These are scenes from my Demigod series. These are based off of Jordan's perspective of Liz throughout the series. I'm always curious about other perspectives and opinions and I really wanted to do this so here we go.
He didn't really remember much about his dad. All he had was that shrine at the end of the hallway and his mom's sadness. He knew he was a good man and that he died. That was it.
Erik was there longer than he could remember. He wasn't sure where they met. Whether the playground or school, they were just always together.
He met Elizabeth's dad when he was eight. All he remembered about him were grey eyes and a feeling of insecurity. Those grey eyes later returned on a little baby wrapped in a white blanket. He didn't remember where she came from, just that she was there and he was holding her. She was so perfect when she opened her little eyes and held his finger in her tiny fist.
His mom told him this was his sister. Other kids in his class had little siblings. Erik had told him once that the job of the older kids in the orphanage was to look out for the little ones.
That's what he would do.
"I'll protect you," he whispered to her. "I promise."
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He remembered when Liz said her first word. Their mother was sleeping and they were in the living room. He had her in his lap. Erik was on the couch, watching them.
"Come on, you're almost there," he encouraged. "Can you say Liz? L-l-l-Liz?"
She moved her tongue like she wanted to. Then blew a raspberry at him. Then laughed when his face fell.
"She'll get it," Erik told him. "Won't you Liz?"
She gave him a gummy smile that Jordan loved.
"Please Liz?" He asked.
Her smile fell and her brow pinched like she understood it was time to be serious. He saw her tongue move and then she raised her voice. "Luh-ez. Lis. Lis."
Jordan froze. Erik sucked in a sharp breath. "Did she-"
Jordan nodded. "Come on, say it again. Liz. Liz."
"Lis!" She declared.
They both smiled and cheered. Liz looked overwhelmed but clapped as well.
It was almost a month later when she said lizard. They cheered then too.
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She was so young, so smart but too young to understand things. He put her to bed and tucked her in.
"Jordan," she whispered.
"Yeah?" he whispered back.
"When's Daddy coming home?" she asked.
He felt every nerve in his body freeze. He looked at her shocked. "What makes you say that?" he asked. His voice wobbled a little.
"Mommy's always so tired and sad," she explained. "Would it help if Daddy came home?"
He waited a moment before he nodded. He felt the lump rise in his throat. "Yeah, it would."
"When's he coming home?" she repeated.
He couldn't look her in the eye. If he did she would see the tears building in his. "Go to sleep, Lizard," he told her. "I'll tell you in the morning."
She nodded and turned over. He went to his bed and sat on it. He ran his hands through his hair. How was he supposed to explain it to her? That making their mother happy was near impossible now. That the man she loved had died so far away. That he was never coming back. That they weren't fully siblings. That they weren't completely connected. That her dad had disappeared after she came into his life.
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In Another Life
Fanfiction"Like any story, some details get changed, forgotten or even left out altogether," she explained. "How do I know which one is the real story?" I asked. "That depends on what story you hear," she answered. "On what you believe is right." What if I...
