Chapter one: I don't get it!
"Hi, do you know how to get to Richmond?" The man that Annabeth had asked help from stared at her blankly as his black hair got into his eyes. "I'm sorry, don't speak English." The man struggled to say with a strong Asian accent.
"Oh, well, that's alright, sorry to bother you, then," it was like the tenth time that Annabeth had to say that. She didn't mind, it's just a little hard to get back to where the hotel was. Richmond, she thought, is it so hard to get back? She looked down at her map, but it had barely helped her this whole time. Her dyslexia was kicking in again, and she didn't even know which way Richmond was. Better keep asking, she thought. Just then, a girl walked passed her, and she ran to catch up. "Excuse me!" Annabeth tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes?"
"You speak English?"
"Of course, don't you?" the girl laughed. Thank the gods, Annabeth thought. "I need directions to get to Richmond, can you help me?"
"Which part of Richmond are you headed for?"
"This place called the Holiday Inn."
"Well, that's easy, it's just beside the river, here," she pointed to what looked like a glass box across the street, "That's the City Centre station, go in and make a left and go down to the Canada Line sky-train, then take it right to Bridgeport and you'll know where to go from there."
"Oh, thank you, that helps a lot!"
"New here?"
"Just visiting."
"Yeah, well Vancouver's a tough place to get around in. We've got a beautiful transit system though, and nice people. Won't get lost here again." the girl smiled and walked down the street.
"Thank you!" Annabeth yelled after her. Train-station, she thought, and ran towards her destination. Inside the grand "sky-train" station, whatever that was, took the escalator, down and then down another time, passing big beeping machines only to be stopped by a woman in a green coat telling her she needed a ticket. Ticket, yes, that should help, you dummy, Annabeth thought to herself. Buying a ticket was actually more work then she thought. The coins were different here in Canada, and so she had to look at every one to make sure their worth. Then she looked up at the computer screen of the machine. It had three buttons, concession, adult and zones. Well, what zones are you talking about? She clicked on it. "Zone one, zone two, zone three." it said. Thanks that helps a lot, she hit herself on the forehead. Percy had told her about these stuff. Now lets see, she concentrated, Zone one is...Vancouver, zone two is Richmond and like Burnaby, and zone three? She didn't need zone three, zone two was what she needed. Thank you, Percy! Annabeth clicked on "Zone two" and "concession, adult" came up. She clicked concession but it started to ramble on about elders and children and how you should have a Go-card if you're in high school, and a U-pass in university... Adult, definitely adult! $3.75. Wow, that's expensive, nothing like New York, now is it? She paid her fare and the machine spat out a little card the size of a credit card out of the slot at the bottom. She ran down the escalator again and gleefully showed the woman the card. The woman nodded and gave way for her to step onto the platform.
Annabeth looked up at the screen hanging from the ceiling, 5 minutes until the next one to Bridgeport. She looked down the tunnel where the train was supposed to come, then looked up to the screen again, 4 minutes. She was about to explore the interesting ad world on the opposite wall when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. A smiling boy about her age drew his hand back. Twenty, she thought. "Hi," he said. Those eyes, I know those eyes from some where, she thought.