by Candy Crum
“My, how you have failed, son,” he said. His voice low and gravelly as he spoke. Even in human form, the darkness of his voice seemed to echo off of everything around him.
“This world is far darker now than when I was around. You have destroyed it with your greed and your petty, stubborn ways. You will watch as I rip this human world apart. Once I have taken the powers from the Fated ones, the very powers that the titans gave to all of you, that you were so careless to give to human children, I am coming for you. I am coming for all of you. I will reclaim Olympus. I will cage all of you and force you to watch as I lay waste to this world you once held so dear. To humanity. Then you will join your human children in the underworld. I will create a new section of hell just for all of you. Somewhere from which you will never climb free. Sleep well, my children. The games are about to begin.”
Κεφάλαιο XII
THURSDAY EVENING
Southern Indiana
“So,” Alee began, stark sarcasm written all over her face. “We’re going to just toss a gryphon in the back of a Chevy, drive across the country searching for people we have never seen, nor know the names of, and when people ask – because it’s completely normal to see a gryphon taking a leisurely ride in the back of a Chevy – we’re just going to tell them that it’s an animatronic that was built for a project that is going to some dorkfest? I honestly do not see how this can fail.”
Brittany rolled her eyes. “This is not helping. If this plan is so bad, do you have another idea? The gryphon was able to find both of you. Mostly because of Joe. She is weak right now, so we can’t ask her to fly. We also can’t just leave her. She can help us find the others. She needs to heal, but we don’t have time to wait. Therefore, we need to get moving now. If we get close, her little supernatural radar will go off, and she’ll let us know we’re close.”
“Again,” Alee said. “I don’t see how this can fail.”
“Good gods,” Brittany said.
“Alee,” Joe said. “Do you have a better plan? Seriously? Because the sarcasm isn’t helping. We’re out of ideas. That gryphon needs to stay with us, and we need to go.”
“She’s healing quickly,” Alee said. “The redness in her skin is gone, and her feathers have already started to grow back. I don’t know much about them, but at that rate she should be whole in twelve hours, or so.”
“We don’t have that kind of time,” Brittany said. “Cronus is here now. He is out doing something. Plotting. Killing. Gathering enemies. Sending other creatures to find us, because he still isn’t strong enough to find us on his own. There are a lot of possibilities, but he’s coming for us. We can’t stay in one spot too long. We have a mission. We need to find the rest so we can find out where to start.”
“That’s what bothers me,” Grace said. “You know more than anyone, and even you have no idea how you’re supposed to do what you’re being asked. This is all too much to ask of a group of sixteen year olds. You’re all babies! This isn’t fair to bear such a burden so young. I know that I’ve said it before, but there’s no way you can just walk up and kill him.”
“No,” Brittany said. “There isn’t. That’s why we have to find the others. We’ll be stronger together. We’ll have a greater chance of figuring all this out then.”
“So,” Joe said. “Alee, do you have any other ideas?”
Alee sighed, sitting back in her chair. “I suppose not. Let Operation Gryphon Joy Ride commence. This plan is ridiculous, but I can’t think of anything better. Wait. What about a moving truck? We could rig it with air, or something.”
“She wouldn’t be able to communicate with us very easily stuffed in the back of a moving truck,” Brittany said.
“Is she supposed to use sign language in the back? Smoke signals?” Alee asked. “I’ll ride with her. Jeez. It would be better than getting pics and video taken by strangers, or stuff showing up on social media. You said it yourself… You found us, because of her. You saw her on TV because two hillbillies posted a blurry video they took of her online. Things spread like wildfire these days. Think how fast that video of Vesuvius spread.”
“I agree that we need to be careful,” Brittany said. “We need to keep this as quiet as possible. We don’t want the world panicking. Still, we have to do what is best and what is safest for her. For all of us.”
“Guys,” Joe said, urgency in his voice. “If you’d like to stop the bickering…”
Joe walked over to his sister, handing his phone over to her. There was a personal message from someone that wasn’t on his friends list, and no one he thought he knew.
“I have no clue if you’re who I’m looking for, or if who I’m looking for even exists. I was given the name of a sixteen-year-old boy from Indiana born September 6th. My birthday. That name is Joe Sawyer. I’m having some issues, and she said there are twelve others out there with issues similar to mine. If you understand what I’m talking about, please message me back. If you don’t, just ignore this message. Thank you.”
“Call her,” Alee said. “Is her number on her profile?”
“I don’t think so. I’ll message her back,” Joe said.
“How did she find you? How would she have gotten a name?” Alee asked.
“How many Joe Sawyers in the country were born on the same day? Let alone in one specific area of the country? How she got the name, however, I don’t know. It’s possible her ancestor god spoke to her. Still, I’m unsure of how much even they know. I don’t know if they know about each of us, as in the identity of each and every one of us. Though it’s clear they know about their own descendants. It’s hard to say,” Brittany said.
“She sent her number,” Joe said. “Should I call?”
“Yes!” both girls yelled at the same time.
“What is the matter with you?” Alee asked. “Really? ‘Should I call…’” She mumbled the last bit, shaking her head.
Joe dialed the number. It barely had a chance to ring before Kylie answered.
“Hello!” Kylie said, her voice a bit excited.
“Hi,” Joe said. “This is rather awkward.”
“You have no idea,” Kylie said. “There are three Joe Sawyers in Indiana born on September 6th. While that doesn’t sound like many, it certainly is a lot to spew craziness to. You were my last try. I kept it short, and vague.”
“Well, I understood you,” Joe said. “Unfortunately, I guess I should say. I didn’t know about this until recently.”
“I officially found out about it today. Though, having dead people pass through you is a clear giveaway something may not be quite right,” Kylie said. “Still, I don’t know much. Only a few quick things that someone told me before they passed back through me.”
“Stop,” Brittany said. “Did she say the dead are passing through her?”
“I’m putting you on speakerphone,” Joe said. “There are three of us here.”
“Oh,” Kylie said. “Wow. There are three of you?”
“Did you say the dead are passing through you?” Brittany asked again.
“Yes,” Kylie replied. “It’s horrible. It’s the most painful thing I’ve ever felt. Now your response to this determines my next response because one of the other two guys messed with me, and I was dumb enough to believe him. I’m only doing this because I want to save my mom. If what I was told by a spirit is true, if Joe Sawyer is a real person, and is like me, then that means I’m not crazy. My mother isn’t either. I can save her and get her out of the asylum.”
“You’re not crazy,” Brittany said. “If the dead are passing through you it means that you must be the descendant of Hades.”
“Oh my God,” Kylie said. “You’re real. You’re all real. The woman mentioned Hades. The place and the god. She said that I was one of twelve.”
“The fated twelve,” Alee said. “It’s definitely frightening.”
“Yes!” Kylie said. “The Fated. That’s what she said. She told me that she was an oracle, but she didn’t have ti
me to talk because she was so weak and the pull that I had was too strong.”
“In the human world spirits don’t have a very big hold, which is why most go unseen,” Brittany said. “Well, that’s what I was told anyway.”
“We need to meet you,” Joe said. “Do you have your license?”
“The problem isn’t with me having a license, but I do have one. The problem is my dad. There’s no way he’s going to let me go,” Kylie said.
Grace stepped up to the group, making sure she was close enough to be heard.
“My name is Grace. I’m Joe and Alee’s mother. You let me handle that. Is he home?”
“He’s home,” Kylie said, sighing a bit. “Look. Before I go get him, and tell him not only the reason why I’ve been so depressed and withdrawn lately is because I’m the gateway to Hades, but that he institutionalized the love of his life when she wasn’t even crazy, I’m going to need solid proof this is all real.”
“Call me back using the video chat option in the original PM window you sent me,” Joe said. “I’ll show you proof. Go ahead and get your dad, too. If you don’t wanna tell him anything, just ask him to come to your room. I’ll have it ready for you,” Joe said.
* * *
It took a few minutes for Kylie to call back, but when she did, Joe saw her father in the back.
“Hello,” Joe said. “I’m Joe. Kylie, you asked for proof that all this was real.”
Joe made his way out the back door and turned his phone so the camera faced out into his back yard. He heard both of them gasp as the gryphon stood from where she lay on the ground, snuggling with Joe’s dog. The gryphon approached, looking at the screen.
“Is she proof enough for you?” Joe asked, turning the camera back around to him. “We need you. With us. We are about to head across country looking for others. We have no idea where any of the others are. We need all the help that we can get.”
“What is this?” Kylie’s father asked, his eyes still wide. It was obvious that he was torn between a healthy mix of wonder, shock, and fear. “What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to my dad,” Kylie said. “This is going to be very personal and probably very intense. I’ll call you back as soon as I’m able.”
“Remember that my mom said she would talk to him. We have Brittany here with us as well. Her mother sent her here all the way from L.A. to find us,” Joe said.
Kylie nodded before closing the video chat window. It was possible that one more would be added to the pack. While he was grateful for that, he started to wonder if maybe the Chevy was then a bad idea, with four. With a backseat, it was comfortable for four, easily. But with a gryphon in the back and all of their supplies and luggage in the front with them, it was certain to be a cramped ride. He went back inside, deciding not to worry and choosing instead to be grateful there was another person to add to their group. Things were starting to pull together.
Κεφάλαιο XIII
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Texas
Cass sat in the family room with his mother, eating a sandwich and some chips after school. She watched the news every evening after work. A ritual that Cass simply didn’t understand. He hated the news, but he liked spending time with his mom.
“Did you see the Amber Alert this morning?” she asked.
“No,” Cass said. “Who was it?”
“That boy that you played against last weekend. The quarterback. He’s missing,” she said. “It’s all kind of weird. They’ve been interviewing students of his school and teachers. His poor mother was on there. Broke my heart for her. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you.”
“He’s missing?” Cass asked. “What do they think happened?”
“The students said there was an altercation between him and another student. They said he was protecting one of his female classmates from her abusive boyfriend,” she said.
“Go him!” Cass said. “At least the rumors are true. He’s not a total jerk. So do they think it was foul play? That it was related to that fight?”
“No. Nothing like that, or at least not yet. It sounds like he was a very nice boy from all the interviews. Some of the students were a little weird though.”
“How so?” Cass asked.
“They said that he had unnatural strength, is how I think they put it. It took him a while to fight back, but when he did it was pretty crazy. But one girl, his friend that he was protecting, said that he’d been acting strangely since the game, and even more so after the fight. Someone saw him freak out after all the lights blew in the hall. He ended up running out of the school too fast for anyone to stop him. No one has seen him since,” she said.
“Find him,” a voice said. “He’s one of you.”
Cass jumped a little. It was a voice that he’d heard before. Cass swallowed hard. The memory of the last few moments of the football game came back to him. He remembered how Darius had thrown his arms into the air and a bolt of lightning crashed down into a pole. He remembered the look on Darius’ face before he dropped down to the ground to cover himself. It wasn’t fear. It was shock. He also remembered his own impossible event, when he’d been pulled under the water, only barely escaping after discovering a strange power within himself. His heart sank.
“Find him. Find him, now! He is in great danger.”
A cold chill ripped through Cass. That was a voice he’d learned not to ignore.
“I’m gonna go take my stuff upstairs,” Cass said.
“Okay,” she replied. “I’m sorry about that boy. I know you probably don’t know him well, but those things always hit kind of close when you’ve met them and seen who they are.”
“You have no idea,” Cass said.
He casually walked to the kitchen to clean up his mess before running up the stairs. As soon as he reached his room, he grabbed his phone and called Jess.
“Darius is missing,” Cass said as soon as he heard the line pick up.
“I heard,” she said. “It’s so sad.”
“Yeah. Sad. Have you heard all the weird stuff being said?”
“It’s just a bunch of freaked out kids,” she said. “But… why do you ask? Do you know something?”
“Something isn’t right,” he said. “That kid has it all. There’s no way he’s just going to freak out and run away with no good reason. Something scared him. What if in all the craziness happening all over the world, he’s like me?”
“Cass, I think you’re reaching because of your own situation. The odds of a single person having any kind of abilities is crazy enough. But two? And within a short few miles of one another? Let’s not forget that I also heard someone speak to me. So that would potentially be three within a short distance. I think you’re a bit sensitive over everything.”
“You’re right. I am. But if there is a possibility, I can’t just let it go. He’s out there, freaked out. He could hurt someone, or himself. I can’t let that happen,” Cass said. “I’m going to go look for him.”
“What?” Jess asked. “You have no idea where he could be. What if he was taken?”
“He wasn’t taken,” Cass said. “He ran away. He’s scared. Look, I know I sound ridiculous, but I have to find him. I’m going to find him. Jess – I heard the voice again. It told me that he’s in danger. He told me to find him.”
“You did?” she asked.
“Yes,” Cass said. “It was the same man; I know it.”
Jessica paused for a moment. “Fine. Then I’m coming, too.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to get you in trouble,” he said. “I know this sounds crazy. I just feel like I have to. There’s something going on with him.”
“I’m very sure. I need to go with you. Because you have a way of getting into trouble yourself.”
“Ha-ha,” he replied. “Get ready. I’m coming to get you.”
Κεφάλαιο XIV
SATURDAY MORNING
Southern Indiana
Joe and Alee wo
rked together in silence, making breakfast for six. Once Kylie had been thrown into the mix, they decided that they could hold off a little bit longer since there was at least one more joining their pack. Kylie and her father were on their way there. He’d seen the gryphon himself. He had to see everything in person after all Kylie told him. There were so many things that reminded him of his wife. Kylie nor her father knew the whole story, but they knew that would change once they arrived.
“I think they’re here,” Grace said, looking out the front window.
Joe went to open the front door. Several awkward hellos were exchanged followed by an even more awkward silence.
“Are you hungry?” Alee asked. “We made some breakfast.”
“I’m starving,” Kylie said, smiling.
The twins led everyone to the kitchen before grabbing plates and portioning out breakfast for their guests. Pancakes with butter and syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast. The table was overflowing with food and the air was filled with conversation. Brittany explained everything that she knew, basically repeating everything that she had told Joe and Alee. Only this time, she had the twins and a rather large gryphon in the back yard to back up her claims.
“I don’t believe this,” Kylie’s father said. “My wife told me for years that she saw the dead. There were times when she would get sick and others when she was seized with pain at random. We had no idea what was wrong with her. Doctors were lost. It started happening right after Kylie was born. Prayers seemed to go unanswered. Now I find out that my daughter suffers from the same thing.”
