The Daughter or Ares

The Accident on the Bus

Monday morning, six a.m.

I couldn't sleep, knowing today was my last day at my house. Even though I've done this several times before, I never liked leaving home. Oh well, I told myself. I'll most likely be back by Christmas.

"There she is!" Mom walked into the living room. "Oh, my little girl! You're gonna do great this year, I just know it!"

I sigh and smile. Mom has told me that almost every year.

"So, you're leaving today, Silvie?" Jonah says with a grin.

"Please don't call me that." I replied flatly.

"Whatever, Severus." He waved his arm in a bored manner and walked into Mom's room.

I huffed, and turned to Mom. She smiled. "Oh, Silvius, don't let him bother you. Not today. It's your last day."

"Don't remind me." I said, but not in a mean way. "I'll miss you, Mom."

"Me too," Mom smiled. "The year will be over before you know it. Trust me."

I smile and go into my room and grab my bags.

"Jonah!!" I yell. "Can you help me carry these downstairs?"

"Can't you see I'm busy?!" He yells back with a mouthful of popcorn. I peer into his room. Watching Netfilx. Yeah, sorry to bother you Jonah. Maybe you're watching a cartoon that will help you save the world. My bad.

I roll my eyes and eventually get all my luggage down to the lobby in our apartment. After about twenty-five minutes of waiting, a bus finally arrives.

"Are you...Silvius Caravel?" The large, creepy bus driver asks as he reads the list.

"Yes." I said. "Is this the bus for Evanor?"

"Uh....yeah. Can't you read da sign?" He replies. I see a small sign on the bus door in the tiniest print that must say Evanor University. I can't read it.

"Sorry. Didn't see it." I say as I hop on the bus. He rolls his eyes and closes the door.

I take a seat in the way back. I very used to being alone, so I don't mind that I'm five rows away from everyone else.

"You must be Silvius," a freckled-face girl asks me.

"Yeah," I reply. "How did you know?"

"My mom. She's the vice principal." She answered. "She's also in charge of dealing with the troubled kids." She chuckles as two girls (probably her minions) walk up next to her.

"Thanks for letting me know that." I say sarcastically as I reach for my iPod.

"You'll probably be in her office a lot this year," The girl continues. "I mean, who's gotten kicked out of eight different schools? Is everything okay up there? Should I speak slower?" She pats my forehead. I slap her hand away.

"Don't touch me," I say sternly.

"Or what?" She smirks.

"You tell 'er Madison!" The black-haired girl chimes in. Madison glares at her and the girl puts her head down.

Madison looks like she wants to say something else but is soon interrupted by the bus driver. "Madison, go find your seat, honey. Were about to get going."

"Okay, Sir!" She says in a fake, cheery voice. "Let's go, girls. I don't want to be stuck sitting with the lower class." And they walk to the front of the bus.

Soon, another girl comes in. She has chestnut hair and black glasses. She sits about two rows away from me. Very soon I realize she's staring at me. She looks extremely familiar, and it know she's been to one of my boarding schools. When she sees that I'm looking at her back, she turns around and pretends to be reading her book.

I sit closer to her. "Hey," I say.

"Um...hi." She says back. Even her voice sounds familiar.

"Do I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar." I reply.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She says persistently. "I've never seen you in my entire life." She goes back to her book.

I shrug and go back to my seat.

******

Were about thirty minutes into the drive when we take a road that looks like it leads into the forest. I realize the bus driver is talking on his phone. I decide to eavesdrop on his conversation.

"Hm? Oh yes, we have the Half-Blood. No, no. A bit off the edge, but not dangerous. Yes. Uh-huh. Got it. We're pulling in. Yep. Okay."

What the heck is he talking about? And what the heck is a Half-Blood??

I have about a million questions about what I just heard, but my thoughts are soon interrupted by Madison. "Mr. Bus Driver Guy, this doesn't look like the way to Evanor!" She complains. "Why aren't we going the right way? Are you sure this is the way? I don't think so, and I should know because my mom is the vice-"

"Shut UP, kid!!" He says in an angry tone. Madison looks shocked, like that's the first time anyone's stood up to her before. Judging by her attitude, it probably was.

Abruptly, the driver stops the bus. We hear footsteps. BIG footsteps. The girl with the glasses looks worried.

"What's going on?" "Why did we stop?" "What's happening?" "Are we out of gas?"

Questions are buzzing everywhere and the footsteps come closer and closer. Everything goes quiet for a few seconds....until the door of the bus is yanked off by an angry, cow/man thing.

Everyone screams and runs for the back of the bus. I stay frozen, trying to process what just happened. The thing roars and looks directly at me. It starts walking in my direction.

"It wants her! It wants Silvius!!" Madison gives me a shove, forcing me one step closer to this man-eating beast. Why does it want me? Wouldn't it rather have a stuck-up popular kid like Madison?

"Silvius!!" The chestnut-haired girl yells.

I turn around, surprised she knows my name, since she claims we had never met. I'm desperate for help and I'm looking for answers and I don't question her.

"Catch!" She calls, as she throws a golden wristwatch my way.

A wristwatch?? How is this going to help me? What does she think, the monster will stop attacking the bus if I tell him what time it is?

To my surprise, the minute it touches my hand it transforms into a beautiful golden sword. "Cool," I whisper, as I feel fully confident to take on this hideous monster.

I jab it right where I believe it's heart is, and that seems to do the trick. It falls to it's knees, and I give it one more good stab before it turns into dust and vanishes forever.