April Chang: Warrior OR Demon
by Tately E DeLaure
chapter 1: your OUT!
April P.O.V.
Swing. Smack. HOMERUN. That just how I roll. Only girl at an all boy school. Names Chang, April Chang, and I am a child of one of the twelve Olympians. And this is my story.
It all started the day my mother enrolled me at an all-boys school. Okay she not my mother she not even related to me. I only live with her because of the foster system. Don't get me wrong, I love been the only girl most boys do anything I asked them to do. Sorry back to the game, I put down the bat and run. They caught it, oh no; second base had it, and I was almost to first base. Time to kick up the speed. Second to first, dropped, no he got it, I'm half way. It would be easy to step on the base and I would be out, but no the ofe had to throw it at me. I flip and land and few steps away from first I could not help it but walk to the base.
"... and she is safe. Next batter is Sophomore Aarron Shang..." the announcer said before I tuned him out.
"Come on Shang, send me home." I yelled knowing that the ofe would understand. The catchers signal the pitcher right spinner. Good lord, when will people learn that I am the only one that calls him that, he really is smart. He is smarter than most of the meat head in this place.
"Shang watch it you ofe. It's a right spinner" I yell at him and just in time for him to change his position. Smack.
"... and it's out of the park..." the announcer said, I ran. I did a double back flip at second. A triple at third. And a cart-wheel at home plate.
"Chang, nice caught on that, but when will you stop calling me ofe, because we both knew that I'm not one." Aarron said punching me in the arm. I took off my hamlet and for the first time in a very long time I let my hair down. The last time I did this was when my real mom was alive. I rarely go to the foster family's home for holidays, I usually stay at the school and practice for something, this year it was piano.
"Yo girly, what are ya doing at this school?" the other pitcher yells at me. He looked mad most likely because I had just pushed this game in to over time.
"Hey I may look like a girl but that doesn't mean I can't punch like a guy." I yell right back trying to get into his head; it was one of my few talents screwing people up during a game. He walked away so I went and got my mite from my bag, I was up at the mound only girl to pitch, and it was kind of common for me.
"Okay Raven's it's time to go out and win this thing" the coach said before pulling me aside to talk me down and starting a fight with other teams pitcher.
"April there is no need for you to get into a fight with that boy" he said pulling out my red jade pendant from under my shirt and that I got accepted he may coach is my foster father.
"Go get them champ" he said smack my shoulder.
"And pitching for the ravens is the fireball to herself is April Chang. Ranging at 5 foot the demon is a freshman and will take you out. So don't mock her or your demon meat." Then answer said as I walked to the pitcher's mound. First batter out, second batter first base, third batter – the other pitcher – fistfight. After beams struck out by me, I got poor out of the game thanks or him hitting me in the stomach, and the stitches popped open – another story – Erin told me later that once they got me out of there the other team forfeit. But not to play in the next game, and that to me was unfair, it wasn't my fault. The guy attacked me why I being punished for it.
"Eight the nurse said that you lost a great amount of blood. I'm surprised they are not benching you for the rest of the season" and said handing me a purple folder. Inside with view is clipping of the game, there was also the other teams pitcher's info and my summer to do lists; with a new item on it. Hot down Will Solo and kill him. Bad thing about miss game is that you miss the excitement of the game or the selling of winning is almost winning will meet the taught school lost by 1 to this year's underdog. I'm sure that if I had been there we would won. And for the next few days the most I would say was why. Finally Aaron answered my question
"We were having a very off day without our demon." He said pushing me down the hallway. My doctor said not to push myself, and I usually fall for the first few dates but then I can't stand it. This is actually the first day back after the attack.
"So next time I'm going to go no matter what." I said pushing myself back into his legs. I hate the wheelchair for the elevator let me off at the other end of the hall, where the seniors and juniors are. I was a freshman and Aaron was a sophomore, and just be me cause fights. And for some reason the top senior always wanted to fight.
"Move along Chang, I know you hate this hallway that I'm sure as hell, Carter is not going to try anything" Aaron said pushing the chair forward. And cold me that Carter had his fictional but carted off to jail for the way he nearly killed another student – another long story involving me – but that did not mean his cohorts were not going to start anything.
"Hey April, how are you holding up?" One of the other freshmen asked coming up the hall to me, and like always the dude confuse me; for before today I did not remember seeing him.
"What are you talking about, and who are you?" I asked, pushing myself back.
"I'm your downfall, young hero." He said before jumping me. My hand flew to my pendant, which was glowing. Sunlight flooded the hallway and then the guy went proof.
"What was that?" I asked before closing my eyes. I'm not sure what happened next the when I opened my eyes as staying at the top of the hill, facing a Valley. Coming up the hill was a couple of people. All of them were holding sharp knives, swords and one had an ax. In front was the boy the puppy back in the wheelchair. My hand went to my bracelet and then in the blink of an eye, I was holding up a bow and arrow in my hand. Every year in my town's festival, I am the one to shoot the starting arrow. I notch and aim.
"April Lyn Chang, do not even think about shooting your brother. I know you do not like him much after what happened not to game." Someone said behind me. I turned round only to find man, he looked to be 18 or 19 years old, not that much older me. My main and three questions were:
1) Why should I listen to him?
2) How did he know my full name?
3) And if I took the shot would I be in trouble? Heck I'm taken it. I love verify. Blackness covered my eyes and paying cluster my stomach. I double over in pain. I saw a light come in through the shadow's that covered my eyes.
"You wear the pendant that I gave her. How come?" He asked picking me up by my shirt front.
"My mother gave it to me, before she died in my house fire." I said as tears sprang to my eyes. I was so young I do admire what happened but I do know that the lady I called mom now is really my foster mom, and she's not a first, she is the fifth.
"A fire, the pendant was to protect her from anything." He said loosening when tightening his grip.
"It only works on the magic in the world, not on a gas leak in the middle winter." I said fighting to get free. He let go of my shirt, and I – almost – fell to the ground, but the crazy man caught me in time.
"I have your father April Chang. I am Apollo god of the sun." He said my hand went to my pendant.
"Some say she died protect me, some say she caused her own death." I said holding the pendant out to him. Every year on the date it gets harder to live without her. I remember small things about her, like her hair they had been the color of the sun are that her eyes were browner then fudge Browning's.
"It's hard to that everything is okay now my youngest child." He said, take me in his arms before play me that is not stupid wheelchair. Why can't people not do that?
"If you're my father, then why didn't you ever come looking for me? And why did everyone tell me that you had died before I was born?" I asked running over his foot with my wheelchair. I looked over my shoulder to see that he was hopping on 1 foot. After all this time I thought he was dead just like mom. I wasn't ready to go back to that place, I wasn't ready to talk about. But now that I know what happened, I could not help but think did she know, was she ever going to tell me. I had so many questions, but I wasn't going to ask I just couldn't not again.
"Did your mother ever tell you about your heritage?" He asked why would he care, he had not ever been for my life. But for some reason I found myself nodding my head yes. The story was long, but I do it by heart.
"Then you know about the curse." He said, again I nod my head. I don't even know why I was talking to him, he never cared before today. Up until now my life have been horrible, moving from foster home to foster home, some days I would not even talk to the people around me. It might take weeks to months before I talk someone.
I reached the bottom of the hill, and as if he was there he was gone. But the group people I had seen running up the hill stopped and looked at me. Had they never seen a girl wheelchair. Each and every time I was in this foul contraption I was treated with pity. I did not like that I was a fighter I came from a long line of warriors. Will was standing behind a boy twice his size and twice as round, but he was holding my arrow in hand. He hold it out to me by the tip as if he was scared. I took it and flip it once, twice, three times before it vanished just like my father did.
The boy that Will was hiding behind looked at me with hatred, the story my mother used to tell me as a child came back the drawings of the dragon man that hang in my dorm window. The Ox was a Zhang, his family was the reason I change into a monster with the rise of the moon. I was about to stand and throw my self at him when pain rushed through my side. Blackness over took me with in minute and I not sure what happened.