'•' The Lightning Thief '•'

2 :: The Very Bestest Friends

Published: August 16, 2021
Edited: May 15, 2022

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My life for the next year and a half was incredible, better than anything I could have dreamed up. I had a family who loved and doted on me and a sister to play with.

I had a mermaid themed birthday party at the local pool on my sixth birthday, (at least what was assumed to be birthday, being left on a step as a newborn, it was a little hard to deduce the exact date.) August 1st. I got enrolled in elementary school with Annabeth which we both enjoyed but struggled with. I dressed up as Ariel and Annabeth as Belle for Halloween and we went trick or treating around our neighborhood with Mom. A little after Christmas, our little brothers Matthew and Bobby were born, which made Annabeth and I very happy. We were both determined to be the best big sisters ever!

On January 11th, right after Annabeth and I got home from kindergarten was when the first monsters attacked. Mom was giving Annabeth and I our after school snack (peanut butter and celery) and the twins were bouncing in their baby seats when a sudden rumbling started. Then a great black dog with huge teeth and red eyes, knocked over our front door. It tore apart Annabeth and my shared room and stalked around the house for an hour. Mom hid us all in the storm cellar until we heard the massive pawsteps retreat and knew it was safe. However the actual attack was nothing next to what happened afterwards. Mom screamed at Annabeth, saying it was all her fault that the dog came and she purposely put me and our brothers in danger. Annabeth cried that she didn't do anything and Dad wasn't home to calm Mom down so she went on for a long time, screaming herself hoarse at Annabeth. Then she rounded on me and I was expecting to be yelled at as well, but Mom just hugged me tight and told me how relieved she was that I was safe. I looked from my sister's teary face to Helen's concerned eyes and said nothing. That night Helen moved my bed out of the room I shared with Annabeth into my own room.

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After that dog, monsters attacked more regularly. They never hunted or harmed Helen, the twins, or Dad but they still seemed terrified of the creatures. In the beginning, once Dad leanered that Helen was blaming Annabeth for the attacks and making her sad, he chewed Helen out and told her that it wasn't anyone's fault. Then another attack happened, and another, and another. After a month or so Dad stopped defending Annabeth and began blaming her too. Fredrick and Helen told Annabeth often and unkind that if she wasn't here that the monsters would stop coming. Helen called her a freak and tried to stop her from playing with the twins and I. That was what a wouldn't stand for, I immediately distanced myself from the twins and stuck to Annabeth like glue despite Helen's urging for me to spend time with my younger brothers. Even though I never spoke up when they blamed Annabeth, I disagreed with Helen and Fredrick. I knew the monsters sought out me too. Once I passed out on the playground when a little snake with white frills burned the grass around me. Another time, two flying panthers tried to carry me off along with Annabeth. After that time, Helen yelled at Annabeth so loud the she ran sobbing outside. Helen tried to hold me in her arms and tell me I was "okay now" and "the freak won't endanger you again" but I wriggled free and dashed after Annabeth. She was hiding behind the bush line in the back yard when I found her. I sat next to my sister and tried comforting her, telling her it wasn't her fault.

"But 'Dia it is! My mommy is a goddess, Helen isn't my real mom. Daddy said so, the monsters- they smell me and come after me! It is my fault!" Annabeth cried, her small shoulders shaking. I glared at her indignantly.

"It is not your fault! The monsters come after me too, even when you're not here. It's partly my fault too! Helen is a big meanie, you shouldn't listen to them. It's not your fault." I said firmly, hugging Annabeth tightly as she sniffled into my shoulder. "Don't cry Annabeth, you're my bestest friend and I don't like when my bestest friends cry..."  I said, my lip quivering. Annabeth sniffed one more time and raised her head.