UNFORGIVEN¹ PERCY JACKSON

000

Evelyn Nolan was not  a troubled kid if you asked her, despite what everyone else thinks. She will tell you this, even when she's kicking and screaming in the grip of the Orphanage's head caretaker, Ms. Beatrice, while she took the 8 year old to the basement. 

"It wasn't me! Please, you have to believe me!" The young girl cried, as Ms. Beatrice grip on her wrist got even tighter.

"Who else could've sent those birds on those children and made them nearly peck out their eyes!" Ms. Beatrice had no love for Evelyn, as the incidents involving Evelyn were one too many. 

The girl cried for her innocence, as they neared the basement; the one place Evelyn hated in the whole world. "No! I don't wanna go in there, please!" Evelyn wailed, "I'll behave! I promise!"

Ms. Beatrice didn't say anything as she unlocked the basement door, and she took Evelyn down the stairs. At the few last steps, Evelyn was thrown onto the floor, as she looked up at Ms. Beatrice who peered down at her with a cold look, "You'll be in here until breakfast is over in the morning. No dinner, or breakfast."

And with that, she left the girl sobbing on the cold ground as she left the basement. The light from the opened door died out, leaving Evelyn in the dark. 

Evelyn crawled backwards towards the wall, curling in on herself as she brought her knees to her chest, and hands to her ears. The basement was not a lovely place to be in, with its dark and grim atmosphere, it terrified Evelyn to no end. 

Evelyn's sobs rang throughout the room, her heavy breaths could be heard as she tried to calm herself down.

Coo, coo

Evelyn's sobs stopped, when she heard a high-pitched coo coming from somewhere in the basement.

Coo, coo

Evelyn looked up, trying to gauge where the sound from coming from. She looked around, when she spotted a dove near the window.

How did it get in? The windows were locked shut, and the door couldn't have been where the dove came from.

The dove flew to where she was sitting, and landed right in front of her. It cocked its head to the side, as if it was asking why Evelyn was so sad. 

Evelyn somehow recognized it as one of the birds who had attacked her bullies, and a scowl came on her face, "Why are you here, go away." The bird only came closer at this.

Evelyn frowned even more at this, "How did you even get in anyways?" the dove chirped and flew to perched on her shoulder, nuzzling into her hair. 

Evelyn sighed, there was no getting rid of this bird. Evelyn reached to pet the bird softly, "I should give you a name, shouldn't I?"

The bird chirped again, it was like it could understand her and Evelyn hummed, "How about Basil?"

Basil chirped happily, as she tweeted a small tune. The bird flew back to the window she came from, and she chirped. She seemed like she wanted Evelyn to open it. 

"Do you want me to open it for you?" Evelyn asked as she got up. The window was luckily in reach and she stood on her toes to push it open. Surprisingly, the window wasn't locked like she thought it was. 

"There you go. You can go now, you're free." Evelyn said. Basil made no move to go as she chirped at her again, cocking her head to the window.

"You want me to go with you?" Evelyn frowned, "I would have to pack my stuff and it's raining outside-"

She got cut off as she heard a soft thud behind her, and she turned around. Her backpack laid on the ground, with her raincoat next to it, both surrounded by pink mist.