Children of Hades
By: Sophie Levy
Chapter One –
Kathryn
Kathryn McCauley had no idea that she was a demigod, a child of the god Hades. Kathryn thought that she was a normal girl, but one who could see ghosts. She had been able to see ghosts since she had been about two years old. The god of the Underworld, the Leader of the Dead, had sought out his children and chosen the two who had the most potential, when properly trained. These two were Hades' only hope to gain power by overthrowing Olympus.
There, at the grand, old carnival booth stood a dark and mysterious man. He had grotesque features, which was appropriate, considering that he was one of Hades' controlled Simacruli.1 Hades had shown him a picture of a teenaged girl and given him a Task2.
"Seek this girl and bring her to me. If, by some impossible means, you fail to accomplish this Task, kill the girl to keep the other gods from using her against me," he had instructed the Simacruli, sneering at him.
How he despised Hades! The infernal god had brought him to life to serve his one Task, with no reward except to die again once his Task was over. But, a Simacruli can not turn against the one who brought him to life. Simacruli also only have one purpose once they are animated, which is to do the Task his (or her) master is assigned him to do. Then he would become a corpse again.
"Oh well," he thought, "I'll try to make it quick."
Kathryn looked at the strange man, who was smoking a cigar and leering at her, and was unsure of what to do.
"I'll just walk away," she decided.
She started to do so. Kathryn was a couple of blocks away when she realized that she was not alone on the street. It was late, and there were rarely people walking around here so late, which was why she was doing so, to get away from the hordes of people that were always on the main street. But then Kathryn heard footsteps, then a crash. She whipped around, took one look at the man following her and started to run. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Kathryn turned a corner and hit a dead end. She started to scramble up the wall, but was dragged down by a cold, claylike hand. She shivered. The hand had felt almost . . . dead. Kathryn kicked at the hand and it released her. She looked around for something to fight with and found nothing. She checked in a box and found a stash of broken, empty beer bottles. Kathryn heard heavy breathing and a cloth covered her mouth. She drew in a breath to scream and darkness swamped her mind.