Dark Side of the Moon

Central Park, don't you just love it? Well I don't. Why? Because I don't love my home, and at the moment Central Park is my home. It's better than the other places in New York I've stayed. It was mostly back alleys, and subway stations. Not the typical living requirements for a 15 year old girl. At the moment I was sitting on a bench facing a large grassy field. I closed my eyes for a moment, when I reopened them there was a boy around my age. I could have sworn he hadn't been there a second ago. He had black shaggy hair and was wearing a brown aviators jacket. I had just took in his black ripped jeans when I noticed the long, black metal sword sticking down from a hilt. My eyes widened, I had to be going crazy, I mean what kind of lunatic walks around New York with a sword, let alone a teenager. It couldn't have been real. The moment the thought crossed my mind, another one went past. Why was he just standing there? He looked like he was trying to think of something, or searching for something without actually doing the act of looking for it. Like he sensed something. As if on cue is head shot up and looked straight at me. I couldn't see far enough to read the expression on his face, but it wasn't exactly normal. I decided that I just needed some food in me. I hadn't eaten in 2 days, and even then, my last meal was a small salad and a half eaten turkey sandwich. I slowly got up, feeling drowsy and tired. It was about noon, and I had been awake since, well I didn't exactly sleep. Sleeping at night is a waste of wonderful experiences. Also, no matter how rough my day was, or how tired I was, I will always be fully alert and have lots a energy at night. It's when I'm most comfortable. I grabbed my small pack that had some important items in it. A few articles of clothing, a water bottle, and a small pillow (because sleeping on cold cement can get pretty uncomfortable.) The front pocket was reserved for one thing. If you opened it you would find a black silver pendant of a celestial night. My father had given it to me, he said it was a gift from my mother. I never knew my mother, dad said she left when I was just a baby. I didn't have much time with my dad either, he died in a car crash on his way back from work. He was an astronomer. We used to live in Vermont, but when he died I had to live in a foster home, they weren't exactly the friendliest of people. So I ran away. I made my way up to Canada, but it just didn't feel right. I made my way from Ontario down to New York. I always wanted to come here, I think it was the fact that it was the city that never slept. At night was when it was most alive, that drew me in. I've been here ever since, I don't know why, but I feel safer here. Or like there's something, more than the eye can see, that's holding me here. I have a connection to the city, but I can't figure out what. I looked back at the boy who was still staring intently at me. I was used to stares, or else people walking past as if I was invisible. What freaked me out the worst was that he knew I saw him watching me, yet he just kept looking. I decided to ignore the strange kid and walked off to find some food. I was lucky, a few days ago I had found a five dollar bill on the side walk. I was saving it for desperate times, or else something special. I was very tempted to use that five dollars whilst passing by a Burger King. I looked at the money then back at the restaurant. Then I shifted my gaze to the drugstore beside it. That would be a lot more predictable. I walked to the door, but before heading in a got that weird feeling, you know. The feeling you get when someones watching or following you. I spun around, but no one out of the ordinary was there, just people heading back to work from there lunch breaks and other normal people. I let it slide and proceeded inside. I settled for a box a granola bars. Then made my way back to Central Park. I was about to go right back to my bench, but I noticed that he was already sitting on it, with his head hung low and is body slouching as if he was getting comfortable on his living room couch. That was my bench, I mean it actually had my name carved into it. There where only two other people that I allowed to sit on my bench, and that was Old Mr. Gryph while he fed is pigeons that he loved so dearly and Miss. Sampson while she was watching her two twin boys while they played. And Mr. Gryph was clearly sitting at another bench near a fountain, petting a seagull (Don't ask) and the twins where at school, there fore he had no excuse. I walked over with a stern look on my face. He had his eyes closed, I saw two white wires coming from his ears. There was rock music coming from them, though I couldn't tell who it was. Mostly because the only music I ever heard was when a street performer came around, or when there was a festival or something. I stood in front of him, tapping my food in an annoyed way and cleared my throat. He smirked, so I knew he heard me. This boy was just testing me.

"Excuse me!" I said annoyed.

He took out his head phones then lifted his head and opened his eyes. They where a wild, dark brown. I'm sure if he stared intently enough at them, he could make a doberman run away in fright. "You're excused. Now, why am I excusing you?"

Oh, he had sass. I was determining what I should say. What was up with this guy. There was something seriously odd about him. "Ok, what's your deal?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know what you're talking about." He said, though he had a small tone a sarcasm. He learned in a bit, "You know, you look pretty foolish just standing there. Why don't you sit." He nodded his head beside him.

I glared at him, furious that he would have such nerve. Never the less, I sat down with a huff. I crossed my arms and legs, then turned to face him again, he was just sitting there, looking ahead, like he was waiting for something. "Ok, seriously. Who are you?"

"Nico." He said putting his hand out for me to shake.

I ignored it. "Well, ok Nico. Why are you following me? What are you, some kind of freak stalker child?"

He chuckled lightly, then just stared. He was looking in my eyes, the look on his face was as if he was searching. He was always searching, trying to figure something out. Then his features softened a bit. They slowly turned to an expression of empathy. I hated when people felt sorry for me. I mean sure my life sucked balls, but why should it matter to people I don't even know. "Are you hungry?" He asked.

Of coarse I was hungry, I had a box of 5 granola bars, that had to last me the rest of the week, maybe longer. "No!" then of coarse my stomach just had to growl.

He smiled remorsefully and pulled out a brown paper back with grease stains. Fast food. I hadn't had any since...I don't even remember. Of coarse I knew the stuff was terribly unhealthy and disgusting, but it was also filling. And for someone who's nicest meal in the past year was left over picnics, it was delicious. I didn't want to take things from him, I didn't need anything from him. The last thing I wanted was to be a charity case. I had standards.

He noticed that I wasn't going to take any. "Really?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "You sure?" I just pursed my lips and continued glaring at him. "Suit yourself." He said before finally walking of. He didn't walk far though, he stopped at a near by picnic table, facing me. He took out a case of french fries. I could feel my mouth start to water. My face must have shown my longing for food. I looked away before I did something foolish, like start drooling. I turned to my bag and opened the box of granola bars, I took one out and started chewing on it. It wasn't the best, in all honestly it tasted kind of stale. My mouth really needed something to wash it down. As if he could read my mind, Nico pulled out a cup of soda. There was a water fountain, but I would have to pass him. My mouth felt like I had been chewing on cardboard. I rapped the other half of my cardboard bar and walked to the fountain. I kept my eyes on Nico, he had a triumphant look on his face. I would of loved to see how it faltered when I just kept walking. The water, was honestly ok. I mean it tasted a little irony, but at least it was cold. It did it's job nicely. Whilst walking back, Nico, who had moved to the edge of the bench, grabbed my arm. I turned abruptly and glared daggers at him. He looked at me, he was serious. "Sit, eat....please." I just looked at him. Why did he want to help me so much? It was only now that I noticed he didn't have his sword. Maybe I was just imagining it before. Maybe he was only staring at me because I was staring at him first. And now he's simply just being a nice person.

I sighed and sat down across from him. He had a small smile as he pulled out a tinfoil wrapped burger, box of french fries, and a small drink. I sat there and just stared at them for a while. Then I gave in, but because I didn't want to look like a pig I made sure I didn't just shove it in my mouth. I opened the burger with care, then slowly, I lifted up to my mouth. When I took that first bite, my mouth exploded with joy. Again I didn't want to get carried away, so I took a french fry, then some soda. Mm, it was Dr. Pepper, something I hadn't had, since, well since I was about three. My thoughts of this magical food was interrupted by Nico.He had been watching me eat this whole time. "Can I ask you somethings."

Whoa, wait. Did he seriously have the nerve? "You want to ask me something? How about you answer me first. You're the one who just pops up, then you go around sitting on my bench, and how dare you have the nerve to give me delicious food!" I fumed "Tell you what, you answer me this one question, then you can ask as many as you want." He looked at me then nodded. "Why are you following me?"

He looked up again, hitting me with those wild, dark eyes. "That's the one answer I can't really know until you let me ask you somethings." He was serious. I could tell by the sincerity in those eyes.

"If I answer your questions, you promise me that you'll answer mine?" I asked, I can't believe I was doing this.

He nodded swiftly. I thought very hard about it before letting out an exasperated sigh, "Fine, shoot.."

I was surprised when he didn't smile or something, he just asked with all seriousness. "Where are your parents?"

I stared at him. I wasn't that shocked, but the question hit me like a ran into a brick wall. "My dad died when I was little, I never knew my mom." I looked down and continued my burger.

"Do you, by any chance, have dyslexia, or ADHD?" He asked, still serious.

How the hell could he have possibly known this, how long had he been following me? I looked at him again "Yeah, just dyslexia though."

He nodded, like he was expecting it, then pulled out a napkin from his pocket. Ha flattened it on the table "Read it"

I just told him that I had dyslexia, and now he wanted me to read something out loud. What was this? Make me feel horrible about my life day? I looked at the paper non the less. It was easy to read though "Don't read the rest out loud." Well that sure meant shut up. The rest said 'That old man in is staring at us.' I used my peripheral vision to see Mr. Gryph staring at us while befriending a crow. He was a sweet old man, probably just watching out for me.

Nico looked at me, staring me straight in the eye. "Now take a closer look at what you just read."

I did, and noticed for the first time, that it was in ancient Greek. How did I read that?

He took the napkin back. Then leaned in, motioning for me to do the same so he could talk in a whisper. "I have a feeling on who your mother might be." I just stared awestruck. Was he kidding. "Would you believe me if I told you you where a half-blood." I dumbly just stared at him.

"You're kidding right! You can't be serious! Look thanks for the food and all, but, I think this is where we leave each other." I was familiar to the Greek myths, my father used to read stories to me every night. But that's just it, they where myths. I got up and walked away, I'll admit that I turned to look back, he was glaring at Mr. Gryph.

☊☋☊☋

I was back under the bridge. It was good protection at night. Even though I wouldn't exactly be sleeping. I still needed rest. Thoughts of Nico went through my brain. Something was really weird about that guy. I was just ready to sit down on my pillow and watch the stars when I heard a crack behind me, I spun around swiftly, it was old Mr. Gryph.

"Sorry to frighten yo my dear." He sounded odd, he didn't have that gentle tone he normally had, it was croaky, high, and rough. I swallowed hard, because he was walking slowly towards me. "I can't seem to find my bird feed, maybe you could help me." A smile crept along his face. "After all I am terribly hungry." I was speechless. His face, slowly started getting longer, and grow feathers. Then his body, started crouching over, and growing fur, and paws. He was turning into a Griffin. He kept walking towards me,with fierce yellow eyes. I should've been afraid, but for some reason I wasn't. When I saw I figure jump from behind with a raised sword, I did the stupid thing and gasped. The Griffin spun around, slashing Nico with his front talons. He chuckled, "You think you can sneak up on me, Zombie boy?" Nico's eyes closed, the Griffin had knocked him out, or so I thought. Just as it turned back around to corner me, I saw Nico open his eyes. I was a little scared now, ok a lot. Nico crept up behind the creature. Only it knew he was there. It kick it's back feet. Nico dodged them. He cut the creatures leg. It screamed, or roared, or squawked in pain. Spinning around again and grabbing me with it's tail by the ankle. I was hanging upside down. The animal started charging at Nico. He stood there. His eyes where pierce, and I'll tell you, they scared me. Just as the animal was charging, but just as it was about to hit him, he jumped to the side. The Griffin ran right into a tree, causing it to break and fall. Nico spun and lifted his black sword in an arch, hitting the beast and slitting it's neck. The creature was being sucked away, but before it reached the tail, Nico was standing under it. He caught me when I fell.

"Do you believe me now?" His eyes where still cold, and now that I was up close. I got a good look at his sword. It was black, and I mean black. I had very good vision in the dark, I could tell that even in the brightest light, it would be as black as a nightmare. I swallowed hard. He put me down and grabbed my hand leading me through trees, he was going quite swiftly. Then he abruptly stopped. "Do you trust me?"

"Not exactly." I was honest, I knew he wasn't going to hurt me, but something about him scared me.

"Well you're going to have to." He turned around again and started running towards a tree that was covered in shadow. "What ever you do, don't stop." We ran, straight into darkness. I heard things, odd strange things. It was pitch black, I couldn't see a think, and like I said, I had pretty good vision at night. When we came to a stop, we where in a a forest. I didn't recognize it. Nico turned around and looked me up and down urgently. "Are you hurt?"

"No, but you are." I said, noticing the gash in his shoulder made by the Griffin.

"I'm fine." He said, but he looked drained. Like someone who had been sleep deprived for centuries.

Then I realized something. "I forgot my bag!"

He looked at me. "Do you really need it?"

"Yes!" He stared at me disbelievingly.

"Don't move an inch!" Then he turned and ran back the way we came. Within a couple minutes he was back, looking even more beat. He tossed me my bag. I quickly opened the front pocket and pulled out me necklace. "I did that, just so you could get a necklace?!"

"It's from my mother." I stated simply.

"Your mother....hm." Then he fell to the ground.

"Nico!" I ran to his side. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, do me a favor. My left pocket, pull out the baggie." I reached in his pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie filled with some sort of crushed light substance.

I paused. "Is this pot?"

He laughed "No!" Then took the bag from me, opening it and putting some in his mouth.

"How did you do that?" I asked

He sighed. "I'll explain later. But now..." He yawned. "With great power, comes great need to take a nap." His head than lolled to the side, and he curled up slightly.

I guess I was camping here tonight.