Mortal Power: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 1

My breath forms a cloud of mist in the cold evening air as I attempt to slow my panting. Don't look. Just keep hiding.

I take another quick scan of my surroundings, but it is difficult to make out much in the steadily fading light. I am in a classic grimy brick alleyway. Rats scurry hungrily over the abandoned items and litter, some as simple as old televisions and empty cans, other things that are bagged, piled and smelly. Whatever they are, I'm not sure I really want to know. At the end of the alley looms a wire fence topped with barbed wire. No escape.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a few seconds and open them, hoping to have adjusted to the dim and made my vision clearer, but to no avail. I hunch in on myself tighter, the cold slowly seeping through my ugly knit jumper and beanie. I try to position my thick auburn hair to insulate the places on my body where the clothing cannot, but my shivering simply shrugs it off. My teeth chatter with frustration.

I can't stay here much longer or I'll freeze to death.

I inch toward the corner of the alley and peek around; two uniformed policemen standing watch, hugging themselves and chatting half-heartidly. Of course they don't look intimidating with their sour looks and various weapons hung on their belts. I shiver inwardly when my eyes fall on the guns. Their meagre conversation drifts lazily toward me.

"How's the wife?"

"She still insists that we try for a kid. What's her deal?"

The cop groans. "What is it with women and wanting kids? Are we not enough?"

I can't help but slightly agree with them. "Well, I don't know if we can if we stay out here much longer, cause the cold is creeping closer to my b-"

My snort penetrates their conversation abruptly. Their heads snap towards me and I swear under my breath. "There she is!"

Shhhh! Why must you be so loud? I should've known I'm their target; Miss Take won't want to lose one of her precious little slave victims. As their feet pound closer to my discovered hiding place, I shoulder my pack and gap it down the street.

A few hours earlier

"Ha-ha! You're it!"

My concentration and determination to read is no match for the high pitched sing-song voice. I withhold a growl and scowl at the annoying child. "Beat it, I'm studying."

The little boy pouts. "But I tagged you..."

"Too bad, go tag someone who cares."

Obviously frustrated that his tactic is failing, he switches back to happy and energised mode. "C'mon, you're not being a wuss are you?"

My mouth forms a challenging smirk. "If you want me to play, you better start running."

He blinks, stunned for a moment that he got what he wanted. He then whoops with joy and bolts across the basketball court, nearly taking out the players, and disappears in the playground.

With a sigh, I wipe the smirk off my face and close my book, making sure to memorise the page number. Hugging it to my chest, I stand and am about to head down the steps when three humanoid figures block my way and the sun.

The 'guy' in the middle is Owen, a six foot fat lard who possesses the three B's of a troll: behaviour, boogers and brains. In addition he has a mat of what probably was blond hair covering most of his vision and large nostrils usually blocking most of mine, but good fortune is currently upon me as I am at the top of the stairs. He's probably stretched them with those giant sausage fingers, one of which he is now stabbing at me. "Miss Take wants to see you."