Blessed

Chapter 1

I enter the elementary school I volunteer at in a sort of daze. I help in the library, but I don't get that far before I run into a dirty, messy guy who looks around sixteen. He holds a brown box. "What is in the box?" I ask.

"Chicks."

"Oh. Which teacher are they for?"

"Ms. Simmons."

"Cool, can I see?" I ask. He shows them and I realize that they are not chicks. They have bronze beaks and what look like metallic fingers.

Those are the Stymphalian Birds, Athena tells me mentally. They're man-eating birds and escaped pets of Ares. The man holding the birds, assuming he's mortal, wouldn't live
with those birds in stow. You could, though. I am able to help you.

I take Athena's advice. "Hey, by the way, you're going the wrong way- Ms. Simmons's class is that way. I can go, too. You look like you've been carrying that for a while. I can carry it the rest of the way.

He looks mortified. "No- no- no! I've got it!"

"Are you sure?" Please let me help, stupid, my thoughts beg. He nods at my question, clearly determined. "Okay," I sigh. "I'm Clare by the way."

"Sam. Well, actually that's my shortened name, but yeah." I spot something shoot him. He doesn't look alarmed, so that must mean he doesn't see it. "I'll come back tomorrow after I'm done with this, though. Hope to see you again," he tells me.

"Eros!"Athena hisses. I realize that Sam is not in the conversation. He must have left to die (you know, because the birds). It's all my fault! Angry at myself, I release a tear, and it falls down my cheek. "Leave, Eros!"Athena continues. "You're not welcome here!"

"Ah," Eros (the Greek form of Cupid-don't ask me how I know that... it's probably Athena magic) says. "But he was very welcoming. He's my first shot today... Well no, on this campus today."

After a very eventful morning with the birds and Eros (who is not, in fact, a baby), I am finally walking over from the elementary school to my high school. I stop when I see a little girl around 6 on the playground sitting alone under a tree by a patch of flowers. I decide to talk to her because she is alone and gloomy.

"Hi. My name's Clare. What's yours?" She doesn't answer. "What's your name?" I repeat.

"It's Willow. Why do you want to know?" she asks annoyed.

"I was just curious. So... You like these flowers?"

"Love them. And this grass. And the tree." she says.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you upset?" I ask her curiously.

"People are littering. It's hurting the plants." she replies, starting to cry as she speaks.

"Here. I'll make you a flower crown." I bend for a daisy. That'll ma-"

"NO!" She quickly grabs a broken plastic fork off the ground and pins me against the tree. "Life for life!" she declares. "If you kill the daisy, I'll kill you!"

"Okay, okay! I won't hurt the flowers! Let me go!"

"Do you promise you won't hurt the flowers?" She holds a plastic fork to my neck threatening, and I am suddenly afraid of the tiny girl.

"Yes! I promise!" I tremble. She lets me go, and I gasp for air.