Treading Water

2

"He hadn't told me until I told him that I was pregnant. We just moved to New York and I was forced to quit my job back home since I couldn't go into the office. My major of coding not being the most popular, he said I didn't have to work and paid for everything until 5 nights after you were born and he had to leave, but he called me to speak with him about you coming of age and monsters attacking. There used to be a Haven for the children of God's but it was all destroyed a few years ago and you're more vulnerable during the summer so we'll have to get you training" I looked at her like she was crazy for a second but the creature flashed in my eyes and I nodded

"How will you train me?" I ask

"Well... When you go to school, I usually have brunch with a good friend of mine but you're home now" she texted somebody then let a guy in

"I was expecting a 5 year old but a teenager works too" he came and extended his hand to me

"Private school?" He asks

"Just strict uniform. Lumberjack?" I ask

"Architect" he says

"Firm handshake" I say

"Same to you" he says

"What are your intentions with my mom and how did you meet?" I ask

"She's nice to look at and fun to talk to and I spilled my coffee on her so she made me buy her a new shirt" he says

"I guess you're okay" I say

"I work at night and have to rest so he's gonna train you to defend yourself and maybe even show you the ropes to building so demigods can have a safe place again" she poked at him and he nodded

"I'll try my best" we got to know each other over brunch and after eating, my mom went to sleep and he took me to be enrolled in a class to learn the basics...

I spent every day of the week except Sunday and Monday, learning self defense after school. I took Aikido, jujitsu, and HEMA and trained to build endurance and strength. When I wasn't learning defense, I was learning architecture or studying for school. This was all I did until school ended and Mr. Marcus eventually took me to the designated Haven where we spent the summer building up large living areas, bath houses, amphitheatre, arena, scholaes, temples, and all that's needed to unite everyone. It took a lot of help from creatures and deities I thought to be myth and hoax.

I project slowed in progress as school approached and fell into the colder seasons. We prayed to Demeter, Hephaestus, and Hestia through the harsh weather, along with Metis and Athena as our materials became harder to work with in the cold. As warm weather slowly approached, we praised other gods as we carried on and even had books imported on culture, language, history. As the seasons got warmer, we sent for the children of gods and few profits.

We named the camp, Semi-Genus and I wove and embroidered the flag by hand and raised it on a good plated pole, made of spare metal found around the area. This led to the making of shorts and other tops that were for people coming in who wanted or needed clothes. We were going to purchase pants too but we settled for tops since pants required far more precision and we're far more expensive. There also a bulk deal online for shirts so we just bought a bunch and handstiched our logo. But there would be people who come in without pants or other necessities so we had to raise money for that instead of running the savings account dry.

"Mom, do you have any tactics for raising money" I ask

"This is New York. Bake and make coffee, run errands for rich people, be a seamstress. Something everybody needs" she says

"Are you about to go to sleep?" I ask

"No, but I'm not leaving with you if you're looking a mess" she got a comb and a spray bottle and put my hair in a puff with cornrows and gold cuffs for some flare.

Once my hair was done, she took me to this shop that was created for business start ups. Three businesses at a time can tell for their causes or just show case what they have. I brought my vending license, ID, and my business outline. They gave me some volunteers and helped me partner up with local businesses so I could use them for making things such as baked goods, patches, and stationary. I worked non-stop through the winter and partly through the spring.

After so much hard work, I was blessed by Hades and Hermes enough to discover a billionaire Demigod involved with a well established name and who was a share holder for many popular companies. His security wielded both guns and swords and he possessed a dagger embedded with the blessings of his mother, Athena. He joined us at camp to see the progress of things and take part in prayer and decided to fund us. He provided us with beds and other furniture, Levi jeans, fabric materials, ingredients, and even a list of activities from before the war and the contacts of fellow demigods.

By April, the month of Aphrodite, the gods looked upon us so favorably through our years of work that we held a festival between the builders of the camp. We made traditional Grecian clothing, styled our hair accordingly, and followed transcribed rituals. These festivities overjoyed the gods to the point of return.

"I haven't received prayer in so long! It makes me feel so new! So many whispers and chants of my name and you get it just right. Good work for a kid of your age. I'm precisely older than you by too much to count but I applaud your work. Drachmas for all!" Hermes sped around me in a bustling chatter

"Yes, it's very beautiful here. I give you my blessing of wealth more than ever, especially as the first to acknowledge that trait of mine" Hades says

"A greatness burns from within you" Hestia says

"This means so much coming directly from you" I say

"Where are the statues in our honor?" A bearded man in Gray questioned

"We don't know how to sculpt" I say

"My room of private prayer?" He pressed

"Well, everything is communal but there are rooms for private prayers in our temple" I say

"My secluded cabin" he says

"Well, it's said that you don't have many children so it's more of a shrine than actual housing but there are bed at the ready if you do have kids that are able to attend" I say

"You can't expect much bias from a child that isn't yours" Hera says

"If only I had a child" she pinched her husband and he stiffled laughter

"Who is my dad?" I asked

"Your father is only able to take breaks at night or during an eclipse, day light savings, or high noon. He brings the world light and warmth, just as you've brought great pride to camp" Hestia says

"You are both very hard working. I commend such a thing" Hephaestus says

"I have to wait an hour to meet him?" I ask

"And you'll only be able to talk to him for one hour... Unless, Apollo would drive his chariot while you catch up" Hermes says

"I prefer to bask, not bake. That vessel is a ball of fire and wearing the aureole is work like no other" Apollo says

"Apollo, she's done much in your honor. You owe her at least one blessing" Artemis says

"I bless you with the skill of music... Last time he made me fly his chariot, he was gone for three years and made you and I'm sure you love being an only child" Apollo says

"That's understandable" I say

"You can be a jerk sometimes" Artemis elbowed him and I went with her, Hestia, Demeter, and Aphrodite, on a stroll...