Myths and Magic

Chapter 1

Do you ever get that feeling that there's someone there, like you should be alone, but you know you're not? Well here's some advice, if you ever do...run!

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1 month earlier

"Come on Jack, we'll miss our flight."

It had been exactly a year since I had been with Jack (and defeated the curse, but that's another story) so we decided to visit Manhattan for our anniversary. Our lives had been pretty normal since the 'incident' (trying to kill yourself to save the boy you just met is completely normal) and we thought life would be simple - no more curses or crazy ancestors trying to ruin our lives.

When we finally landed, our luggage was taken straight to our hotel whilst we headed to Central Park for a romantic stroll. Now I know what you're thinking. "Here we go, another soppy love story," but trust me, there's no way of you predicting what happened next...

After 2 weeks we were settled, we knew our way around the city and had decided to just go with the flow instead of planning days out, but there was something niggling at me in the back of my mind. No matter where I went I felt like there was someone watching me. I know I should have mentioned it to Jack but he was so happy and he would only have worried, I mean, surely I was only paranoid because it was so close to the anniversary of the curse.

I've never doubted my gut feelings before, I shouldn't have made the mistake of doing it for the first time now. Our trip was drawing to a close, so to finish it off, Jack surprised me with a trip to the top of the Empire State Building - it was perfect. We spent hours just looking out over the city, watching the hustle and bustle below in the streets, taking in the breath-taking views, but there was that feeling again. This time I couldn't ignore it.

"Jack, there's someone watching us. I know it sounds stupid but I feel like they've been following us since we landed. And I'm not just paranoid either before you even suggest it."

He just stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. I knew I shouldn't have said anything. "Maybe you're just not feeling well, you might need something to eat. Stay right here and I'll go and get you something."

That was the worst thing he could have done.

Before I even knew what was happening, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and my body slumped to the ground. The next thing I knew I was chained up in some weird underground cave guarded by...well I know this probably sounds crazy, but I'm pretty sure it was a...cyclopes.

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How did I get here? What the hell is going on? I mean, I don't even know what day it is but I'm sure it's been nearly a week that I've been here and I can't stop hallucinating and imagining there's a cyclopes watching me. Surely I'm dreaming, well not dreaming, it's more of a nightmare. I felt someone else there on top of the Empire State Building, why didn't I run? This is too much of a coincidence to have happened now, and coincidences are never good.

I can hear someone coming - I don't recognise the voice, yet I have this feeling as though I should, as though there's something familiar about them. I listen to as much of the conversation as I can.

"If Jackson brings the others here looking for the fleece then the plan will be ruined. He can never be allowed to reach this island. Understand?"

"Of course I do, but what if Annabeth's with him, what do I do then Luke?"

"She chose where her allegiance lies, do whatever you have to do. Gaea must rise. Olympus must fall."

You are joking right? Olympus, Gaea, cyclopes. This is insane, it's as though I've just walked into some messed up Greek myth. The whole point is that they're myths, they don't exist, they never have, yet suddenly I've been kidnapped by some crazy guy who thinks 'Olympus' needs to fall. I really think someone needs to give him a reality check and stop reading him bedtime stories.

All I hear now is orders being shouted round, I think someone's getting a ship ready to go out. Everywhere around me is quiet, even the cyclopes seems to be sleeping. I should be terrified: I don't know where I am, I've been kidnapped and now someone is trying to destroy an imaginary world. I must've been taking something. I listen closely and hear footsteps coming closer, I guess I'm about to find out what's really going on...