CHAPTER 3
WE MEET THE GODDESS OF CROSSROADS
Aunt Hilda had let me and Mom drink a bottle of tasty home-baked cookies which she called healing potion.
“I think you’re not used to flying?” She asked me. I nodded, embarrassed. Slowly, Mom was recovering from the state of shock.
“So, the boyfriend you’re talking about a long time ago.. it’s Zeus?” Aunt Hilda asked. Mom looked at me then to Aunt Hilda.
No.” she replied. “Then who?” Aunt Hilda asked.”Uhmmm.. maybe it’s not the time to..” Aunt Hilda fixed her stare at me. Oh shoot! “Go on..” I said. She let it go and looked at Mom.
“He..” Mom stuttered. “He was a surfer.”
“Zeus? A surfer? Bah!” Aunt Hilda retorted. “Why would Zeus be a surfer when the sea was his..” she paused then looked at me.
Mom is on the verge of tears again. Realization dawned on Aunt Hilda’s face. Silence filled the room. She studied me with worry. “Call Sandy.. Tell her to come inside.” I just decided to do the errand and went out for Sandy. I saw her brooding on the horizon, her jet-black hair tangled at the ends. “Hey!” I greeted. Her blue eyes shot an angry look at me. Her eyes make me nervous just like the sky makes me sick. Then Sandy smirked, somehow making the atmosphere lighter. I can’t help but wonder at our differences. We’re twins but we’re the exact opposites. Sandy has jet-black hair like mine. Her eyes are disturbingly blue like the sky while mine are green resembling the calm sea. But I noticed that we have that same brooding look, the same facial features, and we hate each other for that. “Let’s go,” I said and we head back. When we arrived, Mom and Aunt Hilda have that alarming expression.
“Uhmmm..what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing dear,” Mom said and flicked her hand; two seats came out of nowhere. “Have a seat.” Sandy and I looked at each other like for real??
“I did not see it clearly before..but now, there is no doubt about it.” Aunt Hilda muttered.
My stomach somehow did a somersault. The healing potion can’t heal the creeping uneasiness in me.
“What do you mean?” Sandy asked her.
“Have you looked at yourselves lately?”
We looked at each other. I admit it, Sandy have grown prettier. Her blue eyes shone as the torches’ lights flickered.
“He looks lame,” Sandy stated.
“For real, Sandy?” I pushed her. Sharp pain shot to my arm like I just got electrocuted. “Oww!”
“Sorry about that..” she apologized right away.
The sound of heavy footsteps filled the bedchamber. The curtains opened, and an enormous man came inside.
“I will never allow an enemy inside my boat!” the big guy said—his voice hissing like two voices tried to speak at once. I instinctively looked up. Inside his hood, I caught a glimpse of a bent sword. Wait.. that’s supposed to be his head!! Sandra yelped.
“I will decide who to bring here. Your duty is just to guide us,” Mom snapped at the guy.
“You may be my masters, but I will never usher my enemies to safety,” he faced Sandy.
“Let me get it straight Spear. They are my niece and nephew. They are part of the family YOU are supposed to serve.” Aunt Hilda retorted. He grunted. He might have glared if only a bent sword can glare. “Now, can you please go back to your chores?”
I could feel Aunt Hilda’s words influence me, like I was bewitched to do whatever she pleased. The bent sword sighed.
“Fine, masters. I will tolerate these little godlings here.. from the other side. But first this boat will only take you as far as Oceanside, New York.”
“Wait.. what? Spear, I tell you.. I will sentence you forever in this post if you don’t get us straight to Long Island!” Aunt Hilda cried so harsh, I could feel pity on the bent sword.
“Going straight to the enemy’s territory is a great risk. I don’t understand the need to take you to a place I have no power with.”
“The man has a point,” Mom sighed. “Just take us to where this boat can… you may leave now..”
The man bowed to Mom and to Aunt Hilda. Then he stormed out the bedchamber.
“Who is he?” I asked.
“Spear, our pilot,” Aunt Hilda grunted. She flicked her hand and three bedchambers came out of nowhere. “Time for bed kids!” she said as she clapped her hands. As reluctant as I was, I went to the bedchamber and found a block of stone instead of a pillow. I set it aside and slept. Then I felt my soul leave my body.
I am in a hall, a very large hall with Egyptian holographs floating all over the place. A middle-aged man was bowing down to an old frail man. The younger had singed his hair. I realized that he was the magician Sandy blasted out of the sky. “I found the exiled in Miami, chief Lector,” he started. “your student, Hilda betrayed us. They are keeping powerful godlings without our permission.” The old man is so frail that I could see his bones protruding out of his body. His skin looks so fragile that I can imagine it would wore out if the wind blew too hard. The old man shook his head. “Hilda will never do such a thing. It was just perhaps, she acted on impulse, protecting the family left of her.”
“Such powerful magicians should be trained but they wish to keep them to themselves,” the middle-aged man said.
The old man’s eyes seem to drift to me. Can he see me?
“I’m going to give them the benefit if the doubt. Desjardins, I sense they are innocent. I need to have a word with Hilda.”
Then the vision shifted. I am on a massive ship full of monsters. There are green-skinned ladies with the body of snakes, seal-like creatures with human hands and humans in full-battle armor. Standing on the mast is a thin but good-looking man. I can imagine he looked handsome when he was younger. He has that great scar running from his cheek. His sandy-colored hair complements his deep-set blue eyes, but it was nothing like Sandy’s—more mischievous, like he’ll paint the town red any second.
“Prepare to dock! I’m hoping to wreck havoc on camp. Wait for it, Jackson.”

I woke up with a start. Aunt Hilda’s face loomed above me.
“Whoah!” I exclaimed.
“Why did you not use this?” she asked. She was referring to that block of stone I had set aside. “It’s uncomfortable,” I replied uneasily. She pursed her lip, making me wince. She looked a lot younger than Mom—she looks like a teenager while Mom is in her early twenty’s. Imagine if you wake up with a very pretty woman looming over you—looking absolutely stunning like your Mom. That’s how awkward it felt.
“It’s supposed to keep your ba from wandering!” she scolded me. “I guess you had nightmares.” My eyes went wide. “How’d you know?”
“Let’s just say.. this thing” she points at the block of stone. “is supposed to give you sweet dreams.” She flicked her hand and a set if clothes appeared right in my bed. “Dress yourself. We’re landing to Oceanside in a few minutes.”
Guess what I had to wear—a turtleneck sweatshirt, blue jeans and a leather jacket! For real?? Sandy ridiculed me as soon as I came out of the chamber. She is wearing a fur coat with a streak of gray together with dark sweatpants, which accentuated her blue eyes. “You look awful”
“So do you.”
A few seconds, we landed at Oceanside. We went out of the boat. Spear the Pilot drove the boat as it shot out of the sky, smoke following it’s trail. “That was fast..” I muttered.
They walked slowly into the streets, avoiding people’s dagger-like stares. I tugged at my jacket. “This is so uncomfortable” I muttered.
“Animal fur disturbs our magic- for magicians. But since we belong in both worlds, it doesn’t matter at all.” Aunt Hilda explained. I do not like these two worlds a bit.
As we followed their trail, Sandy walked next to me. “I think we need to stick together, huh,” she murmured. I looked at her and smiled. “Putting up with you for a short time is not a big deal, sis,” I replied and took her hand. I felt the need to comfort her, since I was born first- by a few seconds at least. I’m supposed to be the big brother. “Wait, where have they gone?” Sandy cried out. The sky was dark, and we’re standing by the crossroads, but Mom and Aunt Hilda were gone. I’m starting to hate crossroads.
“I have a bad feeling about this..” I muttered. We heard footsteps closing in on us and saw a band of troublemakers coming our way. Sandy and I stood side by side—like it was normal to hang out in creepy crossroads. “Monsters?” I asked Sandy. She shrugged. Four men grabbed us.
The leader has a cruel face, black eyes and an evil smile. I clenched my fists. I can’t let Sandy stay here. The man turned to me and punched me in the stomach. Intense pain shot through me. I tried to fight but they held me back. The man tried to touch Sandy’s cheeks but she bit his finger—too hard that I can see blood from it. He withdrew his hand. “Oww!” he exclaimed. “Pretty harsh.. Circe would give more money for someone like you..” he looked at me. As for this boy, we could kill him now.” I grunted and wrestled to get free. Whoever Circe was, I will never let her have Sandy. Then I felt a tugging sensation in my gut. The man grinned at me, making the sensation stronger. Fist. I said to my mind. A big golden holograph of a fist shimmered in front of him, punched him and sent him flying for at least thirty feet. Sandy wriggled free out of her startled abductors and punched on in the face. “Brand!” she called at me. I shook the warm feeling out of me and kicked one of them in the balls. “Look out!” Sandy shouted. I turned around, which was a mistake. One of them punched me direct in the face. I was sent sprawling to the ground. Sandy was holding off one of them with a dagger in her hand. How come I don’t have one? I glared at the man who just punched me. Fist. A golden holograph of a fist appeared and punched him—sending him flying to the wall. A growl can be heard from the place. Sandy went to my aid and helped me up. A startling glow filled the crossroads. I diverted my eyes off the glow.
“It is done..” a woman’s voice said, echoing like three women speaking in unison. We turned to the crossroads and saw a woman sitting cross-legged in between. A she-dog and a polecat paced at her side.
“Who are you?” I asked. She fixed her gaze on me. “I am your patron,” she said. I looked in her eyes and I saw there flashes of war, statues, and oddly enough, I saw us inside the boat, Mom hurling fireballs and Aunt Hilda chanting spells..
“Magic..” Sandy muttered and elbowed me.
The woman smiled like the idea seemed to amuse her. “So…” I shifted. “You’re the goddess of magic?” her eyes flickered blue the turned dark again. “Yes, though they also call me the goddess of crossroads and ghosts…”
A lump formed in my throat.
“Uhmm…” Sandy started. “ Could you help us find our… companions?”
The goddess laughed—an evil laugh which sent shivers down my spine.
“Oh.. Yes..” the goddess pointed the middle street. “Just go there and you’ll find the way out.”
I slowly bowed at the goddess. Sandy did the same.
“Thank you..” I thanked her and we hurried off.
“Oh…” the goddess called. We froze on our tracks. “ Tell Hilda I dropped by and said hi.”