The Huntress

Chapter 3

I was running, for once,  desperate to get home and through the front door. I ran up the front steps and threw open the door. Seven pairs of eyes fell on me as I stood in the doorway. One girl snickered. I realized I had snow on my nose, since it had started to snow on the way here, and quickly brushed it off. The girl who had snickered was Macie.

She 10 - years old and even more rebellious than I was. She had short, dark brown hair and almost black eyes. She wore a grey, loose, but thick hoodie with a white bunny on it. Mrs Blount stood and I realised I was in big trouble.

"Everybody clear the room,"she said in a crisp voice. When I made a move for the hallway, which stood only a small distance away from me, Mrs Blount called out, "Except for you Ms Brown." I silently cursed and caught Macie giving me a thumbs up. I glared at her.

"Sit," commanded Mrs Blount, pointing at a chair. I slowly took a seat, my eyes never leaving hers. When I was comfortable, Mrs Blount began, "Do you know that living here, in my home, is a privilege?" She asked. I nodded carefully. "Good. Which proves my point, Emily," I gritted my teeth at the mention of my name.

She always did this. Everybody else called me Jade, but she knew it irratated me when she calls me Emily." I mean, it's no wonder nobody wants you. You're, to be blunt, stupid. Dumb, idiotic, un-wise, etc. You know you have the privilege of having a roof over your head and food on your plate, but then you go and abuse it like this."

She put both hands on the table and leaned close to me. "I hope you know I can take those privileges away from you in a flash," She hisses at me."And if you cross me again, I will not hesitate to do so. Do you understand me?" I nodded. "Good. Now get out of my sight," she said with a wave of her hand.

I hurried down the hallway to our room. I open the door quickly and slammed it closed. For extra effect, I slammed it twice more, closed it and then locked the door. I turned to the room of children. It was a small room for seven kids. Jake and Josh were forced to share a mattress due to limited space.

"So, why were you late?" asked Abbie, an 8 year old girl with long blonde hair and chocolate coloured eyes that always looked warm and safe. I smiled, shrugged off my jacket, hung it up and sat on the edge of her bed to take my boots off.

"Well, I just kind of lost track of time, I guess," I lie, un-lacing my boots. "Really?" asked another kid, Ben. I looked up and smiled. Ben was handsome for an 11- year old. He was a Chinese - American. He was also incredibly intelligent. I nod, yes.

I should introduce you to the rest. Jake and Josh were twins. Both had grass green eyes with mischievous grins. Then you get Blake. He was a very serious and quiet type, but when he started talking you couldn't help but stare at him in amazement.

At the moment he was reading about South Africa, his birth place. He had dark skin and a beautiful accent, which made it a pity the boy rarely spoke. Blake had been ditched here when he was 6 which was 7 years ago. Since he had such an English name, people always bullied him.

KC was the only who was in school, which brings me to her. She was a girl that easily fitted in due to a) looks, b) social, friendly and welcoming personality, and c) her determination. She was short for 11, but never lets that stop her. She's the closest thing I have to somebody who will both listen to me and I can talk and relate to. This was my family and nothing could seperate us. I collapsed on my mattress and stared at the ceiling. A yawn escaped Jake's  mouth and I streched. I mumble a lazy goodnight to everyone and fall right asleep.

You know people say that dreams are visions of our subconscious? Yeah, well, I clearly have one wierd subconscious. In my dream, I was standing in the middle of a palace and before me stood 5 giants. But not the ugly kind, still the scary kind, but not the ugly kind. They seemed to be discussing something important. Quickly I realised that they can't see me, therefore meaning they didn't know I was there. Which to be honest, made me uneasy. "We must discuss the missing demigods!" yelled a man in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and socks with sandals. He had jet black hair and sea-green eyes. Like Percy, I thought and frowned. "Poseidon, shush. It will be discussed tomorrow, when Zeus arrives, " said the most beautiful women I have seen. She had long, beautiful hair and eyes that consistently changed colour. Then I back up. Poseidon? Zeus?  I look around quickly. Maybe there's a way out because I really don't want to be here, nor do I think that I should. "Zeus has been missing for weeks now, Aphrodite," frowned a blonde women. Now she was scary. She had that look in her grey, stormy eyes that said, try to fight me and you will end up in extreme pain. "Athena is right," sighed a man wearing a suit. He looked like an adult nerd, with circular- lensed glasses and curly blonde hair. He had a staff with two snakes twisted around the top is the staff. "I think we must include Hades in our meeting tomorrow," said Poseidon. If a giants could look nervous, all of them were extremely. " But is that wise?" Asked a deformed, and rather ugly, man to my right. I frowned and stared at his smouldering beard. "I agree with Hepheatus. We have never included Hades in our meetings, other than the Solstices," frowned Athena. "But he would know if anything has happened to Zeus," argued Poseidon. The whole room got loud with arguments and mumbles of agreement or disagreements. Poseidon stood and I immediately knew to cover my ears. Which was a smart move as he slammed his trident down three times. The whole room went quiet, probably because their eardrums were burst. "It is not up for discussion! He will be included in our meeting tomorrow and that. Is. Final!" shouted Poseidon and I swear I saw Aphrodite break into a sweat, but I must have been mistaken because, women do not perspire, they glow. To my relief the dream started to fade and I woke up to the sound of crying.