NEW OLYMPIANS (ISSUE 1) by Kelly Logue (best books for students to read .txt) 📕

fist.

In a blinding flash, the metallic guard in front of him is ripped into shreds.

Standing in the wreckage is the girl, and she is frightening to behold.

Long claws extend from her fingers, and her mouth is pulled back in a snarl showing her large teeth.

With almost building speeding, she leaps onto the remaining guard, knocking it down. A fury of teeth and claws flash, until the guard is nothing more than spare parts.

The ground shakes.

More guards on the way.

Carl gray eyes fixate on the small shaft of light above them.

There is a catwalk just under it.

Maybe ten feet up, he thinks.

Carl taps the girl lightly on the shoulder.

She spins, baring her teeth and claws at him, before her features relax.

Shaking, the girl embraces him now, burying her face into his chest.

“Safe,” she says quietly.

“Hold on,” he tells her.

The girl wraps her arms around his neck, as Carl makes a running start.

Then he leaps.

There’s still some of the magic left, as he hovers closer and closer to his target.

Almost…

Almost…

Almost…

There…

He cries out, as a sharp pain tears through his back.

Instinctively, he throws the girl up on the catwalk.

Just in time. For now his skin feels like it’s on fire.

“Get help,” he calls out.

The girl nods, and then takes off like a dart, scrambling toward freedom

The girl is safe.

His mission is complete.

Small comfort he supposed, as he landed with a thud on the ground below.

Strong, metallic hand ground raising him to his feet, holding him firmly in place.

Now he is face to face with a woman.

A striking woman.

“Athena?” he asks weakly. He is burning up. His brain on fire.

His gray eyes adjust, and now he sees a young woman in her twenties staring back at him.

She looks Asian, but the eagle motif on her costume and cowboy hat tells him that she doesn’t come from far off lands, but instead comes from a place a little closer to home—Native American.

She holds a cross bow in her hand, pointed down for the moment.

“Who are you?” He gasps. “Why have you done this to me?”

At the same time, his cold gray eyes scan the room searching for whatever scrap of information he can find. But, he can’t focus. He’s gasping for air. He can’t breath.

The woman’s cupid bow lips draw back into a smile.

There are scars on her left cheek, recent wounds by the looks of them.

With her free hand, she raises a finger to him—wagging it in a scolding matter.

On a screen, he sees plans for a satellite.

Then a fist, followed by darkness.

 

 

Chapter III

The rats knew every nook and cranny of this place, and they were eager to show her.

Rats are terrible at keeping secrets.

Briefly Maureen wonders if the rats will help her rescue her friend, Carol. Carol is nice.

She quickly dismisses the thought.

She didn’t want her little friends to be hurt.

Like they were at the scary place with the needles and the knives, she thinks, shaking a little.

No, this is a job for heroes.

Like Steel Thunder or Starlight.

But, how would she get in contact with them?

“The police,” Maureen squeaked out loud.

The rats looked at her funny.

“What,” Maureen said. “The police are supposed to help people. That’s what the nice doctor lady said.”

Whatever passes for shrugging among rats, they do now, and Maureen dropped the subject.

But, Maureen felt like she was on the right path now.

Still she hoped that her friend was safe.

And Maureen hoped, desperately hoped, that Carol hadn’t been taken to the scary place—like the bad men had done with the nice doctor lady.

They ran down a long corridor.

The rats liked it because it was dark. The dark was safe.

 

* * *

 

It smelled dusty and moldy, which was good, because that meant people hadn’t been here in awhile. But it also meant there were cobwebs here, with spiders and spiders were in a word: yucky.

They came to a large wooden door.

Some of the rats began squeezing under the gap, but Maureen quickly shooed her friends away, and told them to stand back.

Maureen shoved the door with all her might.

The wooden frame cracked.

Then, the hinges gave way, causing the door to fall forward.

She, and her friends sniffed the air.

The air smelled stale, but no scent of people around, so it might be safe.

Cautiously, Maureen stepped forward.

The rats followed suit, and determining that there was no threat, rushed forward.

Her little friends started to explore, searching for food or shiny treasures they could take back to their nests.

Maureen, however, held back.

Even though her eyes were not the best, Maureen stared up in awe at this place.

The ceiling seemed to go on forever.

Every sound, no matter how tiny, echoed against the walls.

Yet, this place was almost eerily quiet.

A shaft of light streamed through several windows, and in some places made pretty colors reflected against the wall.

Maureen suddenly got the feeling that she was being watched.

She turns, and sees a man hanging from the ceiling.

Maureen squints her eyes, and now she can see the pain on the man’s face.

Gathering her courage, Maureen approached to get a better look.

His arms are stretched out, and he is naked except for a robe curled around his waist.

She can just reach the bottom, and touches the man’s feet.

Wood?

There’s a loud creak that echoes around the room.

Maureen runs, and hides in the darkest corner she can find.

She shivers.

The scary place, she thinks. Again Maureen’s thoughts turn to the nice doctor lady, wishing she were here now.

After a time, Maureen cautiously takes a peak.

Her little friends don’t seem to show any concern, though, and that makes her a little more bold.

Maureen emerges from her hiding place, making sure to keep her back turned to the hanging man, and walks forward.

There are doors ahead.

She pushes one door open.

And, all her senses are assaulted at once.

A wave of heat blasts across her skin.

It’s so bright, she has to close her eyes.

The scent of dirt, and dust fills her nose, and the air tastes hot and dry, making her cough.

She hears singing, but not people singing, as there is a steady rhythmic hum to it.

Some of the rats have pooled around her feet, while some of the others are pulling at the hem of her gown.

“Not safe,” they tell her. “Not safe. Still light outside. Wait until dark.”

Maureen nods, and turns back inside.

She opens her eyes, but quickly casts her eyes down, not wanting to look at the scary man, as she starts back to her hiding spot.

She briefly misses her cage. Her cage was safe, no one could hurt her there.

But that life is over, Maureen realized now.

Her heart sinks.

And now she suddenly feels very tired.

Maureen lies down on the floor.

Most of the rats joined her, swarming over her as they formed a makeshift quilt.

Some of the rats would remain awake, however, to alert the swarm in case enemies were about.

Maureen felt warm and safe, as she closed her eyes.

“This is Chipmunk,” she whispered.

“She is a princess of the Rodent Kingdom,” she continued, trying to remember the rest of the words of the story the nice doctor had read to her.

“Chipmunk was very happy, until one day her mother disappeared….”

Maureen soon drifted off to sleep.

 

 

Inerlude

The old man, with the young face, staggered out of the bar.

It’s hot outside.

He may not remember much of his old life, but he remembers he hates the summer heat.

He is more a Man of Autumns.

Where the leaves take one final breath of life, as the air around them turns crisp and chilly.

He is The Man of Autumns, smiling as he remembers the old nickname.

It is not a kind smile.

His smiles are never kind.

For the Autumn reminds him just how far he has fallen.

But, the old game always begins in summer.

For that is the nature of the Beast.

He sighs, admitting a small defeat.

It promises to be a long summer too, as he gathers the players.

A summer that will lead to a long winter.

With Autumn left in the dust.

But now is not the time to grow sentimental, he thinks, as he adjusts his black tie, and brushes the cobwebs off his black suit.

For the game to begin, he must take his position.

He must be at the center of it all.

The center of the maze.

 

 

Chapter IV

“Maureen, Maureen time to wake up...”

Maureen stirred in her cage, but when she saw who it was, she quickly jumped up.

The cage door opened, and Maureen bolted forward.

The doctor lady had knelt down like she always did, and Maureen quickly embraced her.

“Hello,” Maureen said.

“Hello, Maureen,” the doctor lady answered.

The doctor lady smelled like flowers today. It was a nice smell.

“I had a dream you were hurt,” Maureen whispered. “It was scary.”

“Oh I’m sorry to hear that Maureen,” the doctor lady said. “But, as you can see I’m fine.”

Maureen continued to hold the doctor lady, not wanting to let her go.

“You’re crushing me,” the doctor lady said, laughing.

Maureen let her go, and the doctor lady stood.

“Getting stronger every day,” the doctor lady said. “Pretty soon you will be able to beat up those big scary dreams, right?”

Maureen nodded.

The doctor lady ran her fingers through her white hair.

Maureen let her, even though she usually didn’t like it when the doctor lady did that.

Something felt wrong.

The air felt unsettled somehow, and it had a bad scent about it.

“How would you like to help me today,” the doctor lady said, smiling. “There might be two lemon candies in it for you.”

Maureen squealed in excitement, and quickly followed the doctor lady over to a big machine.

“Now I know this machine may look big and scary, but just do what I say and you’ll be fine, okay.”

Maureen eagerly nodded.

“Have a seat,” the doctor lady said, patting a chair.

Maureen climbed in

She trusted the doctor lady.

The doctor pulled up a chair next to her.

“I’m very excited for you today,” the doctor lady said. “Do you know why?”

Maureen shook her head.

“I’m