The Shadow of a Hero

Chapter 11

Back to Nico's point of view:

Where am I? I shadow traveled then... Am I dead? My breathing quickens and my legs go weak. I fall to the ground. My hands clutch at the grass, wait, grass? There I'm isn't any grass in the Underworld; at least none like this. I must be dreaming. The sudden realization doesn't make me feel any better. I really hate demigod dreams.

I look around at the scene I find myself in. I'm sitting on the side of hill overlooking a vaguely familiar town with the sun beginning to set. "Hurry up fratellino!" A girl calls behind her as she comes over the ridge.

The girl has almost, if not, black hair and dark eyes that reflect the sun. She reminds me of "Bianca!" My eyes go wide. "Wait for me!" A young Nico trails after her. He looks happy chasing after Bianca. He hasn't gone through the things I have. He isn't broken like I am; at least not yet. Bianca slows to a stop. She waits, but every few seconds she glances nervously at the setting sun. Past me is out of breath when when he finally reaches his, no, our sister. "Cosa c' e?" Younger me asks. He noticed Bianca's discomfort as well.

She forces a smile and shakes her head while ruffling past Nico's hair. Somehow he buys it. "Race you." Bianca takes off running and he follows close behind.

The dream fast forwards to the edge of town. The sun has almost completely set by the time Bianca shows up with me right behind her. They stop just outside the light cast by street lamps. Past Nico makes to move into the light, but Bianca stops him. She notices something he doesn't. A group of boys, maybe four or five of them, that fell silent when they notices the Italian siblings. Their eyes are trained on the two kids like hawks. I can feel the tension even after all these decades have gone by. Younger me doesn't pick up on the hostile environment.

Off in the distance a clock begins to chime. My sister's eyes widen in fear. She grabs past me's arm as though she's about to drag me away when the group of boys block the path. Nico is pushed behind her, not that it helps. The boys surround the duo. I want to help, but find that no matter how hard I try, I can't move, nor can I hear what's being said over the chiming of the bell, though I doubt it's very friendly. After a couple more tolls it stops.

"Looks like you missed curfew." One of the boys jeers.

"You're right; we should be going." Bianca's polite, but her clenched fists give away how she really feels.

No one moves to let the siblings go on their way. "What are these?" The youngest boy sneers. He grabs a deck off cards sticking out of young Nico's pocket. Nico yelps in surprise as the cards scatter all over the ground. He bends down to grab one of the cards only to have to snatch his hand away from an incoming shoe. The card gets ground into the dust. The rest of the boys begin to take notice and laugh.

"What are you doing with these?" An older boy than the last asks. He grabs a card from the ground and hold it up. I can just make out what looks like Captain America printed on it. The kid isn't given an answer.

"Don't you know Captain America kills dirt like you?" He tries again. Tears well up in past Nico's eyes.

"That's enough, don't listen to them Nico." Bianca butts in. She isn't pretending to be nice any longer.

"Oh, and what are you going to do?" The boy takes a step closer. He must be the leader.The shadows quiver, though I don't know which child of Hades is responsible. "That's what I thought." He mocks when he doesn't notice Bianca doing anything.

"Break it up." A new voice says sternly from the shadows. The newcomer peels away from the dark. "I think it's time everyone went home.

The leader of the gang of boys scowls. He spits on the ground in front of Bianca, none to quietly mutters something that sounds  lot like "Nazis", and walks away. His posse follows.