Different (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction), Part 1/4

Chapter 1

My only question from the events of today isn't what, who, when, or how. It's why. I'm not special, I never have been. I'm dyslexic and ADHD, not the best at school, and am normally the subject of bullies. I only had a couple of really close friends before they were ripped away from me when I moved from Nashville to D.C. to go to this weird boarding school for kids that needed a little 'extra help'. That basically means criminals and kids with huge problems with school. I'm the only kid in my grade that has problems with school, so I'm picked on by the criminals. I can't fight back. You must be really confused, so let me start from the beginning.

I've never had a dad, he left before I was born. My mom is one of the nicest people you've ever met, but we're not in good shape money-wise. So when her work gave her an opportunity for a promotion, she took it. However, that promotion involved her moving to Washington D.C. She sent me to Lincoln Academy for Challenged Teens, saying it would be good for me.

I have no way to contact my old friends here in my dorm that I share with a girl that has broken into 12 banks and stolen money. Her name is Priscilla. It's such a non-criminalish name. She hates me. She's always picking on me, making sure my life is miserable. And like I said, I have no way to contact my old friends. My mom has never let me get a phone. Which means I couldn't have called 911 when it all went down.

*FLASHBACK*

It seems to be just another normal day at Lincoln. I'm bullied by my extremely mean gym coach, Coach Melmann, because I'm not running laps as fast as the other kids.

"COME ON, FIDLER!" he shouts. "GET THOSE LEGS MOVING!"

All the other kids laugh at me. I normally run fast when I'm not in gym, but if I run with the other kids they trip me. I run right behind them instead, but Priscilla stops dead and I run into her. She laughs and runs off again. After gym, Melmann calls me into his office, which is really just a small room with a desk that's next to the locker rooms, with a door that connects the locker rooms with the office.

"Yes Coach?" I ask him when I walk in the door. I look around and realized he's gone. Why did he call me into his office when he wasn't even going to be there?

"Half-blood. . ." I hear a moan. It sounds kind of like Melmann, but it has a darker and raspier tone.

I turn around and see Melmann come around the corner. He looks. . . different. He's still as hairy as ever, but his nose looks longer, his ears are pointier, his eyes are red, and when he ― snarls? ― his teeth are sharp. Like Enobaria from The Hunger Games sharp. That's weird.

"The pack hasn't had a half-blood in so long. . ." the thing snarls again. Ooookay. Don't panic. The thing lunges at me. PANIC!

I scream and jump on the desk. The thing turns back around and lunges at me again. I jump off the desk and stand next to the rolling office chair that Melmann owns. When the thing lunges again, I push the chair at it and ram it with the chair. The thing howls. I then take a large silver key off the door to the locker room and stab the thing with it. It whimpers. The thing freezes. It slowly crumbles to dust.

"Ashlyn, are you okay?" Priscilla comes running in.

"Um, sure?" I ask. I'm freaking out on the inside.

"Follow me, I knew it was only a matter of time before they found you, you're powerful," she says.

"Priscilla, what's going on?" I ask her. "What was that thing?"

"I'll explain it all when we get there, come on!" she shouts and runs down the hallway. I don't know what to do except to follow her. I hear more snarls behind us. Priscilla leads me out the back door. We're on the corner of D Street NW and C Street NW.

We run down D Street NW to the corner of it and 17th Street NW, which is where the front door of the school is. We stop to catch our breath, since we're still tired out from gym class. I hear a howl behind us. I look over my shoulder and see about six more beasts that look like the one that I dissolved. We keep running. We cross Constitution Avenue and get to Independence Avenue Southwest. We're trapped between the beasts and water.

"Quick, into the water!" Priscilla shouts. I stare at her.

"Can those things swim?" I ask.

"I don't know!" she shouts. "Just listen to me and get in if you want to live!" I want to live, so I wade into the water. The things advance.

"Grab my arm!" Priscilla commands me. I do and she pulls me underwater. Is she trying to drown me? I start fighting her, but she holds on with a grip as tough as iron. I feel the water rushing around me, spinning faster and faster, then we resurface.