Evelyn Austen and the Hunters of Artemis: The Winter Blade

by Captide

Evelyn feared the Cold. Not the normal chills you would get on a snowy day, she feared the predatory monster, the one that bit at your fingers and froze your lungs, the one that showed no mercy. Evelyn hated the Cold. It made you shiver, made you weak, made you powerless. It killed without a second thought. It killed Evelyn's brother. Evelyn tried to defeat the Cold.

1. The Cold

I bolt upright in my bed, sweat running down my forehead. I was cold, unnaturally cold. I remembered few things from my dream, ebony hair, falling snow, and a ripped flannel. I could barely breathe, I knew that the dream was a nightmare, I could tell by the cold bead of sweat on my brow. I had been running from something, I didn't know what.

I got up, wincing as my cold feet hit the even colder hardwood floor. My numb feet carried me to the bathroom as I shivered. I flipped the lights on and turned the handle on the sink faucet. Warm water splashed onto my face and the front of my white-blonde hair. I glanced at myself in the mirror. Pale skin, dark eyes, and a splatter of freckles across my nose. I wasn't very fond of my appearance, though I didn't care what others thought of me, I felt jealous of how so many other girls could look perfect so effortlessly, whilst I had huge dark circles and acne.

As I was turning to switch the lights off, I managed to check the time. 2:34 A.M. I groaned as I went back into my room and fell onto the bed. I lay there for a while, it could've been hours or minutes, I couldn't tell. I knew I had school in the morning, but I just couldn't sleep, something pulled in my stomach, urging me to stay awake. I stared out the window onto the dark and damp street. Empty, as per usual.

A flash of silver came into view at the end of the road and I saw people, girls, to be exact. All wore parkas and dark pants, some had scarves hastily slung around their necks. I noticed one girl with jet black hair and assumed she was their leader, as she stood in the front of the group. I counted in my head, something my mother had taught me to do when I felt like I was in danger. If I got down to one and was still scared, I ran.

10. 9. The girls started approaching and I noted silver bows and quivers attached to their backs. 8. 7. I slipped my shoes on as the group neared the house. 6. They started walking towards the front door. 5. I was afraid, why were they here? 4. I prepared to run and hide as the dark haired girl stepped onto my porch and took a look inside the windows. 3. I ran to my closet, the closest door to me, and grabbed the handle, not checking out the window again. 2. I heard tapping on glass and turned around cautiously. I didn't make it to one.

The dark-haired girl stood on the roof outside, her hand pressed against the window. This can't be happening, I thought as I grabbed the closest item, a hairbrush, and wielded it. The girl on the roof cracked the window open with a grin and stepped inside. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out because the girl was already covering my mouth.

"Don't scream!" She whispered harshly "My name is Thalia and I'm here to recruit you for the Hunters of Artemis."