Run For the Immortals

Chapter One

Percy couldn't understand how her life changed so drastically within the course of one day.

In fact, the young teenager didn't understand most of what happened throughout the short few hours during her first day of school. The only thing that continuously went through her mind was, why me?

But in order to understand the present, you must first understand the past. So let's start at the beginning.

Persephone was born on August 8th, 1998 in London, England to Lindy Edwards. One day, Percy's unknown father boarded a plane to head to America for a business meeting. Unfortunately, the plane disappeared mid-flight, and none of the passengers were ever seen again. 

Several years later, shortly after Percy's sixteenth birthday, Lindy announced the two of them were moving to America. More precisely, Manhattan. At first, Percy refused to go, not wanting to go on an airplane and share the same fate as her father, but she had no choice. And Percy knew she would regret going in the end.

Oh how right she was.

The two arrived in Manhattan at around eleven o'clock at night about a week later, and Percy had foolishly believed she could sleep in the rest of the day.

Percy was right when she thought she would sleep in. . .that is, until her mother decided to give her a wake-up call.

"Come on, Perce!" Lindy called through the door. "Get up, love! You've got a big day ahead of you!"

"Mmhmm. . .yup. . ." came the groggy response of Percy as she burrowed deeper into her bed to drown out the noise of her mum banging on the bedroom door. Unfortunately for her, the door swung open, the sound of her mother walking across the room towards the windows filled the air, and suddenly the blinds were open. But even through shut eyelids and her many, many blankets, Percy was positive it had gotten brighter.

“Ughhhhhhh” she moaned oh so intelligently again. Lindy chuckled before she yanked the blanket off of her daughter’s head. Percy shielded her eyes as the light blinded her temporarily. 

“I know we arrived here late last night.” Lindy began as she took a look around the bedroom, boxes piled up everywhere. “But I want you to get up so you can begin school at the same time as the other kids your age. I don't want you missing the first day of school."

Percy looked out from under her hand glanced at her digital alarm clock, which indeed, claimed to be going on 6 o’clock AM. What time does the first bell ring, anyway? Percy groaned once more to signify that she was responsive before pushing herself into a sitting position and glaring at the multiple boxes filled with her clothes. Lindy nodded once and made her way out of the room with a smirk on her face. Percy’s hair was pretty hilarious in the morning.

Breakfast was uneventful. Mother and daughter made small talk before Percy grabbed her backpack and her skateboard and made her way towards the nearest subway.

-!-

The school day started normally. At least, as normal as it could be for a sixteen year old girl with powers over electricity. Her first class of the day was English, and being ADHD and dyslexic, Percy knew she would have an extremely hard time participating.

There was this kid, his name was Lucas White. He wasn’t big or strong, however, he acted like he was. He had intense brown eyes and shaggy red hair, and according to most students was a massive knob. Percy tried her best to avoid him when she first entered the classroom, but word had gotten around the school too quickly about the new 'foreign student' and Lucas took the first chance he got to humiliate her.

Mr. Evans, the teacher, asked the various students to read a short passage he had handed out. Every single one of them politely refused, and suddenly all eyes were on Percy.

Percy tried, she really did, but she just couldn't read the passage. Behind her, Lucas and his group of airhead buddies laughed. Percy squeezed her sea green eyes shut, trying her hardest to prevent her powers from going crazy, as sometimes they react to her emotions. 

"Mr. White that is enough." Mr. Evans called from the front of the room, slightly fed up with Lucas' behaviour already.

But Lucas didn't stop. Throughout the remainder of the period, he and his friends threw crumpled up balls of notebook paper at Percy's head when the teacher wasn't looking. Percy slowly began to get frustrated, and a few minutes before the bell rang, she finally snapped. 

"Quit throwing stuff at me, you twat! How would you feel if I just suddenly--"

"Miss. Edwards!"

Percy's head shot up, her cheeks slowly gaining a red tint. 

"I will see you after school for detention."

"But I didn't even--"

"Not another word, Miss. Edwards."

And with that, the bell rang.