AN: Hey guys! I'm back! I know I haven't updated my story in awhile, but I decided to start a new one. I randomly got an idea for a demigod one while in the middle of reading Mark of Athena. The story is rated as a romance because I am planning on having one between the character and Leo Valdez because who can deny him?Anyways I hope you enjoy! :)
Haley strolled through the city streets, looking at all of the tourist shops and sighed lightly. 'Of course there were no good book shops around here, why would anybody read books in the middle of the desert?' she thought sourly. 'Because the heat isn't enough'. Haley grabbed her thick golden-brown curls and tied them up with her spare hair tie.
She looked up to the sky into the blinding sun and wondered why her mom wanted to send her all the way to Arizona for the summer. Sure, it was cool in the beginning but Arizona was so far away from Maine. She wasn't even in the city, instead she had been sent to a camp that was close to the Grand Canyon. And Haley hated heights.
As much as she hated to admit it, she missed her cold homeland. Being born and raised in one of the northern most states made the desert heat unbearable. She missed the way the leaves rustled in the wind, and the pitter-patter of rain on the roof. She missed the trees and hilly landscape. Out here, all there was was dirt, rocks, and cacti.
More than anything, Haley missed her secret escape: books. Back home, she would read and read and even occasionally write. She read horror books and mysteries, actions and fantasies, even a few romances (as long as there was a supernatural aspect to it). Books were her way to run away from the boredom of humanity. She longed for adventure and myths, wishing she could just join whatever characters she was reading about on their quest. She wished to be whisked away to Hogwarts or Panem, heck she would even settle for Forks if there was some slaying she could do. To Haley, books were magic.
After scouring out the stores one last time, hoping for anything at this point, she sighed in defeat. Nothing. Haley started to trudge back down the main road (if you could call it that) until she heard a slight tinkling sound. She shook he head slightly, thinking she just had a ringing in her ears, and grabbed her music player. Maybe some loud music would help, she thought. Right as she was about to turn off the road though, she heard the tinkling again. Louder this time.
Haley turned, wondering where that awful high pitched sound was coming from, but for the life of her could not find it. Grumbling slightly under her breath, she continued walking back the way she came. After all, free time was almost up. Soon the crowded bus would lug back to the campsite, whether she was on it or not.
As Haley neared the giant yellow lump, she heard the usual high-pitched giggling of the other girls. To her, it sounded more like cackling, but she rather tried to stay invisible to the annoying group around her, so sh never did say so to the group. Then, she saw the masses. Well, that's what it looked like to her anyways. She slowly made her way through the crowd of about 50 unknown faces to one of the few known ones.
Haley only spoke to the counsellors and she only spoke when she had to. Crowds just weren't her thing. She checked in and hopped on the bus just wanting to get out of there. Finally one of the adults blew their whistle, signalling everybody to get on the bus. All of the campers outside pouted as Haley silently cheered. When she got back to camp, she decided she would try and phone her mother again, convincing her to let her come home. After all, it wasn't her idea to be all the way out here in Arizona.
By the time the loud bus reached the dull campsite, Haley had a pounding headache from the noise and decided a pit stop at the medical cabin would be worth it. Instead she was bombarded by the office. "Haley!" the head counsellor called, his big belly bouncing slightly after her, "You had a call. Your mother called, about five times too. I believe it is urgent."
Haley bounded into the office and dialled the numbers she knew by heart into the phone become the counsellor had even reentered the cabin. She bounced on her heels, ADHD in full swing, as she counted the rings. One... two... Then her mother's voice, "Haley? Thank goodness you called. Pack up, you are coming home. I've told camp leader this, one of the counsellors at giving you a ride to the airport and you are landing in New York. Your flight leaves soon though so hurry, okay? I have some things I need to speak to you about when you get here, okay?"
"Wait, but Mom," Haley started, a bit confused at what was happening.
"Not now Haley, when you're back I will explain everything I can. Go, your flight should be leaving soon. They have a few coming, just make one soon." With that, her mother hung up and the dial tone rang in her ears.
Haley threw the phone back on the receiver and bolted back to her cabin. She quickly grabbed her suitcase and threw everything in sight in a quickly as she could. When nothing was left on her bunk, she scoured her area one last time an grabbed her toiletries before dragging her case out.
Waiting by the entrance was one of the counsellors who leaned up against a small VW bug. Haley didn't really know that counsellor, though she did remember it was one of the least liked ones and groaned. Fantastic. She threw her trunk in the backseat and climbed in after it, waiting for the blonde to catch the hint.
The blonde girl sighed and hopped in the driver's side and said nothing to Haley as she drove off. Haley examined her. She seemed to be about 25 and snobby with her pinched face and upturned nose. The driver's hands white-knuckled the steering wheel and drove faster down the backroad. Haley watched the needle pass 30 miles per hour, then 40. It was about to pass 50 when Haley heard the girl finally speak.
"Trying to run and hide, huh? That won't stop Gaea from rising, demigod. Try as they might, the Gods can't stop it. They can't even protect their children. The dead are rising," she laughed. Haley felt something was wrong right then. She slowly opened her suitcase and grabbed for something, anything to protect herself. She found a pen and shook her head, 'worst comes to worst...' she thought.
Haley then grabbed for her money she had saved from Christmas and her fifteenth birthday. 'Just in case..' she decided. As she slipped the bills into her pocket, the counsellor turned around, "Wait and see how Gaea will reward me for getting another demigod off her back," she laughed (maniacally in Haley's opinion).
The blonde turned the wheel and face the car at a giant rock wall that was on the right hand side of the road. Jumping into action, Haley stabbed the pen into the girl's hand and hopped out her door as the car swerved into the wall. Haley crouched defensively taking the jump in a tumble, tucking her head in.
As she stopped rolling, she heard a loud crash and felt flames growing behind her. Her arms were covered in scratches and dirt was all throughout her thick brown locks. Haley groaned, standing up, and grabbed her head. There would definitely be a bump there later, for now though she pulled her hair back up into a ponytail to cover it up.
As Haley observed he surroundings, she remembered the bus station she had been picked up at for camp was right up the road. If she got there in time, one of the buses went to the airport. Haley jogged down the road, hoping she wouldn't miss her stop.
Haley sat in the bus station waiting. She had about half of an hour until her bus came. She had definitely gotten plenty of looks as she strolled into the small station, panting lightly, but didn't think much of it. Instead, she bought her bus ticket and asked if they had a flight schedule.
Now she sat though, and decided it would be a good time to check out her scratches. Scanning for the restroom, she found it and locked the door. The full length mirror showed her face was a bit red, and she had a lump forming on her forehead. Other than that, the rest could be cleaned up. Grabbing a couple of paper towels, she made due.
As she finished up cleaning the dirt off of her, she looked in the mirror once more. Her curls had turned into their normal afro, she had brown circles under her eyes, and scrapes all over her, but she definitely looked better.
Haley left the bathroom feeling loads better and sat back down examining the flight schedule in front of her. There was a flight leaving at about 4 she noticed with a straight shot for New York. She looked at the clock, it was 1:30. The bus would arrive at two and give her plenty of time. That would be her flight. She texted her mother, but got no reply, so remained unsure if her mom would be there in time.
Haley thought back to the phone call. Her mom's anxious voice rang in her ears again. What possibly could have happened to her mother to make her like that?
Suddenly she heard the call for her bus, time seemed to have flown, though she still had some to go. She hopped on and flashed her ticket to the driver Haley grabbed a seat near the back and closed her eyes. What was the counsellor saying anyways? Gaea? Wasn't she Mother Earth or whatever? Haley shook her head, she must have just lost it.
For now though, all Haley one for sure was she had a flight coming, the sun was up, and she was exhausted. Slowly, Haley nodded off and dreamt of a sleeping face calling her name...
AN: So, what did you all think? I'm working on chapter two at this moment, sorry for any mistakes, I did proof this myself, if you see any please feel free to tell me :) Also, I've never 'demanded' reviews, but I would like 3 before I post chapter two. No? okay... ha hope you enjoyed!