the-fractured-truth

[the-fractured-truth]

Oliver: Delivering Pizzas Goes Really, Really South - The Fractured Truth: Chapter 1

I'm sure talking with most other demigods will get you the spiel about how this life is dangerous, about how people walk into it and never walk back out, and they're probably right. But gods does it have it's perks. Constantly traveling, being your own boss, and feeling like a superhero most days sounds like a lot of people's dreams. Sure, it's paired with more near-death experiences than years you've been alive, permanent scars in your teens, and psychological trauma that only a dip in the River Lethe will help you get over. But I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of "it'll work out in the end". The feeling of the wind whipping on your face while I zip around is the best, although being seated on a tiny scooter with a Domino's sign slapped on makes it feel way less cool. At least the pizza was warm so I had something to keep me toasty.

"Only one more week" I thought as I zipped into the driveway.

I knocked on the door and to my surprise, there was no one. Until I looked down, at a small satyr man wearing baggy red sweatpants, staring up at me.

"Oh thanks kid, here's your money, and take this too".

He handed over the cash and a few extra drachmas. I gave him a thumbs up and left, hearing some younger kids scream and laugh as their dad pretended to sound like a monster and chase them around. I went back to my boss and told him I was clocking out.

Gary was one of those bosses who thought that he was essentially a god when in the workplace, with all of us employees as his underlings. In reality, Gary was a 5'2" balding middle aged man with a superiority complex and had been clearly compensating for something. He stopped what he was doing as I was taking off my uniform.

"And who said you could leave?" he asked with a smug look.

I sighed, because one more comment from me would have probably gotten me fired.

"The schedule Gary, the one you made, that tells people when they can leave".

He scratched the sorry excuse he had for a beard as if in thought, which I thought was impossible.

"But what if I don't want you to leave? What if I still have work you need to do. You should ask me what else you can do to help around here"

At this point I just wanted to be out of the conversation.

"Oh you're willing to pay me overtime then? I'd be happy to stay a bit longer"

Gary's face immediately dropped. "Hey now I wasn't saying anything about-"

I stopped paying attention, because from the front a customer walked in. She was a good looking woman, though dressed a bit promiscuous. She had a very cropped shirt, short leather skirt, red high heels to match her lipstick, and those white oval glasses. I almost gave her a wave when I noticed something a little off about her. The edges of her hair were on fire. She noticed and extinguished it with two of her fingers, but it came back again. I didn't know who my extremely attractive yet highly flammable stranger was, but I wasn't loving the idea of her doing anything crazy right there and then. I tried as casually as I could to move into a back room to try and get out of sight but I tripped over some crates of Pepsi and made a bunch of noise.

Gary made that annoying sound of trying not to laugh. "See Ollie, this is why you wouldn't be getting overtime. You're causing more problems than you'd solve. I'd be doing you a favor by letting you work more for free. You'd be put to at least some good use."

I turned towards him. "You know what Gary? You're probably right". Then I socked him in the face.

I assumed he wasn't a sturdy guy, and him passing out and almost falling to the ground confirmed that suspicion. I pulled him towards me before he hit the floor and set him down out of the way so he could be safe. I ripped off my uniform, slipped my jacket back on, and grabbed my hilt. Then I walked out the front of the store, greeting woman on the way out.

She lowered her glasses to give me a wink. "Hey handsome, you getting off?" she said with a sly grin. I almost told her I was, as if something was convincing me that I should spend a little more time with her.

I snapped out of it. "No, just making a delivery. Have a nice day ma'am" then I walked out of the store. I looked behind me to see if she was still watching, which she was, so I dashed out of sight and headed to the fenced area where we had our dumpsters.

Once I got to the bins, I ducked to the side to hear if someone was coming. Surely enough, I could hear the sound of heels hitting the concrete a little ways away. I didn't even want to think about what this girl could be, so I was determined to not find out without having the upper hand. I ran over to the fire escape and touched the lock that was keeping it from moving. I felt the innerworkings of the lock undo themselves with my touch, tracing how I assumed the pins were lined, until it popped open. I slid the ladder down, and scrambled up onto the roof. I pulled the ladder back up and willed the lock to close.

I ducked behind the ledge and peered over, hoping to find my scary stalker friend. I saw her shadow first, and then she turned the corner and walked into the middle of the space, looking around. Her hair was now completely on fire, her shirt was more cropped, her skirt was even shorter, her heels taller, and the most noticeable change: she had a copper leg where her old one was. And I thought I was so close to having a normal time away from the camps.

She looked around with a scowl. "Come out little demi-god, you aren't getting away from me."

I started running different scenarios through my head. Fighting her was always an option, but I didn't like my chances. Plus, if the fight left the back area and went into the parking lot or a building, other people might get hurt. Plus, people might think I'm crazy for attacking a gorgeous woman, which wouldn't help much. Still, I couldn't just leave her here. I definitely could make a break for it though, the delivery scooter was just around the corner. I started racking my brain about what I could remember about woman with a metal leg and fire hair, and a legend about this some ladies named Empousa surfaced in my mind. They liked to eat travelers, which fit the bill, and would scream when they heard insults. Oh and not to mention the Charmspeak, which absolutely sucks to be on the receiving end of (believe me). I started to grab some lint from my pockets and plug my ears when she started to cackle.

"Oh you're so funny that you think you can evade me. I know you're here, but it's just a matter of time before you show yourself. Or you'll make a break for it. Your kind was always good at running, weren't they, Son of Hermes. You and your cowardly brethren."

I bent back down and kept covering my ears. I tried to control myself, but I could feel my anger and anxiety rising. I told myself that she's just trying to rile me up. I could still run, being a coward is better than dying for nothing. I could still leave...

"Gods they really are cowards. And he's going to lead the next of father's children? What a joke." The words floated through my makeshift earplugs, I could feel the Charmspeak's honey sickness, but I didn't care. I felt my anger swell higher than I could control. She wasn't going to talk about me like that or my family and get away with it.

I peered over the ledge to see her standing there and scanning the distance. I quietly lifted myself onto the ledge, crouching on it Spider-Man style. I could feel my spite for this woman and her words filling me, my body becoming energized with all the stimulation. Strength swell through me, and I dashed into action. The world around me looked funny, like a laggy video, jittering and moving slower. I jumped off the roof, grabbing onto a pole connected to the fire escape and slid down it, then kicking myself off of the wall and into the Empousa. She slowly turned towards me, her smile shifting to an expression of shock as I shoulder charged into her.

The world seemed to catch up to me, everything speeding back to normal. We crashed into a gate, her hair melting the chain link. I rolled back to get away from her, and grabbed my hilt. I swung it around my thumb like a butterfly knife, metal unfolding until I caught it back in my hand, with a fully extended rapier blade appearing.

I held it up my blade a defensive stance. "God, you're supposed to be the hot ones too huh? I mean the bar's pretty low for monsters but I guess you do pass it."

She laid slumped over against the fence, whipped her head up, and screamed at me. An ear shattering shriek erupted from her lips, which probably would have left my hearing permanently damaged if it weren't for the lint-plugs I put in. Still, I got pushed back and had a ringing in my ears. She stood, hair glowing white hot, and she took a swing at me, her nails extending out to claws. I tried to parry but I was a bit disoriented from getting screamed at, and she clipped my shoulder drawing some blood. I stepped back, took a glance to see how bad it was. Her nails dug through my jacket and shirt and drew some blood, which was now dripping down my sleeve. I pushed her away, shook my head, and tried to get in the fight. If I died here then I don't know what would happen to Harley, or if there were more targeting other demigods. I tried to steady myself, and took another step towards her. She was eyeing me, waiting for a move, then struck fast and hard. I parried, moving her claw to the ground, I stepped in and kneed her, followed by a stab. The adamantine glittered in the light as it punctured her skin, pushing through and drawing blood and dust spilling out of the puncture. She cried out in pain, then tried to swing again, this time I ducked under and kicked her away from me, stepping back and raising my rapier in anticipation. She snapped her head up, eyes glowing red with anger, and she charged me. I side-stepped and stuck my foot out to trip her, as she fell I smacked her back with the hilt of my rapier, causing her to crash into the ground. She laid on the ground for a second dazed, and I took my chance. I grabbed the lock from the fire escape and some chain from the fence she melted, ran over to her. I grabbed her wrist then dragged her over to one of the dumpsters, and chained her to it with makeshift handcuffs. She started to snap out of her daze, and she started yelling at me.

"You think this'll stop me? You kill me, there are others out there. They'll find you. They'll catch you and the rest of you half-bloods when you least expect it."

I looked at her, not quite phased by the repetitive "We'll get you" monster speech I've heard a million times at this point. But those words from earlier, her stab at me being a coward, that I'm going to fail leading the children of Hermes. I felt my anger swell and I couldn't help myself, I couldn't control myself, and I don't think I would have if I wanted to. I walked towards her, reached for a small Celestial Bronze combat knife I carried in my jacket pocket. I stabbed one of her legs with my rapier, causing it to writhe in pain. Then kneeled down and grabbed her copper one. I looked her in the eyes and stabbed into it, then sliced down. It cut like a knife through warm butter, until I was left holding a copper leg, and left looking at a disintegrating demon.

Demigods took trophies all the time. Why would this be any different? I held onto it for the time being, but I realized that I wasn't very safe as I was. I don't think Chiron or Lupa would mind me paying them some visits early. It was time to head back to the camps, which meant it was time to pay my dad a visit.

(For those of you that read this far, PLEASE comment with critique, trying to get better)