencer.
"They aren't talking Leah," Spencer whispered back.
Hey boss the girl over there looks like you! Blackjack pointed out.
Now that I got a better look at Percy we did look similar. We both had jet black hair, sea green eyes. We even were the same height even though he looked like he was a few years older.
"We do don't we?" I said.
"You can hear them?" Percy asked with a shocked expression.
"Yeah," I shrugged.
"We should get to camp and tell Chiron about this," Annabeth said.
Percy nodded his head and got on Blackjack. Annabeth got on behind him. I got on one with that had white fur with a few brown and black spots. Spencer got on the other one which was all brown except a spot of white around it's right eye. We all took off.
"Hi what's your name?" I asked the Pegasus.
I heard a male voice speak in my head, I'm Sunblaze.