Davis

My shoes are soaked with blood. My feet are terribly sore, and I've been walking for probably a few hours now. I went out of that one city I was in and now am on the highway again. My shoes absolutely sucked already and now they are completely worthless. I go to the side of the road and sit down. I rip my "shoes" off my feet, and rest. My feet are almost torn up and blood drips off of them.

I tear off the bottom of my jeans and wrap them around my feet. Better than the crapballs that covered my feet before. I get up and keep walking.

Cars occasionally drive past, their drivers eyeing me strangely. I actually don't get what everyone has against me, like I haven't done crap to them, yet.

A nice little collection of suburbs sits on the horizon, a little bay to its right and more mountains to the left. I make a goal then to make it at least there, because I can find a good nap spot there.

》》》

Okay I collapsed right as I stepped on the outskirts. I saw a bench and lied on that before I died of exhaustion.

More dreams of course.

I sit on the bench I'm on, awaiting for someone. The sky is gray and dull. I am dressed in a suit, and then two people come up. One in a wheelchair, one pushing the wheelchair. And it's not just anyone.

"Hello Davis," Hades says as he rolls up.

I stay silent.

"You have found your way I see," Hades continues. "Now that you have found the ol' town where the twins live, I guess I 'ought to tell ya where to go next, which is pretty simple, once you have their trust just keep heading south I guess. Then you just wait, the Gathering will take it's natural course,"

"Wait," I mumble. One nice thing about talking with Gods is that you can talk very quietly, and they hear you crystal clear. "What is the Gathering?"

Hades coughs, "It's when and where you all will meet up the first time,"

"When's that supposed to happen?" I ask.

"When the time is right of course, but hopefully before summer," He answers. "Then they'll just have to wake up in the same room that morning, or somethin' of that sort,"

"And what about the twins? How will I find them?" I continue.

"I dunno, maybe I'll send them to mess with you as you sleep, hehehe," Hades laughs, showing his rare humor. "Then I'll wake you up and boom! You found 'em, should be simple enough right?"

"Ugh," I say. "Just as long as I don't have to go look for them I guess."

"Well then," Hades confirms. "Good enough,"

He snaps his fingers, "now remember when you first meet them you won't know them and so they won't even think about following some random skulker down South aways,"

"You need to gain their trust, and I'll leave you to figure out to do that maybe I'll even help you a bit with it," Hades tells me.

"Yeah it would be nice having help for once!" I say.

"Yay," Hades says "Now go and do your thing,"

He holds his hand up, but I keep talking,

"Why do you keep changing personalities everytime I see you?" I ask.

Hades stops. He looks up, looks sue to side, and back at me. I wait for an answer, but he raises his hand again, and pushes it forward, sending me back to sleep.

》》》

I feel something on my face. I open my eyes but the sun makes me close them again.

"Oh shoot he's awake'" a voice says. My hands shoot out and I grab two arms, and sit myself up. I open my eyes.

I have two boys' arms in my hands. They stare at me awkwardly, one holding a sharpie.

The one on the right has long curly dirty-blonde hair pulled back behind his head.

The left has a shaved head of blonde hair, barely long enough to recognize as hair

They both stare at me with prideful brown eyes. They both have square kinda hefty faces.They both wear leather jackets, denim jeans ana Volcom shirts. These got to be the twins.

"What did you guys do to me?" I ask.

"Gifted you with a mustache brother," The long and curly says to me, a scottish accent in his voice. He rips his arm out of my grip.

"Yeah people don't get along too well with gay-looking guys 'round here," The short hair dude says, the accent less audible in him. "the mustache helped a lot, brother"

They both laugh. I find myself feeling rather resenting to the kids.

"Only if you knew what happened to the last guy who called me gay," I tell him.

"What? Did he get to make his momma proud and say 'hey ma I beat the living crap outta this poor lil' gay guy today!"

I actually find myself laughing at the comment. " he never said gay or anything I didn't like said to me ever again because I kinda gauged one of his eyes out,"

Admittedly that's the cruelest thing I've ever done to anyone, and I wasn't actually too proud after, but I use it as an intimidation factor when I need it. Will Ayers never called me gay, he just attacked me once and I did what I had to do.

They lean back in shock. "Dang your creepy," The curly hair says.

" listen to me when I say you're not the biggest or baddest thing I've ever been up against, not even close." I say, two demigods don't even come into play against Cerberus.

How did I meet the three headed mega dog? Well me and Izzy tried to get out of the Under by the front door. It didn't turn out as a good idea.

"Well what the heck are you? A God?" Short hair asks me. "I had a dream someone would be sent to us..."

"No I'm not a God I'm a demigod just like you guys," I say. "What are your names?"

"Why should we tell you?" Short hair asks.

"Because I'm not gonna gauge your eyes out," I confirm. "I'm uh, here to be a friend.

They look at each other for a second, as if talking through their eyes. They nod and look back to me.

"Jamie Ace," The long curly dirty-blonde one says.

" Denim Ace," Short blonde says to me.

"Well I'm Davis." I say, trying to be friendly. These guys are lucky they're my key back to Izzy because if they weren't I would've dropkicked them into the bay five minutes ago.

"Well cool to meet you I guess," Jamie says. He spits in his hand and holds it out. I do the same and shake his hand.

"Yeah," I say. "So you guys live around here?"

"Of course we do idiot," Denim says. I then realize that was a stupid question. There was not a lot of civilization nearby the little town for several miles. They wouldn't just walk to a random little suburb and chill there.

"Where is this?" I ask, looking better at the place. A street rolls against a neighborhood of houses. I don't even know where I've been the past few days.

"It's called Willard, a very small town in Northern Utah." Jamie says.

"Willard," I mutter. That's far away from what I'm used to. Before I went under I lived in a foster home in Montana.

"Why don't you come with us?" Jamie asks.

Denims hand hits Jamies shoulders, and they start whispering to eachother.

"...you sure..." I pick up a few words

"...worry..."

"..And mom..."

"Shppshssps"

"...It's a small town he's bound to be taken. .."

"...well we..."

They turn back to me.

"You coming?" Denim asks.

"Why?" I ask, but then take the chance.
Lead them, follow them, just gain their trust.

"Yeah sure."

" you seem like a homeless dude that's why," Denim admits. It is true.

"Just come on." Jamie says.

They start down the street and I follow. Most of the houses have living room windows, which gives me a chance to peer in the life in them. Families chill on the couch, old couples sit down for lunch and other nice family stuff. Safe, Calm and belonging. Stuff I wish i had the privilege to have.

Yeah I wish.

They turn into the lawn of a house smaller than the rest, on with a screen door, not a nice furnished wood one. The windows are boarded up and the stairs to the front door creaked when we stepped on them.

Denim pulls the door open andlets us all in. The house is pretty small, in the living room there is a dusty old couch and a small tv with an antenna attached. Jamie goes off into an opening to the right saying "I'm hungry," Must be the kitchen. Denim turns on the tv and sits on the couch.

That's when i realize my bladder is about to explode.

"You guys have a bathroom?" I say.

"No go out in the middle of the street and pee there," Denim says, still facing the tv. He turns to face me with a slight smile. "Go down the hall to the right,"

"Thanks," I day and walk down the hall. There are two doors. He didn't say which one.

Strange noises eminate from the first one, which makes me want to investigate. A consistent beeping sounds complimented with a strange hoarse and strangled, breathing I think? There could be something dangerous in there.

I put my my hand on the door to slowly open it, and it starts to creak. I scan what seems like a bedroom as the door reveals it. The sounds get louder.

As I start to see a sky-blue lump with railings I'm pushed aside. Denim closes the door, pushing me against the wall.

"Did you go in?" He growls "did she see you?"

"No! Who?" I go.

" Don't be going in there anymore Davis," He utters.

"There's something in there Denim, " I say to him."

His grip tightens on me "You do NOT call her a something gosh dang it!"

Jamie comes down the hallway, interrupting Denim.

"What's goin' on Denim?" He says, closing up to Denim.

"He was going in her room," denim explains "I stopped him fortunately,"

"Well why didn't you tell him?" Jamie says.

"Jamie," Denim says back. " he coulda scared her to death," a sign of worry traces his eyes, easily visible.

"Well no matter how careful we are we can't keep her from every stimulant. " Jamie reasons, and a tug of wondering forms in my gut. What are they trying to protect?

"Well do you know what's in there?" I ask.

They both look at me.

"He called her a something too!" Denim snarls. Maybe this was all a mistake. Maybe these aren't the twins.

"Yes," He says to me then turns to Denim "Stop blaming him,"

"You know what I promised dad Jamie," Denim says "I'm a lot of things but I don't break promises,"

"I know that," Jamie says.

" Not good enough apparently," Denim says seriously. "He still can't go in that room, not until we can tell her," And the he walks away. Jamie stays facing where Denim was, blank faced.

"The bathrooms the next one over If that is what you were looking for," He says.

"Thanks," I say awkwardly. "All Denim said was to the right,"

"Sounds like him." Jamie turns away, going toward the kitchen again.

"What's in there?" I ask.

"He'd kill me if I told you." Jamie walks away.

》》》

They let me sleep on the couch that night.

And you know how I talk to my dad through dreams.

" Do I have to do this?" I say in the empty room, knowing he'll answer.

The room stays silent and dark, but I wait. A gasp sounds, and I choose not to look. I just know I shouldn't.

"It's what's supposed to happen," his voice says through the shadows.

"Why can't you just make some all powerful Titan or Mega Slayer to keep evil or whatever form acting up, instead of these high plot plans where the simplest things come into play?" I question. Everyone would be happier that way, including me, especially.

"Because then no one grows," it answers. "Life has no point without struggles,"

"But..."

"The main point however is that is easy to figure out. Chaos has a way equaling our power. No matter what we do. That's why we outsmart him. Life can't just be a superhero defeating his villian night and day for everyone else. The energy gets spread, which is much harder to neutralize."

Great. Another lecture.

"Okay," I just say to stop the All science lecture. They can bore me.

"So what do I do now? What's the next step to your foolproof defeat chaos plan?"

"Well first it is impossible to defeat chaos. Just won't happen." The voice echoes.

"I don't want to hear that crap," I stop him. "I'm not trying to major in playing the chess game of the Universe. Just tell me what I do tomorrow. "

"I told you,"

"But what?"

"Stay put. Make sure you do anything to gain their trust. Don't kiss up to them or lick their boots, they won't respect you after that, I can trust you'll do just fine."

"Why can't you just guide me through this?" I question.

"Because then I'd do all the work so you can get your girlfriend back, and we need to deal with the others more than you. Max just got passed through the Wolf House."

"Okay who the heck is Max again?"

"Someone you'll meet soon enough, just be patient."

"You keep mentioning him, and that I'll meet him. Would ya just tell me who he is? He probably know who I am."

The voice stays silent.

"Max is a son of Zeus. He was appointed to be the most fit to lead the Seven."

I nod, kind of understanding.

"The best part is is that he doesn't know who you are, or any of the other Seven. He doesn't even really know what the Seven is. So don't act picked on,"

"I hate when you say I'm not miserable, because I'm kinda the most sorrowful people I know,"

"Admit ot you don't know that many people, and FYI at this rate Izzy isn't coming back."

I stand up, but as I turn to look at him I realize I'm still sitting down, and I hadn't yet made that mistake of getting mad at him again.

"It's only a deal," He says

"That deal is the only thing that matters to me right now, nothing else not you, not the freaking d-bag twins not anything but her,"

"I'm trying my hardest so don't say that," I continue. "I just don't know how to fulfill what I need to do half the time, if I did it would be done. I'm just confused, the regular world isn't as easy as I wanted it to be, I'm still like crossing the bridge between the two worlds,"

"The underwold toughened you, but you still have stuff to learn, everyone does."

"Just promise me I'll get Izzy back." I say, pleading. "That's all I want,"

My own voice echoes. I realize he's gone. The darkness looms around me, as if it's my friend. It is my friend.

Not the twins, but unfortunately they have to be. I just don't know how I'll get them to trust me.

I stand up, feeling something behind me. When you know you can't look it just makes it harder to resist right? Well I've resisted enough.

But there's nothing there when I look.