literature

Answering The Call: Chapter 10

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Literature Text

Amber
I squirm in my sleeping bag. I've been awake for about five minutes, and I woke up when I heard footsteps. It sounded like two people to me, and I've been alert ever since. Why didn't we have a watch before? I sit up and look at the many sparkling stars. I glance back at my companions. Fleur and Karmen are sound asleep…and so is Leo. I smile to myself. But then I notice James' sleeping bag is empty. Panic rises in my chest. Maybe he just walked off. I gently unroll my sleeping bag and carefully slip out. I hope that my friends will be alright while I'm gone. The Arizona dirt silences my footsteps, and I dodge the pebbles and random sticks that will make crunching noises. I'm about to give up and head back to the camp until I see a shadow on the horizon. I get ready to draw my dagger in case it's a monster, but it looks more like a demigod. I tiptoe forward and realize its James. Well, duh. His blond hair and electric blue eyes are unmistakable. "You needed some space?" I ask, which startles him. When he sees me, I notice the tension in his body relaxes. "You can sit here, too." He shrugs, so I sit down next to him. "I've been thinking about my dad." He says, looking up at the sky. "Have you heard anything from him since we found you?" I question, partly because I'm interested. It's kind of rare for half-bloods to receive messages from their parents. James hesitates, and he looks at me. His blue eyes gleam in the moonlight, and they study me wearily, as if he's sad. "No." He admits and looks back at the sky. "I know he's really busy, being king of the gods and all, but I didn't get anything from him. Well, Hera said that Rhea would pardon me if I told her that Zeus was my dad. Part of me wonders…maybe my dad talked to Hera or Rhea." Realization quickly hits me. We've been in Arizona for almost one and a half days, and we still haven't found even a trace of Rhea. "Well…" I'm at a loss for words. What should I tell him? "Your dad might say something to you after the quest." I say, trying to be optimistic. He looks at me, his blue eyes sad again. "I just…don't know what to think." James looks at me quizzically. "Where did you used to live?" He asks randomly, and I look at the sky. "Huntsville, Alabama." I answer. "What was it like there?" Should I tell him? I might as well. "Well, my father was a former test pilot and he taught at West Point for a while. He got interested in rocketry, so we moved to Huntsville. I liked it there. My father got a job at the U.S Space and Rocket Center, and I had a view of the Saturn V from my bedroom window. My school was nice, my teachers were nice, and I had some friends. Sometimes, we would play astronauts with their little brothers and sisters. In the summer, we would have races to the museums and we would jump in the backyard sprinkler." I answer dreamily. "What about you?" I take my eyes off the sky and look at James. "I lived in Chicago." He begins. "There was a lot of noise there, and my mom had a great job. We lived in an apartment that overlooked the Sears Tower. In my school, I would always be looking out the window. In the winter, my friends and I would go sledding down the streets, because they would completely ice over." He smiles. "Then…I entered sixth grade and that's when monsters first started making appearances. My number of friends decreased, and I got bullied a lot. Then, you came along and saved my life." He looks out towards the horizon and he doesn't have to say anything more. I know. We sit in silence for a moment until I say, "That's good." James cracks a smile. Maybe it's just our pressure on the quest, but we're both longing for a laugh. "You know, Amber," He turns to me, and his blue eyes are so intense. "Yeah?" I look up, trying to contemplate him. It's harder now- but it's somehow easier. Maybe it's just because we shared something. I study him. There's a new gleam in his eyes- hesitant yet daring. He takes my hand in his warm one and gives me that smile. "I'm glad you saved my life." James puts his arms around me and gives me a kiss. And it's a real one.
Okay, I did a LOT of re-editing on Chapter 10, so it didn't come out as planned. I know, I know, it's a lot like Chapter 9, but who cares? It's a story, for goodness' sake. Well...enjoy!

Amber (c) me

Chapter 11: [link]
© 2012 - 2024 HazelLevesque24
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Goddess-of-Greece's avatar
i'm sorry I can't see it CX doesn't really matter. no worries :P