The Followed

“Flight BT302 to Greece now boarding,” a voice in a thick English accent bellowed, I gathered my shit up and headed straight to the small line at the boarding station. I fidgeted with the boarding pass in my hand and glanced warily over my shoulder. I had made a habit of this lately, constantly checking behind me. I heaved a sigh before handing my pass to the flight attendant, she smiled at me before handing me back the pass.

“Have a nice flight,” she told me a little too sweetly and I shuddered. I ran across the jet bridge and into the plane, finding my seat as quickly as possible. I sat down and took a look around the plane, not many people were going to Greece these days, not that I blame them. Their economy is failing and the horrid mobs you see on tv don’t make it a hot spot for vacation.

I brought my hood up over my face in an effort to try and hide. Someone was following me and I didn’t know who but I had a feeling why. I was a demigod, half human half god, and not everyone in the world liked that. My mom fucked some fancy fucker and out came me. It’s actually a really boring story. Unfortunately I have no idea which god is my father which is one of the reasons I’m going to the academy.

I smiled at the thought of the academy and then dug my phone out of my carry on and turned it off, along with my Samsung Galaxy. An eager voice broke over the intercom and I blocked it out, not caring what this obviously too happy person had to say. The voice stopped and then we were starting to move, down the runway and then into the air. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the armrest, trying my hardest not to faint. I hated flying.

##

I awoke to the plane being jolted and then I realized we were landing, my favorite part. I once again squeezed my eyes shut and held on for dear life as the plane touched ground again. Once the plane landed I let out a sigh I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I looked over at the guy across the hall from me who was smiling. I raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“Thank the Gods Zeus was in a good mood today.” He said simply before standing up and leaving me there speechless. I sat there thinking, was that guy for real? He must have been a demigod, that’s the only to explanation. No one else would say such an odd thing.

“Nowhere like Greece where the Greek Gods and Goddesses rule.” The girl behind me stood up and smiled, before departing the plane. Oh right, we were in Greece now.

I walked off the plane with my carry on and weaved my way through people, eventually finding my one suitcase. Uncertain of where to go next I headed for the doors hoping I’d figure out where my next destination was. I stood outside of the airport, chewing on my nails trying to think of where the academy might be.

“You must be Jasper.” I whipped around, facing a short girl whose skin was the color mud. I instantly felt nauseous at the sight of her and covered my mouth. She already knew I recognized my name. So just play along, I told myself.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice borderline hysteria. So much for going with the flow.

She tried to smile but it wasn’t all that pretty. “I’m here to escort you to the academy Jasper.”

I nodded my head and picked up my bag while following her to a limousine. I crawled inside and brushed my hood down, fixing my freakishly wild hair. The limo pulled away from the curb and I relaxed against the seat. I had no idea where the lady was taking me and I prayed I’d get to the academy safe, no evil monsters stopping me.

The ride was long, almost an hour before she pulled to the side of the road, more of cliff. She got out and then opened the door for me, I clumsily got out, nearly tripping in the process. I had my carryon on my back and my suitcase in my hand, “So where do we go now?”

She tried to do that smile thing again and then pointed down the rocky slope. I gave her a disbelieving look and she nearly pushed me. I glanced at her once more before starting to slowly walk down the slope, there was a little pond up ahead that we were heading towards.

I was five feet away from the pond when I was thrown to the ground. I looked up and saw the same girl, except she wasn’t a girl. She was some demon thing, her face was the girls but her body some kind of bird. I screamed and she cackled like Winnie in the movie Hocus Pocus.

The thing that used to be the girl flew at me, grabbing me by my hair. I screamed again, “What the hell do you want you freakish bitch!” She dropped me and made a horrible screeching noise before flying at me again. I started running towards the pond as the thing followed me, making those horrible screeching noises.

The girl screeched before grabbing at me and I stopped dead in my tracks. I glanced at the water and then at the thing, a wall of water forming between us. I looked at her through the water, she was still screeching but it wasn’t as loud through the water wall. I stared at her before running in the opposite direction I had come. I was running faster than I ever knew I could and hoping that the water was staying in its place.

I stopped for a second and looked back, big mistake. The thing was flying at me, her face full of hatred and I screamed again. Sprinting away from this horrible thing I lost track of where I was going and tripped over a large root. The thing caught up and stood over me, a look of triumphant on her face as if she had won the grand prize.

She leaned in and screeched in my face and I screamed back at her and then proceeded to punch her square in the jaw. She staggered back and it was just enough time for me to scramble up and start running again. I saw a rather large building ahead and prayed it was the academy.

The thing was gaining speed on me and I started screaming, she just wouldn’t give up. I ran through the arch that was the opening to the building that I realized was a campus. I was still screaming and everyone in the courtyard was staring at me.

I started making wild gestures, “There was this ugly thing! I think it was a girl and she was trying to attack me! I’m not crazy, I swear!” People started swarming around me and asking questions, none of which I knew the answer to. I looked around and saw a very teacher looking teen talking to a girl my age, both were staring at me. That was the last thing I saw before blacking out.