A/N :- Hello everyone!
The starting might seem a bit slow, but I want to set the scene a bit better before we delve into the main plot.
Once again, all characters belong to Rick 'I thought it was closer' Riordan, with the exception of my characters, obv 3
ALYSSA
Chapter Two: - I Am the World's Greatest Cleaner.
"Why are there so many people?" Was my first question. The beach was dirty, and filled with people. Don't they clean this place a little?
"It's a beach for fuck's sake," snorts Shreya beside me, "Of course there are many people."
"No cursing." I scolded. I hate cursing.
If you ignore the ugly people, and trash, the beach would've been nice, though.
"Let's relax for a bit, guys, before Mrs. Johnson makes us clean this place already." I glanced at her watchful eye, before we headed to the shade.
Shreya lounged on the beach chair. I grabbed her ankles and dragged her down. "I'm so nice."
"I hate you." Shreya got up, annoyed. We all lounge and relax and irritate Mrs. Johnson. Maybe that's why she made us get in our cleaning gear early, at four.
"I expect all of you to be disciplined and clean this place." She sniveled. Most of the kids had run away to avoid work. "And if I so much as hear one wrong word…" She glared at us and left to the shade. We began cleaning. It was a boring task, but it was much more fun with my friends.
"There's so much plastic…" Sanha's trash bag was half full already. "I can't believe people are so careless, they've ruined this place." We all nodded and agreed. The sea waves lapped the shore, and brought more plastic for us to clean.
"This place is disgusting." Ritisha cringed at the pile of plastic. "I wanna die." We were all slowly getting frustrated.
"They should make all the people who litter clean this place." Shreya grumbled. "Maybe then they will understand."
"They'll probably run away." I scoffed angrily, partly because I stopped on something wet and slimy and God knows what it was. Something tugged at my gut, and a large wave washes over us, like a mini tsunami.
We all got drenched, but the plastic was pushed far back where the water wouldn't accidentally drag it back.
The water touches my feet again. It doesn't deposit more plastic.
"What was that?" Chorused Sanha and Shreya confused, but amused. I shrugged. They were all looking at me as if I had done it. Which makes sense, as I was the closest to the water.
"At least cleaning will be easier." I pointed at the pile of plastic conveniently placed at one location, not scattered.
We cleaned it all up in another hour or so. Mrs. Johnson seemed mildly impressed.
Then we changed into dry clothes, watching the setting sun.
"Mrs. Johnson said we can roam around anywhere." Shreya adjusted her shirt. "But I don't feel like going to the beach again."
"How about the woods? We might even find Camp Half-Blood." Ritisha jokes.
"I don't think it's allowed?" I glanced at our teacher.
"It's allowed until the woods get thicker." Sanha nodded. "They've put barriers or something, I think."
"Let's go then." Shreya got up and we hiked to the woods.
…
"Agh, my feet hurt." Shreya grumbled. The forest wasn't that dense yet. Must be a big forest.
"Bharatnatyam helps in situations like these." Said Sanha, whose legs had turned almost indestructible due to the art of the dance.
But we were all still tired, so we stopped at the barrier, breathing in the fresh air.
"We should go back." I glanced at Ritisha's watch, noting it was around 6:30 PM. "Can't be late for dinner, and we need to head back home."
We all turned away from the wooden sign saying 'No entry' to head back down.
And that's when we saw it. That towering figure, with a disgusting stench, half hidden by the tall trees of the forest. The sight of it sent chills down my spine.
Trouble had found us (unsurprisingly) in the shape of something… or someone.