Ella Jackson- Apollos legacy

8

It was warm and bright.
The sun was blinding and the trees were whistling. I felt happy and peaceful as I listened to the birds sing. There was humming too. It was the same humming I heard before and it was a song you wanted to float around to. I felt like I was in a fairytale. My yellow converse were scratched and losing color as I looked down at them while spinning around.
As I looked forward, it was like a figure was standing in front of the sun. It was too bright to know who it was but I knew they felt the same as me. Since I felt a connection, I started walking towards the humming figure. The sun rays were blinding me but I could still see the trees, the blue sky and the glowing figures silhouette. I felt like I was pushing against the currant trying to walk towards the figure. I tried calling out but nothing came from my mouth. As I was finally getting closer, the light was piercing. Then in a flash, the outside was gone and I was in the kitchen of our apartment. The glowing figure was gone but my mom replaced him. She was baking.
"Mom!" I yelled.
I started running but I wasn't getting any closer. I yelled her name over and over until she finally turned and looked at me.
"Ella! Stop! Stay there!"
I stopped so fast I almost fell over.
The floor started rumbling. So did everything else in the kitchen. Then there were cracks in the tiles.
"Mom?" I said quietly.
Then it was quiet. And she was gone. All that was left was a hole in the floor. I tried to rush towards the hole to reach for her but my feet were stuck.
"Percy!" I yelled finally as words finally came back.
Then I jumped up.

"Hey! You okay? Bad dream?" Percy said while rubbing his eyes. He was right next to me the whole time. I fell asleep and I was sleeping on Percy's shoulder. I felt so embarrassed I could have screamed.

Then the truck stopped.
We were now in LA at the Lotus Hotel. We stood outside for a moment to stretch. I tried hard to shake away my embarrassment from the bad dream. I wanted to leave this quest now and just get to our mom and back to our apartment where she would make blue cookies.  Percy smiled at me.
"Stay with me, okay?"
It was like he knew how I felt. I was so lucky to have him...

When we got inside, it was ginormous! There were 4 escalators, a huge counter of workers to check people in and probably 1000 suitcases. Almost everything was a pink color or a hint of pink for the theme. Percy said to stay together but all I wanted to do was find the hotel pool.
They all started walking together towards a game room and I annoyingly followed. Grover split up from us, so it was just me, Percy and Annabeth. The two of them almost instantly started arguing about what to find or what to do. I rolled my eyes and then my focus was towards something down deeper into the crowd of people.
It looked like a firefly and all I wanted to do was follow him. Percy and Annabeth were busy anyway I thought.

The firefly was fast. I followed him for a long time until... I couldn't remember...
Oh, Percy said something about finding someone to help...
I shrugged it off and kept following. I pushed so many people I think I pushed them all two times. Then I finally found a seating area. Then— I saw a table with a full Shirley Temple. It was a dream come true! It even had an umbrella in it!
I slid into the chair and started gulping the drink.
"Hey there little demigod." A voice said from behind me.
I quickly turned around. I didn't recognize the man but he seemed oddly familiar.
"Hi! You can sit if you want, I'm too tired to fight anymore." I said while still drinking.
The man laughed and sat down across from me on the booth. He smiled at me.
"I'm Ella."
"I know. Im Hermes."
"Hi, Hermes. I remember you.. don't remember where but I do.. maybe from a story or something?Anyway it's nice to see you." I say while eating on the ice of the empty glass.
"Why are you alone?" The god asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. "They were arguing and I could take it anymore! All they do is constantly say what they want to do and who wants to lead! It's gets annoying! Why does Grover get to go somewhere else while I have to stick behind with them? It's not like I'm 5?! Ugh!"
Hermes looked at me and kept smiling. He had dark hair that was slicked back and was wearing a beige hoodie. He also had a huge gold watch on his wrist and like magic, had a glass in his hand.
"Do you know how to play?" He gestured over to a large table with other people. They had dice and cards.
"No. Should I?" I smiled. I felt comfortable with this god.
He smiled back and he took me over to the table. He was a good teacher but talked a lot about other stuff instead of the instructions. He made me laugh like Percy makes me laugh.
"You would like Percy." I say. "He's funny too!"
"I like you even more ,little demigod! Now roll and see what happens!"
I roll and then he claps loudly. He makes sure all the other people at the table saw me. It was like he was proud!
Then I heard Annabeth voice. "There!"  Then her and Percy rushed over to me and Hermes' table.
"Hey guys! I found Mr. Hermes!" I say happily.
"Hi." Percy said out of breath. "I was looking for you, Ella! I said to stay with me!"
"Oh she's fine, demigod." Hermes said with a smirk and then looked down at me. I smiled back. He listened to me!! Then Annabeth ruined it.
"We're friends of Luke's."

Now we were all sitting at the table I met Hermes at, besides...I can't remember who?
Hermes talked about Luke and how their relationship was vs Luke with his mother. Annabeth seemed sad. I tried to listen but Percy kept looking at Hermes then to me.
"I don't want to ruin the reunion, but we need help." Percy interrupted.
"I know. You need help to the underworld. To get your mommy back and to get the bolt." Hermes leaned back and nodded towards me. "She told me." He smiled and crossed his arms so I did too while I laughed softly. I like this god even more. Maybe my dad would be like him..
We talked about the "dangers" of going to the underworld and all this other boring stuff until he finally said he would help us because he enjoyed my company and that I beat one of the guys who was second to him.
Annabeth was a little annoyed that I worked with Hermes but I didn't really know Luke..
"So your friend. The satyr. Do you need him for the underworld too?" Hermes said.
"Grover!" We all said at the same time. It was like we forgot about him. Then I looked at Hermes watch. It was a long time ago that we came to the hotel. It was like time sped up. And now we had to find Grover too. Annabeth and Percy were already up and ready to find him.
Me and Hermes did a handshake and then I waved goodbye to him as he winked and magically had another full glass in his hand.

We finally found grover after finding another satyr. This satyr was older and crazier and talking about "Pan" someone who Grover talked about too. He lead us clues to Grover without knowing it and when we found him, he was hooked up to a VR game.
When we finally got him to remember us, we went to the car garage to find Hermes' car to get us where we needed to go. It was a taxi, if you were wondering. And, Percy is a horrible driver.

After we finally got to the beach Percy saw in his dreams, and where our mom met his dad, I left a note for Hermes saying sorry for his car. I'm also telling our mom when we get her back, Percy can NEVER drive.. even though it was kinda fun.
Percy went in the water to see if his dad could help him. I wished I could ask my dad for help too.. not just other gods. Me and Hermes seemed like friends though and I take that as a win. When we all get back home, I'm doing the game Hermes taught me to play against Gabe for money. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I win!!