I remember the day my Mom died. People used to tell me that I shouldn't be able to because I wasn't even there but I do. At the time I was a baby and couldn't even talk. My mother had left me in my Grandmas care while she went out to the village for food. When leaving me I cried and wouldn't let go of her, which was strange since I never acted like that before. Now I know why I acted like that, I knew she was going to die that day. That was so long ago that I can't even remember my Grandmas face anymore. It's been 860 years since that's happened and still I haven't died. I've tried to kill myself but it never works. People have tried to kill me yet I've never been killed. I age but not very fast, so I'm hoping that old age is my way out. That may not be the case but it's still my hope and dream. My name is Marti and I've been stuck as a 14-year-old for 865 years.
Every morning same routine; wake up, make myself look as unwanted and horrible as possible, go out and find a new place for that night, and kill any of those evil monsters that always come after me day after day. When I'm lucky I find something good to eat or enough money to buy some. Mostly I live off of stealing things.
I'm very thankful for my ghostly look so people can never get attached to me. Long black hair, dark almost black eyes and very pale skin. People always avoid me even if I try to be friendly. That's one thing you learn about being me- no one's your friend. My small stature helps me with quick getaways and I never stay in one place too long. My life was hard, boring, but safe. Not for me but for others. At least it was until those kids showed up. The one with dark black hair and sea-green eyes in particular is quite an inconvenience. His goat friend and know-it-all girlfriend are also pests. Everywhere I go they are there trying to take me to this place called the underworld where apparently my "Dad" is. They say they can help me but they don't know what they would be getting themselves into.
"One foot in front of the other" I chant. They were close to getting me today. I had fallen asleep while resting in an old abandon house. If I hadn't heard them break the window they would have had me. "One foot in front of the other" I say over and over again. I didn't get enough rest to shadow jump like I would have so I push further. Even when my legs scream in protest. Over and over I whisper "one foot in front of the other" and that was my mistake. I could hear the rush of water over my chant until it was too late. Before I knew it I was encased in water. And there they were to get me before I could recover. "Nico get us there!" I hear the boy scream. And then I was swallowed into gut-wrenching darkness.