Young Writers Society

     As her blonde hair whipped across her face, Leia Jackson jumped across a log and darted off into the trees. Footsteps pounded after her, getting closer every second. Voices chased her and screamed commands to stop, but she paid no attention as she swerved around trunks and ducked under branches.

     Leia kept running, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to last much longer. After ten minutes of this tiring chase, her breathing became short, panicked gasps and sweat dripped down her face and onto the pile of slippery leaves beneath her feet. The pursuers muttered curses, slipping and falling, but it was only a slight hinder to their speed. Soon she would be caught.

     Finally, she saw her home up ahead. Leia put on a burst of speed and continued. Her breath came in raspy wheezing and even after her moment of motivation, her speed was decreasing. 

     BAM! The door of the house banged open and Leia's father appeared in the doorway, his eyes widening when he saw what was chasing Leia. Then he set his mouth in a determined line and ran to his daughter, who had collapsed at the steps leading up to the house. He helped her up, stood in front of her, and held up a ballpoint pen. As he uncapped it, the pen sprang into full form and soon, he was holding a gleaming bronze sword.

     The two adults who were chasing her stopped a few feet away from Leia's father, as they nervously glanced at each other. Their eyes asked if it was really worth it, fighting off this angry father to get the girl. After catching their breath, they slowly backed away, which evolved into a run as they scrambled into the forest.

     Leia breathed a sigh of relief as she wearily dragged herself up the steps, into the house. Her father followed behind her. As soon as she had kicked off her worn tennis shoes, her mom came running from the living room, grey eyes worried and blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was pretty good-looking, which led to a lot of trouble in public.

     "Sweetie, what happened?" Her mom asked nervously as she hugged Leia, squeezing as tight as she could. Leia wanted to say Ow. Too tight, but she couldn't speak. She was busy catching her breath.

     Her father looked down at her. "Leia was being chased by a couple of goons. They ran as soon as they saw me," he said, trying to sound heroic. "I was too much for them."

     Leia managed a weak laugh and so did her mother. "More like they didn't want to waste their time on you!" Leia's mother teased. 

     Rolling his eyes, her father headed into the kitchen with his daughter and wife.

     "So...tell me everything." Her mother said. 

     Leia sighed and slumped down in her chair. "Do I have to?" she asked grumpily. 

     "Yes, you have to."

     "Okay, fine. Well, school was out and I was walking home, but these two guys were following me in this black car. I started to walk a little faster, but they still were driving behind me. So I started running. They jumped out of the car and started chasing after me. I managed to lead them toward our house...and you know the rest." Leia finished. Her mother and father looked deeply unsettled and seemed to exchange a silent conversation. As Leia waited for what seemed like an hour, she tapped her foot in annoyance. She loathed not being included.

     "Um...Leia, we have something to tell you." Her father said nervously. Turning to face her father with her intense green eyes, Leia frowned. His matching green eyes were staring at her, and they looked like pools of worry.

     "What is it?" she asked, now a little worried. If this upset her parents, then she had a right to be a tiny bit scared.

     Okay, maybe she wanted to run to her room and dive deep under the covers and never come out again. But she listened anyway.

     "You've been studying Greek gods in your class, correct?" Cut in her mother. Leia nodded and smiled a little inside; it was her favorite subject and was the only one that never put her halfway to sleep.

     "Well...they're all real." 

     Those words hit her like a bomb and she gazed at her father in disbelief. They couldn't be real. The twelve major Olympian gods had lived thousands, millions of years ago. Actually, they were just myths and had never existed! How had they managed to sneak up to the twentieth century? Leia shook her head, baffled.

     "Mom...Dad...if this is meant as a joke, I think you're going a little bit overboard!" she exclaimed. 

     But they didn't grin and shout GOTCHA! Their faces were serious.

     "Leia, it's not a joke. I wouldn't kid you about this type of stuff." said her mother sternly.

     Leia glanced toward her father, hoping he would laugh and hug her and tell her that it wasn't true. He remained as silent and serious as stone.

     "Okay, fine. I...kind of believe you." she finished.

    Her mother smiled, but it wasn't one that was pure enjoyment. Her smile looked forced. Leia's father ran a hand through his deep black hair and stood up.

     "We wouldn't...lie." he said quietly.

     Leia immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry, mom and dad. It was hard to take in." she apologized. 

     Her mother tried to laugh, but nothing came out.

     "That's how we all were," her father said bitterly. Then he straightened up and looked at her, as if waking from a dream.

     "Pack up, Leia. We're going to the Greek camp."