/N: I wrote this last week for whatever reason. It's about Lee Fletcher, the Apollo.
I remember when I first met Sara. I was in farm country, for whatever reason, I never can remember why, but I'm glad I was. The farms were all beautiful to a city boy, like I was. But one farm stuck out, mostly because of the gardens. All sorts of flowers grew in it, and they appeared very well groomed against the brown, dried grass that crunched under my feet.
Then I saw a girl working on them. She had long blonde hair, or at least I think it was, underneath all the dirt in her hair. She was huddled over the grass on the farm with a pair of scissors clutched in her trembling hand. She seemed to be… trimming the grass with them? I saw a woman in the distance, yelling at her to work faster. The woman looked nothing like the malnourished and clearly weak looking girl.. This woman, who I guessed to be the girl's mother, looked like the picture of health, slim with muscles. I noticed that her clothes were very fancy- brand name, probably- the exact type of clothing that my mom made knock offs of in her small clothing store. The girl's looked like they were rags. Then I saw her mother do something to that girl that I will never forget. The woman must have reached the end of her patience, and she grabbed a whip and beat the girl with it. I couldn't take it after that. I looked up at the sky and said, "Help me dad. Please."
I didn't think my dad would do anything. He was the most compassionate of the gods- but why would he help some random girl? My attention went back to the girl- who, thank the gods- wasn't being beaten anymore… but instead was being jumped on by her mother. I fingered the small tennis ball I kept with me at all times, and I decided what I would do that instant. The small neon yellow ball changed into a long mahogany bow with a sharp string on it. I grabbed an arrow and aimed. It was a tight one, since I knew I couldn't hurt the girl. I couldn't live with myself if I did. Choosing a spot in the middle of the woman and the girl, I released the arrow and it landed directly where I had planned it to. Being a child of Apollo had its benefits, I found out. The arrow did its trick, I guess, because the mother jumped at the sight of it, but not before she delivered a hard lash to the girl. Even from my distance I could hear her cry out in pain. The mother fled. I then ran across their farm to the girl, knowing I had to save her from sure pain. She looked nervous at my approaching I didn't know this at the time, but people didn't have the best track record with her.
She whispered something indistinguishable to me, and then choked out, "I'm sorry for what I've done." That's what really made me realize how bad she had it. I had a little sister on my mom's side and plenty of family on my dad's side, but none, not one, of them would have apologized if I saved their lives. I then picked her up gently and signaled to my father. He wasn't the most pleased to have to land while he was racing Artemis, but once he saw that heap of the girl in my arms his expression changed immediately. He changed his exotic car to an ambulance, complete with all the medical equipment, which dad hopefully knew how to use. I then asked her gently, "What's your name?"
She stuttered out, "Sara." I quietly talked to her about the day, and when I ran out if things to say I went onto my life, including my dad's side. Unfortunately, she didn't make it through the day. She made me promise one thing, though, right before she died. And that to be a great older brother for my family. I never broke that promise.