The Trials of Apollo - The Dark Prophecy

1. Meg

1. Meg

Meg McCaffery leaned against the prow of the commercial ship as it cut through the calm water. Before her lay the small yet crowded landmass that was Ellis Island, above her Lady Liberty's torch pierced the sky. She had been foolish to run to New York; by all accounts she should have made the dash north, where Nero's power did not extend. But it had been a reflex, New York had always been her home, a part of her did not wish to abandon the city now. She had debated going to Westchester, to Nero's grand old house, yet fear of The Beast kept her away. She was being hunted and, just like the first time she ran away, the wolves had driven her to the Staten Island ferry. From there she had been forced to take the boat, hoping that the water would keep them at bay.

The wind stirred the hideous floral scarf she had hurriedly grabbed from some corner shop; the sun glanced of the deeply tinted glasses she had nabbed from some sunbathing teen. The disguise had gained her a place on the ferry yet she doubted it would allow her access to the island – she felt sure Nero would have some informant amongst the staff. A more subtle approach was needed. The mortals stood apart from her, apart by some invisible yet palpable division. As the water became splattered with green she turned and pushed herself from the boat in one fluid movement. She sunk fast and then her natural buoyancy caused her to rise. She activated her rings and the curved gold sent her downwards. Just as her lungs started to burn her feet planted into the seabed, her fingers coiled around a thick tuft of algae. She felt a cold trickle from her arm to her face as the algae encrusted her eyes, her nose, her mouth. She could breath now, and see in the dark waters, although her vision was tinged with green. She smiled despite herself - after all this was kinda awesome. She laughed as she tilted her head upwards, blowing a raspberry at a passing fish.

She had chosen her destination carefully, the water to buy her time, the island to mask her scent. Even now, as she quietly stole onto the islands south side, she could see the Mist that shrouded the island. Enveloping it totally, a by-product of the different cultures and beliefs that had called it home for so many years. She used the browning trees as cover, darting forward until she found a bush of good proportions She collapsed beneath it, panting and eventually gaining her first bit of rest in two days.

She awoke with a start; at first she thought it to be the wolves. But as she listened, she realized with dread that it was so much worse. A tannoy system crackled and the voice repeated itself.

"Meg McCaffery The Beast has come for you."

She was running then, without thinking darting away from the thing she feared above all. Her stomach knotted and churned from the dread, her forehead bristled with sweat.

"Just get to the bridge." She told herself, between a ragged breath that was birthed from panic. She heard the spluttering of an engine, heard padding footsteps and howls carried by the wind.

"Just get to the bridge!" She yelled at herself, as the panic redoubled

Then, just as the voices sounded closer – just as she was sure she would not make it, she burst onto the bridge. She kept moving, kept running towards her salvation. Jersey lay just ahead and from there; only a few hitchhikes and she'd be away from The Beast once and for all. She stopped when she reached the middle; cold un-diluted terror ran across her. In that moment three dozen of Nero's men stepped onto the bridge from the Jersey side. In that moment the sky started to burn.

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Alright guys, let me know what you think. I can't promise regular updates for the next 2 months but hopefully I'll post regularly after that. The book Is gonna be 70% Apollo 1st person POV with a few Meg 3rd person POVs. Hope you enjoy it :)

Book recommendation: Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace - very long book but worth it!