Hey guys! So it's been a while since I last wrote a story. A lot has happened since then but I am excited to begin writing again.
Enjoy!
The smell of rain overpowered my nose as I took small steps through the forest. Large leaves were covered in small and fragile drops of water. I stopped walking and took in my surrounding. It was around dusk, just in time for the orange from the sun to peak through the woods, but still dark blue and glimmering from the stars. I smiled. What could be better than this?
Everyone has that one place where they go to be themselves and be isolated. This was mine. This was where I came to clear my head, to think things over, to breathe. Everything lately had been way too crowded and overpowering. My head was pounding, like I was being punched over and over and over. Just thinking about it all made me sick to my stomach.
I began to run. I had to. To get away from everything, everyone. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I didn't care. Just go, run! The faster I ran, the more powerful I felt. I broke through leaves and branches, gaining gashes on my arms and legs. I saw the sun more clearly now, smiling at me through all the brush. I was closer to it. Finally, I burst straight past the edge of the forest and found myself at the top of a cliff.
Was this how it was supposed to end? Me jumping off to my death, never to be seen or heard from again? I had seen it happen before on the news. "Teen jumps off fifty foot cliff, plummets to death". I took a deep breath and peered into the depths of the cliff. Nothing but darkness. The sun was up even more, it looked to be about eight or nine in the morning now. City folk, businessmen, wives, innocent children would all be waking up soon. Lives gained, lives lost. That's how this world worked.
I considered jumping. Just end the pain and the craziness, all the things I couldn't handle, the anxiety. But I began to think of my family, my friends. My father, my brother, Percy. Percy. That was a name I hadn't thought of in a very long time. My breathing became rapid and in short bursts. I braced myself for whatever was at the bottom of that cliff. I stepped up to the edge and decided to let go.
It felt like everything bad was just washing past me, never to be thought of again. Like everything was going to be okay again. I spread out my arms and unfurled my wings just before I reached the bottom. They rustled and swooped me upward. I flapped them and shot straight up like an arrow towards the sun.
"Is that how it always ends?" Thalia asked. I nodded and folded my arms. My light blue sweater felt like a cloud against my skin. Thalia stood in front of me, gazing at the forest. "And you've been having this dream for two weeks?" I nodded again and kicked a branch that was in front of me.
"And it's this forest. This is where it always begins. Every single time." I let out a sigh into the freezing cold air. Thalia leaned up against a tree. Her black army boots were soaked from the recently rained upon ground. She wore black pants to match and a dark grey sweater. Her black pixie cut hair kept receiving drops from the tree above.
"Damn trees." She muttered. "Do you think it has something to do with your recent breakup with Percy and the death of your mom?" She asked softly. I snorted.
"Well duh, that was kind of a given. But what the hell does me jumping off a cliff and then suddenly sprouting wings have to do with anything?" I crouched down and picked up a red rose that was on the ground. It looked like it had been stepped on multiple times and was beginning to brown.
"I don't know, maybe it's symbolizing..." Thalia began to speak but I couldn't focus on her words. I looked past the rose down through the forest. There was a distinct path, like someone had run through it recently. I stood up and started to walk the path. "But maybe your mom is- hey, wait for me!" Thalia ran behind me. My pace began to quicken as I followed the pre-destroyed passage. "Annabeth, what are you doing?" Thalia asked.
I broke into a run. Finally, I came to the edge of the forest. But there was no cliff. Just more grass and deer that scattered. I was breathing heavily and I looked around, confused, like I was going to find answers. Thalia had her hands on her knees. "That's the most cardio I've done in a year." She started to laugh, but her humor did nothing for me. I just kept darting my eyes around. Thalia came over and put her hand on my shoulder. "Annabeth, maybe we should just go back to my house. We have school tomorrow and that huge English project is due." I nodded and turned around to walk away. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of someone standing in the grasses, but when I looked back, no one was there.
"Shakespeare was born in 1564 blah blah blah. Next website." I sat on Thalia's couch with a hot chocolate in my hand staring blankly at her wall.
"Thalia, would you girls like some popcorn?" Thalia's mother, Beryl, asked.
"Sure mom!" Thalia answered. She stopped pacing back and forth and put her laptop down onto the granite countertop. "Annabeth, do you just want to go home? I'll finish the project myself. There's not much left. You could go home and sleep-"
"No. No sleeping. I'm good." I sat up and grabbed the textbook that was lying next to me. "Page 187 right? Ah, Shakespeare was born in 1564."
"I got that." Thalia responded, laughing. Beryl brought in a giant bowl of kettle corn and more hot chocolate.
"Do you girls need anything else?" She asked.
"No, we're good mom, thanks." Thalia said. Beryl smiled and walked into her office and shut the door. "Okay, seriously Annabeth, go home. I'll finish the project. You need rest. Maybe this whole adventure took your mind off of that dumb dream. Try to sleep. Please?" Thalia asked. I sighed and nodded in agreement and began to put on my converse shoes.
"Thanks Thals. I'll see you tomorrow." I said. She reached over and gave me a hug. I hugged back, then walked out the door. As soon as I was out, I was running. I ran back to the grass. Who had been there? I reached the edge of the forest in no time. But there was no one in sight. I began to slowly walk towards the middle of the grass. It was cloudy and murky outside, but not dark or scary. "Hello? Is anyone here? I saw you earlier when I was here. Who is it? I won't hurt you, I promise." I waited. Silence.
"I never thought I'd hear your voice again, Chase." My heart stopped cold. I knew that voice too well. It was the voice that used to consol me in times of need, that used to sing with me in the car, that used to love me. It belonged to a boy with black hair and green eyes. I turned around to face the tall boy. I couldn't breathe and could barely speak.
"P-Percy."