Chapter 1
*Hey guys this is a story I started writing for a creative writing class I have more ideas on where I want to go with it but I would like to know if this seems like something you would like to read more of, so feel free to leave a comment. Depending on how the story goes it may become the first book of a series.
“Athena, you have to talk to us, you can’t ignore our questions. You do know that we are just concerned about your future right?”
“I know, mom, but I have to get to work. We can discuss this later tonight okay?”
“Fine, as long as we talk about this and figure things out.”
I say nothing more as I close the door behind me. I begin my walk to work like I do every day trying to put my parent’s questions out of my mind. Their questions are legitimate. I’m just not ready to think about that yet, I still have a few months before the decision needs to be made.
#
6 months ago
I braided my long sandy blonde hair, put on the slightest bit of makeup before grabbing my dress from my closet. It was graduation day the day I had been waiting for since the first day of freshman year. I grabbed my car keys and drove to the auditorium that graduation was to be held at and all too soon the ceremony was underway.
“Our Salutatorian Athena May Montgomery, who will be taking a gap year in preparation for her next steps.” The principal’s booming voice came over the speakers of the auditorium. I walk up to the stage and accept my diploma shaking hands with the president of the school board. I join my classmates who were announced before me while we wait for the rest of the students in my class to finish being announced. Soon the ceremony was over and we tossed our caps in the air marking the end of a four-year chapter in our lives and the start of a new one. That night I celebrated with my former classmates and for the first time in a while, I didn’t think about tomorrow.
After a few weeks of relaxing, I started working at a local family-owned business, where I quickly made friends with the boss and my coworkers. I loved working because not only was I getting money but I was able to avoid my parent’s questions about what I would do after my gap year. I had talked about going to college for criminal justice or joining a branch of the military but I was never sure. Everyone at school said either would suit me well. I was known as the badass, and as flattering as that was that wasn’t all I was. Days grew into weeks and weeks into months and I was no closer to making a choice and if I wanted to apply to colleges I would have to do that soon.
#Present
“Don’t forget Thea, you are coming into work tomorrow to cover Christy’s shift.” My boss reminds me as I go to clock out for the day though I rarely need reminding.
“I remember, Mr. Montoya. You know me, when have I ever forgotten to come in for work even when I cover for someone?”
“Never.” He smiles as I walk past him making my way to the door.
“I’ll be here right on time like always,” I say opening the door and leaving. It was a nice day out despite the night falling, and since I was in no rush to get back to my parents’ questions I took the long way home. Because I live only a few blocks from work I usually walk especially when driving is not something I’ve never been good at. The long way home brings me through a park that is always dark. The wind blows slightly causing the old rusting chains of the unused swings to screech sending shivers down my spine. Since there is no light in the park, I decided to take my phone out and get ready to use it as a flashlight, so I don’t trip over any fallen branches from the dying trees. But as I got closer to the park I could see that there was a light on for a change and a fairly bright one for that matter.
I walk closer to it wondering who would be out in the park with this extremely bright light. When I was around 10 feet away, I looked around to see if I could see anyone but no one appeared to be there. A gust of wind blew and I drew my leather jacket closer to me. Something didn’t feel right so I pulled out my pocket knife and slid the blade out from its home inside the knife’s handle. I held it tight ready to use it if necessary. After a minute or so I noticed that no one was around and the light seemed to be floating. The light wasn’t only floating but it seemed to be changing its shape, size, and brightness.
I was drawn to the light in front of me, though part of me was screaming at me that I should leave whatever it was alone another part was saying that I should go closer to see what it is. My curiosity got the better of me and I slowly approached the floating light. I was less than a foot away from it when it suddenly flashed, lighting up the whole park, and then just like that everything went pitch black.
It felt as if I was being held gently like I was fragile, but that lasted only a moment as I fell and hit the ground. As my back came into contact with the ground, my breath was knocked out of me and light flooded my vision once again but this time it was sunlight. When I gained my strength back, I sat up and looked around but I was no longer in the park, at least not the one I was walking in just moments ago. There was a little bit of a grassy area that was surrounded by buildings and dirt roads.
I stood up and realized that people were staring at me from the nearby buildings as I am sure it would be shocking to see a person appear from nowhere. The people who were watching me were in what looked like Victorian-era clothing. The woman wore dresses with corsets pulled tight to create the illusion of a tiny waist and the skirts of the dresses held around them like a hula hoop. Men wore buttoned vests with trench coats and the occasional top hat. I watched as an old-timey horse-drawn carriage went past on the street. Something was definitely wrong here.
The people were whispering to each other and pointing at me. I went to walk over to one of them but they scurried off before I could get close to them. I tried this a few more times but everyone was hellbent on avoiding me. After a minute I gave up on getting someone to talk to me so I began walking down the street hoping to find answers. I hadn’t made it 10 feet when I heard someone calling out, I turned to see who it was and saw an older man in an old fashioned police uniform approach.
“Is this some sort of Renaissance fair?” I asked the man who had stopped in front of me.
“I don’t know what that is but I’ve been told you just appeared out of nowhere wearing these absurd garments,” he told me as he reached for his handcuffs at his belt.
“Sir, you don’t need to put me in handcuffs. I am not a criminal, I don’t know how I got here and just want to get back home.” I backed away with my hands raised in front of me to show that I wasn’t a threat. But he didn’t listen. I kept backing up but stopped when my back came into contact with another person. I turned to look at what I had backed into, it was another man in a police uniform. He grabbed my hands and the handcuffs, like those from old movies, were put around my wrists. I was led to a carriage and thrown in the back as the two men got in the front.
Around ten minutes later the carriage came to a stop, I was pulled from the back and led into a building, down some stairs, and into a room with several large cells. I was thrown into one of the cells and was released from the handcuffs. The door was slammed in my face and locked the men went back up the stairs. I shook the door violently hoping I could get it to break as it wasn’t made like they are in modern times, as it seemed old and not very sturdy. I knew from everything that I had already seen and experienced since I landed here that I was somehow in the past.
“You’re not going to be able to get out.” Came a voice from the cell next to me. I turned to see a guy about my age, maybe a little older, sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. I couldn’t make out any of his features with the minimal light that was shown in from the small windows.
“Can’t hurt to try,” I say shaking the door again.
“If I am not strong enough to break open the door I doubt you will be able to, it is also reinforced with Mountain Ash.”
“And what the heck is Mountain Ash?”
“It is a type of dust made from the Rowan trees, it keeps the people with magic contained.”
“Magic, seriously? There is no such thing! Why is everyone in this place crazy?” I reach my arm through the space between the bars to try and reach the lock. I feel small pricks on my skin as I do so, I brush it aside as being metal shavings from the old bars. I try to see if I can find a weakness in the lock but I can’t so I go to plan B. I reached into my hair, thankful that I had decided to put it up this morning. I grabbed the bobby pins that held my hair into place and as my hair started to come undone I fashioned the pins into lock picks.
“What on earth are you doing?” The guy speaks up again a slight English accent evident.
“I don’t know about you but I don’t want to rot in this cell while waiting on the justice system to decide my fate.” I went to work on the lock hoping that I still remembered how it was done. A minute later I was able to unlock my cell and push the door open.
“How did you do that? Nobody is supposed to be able to get out of these cells. They are supposed to be magic proof.” The guy in the next cell was now standing up at the door to his cell.
“Well, good thing I didn’t use magic then.” I shut the cell door and begin to walk towards the stairs.
“What about me?” The guy calls out to me.
“I know I didn’t do anything that deserves being put in jail, but I can’t say the same about you, because for all I know you could be a serial killer.”
“I have no idea what a serial killer is but I am in here because someone I thought was my friend betrayed me and has by now stolen something very special to me.”
“How can you not know what a serial killer is? It is honestly pretty self-explanatory; it is someone who kills a series of people,” I mumble under my breath. I slowly walk back over to the cells and come to stand in front of the one he is confined to. I have quite literally been dropped into this situation where people think magic is real, I don’t know how to get home and here I am debating on whether or not I can trust a possible criminal. I glance back at the stairs, still not sure if I should trust him, I turn to face him again and look into his eyes.
“Can I trust you?” He seems confused as that is all I ask him as he probably expected an interrogation but responds.
“Yes you can trust me,” he says without breaking eye contact. From the minimal light provided from the small windows, I can see the sincerity in his eyes, and I feel I can trust him. I have always been told that I am a good judge of character. Some people have gone as far as to call me a human lie detector.
“Okay, I believe you.” I go to work unlocking his cell door. It doesn’t take long for me to pick the lock a second time and the door swings open with ease.
“You are not from around here are you?” He exits the cell, closing the door behind him.
“You have no idea.” I turn and head towards the stairs followed closely by the guy. I am about to open the door at the top of the stairs when he stops me. “What is your problem?” I trying to be as quiet as possible when I speak.
“I may need your help to unlock one more thing.”
“What do you need to get?”
“When I was arrested they took my weapons and I need them. They should be in the back room.”
“Fine but you better be quick.” I peek out the door and see that there are none of the officers around, so quickly and quietly I slip through the door and head in the direction of the back room. I opened the door and was pushed into the room followed by the guy who slammed the door behind us.
“What the heck!” I turn to face him. He has his body up against the door to try and keep it shut, I look out the window next to the door and see several men rushing towards us. We quickly moved the desk that was in the room in front of the door.
“I don’t know what your weapons look like so you are going to have to help me find them.” We open a few cabinets but find nothing of value. Then in the corner of the room, I notice a large chest. There is a banging on the door to the room as they try to get in. I rushed to the chest. Thankfully someone didn’t lock it so I opened it to reveal a few swords and several daggers.
The guy comes over and smiles as he reaches for the swords handing me one in the process. I take it as he stashes the daggers in his clothes. As we closed the chest the officers managed to push the door open. With batons in their hands, they stood blocking our only exit.
“What do we do now?” I glance over at the guy.
“Now we fight our way out. Do you know how to use a sword?”
“Somewhat I guess.” I think back to the time I was obsessed with fencing and sword fighting and would mess around using a stick as a sword.
“Then use it.” He doesn’t look at me but keeps his eyes on the men in front of us with his sword raised ready for a fight. My fate now lies in the hands of a possible criminal and my childhood obsession.
