First Acquaintances

Do you know what it's like to find out that you have parents that are gods … it's a hell of a shock considering the fact that I already have a family. This is the life of me Ally Lane , 16 year old girl on the verge of a mental and emotional breakdown.

It all started on the day before my 16th birthday when I was on my way to an appointment (yes an appointment on my birthday - yeah I know it sucks!). I was in a new outfit which my parents had chipped together to buy for me (we're not exactly the richest people in the world) ; it was some new jeans , black boots , green and gold patterned shirt and a black leather jacket (it looked pretty bad ass!).

So anyway on my way to an appointment I was practically kidnapped by a deranged woman in a black SUV. Seriously , I was walking up the street to the building of my appointment when a huge black car (well to be honest it was more of a tank) came up in front of me ; it stopped and out jumped a huge man with wide shoulders and a small head (way out of proportion with the rest of his body) , he grabbed me and before I had time to scream I was thrown into the back of the car which screeched off as soon as the door was slammed shut. Once inside I looked around and what I saw was very weird , it didn't look like the back of a car at all , to be honest it looked more like the inside of a tepee. The ceiling of the car was high and pointed and made of red velvet and the ground had burgundy and gold embroided carpets; the car's seats were covered in the same velvet as the ceiling and all around were mahogany cupboards and desks which were filled with bottles , some full and some empty and the ones which were full had glowing liquid inside of every shade and colour you could think of. I went for the door but when I reached down for the handle it seemed to disintegrate in my hands and turn to golden dust in the air. I was already freaking out on the verge of screaming or passing out (or both!) when someone spoke.

"Hello , Alliana." The voice was a woman's , it was soft and welcoming. I looked around , yet I couldn't see a body to go with the face. I tried to reply but all that came out was a mumble and a shrieking sound which sounded a bit like a dying cat. At that moment in the seat next to mine materialised a woman ; she was strikingly beautiful with luscious black hair and soft brown eyes , she was wearing a black dress with multiple layers of red and purple underneath , her legs were covered in vines of dead and alive ivy , she wore no shoes but her toenails were painted red as if they were painted in blood. She looked straight at me and repeated herself. "Hello , Alliana."

Amazingly I didn't scream or faint and I managed to answer her. "He – Hello."

She smiled at me as if she were proud of my answer. I caught my breath and firmly asked , "How do you know my full name , no one knows that but my – " she cut me off and finished my sentence.

"- mother." She continued.

There was silence for a moment before she continued to speak.

"Alliana , I am so glad you can see me , I have been trying to talk to you for many months and you have not responded."

"I – I've never seen you before in my life."

"Of course you have , you just can't remember."

"I think I would remember you …. no offence"

" None taken , I just came here to give you something."

"Why would you give me something?"

"It's your birthday soon, surely you want a gift."

"Well…" I thought of a reply.

She laughed at me like I had a sticker on my forehead.

"What?" I questioned.

"Nothing , you just remind me of your father when you do that."

"You know my dad."

"Of course I do"

This woman was starting to creep me out and I didn't like it.

"Can I go please , I have places to go and this can class as kidnapping ."

"Not really"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's not kidnapping if you're a parent of the child you have taken."

(WHAT?) My mind was screaming get out of the car but the door was gone , where was I supposed to go. I think the creepy woman somehow knew what I was thinking and continued to talk,

" Well , I'll let you out now."

By now we must have been moving really fast because my stomach was churning. "But we're moving."

"I know!" The woman said calmly.

The lady waved her hand and when I reached for the handle it was there again , I pushed down on it. I was thrown half way out of the car , I hung to the door for dear life.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" (Of all the questions I could have asked , I asked that one for some reason)

The woman slid along the seat and in her hand materialised a glorious black velvet gift bag. " My name is Hecate –" she yanked my hand off the door , it was only her keeping me in the car now "- oh and don't forget your present." She forced in into my other hand and then she let me go; I expected to hit the tarmac at a high velocity but instead I fell and hit something soft , something very soft. I opened my eyes and I was in my room , on my bed. I stood up and then it hit me , " Hecate … isn't she a goddess."

The Peculiar Gift

The realisation of what happened in the car hadn't sunk in yet. My brain tried to identify and rectify the events of the last three minutes. And that was when I noticed that I was extremely late for my appointment , but I think my parents and psychiatrist (yes I have one) would understand considering that a few minutes previous I was thrown head first out of a weird ass (most likely magical) car. But I thought since I was alone I might as well look in the bag the woman gave me , I mean come on what harm could it do.

I sat down in my window seat and cradled the velvet gift bag. It was laced with some beautiful ribbon , I undid the bow. The bag fell apart as if it wanted to be opened, I peered inside the bag, there was a small wooden box (that was a bit disappointing considering the fact I had been thrown out of a car for it). I took the box out and discarded the bag completely.

To be honest I think I underestimated the box; it was about six inches wide and three inches in length. It had intricate carvings etched into it of flowers and ivy. It had a bronze latch holding the lid to the bottom and it had a lock which could only be opened with a key. And that was when I realised that nowhere on my person or in the bag was the key to open this little box. "crap." I sighed and then promptly decided to attack my way into the box , I used knives and pliers , skeleton keys (don't ask) and I even resorted to whacking the lid with a hammer ; after thirty minutes of annihilating this piece of art work the lid fell open – SUCCESS!

But just as I was to etch my view into the vicinity of the box's contents the box became shrouded in black swirling smoke , I heard a muffled thud and when the smoke had dissipated , there sat the wooden box.

Then the most peculiar and magical thing happened , the carvings began to move and weave about the lid of the box like snakes. The flowers and ivy soon became beautiful writing which read ,

I will open my doors for all to see, once I know you are the right to be.

(What the BEEP!) Then everything went blank and dark, so it's logical to assume that I passed out or fainted or whatever you want to call it.