[center] Jacqueline hadn’t gotten much sleep last night. Or this morning. Monsters were on her heels no matter where she went. She could go to a discrete cabin in the woods or a crowded street. Those fiends would be one step ahead of her. There wasn’t anything about grotesque and deadly hellions stopping undiscovered talent from making it to New York. French films filled her brain with such unrealistic expectations. Then again, was it realistic to have a near-death encounter almost every day? Sometimes Jackie wondered if she was insane and that’s the reason only she can see them. Her personal corona dimmed from fatigue weighing in. Perhaps she’d find a nice homeless shelter and rest there. That’d be easy if there weren’t monsters keeping her from going back into the city. Jackie tugged her ponytail loose, looping it twice around her wrist and letting her curls blanket her face. Her curls cascaded to her shoulders then rolled up under her chin. At least there wasn’t any humidity to make her hair poof out. Jacqueline slid her hands out of her pocket and pressed curls up against her cheeks.
 
Jackie had run into some local do-gooders earlier. Their big eyes and jaw drops of pity made her feel ashamed. It was given that the cold made her face look pale. Under her brush pants were legs ashier than the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. However, Jackie still didn’t think she looked homeless enough to end up surrounded by a group of self-righteous hippies. Their re-usable Aldi bags and industrial organic food supply made Jackie cringe. She didn’t care if she was poisoning her body. She would rather eat Oreos than organic sandwich crèmes. That being said, she also wished she could’ve stayed with them. Their homes were probably heated and furnished.  They’d probably never let her go hungry and feed her curiosity. That all sounded nice compared to her current situation.
 
If only it wasn’t January and closer to April. Then she could cut down her pants and make them shorts or reasonably lengthed pants. Due to her height there weren’t a lot of options for pants. Every pair of warm, wintery pants had legs several inches longer than hers. The leather jacket she wore didn’t even fit right. There was too much material in the shoulders and she could use the sleeves as weapons. The corners of Jackie’s mouth pressed downwards as she recalled memories of hitting Mo with her hoodie sleeves. He’s probably worried sick about her. Pacing back and forth with his hair pic wedged in his hair. Maybe he doesn’t even care she’s gone. That was a possibility. Thinking about the chance of Mo not caring was as toxic as an oil spill. Last time she checked there weren’t any things on missing or an Amber Alert on the website for the Al. She was really all on her own. Jackie pressed her lips together as she tried to shove thoughts of being left alone out of her head.
 
Crunch~ With every footstep she’s been taking for the last hour or so Jackie’s been hearing the crunching and crippling of dead leaves. Coming all this way might’ve been a stupid idea. That’s what it felt like. There was no beauty in New York. One of her hopes was to at least to see some snow. It’d be her first time seeing snowflakes! There wasn’t even a chance of that happening according to the weather forecast she watched on a TV in a Walmart. There wasn’t supposed to be snow for another four days. That’d be a nice way to end the week. Saturday would be something to look forward to.
 
Right now there wasn’t anything pleasant to look at.  Everything was dead and polluted compared to Alabama. She missed home. Jackie’s thoughts turned bitter like the cold air nipping at her nose. What home did she have anyways? Her grandparents were going to return her to the demon also known as Martha Summers. They were so ready to return her to a heifer.  No way in hell would she would ever call her a mother. Jackie stopped for a second and looked up through the branches overshadowing her. She hasn’t seen a sky this grey since hurricane Katrina -a decade ago.  The atmosphere in New York was so depressing. Only two good things have happened since she arrived in this city: death hasn’t whisked her away to its palace and a nice woman bought her lunch. Unfortunately, she had to leave lunch due to monsters lingering in the alley behind the café they were eating at.  Monsters forced her away from even the smallest happy moments.
 
A tear slid down her cheek as doubt started filing in her brain. Would she be alone forever? All this attitude about not needing anyone hasn’t gotten her anything. The tears tumbling out might become lobed icicles hanging from her eyelids. Jackie wanted a friend. Another person that’d compose sweet memories with her, someone to laugh with. Just another soul to break through the monochrome colors of New York. She was lonely like the bird that forgot to migrate. Its chirps were so shrill and smarting. The pain of being completely alone isn’t like anything she’s ever felt before. Her heart ached, her stomach growled, tears welled up over and over again and her smile become rarer.  She wanted a break from monsters and surviving on her own. How much longer would she be able to put up a fight against these beasts? The soles of her tennis shoes had been run down to slivers of plastic and cloth flopping with every advance. Her stick would break sooner or later and the knives she ripped off a kitchen would be too dull to cut rope. Jackie’s determination continued to fall lower and lower. What kind of life is this? She’s just surviving at this point. Jacqueline didn’t feel like she was living.
 
A small breath puffed out as she tried to keep herself from breaking down. Once more time she recycled her doubt into hope! Maybe there’d be a miracle and she’d find a home at the top of this hill. This was just a low time in her life! This is the crumbles of her old sorrows! Tomorrow there would be no rubble! Another smile forced the corners of Jackie’s mouth upwards. If that pessimistic mindset seized complete control of her she wouldn't make it much farther. Jacqueline journeyed faster. Her curls flew back; little puffs of breath became visible as she picked up speed. Jackie was only a few meters from the top of the hill when she noticed people. The sight of them caused Jacqueline to stop in place. Her eyes narrowed as she came up with a plan to lie her way out of their possible questions.  She’s just going on a wintery hike for inspiration ~ That sounded like a good idea. Or she could just speak in French, confuse them and go on with her life. There's also the option of being honest. She’s on the run from an unsafe home situation and needs a bed to sleep on. They’d probably get the same old look at pity. Ask her what a 12-year-old knows about facing the world. Jackie would correct them and explain this year was her 15th trip around the sun and she knows a good deal about the world at this point.  

As Jacqueline made it closer and closer she noticed the pillars with ‘Camp-Half Blood’ carved at the top.  This must be some sort of camping ground. Good grief. There’s probably monsters gazillion there. Jackie had her fair share of monsters, campgrounds and RVS. She looked at the huge group of people. There were kids her age! A bunch of kids who looked her age. Jackie’s face lit up. This could be an opportunity for her to make a friend! Shivers went down Jackie’s spine as she got closer.  A thing with a bajillion eyes all over its body looked at her with some of them. Was this another monster? She’s had enough! Jacqueline looked at the group of people and then at the multi-eyed thing. It resembled a male. A nice approachable guy, with a welcoming...look...looks? Cautiously Jackie walked further up giving a small wave and a sweet smile. The person that seemed to be the most organized out of the group was another guy. He was armed with a weird feel to him. Wait, he wasn’t armed like the American military would arm their shoulders. That multi-eyed dude wasn’t a monster. What is this? Jackie bit her lip and with a determined look went up towards the group.  Should she say anything, possibly a hello? Were these people like her? Could she ask? They seemed like her. The more heavily harmed person wasn’t talking. Now she could say something.  [color=Gold] “Hi,” [/color] she called out delicately. [color=Gold] “What’s going on here?” [/color] Her voice remained dulcet. [/center]