𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚞𝚗....

𝙸

"Amaya! Catch! Bianca shouted from across the room. She threw a ball to me for me to catch, but I missed and it rolled out the front doors of the hotel.

"Don't worry, I got it!" I called over, and ran out to get the ball. I tossed it back inside for Bianca, when suddenly it was like I didn't know where she was anymore.

"Bianca? Bianca where did you go?" I called out for her but got no reply. I started to walk away from the hotel, assuming that maybe she wasn't there anymore and had taken Nico to get food.

I looked around at different places nearby but came up empty. Finally, it dawned on me.

My brother and sister were missing.

I ran as fast as I could as far away from that hotel as I could before collapsing from exhaustion.

I curled up into a ball in the alley and sobbed. I don't know how long I was there before I fell asleep.

——

I woke up at dawn, stretching my limbs out since I had slept curled up on cement which was not the most comfortable thing.

I pulled myself up, determined to find my siblings.

I wandered the city for a few days, doing the best I could to get food and water. I learned that it was mid-November, so I nicked a winter coat from a store just in case I got too cold.

When I had left the hotel, the only things I had with me was the jeans, t-shirt and sweater I was wearing. Along with a pair of black beat-up converse and socks.

It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

After a week, I left the city and made my way east, towards Arizona.

——

Another week passed and I had stolen a backpack, some bottles of water, and a few granola bars. I've seen a few odd things but I brushed it off, assuming it was because of being hungry, dehydrated and sleep deprived.

I sat down in an alleyway to rest for a bit and get out of the sun, when a girl my age ran in and hid behind a garbage bin.

I watched quietly, trying to figure out why she looked so spooked and was running.

Then I saw them.

Two tall guys, with, wait— Do they only have one eye? Then I realized that yes, they do only have one eye.

They were Cyclopses.

The ones from Greek Mythology.

I looked over to the other girl, who was crouched down, trying to stay quiet so that they wouldn't notice her.

It seemed to have worked, since the two cyclopses lumbered off, back the way they came.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked the other girl. She had dark curly hair, green eyes, and freckles.

The girl jumped, seeming to have only just noticed me. "Who are you?" She asked, glaring at me, but I could still see the fear in her eyes.

"Hey, it's ok. I won't hurt you, I pinky promise." I said, holding out my pinky. The girl scooted over and intertwined her pinky with mine.

"I'm Amaya, who are you?" I asked. "I'm Willow. What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"I'm trying to find my siblings, we got separated and I don't know where they might be. Other than that, I don't think I have any family so I've been out here on my own. What about you?" I looked at her with curiosity in my eyes.

"I ran away from home a little while ago. Well not entirely, my dad was gonna get rid of me so I grabbed what I could and left. I've been out here ever since." Willow sighed.