Chapter 33:


I don’t remember when it started but when I woke up the first time it felt like my soul was ripped out and my body and mind were left in a blur.
I dream more as I stay asleep in the numbness of my subconscious mind; From my experiences in my dreams some people might say that I was addicted to them like drugs. When I was awake I felt the sluggish pull of the nightmares pulling me away from the real world, somehow I functioned enough just to do the basic things in the roman guest house. Through the haziness Darren tried to talk to me several times, and I answered him; I didn’t remember the question or the answer after it’s given, but I did know that I cannot lie in this state and I knew that Darren was extremely worried for me.


But I didn’t care: My heart was throbbing, beating only to hurt. My mind was like stone, hard and numb, I was hardly able to put thoughts together and remained in a limbo haze fog of nothingness. One time I remember just lying on my bed in my little world and two people were talking; I recognized the male voice as Darren but I couldn’t place the female’s voice because she spoke too rarely for my slow mind to register her voice.


“She hardly eats, always sleeps, and when she’s awake it’s like she’s not home.”


I was dragged back into my oblivion before the girl replied to Darren’s statement. I always found myself in the beginning in a field of purple tulips with a pale blue sky going over me with puffy white clouds blowing with the wind. The tulips bend with the wind blowing against them and I can see the pollen bits that fly up in the sky. I feel my hair whipping gently against my face as the wind blows harder and harder. My eyes staring into the sky hardly even paying any attention to the hard winds.


There I thought it was peaceful, but I didn’t remained there cause as the winds pull darker clouds all turning black, and I recognized a face in the clouds; Lilly. At first the face was cloudy but it turned to her face; gentle, smiling, Lilly. But then when her face completely turned to me her lips turned into a wicked smile which turned to anger with fury in her eyes. I was pinned in fear as I scream at the top of my lungs. Lilly’s mouth opens and I see serrated teeth like a shark but much larger and she swallowed my body.


All my nightmares were like this, peaceful in the beginning with my field of flowers then fear strikes me and I was transported into another dream. But after being swallowed up by Lilly something in my mind that was stuck snapped back into place and I screamed opening my eyes and sitting upright from my bed.


I found myself covered in cold sweat, and just in a sports bra and basketball shorts. I turned my head to the left and began to notice that I was out of the haze. I looked around the room and called out in a tone that it made it sound like I was in pain and not the dull pain. Darren came running in and was quickly at my bedside and put his hand against my back to support my back, “What’s wrong?”


I didn’t look at him and clenched my fists turning my fingers white in my palm. “It hurts.” I simply replied. I shut my eyes and groaned as another pulse of pain washed over me and leaned into Darren. His arms wrapped around me as he stuttered and asked me if I wanted a tylenol. Tears slipped down my face and I replied with great sobs that it wasn’t that kind of pain. Through my sniffeling Darren rubbed my arms gently and put his face against the top of my head. I felt the warmth Darren was creating on my arms and relaxed against him, “Hey now that you’re up I wanted to ask you; The Romans asked us to join the Celebration Banquet.”
“I don’t want to go.” I said bluntly.


“I know that you’re not up to it- but it’s a funeral deal for the Romans; I think you should attend.”
“A funeral that’s called a ‘Celebration Banquet’?” I replied, “Pass.” I turned over pulling the covers along with me and curled on my side, “I’m not even hungry anyway.”
“Hannah.” Darren replied much like an adult that was dissapointed. There was a long pause as I laid there, I was sure Darren was figuring out his next move. I just closed my eyes to fall back asleep when Darren began negotiations, “Alright: I have a proposition for you.” I open my eyes and roll back over, “A proposition?”Darren smiled and nodded, “I’ll escort you to the Celebration Banquet, and you don’t have to do anything but be there.”
I rolled my eyes and gave him a “really?” look. Darren touched my shoulder and pressed on me and then pushed me gently, “Come on Hannah.” He said playfully, “You know you want to go on date with me.” His smiled broadened and his eyes turned mischievous; I looked straight at him, “No.” and turned back over in my bed.

“Come on Hannah!” He said with a begging child’s voice.
I didn’t respond and I huddled into the fetal position to close myself off from Darren and the real world.
“Do it for Lilly.” He said.
That stung like a hundred bees all condensed into one stab;
Lilly; Do it for her.
I fought back the temptation to explode in tears and solemnly turned around to face Darren again, with a slight trembling lip I responded, “For Lilly.”



***


Now, what ever I do now and the for the future will for Lilly, so that her death will not be in vain; To fight against gods and goddess that make their children earn their recognition and love, for heroes that want to be seen and heard.


No Demigod left behind.


Then there is the matter of my mother that is still missing; The Hunters will surely find her right? The Winter Solstice is coming closer and drawing nearer but I fear that this isn’t going to be simple as the others have tried implanting in my head.

The origin of The Shadow Creatures still remains a mystery. Maybe Hades is the real villain or perhaps there is something, more hideous enough to scare a god, hiding in the shadows.
I maybe paranoid but,

Be vigilant my friends. I fear that not everything is as it seems


Hannah L. Batson



END OF FIRST BOOK

Notes

Two months behind but I got it done! Whew!

What do you guys think?