Demigod Diaries

After guesting on the TOBB podcast today, and talking a little bit about Demigod Diaries, I was inspired to write the next DD entry!  Enjoy! 🙂

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“OUCH!  Matt, I swear, if you step on my foot again…” I let the threat hang in the air.

“Sorry, sorry…”

“So what exactly are we accomplishing, walking through this dark, damp underground walkway?” I asked Robin.

“I believe the correct term would be sewer.” Matt said sarcastically.

“Abandoned sewer.  We,” began Robin, “Are following a hunch I had.”

“And all those hunches are always correct…”

“Don’t mock me.”

We continued walking on the small ledge that led through the musty, unmoving water.  A glimmer of daylight appeared up ahead, and we practically ran towards it, tripping over each other some more along the way.  I threw myself onto the grass when we emerged.  “LAND!”

“Lexie, it’s not like we’ve been at sea for two years.  It’s been three hours.”

“Matt.  Stop.  Calling.  Me.  Lexie.”

“Whatever you say…Lexie.”

I threw up my hands in frustration then examined our surroundings.  “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Jack glanced over.  “What?”

I spread my hands out in a sweeping motion. “There are coconut palms and A GIANT MAZE.  Coconut palms.  How on earth did this get to Vermont??”

“Fate.” Robin answered simply.
“You know, sometimes it’s hard to remember that you’re twelve.” Matt said, pulling out a cellphone.  Robin just smiled cheesily.

I folded my arms.  “What are you doing?  That’s like calling a monster and saying ‘Hey, want to come kill me?’.”

Matt dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.  “I’m calling my dad.  I need the address of a friend, who just so happens to live around here.”

Robin gave me a pointed look.  “Coincidence, I think not.”

“Fine, be the fate police…”

AN HOUR LATER

            “Robin, do you remember the turns we have to take?”

“She changes them everyday, it’s not like she’s an idiot.”

“Maybe we can find the back way…”

“Um…” I grabbed Matt’s sleeve, pulling him to a stop. “Where are we? And who lives here that’s so important?”

He ignored me, still searching the tall hedges for something. “Aha!” he exclaimed, pulling on a branch deep within the hedge.

The hedges parted, and we followed Matt and Robin to a wooden gate which opened into a small garden. It was so obscure, it seemed like it was from Alice in Wonderland.

“Now, don’t draw your weapons, it might make her…” he was cut off by the sound of a dozen whizzing knives, which thudded into the gate behind him, missing his body by mere centimeters. “Hi, Alice.”

He stepped away from the gate, not even fazed. “Do you have any food? We haven’t eaten since last night.”

He disappeared around a hedge, with Robin following him.  She didn’t seem bothered by the fact that Matt had almost DIED. Jack and I just stood there, still in slight shock, with our weapons drawn. We looked at each other and warily followed Matt and Robin. Hearing voices ahead, we turned the corner and saw a girl with light blue eyes and long blonde hair conversing with Matt and Robin in front of a pagoda style house. I gripped my sword tighter. “What the heck was that?”

The girl raised an eyebrow, eyeing me with complete indifference. “I wasn’t aiming to kill, you know. Or even maim for that matter. I don’t kill unless I know it’s an enemy.”

“Matt’s not an enemy.”

“Yes, that’s why you’re all still alive.”

Her cold eyes stared into mine, completely unafraid. I challenged her by staring right back. “Girls,” Matt said slowly, “Let’s go inside and I’ll explain to Alice why we’re here.”

Alice broke off the stare, leaving me feeling strangely tired, and led us inside. Alice walked behind a screen while everyone else sat down in a chair or on a cushion. I followed her, going behind the screen, to the house’s kitchen where she was preparing sushi at the speed of lightning. “Okay, what was that? You did something to me with your eyes.”

“The eyes are the windows to the soul, which is like a maze you have to navigate. I can read people’s souls by navigating that maze—like discovering their identities.” she paused, smirking. “You’re not bad at hiding things, Alivan. I’ll give you that.”

Taking the tray of sushi, she glided out of the kitchen. After a moment, I followed, thoroughly confused about this girl named Alice. There was definitely more about her than meets the eye. Her skills with a knife weren’t bad either.

If she could be trusted, I wanted her as an ally. Not that we had time to sit and chat all day. We had twenty minutes, at the most.  Oh the fun pressures monsters put on you.

“So where’s your dad, Alice?” Robin asked.

“Adding an English garden maze to some rich lady’s house.” She then realized Jack and I didn’t know what she was talking about.  “He’s a landscaper.”

“Ah.” Jack said wisely.

Since I hate silence, and there was plenty that followed, I decided to break it.  “You’re obviously a demigod, so who’s your mom?”

“Ariadne.” Alice took a bite of sushi.  “Goddess of the Labyrinth.”

Well that explains the soul/maze analogy… I thought.  “Well then maybe you’ll be able to…” I stopped as a tremor shook the house.

“Here come the monsters.” Jack said.