I followed Mrs. Dodds and wondered what she was going to have me do this time. Most likely buy Nancy a new set of clothes. That would be the most likely punishment for daring to ruin her favorite student's clothes. Not that I actually pushed Nancy into the fountain, I didn't even touch her. She was the one who punched me and now I was being punished because the jerk lost her balance and fell in.
I followed Mrs. Dodds as we passed the gift store and decided to open my big mouth against my better judgment, "I can't afford to buy Nancy new clothes, just so you know." She turned around and glared at me with a look that appeared to be a mix of disgust and hunger before gesturing for me to hurry up. I picked up my pace not, wanting to get into any more trouble than I already was. Before I knew it, we were back amongst all the ancient Greek artifacts. Mrs. Dodds glared at the stela of a young girl for a moment before turning her gaze to me.
"You've caused us a lot of trouble, Jackson," she sneered, "now tell me where it is and I'll make your death quick."
Death!? I thought, freaking out. I wanted to run but instead, my feet felt like they were frozen to the ground and I couldn't help but ask, "What are you talking about, where what is??? I didn't take anything!"
Suddenly, Mrs. Dodds started contorting and transforming her old wrinkled face into something that could lose a beauty contest against a hag while her hands turned into twisted claws and her leather jacket merged with her body turning into a pair of leathery bat-like wings. "Come now," she growled, a sound like nails on a chalkboard, "just hand it over, Hydna , and maybe the silent one will have mercy on your soul."
I looked at her in shock, how did she know that name? My shock must have shown on my face because her horrid face twisted into something akin to a smile showcasing her needle-sharp, rotten-looking teeth.
She gently caressed my face, one of her talons tracing a line across my cheek pressing just hard enough to slightly cut into my cheek with her razor-sharp talons, the feeling of warm blood dripping down my cheek filling my attention as her words filled my eyes. "Oh yes. I know all about your secret feelings Ms. Jackson, did your Daddy promise to make your dreams real if you became his thief? Well too bad your life ends now!" Suddenly in my peripheral vision, I caught sight of her other clawed hand slicing toward my chest and before I knew what I was doing I jumped back as her talons slashed open my shirt just barely scratching my chest, but not drawing any blood.
"Tally ho Percy!" Mr. Brunner called and threw his pen to me. I reached out and caught it, but for some reason, instead of a pen I was holding the beautiful bronze sword Mr. Brunner brought out on tournament days in class. Before I could even question how Mr. Brunner got here or why, I was holding a sword. Mrs. Dodds leaped at me, talons bared to slash me into ribbons and I flinched back not wanting to look, and wildly swung the sword. I heard a wet SCHLICK sound and when I opened my eyes and looked towards Mrs. Dodds, I caught sight of her shocked face looking at me as it disintegrated. All that was left of my algebra teacher was a pile of gold dust and even that was beginning to blow away. I dropped the sword and fell to my knees hugging myself tightly, tears streaming down my face.
I killed my algebra teacher. Who cares if she was a monster? I'm a murderer.
I don't know how long I sat there slumped on the floor of the museum in shock but, eventually, I got up and walked back outside. As I made my way down the steps Nancy approached me with a sneer on her face, "I hope Ms. Kerr whipped your butt!" She declared, probably trying to get some kind of rise out of me. I wanted to ask who Ms. Kerr was, but I couldn't bring my mouth to form words and instead just brushed past her and made my way to Mr. Brunner handing him his pen that had somehow ended up in my pocket after I killed Mrs. Dodds.
"Ah yes, my pen, please remember to bring your own writing utensils next time Mr. Jackson." For a moment it looked like he had more to say, but instead, he just frowned before turning away and going back to his reading.
Time passed and no one brought up Mrs. Dodds. The police never showed up to arrest me for murdering the old woman. In fact, it was almost like I was the only one who knew she existed. I say almost because I managed to bring her up in Latin class once and while most people looked at me like they had no idea who I was talking about Grover looked scared and Mr. Brunner had tensed slightly. A part of me was furious that my best friend and favorite teacher were keeping something from me, but a bigger part of me just wanted to leave it alone and forget what happened. Despite it seeming like I got away with it, my conscience wouldn't leave me alone about it, and the stress that followed me since that fateful event in the museum led to me barely sleeping and my grades slipping until I was failing all my classes.
Finally, the headmaster pulled me into his office to inform me that I wouldn't be invited back to Yancy the following year. I wanted to be upset about being kicked out of yet another school, especially one where I finally had a friend and a teacher who cared, but I couldn't bring myself to be bothered. I just wanted my Mom, she would pull me into a big hug, we'd bake some blue cookies together, and she'd somehow manage to make everything better. I knew she'd be disappointed that I gave up, but I just couldn't handle being away from her any longer so that night after lights out I packed my stuff and snuck out the window. I made my way out of the school grounds and just kept walking.
Eventually, I made it to the bus lot and bought a ticket home. I'd still have to order a taxi when I got there, but the bus would get me close enough that I could afford it with the minimal amount of money that I made selling candy, games, and other banned objects at the school. I also made some money fixing clothes and selling homemade headbands and jewelry to some of the girls, but I kept that on the down low. If any of the other boys found out, the bullying would've gotten even worse.
I boarded the bus and sat down across the aisle from these three ancient-looking old women who seemed to be knitting giant socks out of electric blue yarn. I tried to ignore them, but I could feel their eyes on me no matter what I did so I gave up. "Hello?" I asked, unsure of how to begin this conversation.
"Leaving school," the first started.
"Early," the middle one continued.
"Little girl?" The last old lady finished their question.
"I'm not," I started only to be interrupted by the old lady on the left.
"Don't bother denying it my dear, we know all about you, Hydna Jackson," she said, her voice harsh, but not mean.
"You have a hard road in front of you little one and it won't be any easier if you keep denying who you are," the middle one told me.
"Sisters," the lady on the right spat harshly, "we are not supposed to interfere."
"Oh pish posh," the middle sister interrupted with a happy smile on her face, "it's much more interesting this way and she'll still accomplish her destiny. Our job is to protect fate, not make life as hard as possible."
The sister on the left continued where the middle one left off, "and her life is hard enough without having to deal with this, besides she's already different than we predicted. Our interference here won't hurt anything." She suddenly reached into the electric blue sock and pulled out a colorful braided necklace with a beautiful trident pendant hanging from it before walking towards me and placing it around my neck before saying in a solemn voice, "Take this as a gift and an apology, Hydna Artemis Jackson, for how harsh fate has to be to you."
The scowl on the right sister's face softened into a look of pity as she said in the same solemn voice, "Good luck daughter of Poseidon ." I strained to try and hear the name she said, but I couldn't quite make it out as the world suddenly went black.
I woke up to the scene of the bus driver shaking me awake and saw that I was at my stop. I quickly thanked him and hopped off the bus, I started walking away from the bus before noticing that something was different. It took me a minute before I looked down and realized what had changed, my body, it was like in my dreams! I was overcome with joy and almost cheered before horror filled my body. I was a girl, just like in my dreams. The dreams that only me and these weird monster magical people knew about. How was I supposed to explain any of this to my mom?