Laura was panting hard as she stumbled into an alley. She had been running for the past half an hour. She did not know what the boy following her wanted, but the look in his eyes scared her. It was not a nice look. It was a hungry look. She tried to get her breathing under control, hoping that the boy would lose track of her now she was hiding. She wished she had accepted Estelle Blofis offer to walk her home today.
Estelle was two years older than her and was about to graduate from middle school and go to high school. She was the popular girl in school that everyone wanted to be like. However, she was not a cheerleader and did not hang out with that crowd at all. No, Estelle was a fencer. She took lessons with the coach of the high school fencing team. She had already secured her spot on the team for next year. Her friends were strange, as strange as Laura anyway. There was Max in Estelle's year and Hannah in the year below them. Both of them also had ADHD and Dyslexia as Laura did. They had both vanished at the end of a school year and came back, best friends with Estelle. Someone had joked that the green-eyed girl had put some kind of spell on them.
Estelle also had a heavy umbrella she carried everywhere with her. She never went anywhere without it. It was completely indestructible. She had seen Estelle jab it into a jock's knee when he tried to force a kiss on her. Did Laura mention she was very attractive for a fourteen-year-old? If Laura believed in the divine, she would think that Estelle had the favor of a goddess of beauty.
A crunch brought her back to the present and Laura tried to hold her breath. She could see the man's shadow coming down the alley. She tried to back up and get away, but she tripped over a trash can. She fell hard, scrapping up her arms and legs in the process. She could not help herself and cried out in pain. The boy appeared, his eyes just as hungry as before.
"Well, well. What do we have here? A godling, all ready for the feed. Shame your taste will be reduced by the trash. But beggars cannot be choosers. It's feeding time!"
The boy started to grow until he had become some sort of giant. The man began to reach out to her when there was the sound of something thumping onto the sidewalk. Laura looked over and saw Estelle Blofis standing in the exit to the little nook they were in.
"Hello there. I see I finally caught up with you, Laura. Di Immortals, you got an ugly one there."
Di immortals, her brain translated the Greek automatically. 'By the gods'.
"Run, Blofis. He is after me."
"Nonsense." Estelle twisted the handle of her umbrella and drew out a glowing bronze blade. "Lord Poseidon, grant me your favor this day."
As she prayed, the air seemed to be filled with the scent of ocean air. The giant stepped back in shock. "But… you are no godling. You are mortal. How do you have the Earthshaker's favor?"
Estelle smiled as she dropped the rest of the Umbrella. "Let's just say, we both love the same person. This is my sword, Guardian. I only draw it to protect the children of Olympus. I have led four demigod children to camp. Laura here will make the fifth."
The giant roared as he charged at Estelle. "Not if I can help it, little bug."
Laura was sure Estelle would be squashed but she saw the girl assume an easy fencing stance. She brought the bronze rapier up and jabbed it right through the throat of her would-be-killer. The giant wailed as he turned to dust and blew away. Estelle took out a small bottle from her pocket and poured a measure out into a puddle in the alley.
"A thanks for your aid, milord." She then picked up her umbrella and restored her blade to the handle. She then reached out a hand to Laura. "Come on. I'll take you to my house first. We'll get you all patched up. Then we will make a stop by your home before we head to camp."
Laura felt her mind buzzing as she accepted Estelle's hand. "Camp?"
Estelle smiled wistfully. "Yes, the only place suited for people like you. It has magical barriers where the monsters cannot find you. You'll be safe there this summer while you train up. Then you can choose to stay year-round or return to school next year. Hannah will be there to help you if you need."
Laura was so confused as she got to her feet. Her body was aching and she saw blood coming from her knees.
"I'll be safe from things like that giant?"
Estelle nodded. "Yes, most certainly."
Laura sighed in relief. "I'm in. Let's go."
Estelle smiled and the two girls headed for the Blofis residence. She knew now why Max and Hannah had grown so close to Estelle. She must have saved their lives too. She knew her mother would be sad at her departure but this would be for the best. She had Estelle say children of Olympus. Maybe that meant her dad was a god and not dead like her mother said.
I hope you like this. I had this pop into my mind today and had to write something about it. Might do more in the future. Maybe not with Laura but I had an idea for the first demigod she saved, Marina a daughter of Poseidon. Let me know if that sounds interesting.