Author's Note:
Hello! So I'm currently rewriting this and I'm sorry if some things are confusing to you. I promise to fix it as soon as I can.
And thank you very much for reading my story! This is the sequel series for my story "A Walk to Manhattan". Don't worry! You don't have to read it to understand this! I'll give you some guidelines on the bottom A/N (Just in case you haven't read AWTM yet). Enjoy!
Full Summary:
Charlotte didn't remember anything from the past four years and six months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a hospital with almost her whole body bandaged, finding a mysterious red mobile and being nursed back to health for one month by Will and her mom - she continued living a completely ordinary life back. Go to school, hang out with her best friends, and hiding these new feelings towards Will.
But she always felt this unshakeable feeling like something was missing in her life. Something she couldn't put a finger into. And she couldn't determine what it was. There was this voice on the back of her head, always speaking to her.
Then suddenly she was accused of stealing something she didn't even know! A griffin suddenly attacked her and her friends; and she learned that things weren't normal as she thought it was. And she had no right to call herself 'normal' once again.
Charlotte, then, crosses paths with the mischievous god of messengers, whom she felt a mesmerizing connection to. He seemed to hold all of the answers in her mind about the emptiness she felt… and her heart. Every time she spent with him grew more and more intense to her that her feelings for Will must had been an illusion until she realized she was falling in love again but… why did it feel like it already happened before? Could she be falling in love with the same person once again?
Follow Charlotte as she uncovers the truth about her past, handle the suddenly unexpected turn of her life, falling in love and have a quest to retrieve something she was accused stealing of with our favorite heroes and new ones to help her.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything!
Prologue
Charlotte Wilson was lying on the floor. She felt her breathing rise and fall. She looked around and her eyes landed on her comrades. Like her, they were also laid on the floor, barely breathing. They got so many cut, bruises and blood gushes everywhere. She looked deep into their faces and saw something she didn't want to see. Losing hope. They were losing hope. No, they shouldn't.
Charlotte whispered to the one nearest to her, which was Sabina, "We shouldn't give up!"
Sabina sadly shook her head and whispered back, "Charlotte, we can't do anything. We lose."
Sabina's words rang in Charlotte's mind. They lost… But they shouldn't! Charlotte still needs her memory. She needed to remember everything they took from her!
Charlotte slowly stood up. She felt excruciating pain but continued. She shouldn't give up. Not at a desperate time like this! They were one more step closer and she'll get everything she needs to remember - her life from the past four years and six months!
Just when she was almost there, she fell again. Hard. She cried in agony.
"Fool!" A deep voice said and laughed, "Can't you see? It's all over. You won't be able to get these. Your friends already lost hope, except you. He'll rise again!"
"No," Charlotte said but it came out like a whisper.
"What?" the deep voice asked, obviously mocking her.
"No." Charlotte said louder.
"What's that again?" the deep voice asked again.
"NO. I SAID NO!" Charlotte shouted and forced herself to stand up even if there was a barrier stopping her. It shattered into a thousand pieces and the man looked taken a back as if wondering how she could still stand up.
"We can't lose! Everyone, listen! We're one more step and we'll get what we wanted! We experienced a lot of things just to get where we are right now. Come on guys! The things we wanted is already there in front of us. We can't just give up!" Charlotte encouraged looking at everyone around her.
She expected everyone to stand up, fight the barrier and help her, but no one did.
"Charlotte, stop being so stubborn. We already lose." It was Caoimhe who spoke.
Charlotte got shocked. No… They shouldn't.
She got so distracted; a jet of green light hit her square on the chest and was thrown on the farthest rocky wall. She screamed in agony.
In a blink of an eye, the enemy was already there in front of her. His sword drawn and was pointing directly on Charlotte neck.
"I'll kill you first!" he bellowed and laughed.
Charlotte closed her eyes and prepared for her death. Goodbye everyone. I'm glad I died knowing that I tried, that I did my best. Goodbye mom, please take good care of yourself and be happy with step dad. Goodbye Sabina and Caoimhe, you two will always be my best friends. Goodbye Percy, Annabeth and the others, thank you for the wonderful time and opportunity in having this noble quest with you - even if we all failed. And lastly, goodbye Hermes. I know I'll regret this for the rest of my life since I'm now here, going to die in a flash and I still haven't told you my feelings. I think this is for the better. When I die, these feelings of mine will die with me.
But then, before her assailant could strike her, a blinding white light appeared.
Chapter 1 - Not so ordinary life
She was thinking. Charlotte kept thinking about her dream. Sands were everywhere… There was a man burning and cursing her… A blinding white light… And lastly, a man with curly black hair who gave her a red phone… Charlotte's hand suddenly went into her pocket where the red mobile was always kept. Until now, she couldn't believe that her dream would or was actually true. It just seemed… impossible.
She looked at Ella and Caoimhe who were few inches behind her. They seemed perfectly fine. In her dream, they were screaming in agony. Ella and Caoimhe smiled when they caught her looking at them. But then their eyes widened in bewilderment and made signs frantically. Charlotte just raised an eyebrow in confusion and suddenly felt force knock the breath out of her. A volleyball just hit her. She fell on the gym floor with a loud thud. Jeez, she could give you fifty reasons why she really disliked sports. Mrs. Serrano, the gym teacher, whistled, halting the game and everyone rushed at her side.
"Jeez, Char. You know what? You should put a sign beside you with 'Accident prone area' written on it!" Renz, one of Charlotte's classmates, joked. Everyone laughed at the corny joke but the girl just said, "Will do. Expect tomorrow I'll be wearing one." matched with deep sarcasm that made everyone laughed once again. Sarcasm was popular on their place, almost everyone had that.
"Are you alright?" Will asked as he took her hand.
Charlotte felt her breath knocked away from her once again. She got this huge crush on Will ever since she woke up on a hospital that day. He helped nurse her back to health and until she was able to walk again which took a good one month. But during that thirty days, she had a lot of fun. Ella and Caoimhe frequently visited her. Her mom also stayed in the hospital during the night. And in the morning, William will come. Chat, Charlotte's mother, will sleep while Will took care of her. Those four weeks were one of the best weeks of her life!
"Char?" Will asked, waking Charlotte from her trance and the girl, in turn, sat up.
"Don't worry, I'm fine!" She stood up normally as she assured everyone, "See?"
Mrs. Serrano nodded and whistled again. The game resumed.
Charlotte, Ella, Caoimhe and the other girls sat back on the classy black bleachers watching the boys play Volleyball. Charlotte watched Will dreamily as he blocked the attack from the opponent. She watched as Will's black hair moved gracefully as he served the ball. Beads of sweat tracked down on the side of his face which seemed to be sparkling and Charisse couldn't help but stare. His jersey with "Hanson" and the number "03" at the back was wet because of sweat, but it made him cuter.
Caoimhe looked at Ella and giggled slightly before snapping in front of Charlotte's now surprised face. She woke up and glared at her two best friends. "What?"
Caoimhe giggled and put strands of her Korean cut black hair behind her ear. Janie didn't look happy. "You're staring," the girl pointed out.
Charlotte sighed. A few days after she was hospitalized, she went back to school and told her two best friends about this huge crush she had on Will. Caoimhe squealed but Ella sighed and shook her head in disappointment, muttering, "He wouldn't be happy about this."
One time, when Charlotte was in one of the cubicles of their wide ladies' room, she heard footsteps. She looked down and saw the shoes of Caoimhe and Ella. They were talking. Charlotte pressed her ear on the cubicle door, eavesdropping.
"Caoimhe, this is not good!" Ella exclaimed frantically.
"Why? They're so cute together! Besides, we don't know when we will be back at camp! Or see him again!" Caoimhe defended and added, "Besides he would be very busy with his booming business!"
Charlotte heard Ella sighed. "But, Caoimhe, she belongs to him. Not to Will! It's what they call destiny." Janie said.
Charlotte got shocked. She didn't belong to Will? Anger surged inside her. Why did Ella say that? Who was him, anyway? Besides, Charlotte had heard from other girls that Will seemed to like her too. Before the eavesdropper knew it, the cubicle's door opened, revealing a mad Ella and Caoimhe. Both of their hands were on their hips and their lips were on a tight hard line.
Charlotte looked up and smiled innocently. "Hello!" she greeted hoping her act will work.
Ella glared. "You heard us didn't you?"
"What are you talking about?" Charlotte asked trying to be innocent as much as possible.
"Look, Char. We know that you're eavesdropping." Caoimhe explained.
Charlotte sighed and put her hands up in surrender at that time.
"So what?" Charlotte snapped at Ella. "So what I'm staring? I like Will!"
Ella sighed, rolling her eyes. "Whatever." She wasn't usually like that. She was only like that when Charlotte said anything about romance on Will. She wished she was supportive like Caoimhe.
After the game…
Will approached Charloote.
"Nice game," Charlotte smiled.
He smiled back. "Thanks. Come on, let's go home!"
Charlotte nodded and together with Will, they walked home. Ella and Caoimhe were trailing behind them, whispering.
Will lived just a few blocks away from Charlotte's that was why they always walk to home and school together. That also applied to Ella and Caoimhe.
"So, does anyone of you know our assignment in English?" Caoimhe asked.
"What? About The Ramayana*?" Charlotte asked. "It's just simple you know." She continued.
"I agree with Char," Ella said. "It's just simple Caoimhe!"
Caoimhe frowned. "Well, I'm sorry that I'm not mythology fanatics like the two of you!" Charlotte and Ella just laughed.
And then, suddenly, something appeared out of nowhere and tackled Charlotte to the ground.
"Charlotte!" It came out as a shout from her two best friends.
Charlotte saw her attacker. It looked like a bull with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes. She turned her head to the side as saliva flowed down from its mouth and up to her clothes. "Gross," she thought. "What's up with these things? Since when did bulls attacked people? Since when did bulls appear here in the Philippines? FYI, we got no bulls here!"
And suddenly it bit her on her left arm. Charlotte screamed in agony as scarlet blood flowed helplessly. She didn't know why, but it seemed something like this already happened before. She couldn't figure out when.
"WILL!" Charlotte screamed.
Will composed his self and grabbed his sky blue baller. He tossed it and it turned into a bronze sword. Charlotte forgot the pain as she stared in amazement on the sword that gleamed on the late sunlight. Totally forgetting the pain on her left arm, she stared in awe as Will fought the hellhound. And the guy won as her attacker turned to dust and the winds blew it away. He helped her up and tended the wounds, applying some first aid.
"Oh gosh! I'm going crazy. Crazy over a guy," Charlotte thought. "This is not good."
"It is my dear. This'll spice up the love story!" a high-pitched girly voice said in Charlotte's mind. The girl took a deep breath. Breathe. Relax. She was already used to different voices talking in her mind, speaking to her.
One time when she was walking on her way to her house, it was night and a cold breeze brushed on her hands and the girl shivered. She went to the store to buy some materials for her project when she noticed there were some bystanders, gambling a few feet in front of her. She continued walking and when she was almost near, a quite deep voice suddenly said in her mind, Stop! Don't go near them! Camouflage yourself on the darkness surrounding you.
Charlotte gasped silently. Did someone just talk in her mind? But still, she followed being the obedient girl she was and camouflaged herself. It was a good thing she was wearing dark clothes and her ultra black hair and light brown skin helped. She passed freely without those bulky guys and when she was sure she was safe, briskly walked towards her home.
And now, she was hearing one of them again. But this voice speaking in her head sounded like a girl, not a guy like she usually hear. She shook the thought out off her mind and calmed herself.
"Wait, what is that? Is that a hellhound from Greek mythology?" Charlotte asked. Everyone replied her question with silence.
"What?" Charlotte asked noticing the sudden stillness, "Did I say something wrong?"
Ella and Caoimhe started whispering once again without thinking that there were other people who would like to know what they were talking about while Will stayed silent, suddenly having a newfound interests on his blue Nike shoes.
"What's going on?" Charlotte asked irritably. She wanted to know everything! It looked like they were hiding something from her! And for the fact, Caoimhe and Ella were murmuring something to each other in low hushed voices doesn't help either.
"Caoimhe, Will. I think it's time." Ella said after she murmured something in Caoimhe's ear.
"B-But-" Will stammered looking uncomfortable; it was obvious he didn't like the idea. Caoimhe interrupted him, "Will, we don't have a choice. It'll be Char's decision if she chooses..." She stopped short remembering the person in concern was behind her. She slapped a hand on her mouth muttering about having a big mouth.
"Choose who?" Charlotte asked. "Caoimhe, Ella, Will. What's going on? Will someone please tell me?"
Before any of them could answer, a flying monster attacked them. What was worse? It was heading directly to the wounded Charlotte.
"Where is it?" the griffin sasked.
"Since when did griffins speak?" Charlotte asked to no one in particular at all. It was a rhetorical question. Everyone was too shocked to even speak. "Where is what?" She asked once again but this time to the griffin, totally confused.
"Don't act innocent, child," the griffin hissed, his eagle brown eyes glaring at her.
"Stop!" Caoimhe exclaimed to the protector. She was already aware that her father sent this griffin. "She doesn't know or remember anything!"
Charlotte took a step back in fear. What was going on? What were they talking about? Where was what? Why were they demanding it to her? She was just a mere high school girl!
Then, suddenly, Will hugged her protectively and pointed his sword to the griffin.
"Give her to me," the griffin commanded. "I'm doing this for Lord Zeus. He needs this girl." It pointed one of its sharp talons to Charlotte who cowered back in fear.
"I don't care! You'll get her over my dead body!" Will said bravely as he swung his sword around it.
Charlotte blushed at the embrace. Well, he was her knight in shining armour, she guessed. She hugged him back trying to savour each moment. This could only happen once in a lifetime! So why not make the best out of it? But then she stopped. It was such a stupid thing to do! What was happening to her? She wasn't like this! Was it got something to do with the girlish voice that spoke in her mind earlier?
The griffin growled and lunged at Will. He pushed Charlotte out of the way as he battled his new opponent. Both of them were skilled. Charlotte didn't remember that Will knew how to use a sword. Will's sword flew away from his grasp and the beast tackled him to the ground. It smiled triumphantly showing sharp teeth.
"You said over your dead body boy, so be it," it said and bit Will on his right shoulder. Will screamed in pain as the griffin prepares for another tasteful bite.
Charlotte freaked out. What should she do? She didn't have any weapon at all! How could she help Will? She looked around. But then her phone beeped. Who might be sending her a message at an urgent time like this? Charlotte wondered but checked it out. The message said: "Stretch out the antenna and say these 'Strofi se ena xifos**.' Don't be surprised if you'll see two intertwined green snakes. When it turns into a sword, use it to stab the griffin. Good luck!"
Charlotte got surprised. Who's this? She checked the sender: Unknown number. Who could it be? She did what was told and two green snakes intertwined to each other appeared.
Jeez, I want to eat rats badly! A boyish voice said.
Shut up, George! I'm hungry too! A girlish voice said.
Martha! You know that I always have a huge appetite! The boy, who must be George, said.
Charlotte freaked out once again and quickly said, "Strofi se ena xifos!"
The red phone turned into a golden sword. Charlotte stared in awe.
"Amazing," she breathed out.
"Charlotte!" Will exclaimed alarmingly. Oh yeah! She forgot about him.
Charlotte took a deep breath. She needed to save Will. She had to. Like he always did to her. She should return the favor right? With trembling hands, she lunged at the griffin and stabbed it on its back. It instantly turned to dust with little contact on the sword. She was about to help Will when her left arm stung. Oh yeah! She still had that bite from the hellhound. She fell on the floor as she gripped her left arm and screamed in agony. Black spots started to appear in her vision.
Caoimhe freaked out. "Ella, we should give her nectar!"
Ella nodded and forced Charlotte to drink something. It tasted like an ice tea. She instantly felt better but was still fighting to stay conscious.
"We really need to bring both of them to the camp infirmary!" Caoimhe exclaimed again.
"On it!" Ella said and turned to look at Charlotte. "Sleep tight!" she said before Charlotte totally lost consciousness.
*The Ramayana is one of the two great Indian epics (the other one being Mahabharata). It is about the reincarnation of the creator god Vishnu in the person of Rama, who is the hero of the epic. An Indian epic about courage, love, loyalty, betrayal and fairness.
**Turn into a sword
Here are some guidelines:
Charlotte Wilson - a simple fourteen year old half-American and half-Filipino. She got ultra black hair, dark brown eyes and light brown skin. Her hair was straight and layered up to her mid-back and wore purple trimmed glasses. The main protagonist of the story. In AWTM, she's in love with Hermes after the god saved her. But, at the end of the story, she lost her memory thus, having a huge crush on Will, Hermes's son.
Hermes - the Greek god of messengers, travellers, thieves, sports, slyness etc. In chapter 1 of AWTM, he saved Charlotte from nine hellhounds calling her "Demigod" and "Egyptian magician". In chapter 3, he met her again in a bookstore in a particular mall in the Philippines. He didn't have a chance to have a proper conversation with her because chaos ensued. In chapter 10, he showed Charlotte some glimpses from the future. And lastly, in chapter 11, he saved her again and gave her his caduceus for her own protection.
William "Will" Leon Hanson - a fourteen year old Filipino, son of Hermes. He was described as annoying yet funny classmate and since childhood rival of Charlotte. He loved to tease and bully Charlotte. And to the eyes of the girls, he looked cool. He was cute with his quite tousled black hair, almost pale complexion, brown eyes always with the hint of slyness and loves to grin. After AWTM, he eventually changed into a nice guy to Charlotte.
Caoimhe Mercado - the 14-year-old best friend of Charlotte. She got flowing black hair and brown eyes. Her skin was almost pale. She was a daughter of Zeus.
Ella May Sanders - a twelve year old best friend of Charlotte. She got reddish-brown hair, tanned skin and kaleidoscope eyes. Sometimes it was blue. Sometimes, gray.
Renz - a very minor character. He was a classmate of Charlotte and had a sense of humor. Though sometimes his jokes were… corny and insulting.
Mrs. Serrano - the PE teacher of Charlotte and Will. A very minor character.
