This is my first Percy Jackson fanfic! I'm really looking forward to it and hope that you guys are too. If you read this than I'd like to thank you for coming, R&R! (And I'll post future chapters faster).

Unseasonably cold October wind blew the orange, red, and golden leaves off of the variety of trees. I pull my dark grey pea coat tighter around my body. Whenever I get the chance I like to stroll through Central Park for some inspiration for my next drawing or just to generally get away from the rest of the world, which is what I'm trying to do now. My teeth are chattering as a strong wind blows my long honey colored hair out of my face. Today was probably a bad day to be out here, the park seems to be completely empty, if that's even possible for New York City. It is almost eerily empty. Although it is much colder than usual, you could always spot a couple of people on the paths, either taking in the beauty or going ice skating at this time of year. All I see is a crow, which makes me jump at its entrance. Out of nowhere it flys towards me from behind a tree and squawks noisily. My deep blue eyes widen and I crouch to the brick path just as it flys past where my head would have been. I stand up and brush the dirt from my coat and pants. Well, that was unexpected. I've never seen a crow act so strange before.

A few seconds later I turn around to see that the bird was already gone. My brow furrows. It was almost as if the bird was running, well, flying away from something. I shake my head and shove my hands into my warm pockets. I've got to stop being so paranoid about everything all of the time. My thoughts continue to wander towards the strange things that had happened throughout the past few days. Trouble keeps finding me. Somehow I got in trouble for breaking my enemies new cellphone, how it got into my hand in the first place I'll never know, but it completely fried in my fist. Only yesterday two taxis crashed head on right in front of me. The only reason I hadn't been between them was the fact that I recieved a text from Ben, my best friend. If only he were here now, then maybe I wouldn't feel so lonely and we could go prank the hotdog guy again. I smile at the memory.

Maybe I could swing by the public library? I could find a nice book and have something to do for a while; but something told me that today wasn't the day for that. Even if there was a high chance that Ben would be there. I sigh and turn a corner to meet a long and beautiful path surrounded by plenty of colorful trees. Then maybe I can climb some trees to pass the time? Without a second thought I approach a nearby tree and swing myself onto the first branch with ease. I can't remember a time when I didn't climb trees, even though I live in the city. If I couldn't find a tree there were always other things to climb, like a fire escape. After a few more branchesup the pretty tree I'm lying on my back with my limbs dangling off of the edges.

This was nice. I haven't been this calm for a while. You couldn't hear a taxi, or a bird, or any people. No. My eyes flash open. You could always hear something. A loud noise of wings comforts me, I was just being paranoid, as usual. My eyes slowly close again. At least there's something alive here, even if it is a bird. At least I think it's a bird. The sound of powerful wings are right across from where I'm lying down, somewhere over the path. The weird thing is that the noise doesn't stop, nor does it get any quieter. Can birds fly in the same spot? Because that is what it had to be doing. I think I should probably be getting off of this tree and trying to get a closer look but something is holding me back. The bird sounds strange.

After a long minute, which felt like an hour, I'm still lying there silently, barely breathing. The damn bird was still there! Why am I freaking out? I feel danger though, its bubbling up in my veins and its killing me sitting still up here, I wriggle around. Staying still is almost impossible, that's why I play about seven sports. I think about texting Ben, but if there really is danger I don't want him here. (Even though he is known to help me out of these sort of things.) Thank goodness I'm small for a sixteen year old or this branch would've broken by now.

My breathing hitches as something shoots past my head and sticks the tree by my feet. Silently I sit up and examine it. It is a feather. I pull it out of the tree (which takes a few good tugs) and notice that the tip is sharp, really sharp. I touch it with the tip of my finger very lightly and blood is drawn immediately. I suck on my finger. The silky black feather looks so menacing. What do I do now? Get down from the tree and confront the bird? (Which is squawking very loudly at the moment) Or stay up here and become dinner? I quickly choose the latter and am thankful to move once again. I put the feather in my boot and soundlessly jump from branch to branch before I reach the bottom.

I roll as I hit the ground and end up crouched low on the path like a hunting predator. My head snaps up. In my chest my heart is pounding so hard that I can hear it as I take in the sight of the creature. The black, ugly bird has a wingspan of at least ten feet and the giant wings are flapping slowly with very powerful (and loud) motions. The bird, more like the monster, has a curved black beak that could easily take my head off and its eyes were black, empty stones that would only focus on me. I shudder and realise that the monster begins to fire its deadly feathers at me. Turning on the spot I dive behind a large rock and look for something to injure the bird with. I have about five seconds before it will be able to attack me again. There is a pile of rocks about the size of my fist next to me. I pick them up. (They're better than nothing, right?) Taking a deep breath I duck out from under the boulder back onto the path in clear sight of the bird monster.

Belly flopping onto brick paths hurts, at least I dodged the feathers that were expectedly fired at me. But I'm back on my feet and jam my hand into my pocket, I throw my first rock. A grin plasters itself on my face as it collides with a wing. The bird makes a painful noise and I know that I'd done something right. Maybe I can be this thing. As the monster shoots twice as many feathers as before I realise that I had just made it more angry. Whoops. I crash into the path once more (I've got to stop doing that) but not before a feather lodges itself into my shoulder. A cry escapes my lips. I jump up again, determined to go down fighting. Quickly I glance at my right shoulder to find that the feather has gone straight through one end and out of my back, only the tip was visible because the rest of the strong feather was still inside of me. I am too scared to pull it out, I don't have enough time to recover anyways.

After launching three more rocks with my left arm, I know I can't beat this thing. Even if I don't want to admit it. Another feather sticks into my calf as I run for it, down the path. This slows me down as I look for cover. I slide behind a tree and bite down on a piece of bark that I tear off. In one quick motion I pull the feather arrow out of my left calf. Good thing my screams are muffled, and good thing these things aren't poisonous. With no time to lose I reach the path again and run with a slight limp. I'm still fast though, track team pays off.

I'm running without seeing. I know that the bird is chasing me, I know that my chances of beating it are slim, and I know that all I can do is hope to find someone. Once I hear another pair of wings whiz past my head, even though they are much quieter, I know that I'm finished. My breathing is labored and with the hole in my leg that is currently gushing blood I can't run anymore. I collapse onto the ground and fumble with my hands as I rip off the bottom of my pant leg. I roll up the left leg and tie the cloth directly under my knee as tightly as I can. I'm smart enough to know how to make a tourniquet. Busy with my leg it takes me a few extra seconds to realise that the noise of the bird has just stopped. I look up and see the massive bird fall from the sky, decapitated. Its head rolls until it stops right in front of me and disintigrates.

"What the-?" My voice sounds so weak and I can't even finish my sentence as I look at the bird turn to dust. I hear a metallic clink and look up to find my savior, flying towards me urgently. His blue eyes look worried as he descends in his winged shoes. I want to tell him that everthing is okay, he could only be my guardian angel (even though I'm not one to believe in that kind of stuff), but I know everything is not okay. A giant bird just attacked me and almost killed me. My angel is crouching over me. I think that he's talking, but I can't seem to focus, there's a ringing in my ears and I can't focus. He looks so distressed. I'm trying to get some sort of noise out to tell him that I'm fine but I can barely move my lips. Why am I so weak all of the sudden? I feel warm liquid sticking to me and know that it must be my own blood, drenching my body. Black dots threaten my vision and I know that I'm losing consciousness. I panic, but the darkness seems so inviting right now. Someone's shaking me as I completely black out.

Let me know what you think about the first chapter! I hope you liked it. Poor Mel. Please review! :) It will give me more inspiration to update faster! Let's see what happens next...