Percy Jackson: The Son of Artemis 1

Discovery

She was running out of breath.

Running through the forest barefoot as twigs and rocks kept scratching through her legs. She could feel the wetness from her tears running down her face, but she dares not to make any more noise with her weeping as she didn't want to get caught. She only managed for a few more minutes until she collapsed on the ground her back pressed up against a tree. 

The heavy footsteps were close by and were getting closer by the second. But she couldn't run any further, the Empusa was trailing after her and she had nowhere else to run.  Besides...when she looked down she knew that pushing her even further would result in something terrible for her child.

A sharp pang shook through her and she fell to her knees biting her hand to try and stop the sound of the pain from coming out of her. At the mere age of 19, Sally Jackson has her due date right as she's being chased by a monster who wants her dead. Who will probably get that wish tonight. Under other circumstances, she would've accepted her fate as there was nothing here left for her. Her uncle, mother, and father were gone and she knew of no other family members. She didn't even have people to call friends and was living a life that she was barely getting by.  But she was carrying a life now with her and she couldn't accept her life now. Not until he's safe.

"Where are you?!" The Empusa roared. Sally didn't even know how the monster knew about the demigod stirring in her womb, she was sure that they wouldn't even know about him so soon, at least until after her son was born.

Sally tried to stand up in an attempt to at least crawl out of there with her child but her foot slipped and she was forced to sit back down with a little yelp as she heard the Empusa coming closer to her.

"She wants your child gone!" The Empusa roared. "She may be asleep but she still knows all! Oh, and when I kill both of you, it will make even Kelli seem like an ant. Oh, how I will be praised." She said in awe, but all Sally could think was her hatred and disgust for her. She wouldn't think this for anyone, not even if a mugger were to stop her in her tracks but if one was to say such things like that about the murder of her child, she wishes she could do much more than just think these thoughts.

But suddenly she gasped as she knew what was happening to her. She couldn't move a muscle in her current state. She was trembling with fear in every inch of her body. And she couldn't stop the yell that came out of her. Suddenly she came face to face with the Empusa.

"Found you," she said as a grin was plastered all over her face. "This will finally get me some respect! We were supposed to wait but who would want to wait such a long time, we are already trying to find him, and who wouldn't want the praise?! It's so delightful! All it takes is to kill a helpless child! Oh, how fortunate I am!" She rambled on like a mad person. The Empusa was about the strike as she raised her hand Sally tried to scoot away but was back-to-back with a tree. Sally widen her eyes in fear when suddenly an arrow hit the monster slicing right through her neck as she disappeared into dust. Sally sighed in relief before she yelled out again. 

The middle of the forest was not an ideal place to give birth.

Just as she thought the pain was too much to bear, that she was going to pass out, a young women's hand grabbed her face softly to examine her as she spoke orders to a couple of other figures Sally could not make out. A cool warm liquid was then brought to her lips. One that tasted like her homemade recipe of blue chocolate chip cookies, she felt herself suddenly wake up but still groaned in pain from her delivery.

"Zoe, fetch me a wet cloth and bowl of water." The young women's voice spoke and a young girl at the front hastily stood up and presumably went to get the items. "Hey, stay with me girl, you cannot pass out now or else you and your unborn child will pass away." Sally was finally able to open her eyes fully and noticed the young woman had raven shoulder-length hair and silver-grey eyes that seemed to hold all the stars in them. She realized who she was.