Misfortune

By Kenneth Carter

The story of William Murphy, an unfortunate young man who suddenly finds himself in the middle of Olympus, realm of the Greek gods. Guided by a young woman named Ty, he discovers that he's come to possess the power of a god (or at least half of one). Unsure as to how or why he came to wield this power, the god's of Olympus are torn. Should they kill him? Could they remove the power from within? Would they dare to make him immortal, and a god in his own right? Not even the Fates know what lies in store for Will as he stumbles through the godly realms where his misfortune has become his greatest weapon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Carter
• Release date: Jul 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301200627

Kenneth Carter

I grew up as a Navy kid. We moved around quite a bit, everywhere from California to Japan. Then we settled in Maine, where I lived until I finished high school. Then I struck out on my own, and attended the Art Institute of Toronto, where I received a diploma in both 2D and 3D animation. However I found that I have little patients for actually drawing, but the stories I was trying to tell were begging to be told. So instead of drawing them, I bring my characters and their worlds to life with words, which i find can paint a much better picture than any paint.

Book preview

Misfortune

By Kenneth Carter

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty–One

Chapter Twenty–Two

Chapter Twenty–Three

Chapter Twenty–Four

Chapter Twenty–Five

Chapter Twenty–Six

Chapter Twenty–Seven

Chapter Twenty–Eight

Chapter Twenty–Nine

Sneak peak: Book Two

Misfortune

Kenneth Carter

Published by Kenneth Carter at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Kenneth Carter

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter One

Suddenly, and without warning, William Murphy appeared roughly four stories in the air and began plummeting to his death. At this point his life flashed before his eyes. It seemed odd, as he was almost certain he’d been killed by a bus only seconds beforehand. At that time the only thing that flashed before his eyes was a pair of headlights.

As he saw his life play out, he noted that the only thing worthy of note was his tremendous misfortune. From the moment of his birth, Will’s life had gone from bad to worse to cataclysmic. He saw the time he wandered into a bee’s nest as a child, the time he’d seen his favorite bike crushed under his father’s car, the great zoo disaster, which made the national news, and several occasions on which his babysitter nearly burst into flames. The list went on, increasing in severity, eventually culminating in the day he’d just lived through; the worst day of his life.

It started when he woke to find that he was an hour late for work. Breathing a heavy sigh, he unceremoniously threw off his covers and ambled into the bathroom. On his way to the toilet he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and gave his reflection the once over.

He ran his fingers through his unruly black hair and stared at the dark circles under his hazel eyes. Though he was twenty, people often told him he looked slightly older, probably due to the self induced insomnia from which he suffered and the indifferent look that stared back at him from the mirror.

As he turned from his reflection, there was a piercing shriek from the other end of the apartment. He mashed his palms into his ears and stumbled out of the bathroom. His sleep addled mind raced to identify the source of the painfully loud sound.

Turning toward the kitchen, he realized it was the smoke detector, a sound he should have recognized sooner, since it went off every time he tried to cook. Since he wasn’t cooking, it meant something was amiss.

It was then that he noticed an alarming amount of smoke filling the apartment. Scrambling in panic, he grabbed anything he could save as he bolted out the door. In the parking lot, he found the other residents already gathering, a safe distance from the building.

As Will joined them, he turned to get a better look at his home. A large plume of smoke billowed from the window of the apartment next to his. He breathed a sigh of relief when he remembered that the one burning had been empty for months.

He cringed as he saw the fire spread into his apartment. He pictured all of his belongings ablaze; his favorite chair, all his clothes, his bed, the TV he’d saved up to buy, the hundreds of books he’d accumulated over the years, and his collection of DVD’s. All of it would be gone, save for the random odds and ends he’d managed to grab in his panic.

Tearing his eyes from the fire, he looked down at the assortment of things he’d managed to save. It wasn’t much, but at least he’d grabbed a pair of worn jeans and his favorite hooded sweatshirt. Slipping into his jeans, he noticed several people admiring his smiley–face boxers. He gave them a sheepish grin as he shrugged into his sweatshirt.

Aside from the clothes, the only other useful things he’d salvaged were his car keys and his shoes. The remote to his TV and the game controller were now utterly worthless.

As he gazed back at his now completely engulfed apartment, he could hear the warble of fire engines in the distance.

It was too late.

It took over thirty minutes for the blaze to be put out. The fire fighters had some good news though. Only two apartments had been severely damaged, the one where the fire had started, and Will’s.

He heaved a heavy sigh; of course the only one with serious damage was his.

As the firemen went about their business, Will headed in the direction of his car. When he got to the old piece of junk, he tossed his remaining possessions into the back seat and leaned pensively against it.

What was he supposed to do now? Everything he owned had been reduced to ash. He was sure some people from the fire department would want to talk to him about it, but he really didn’t feel like talking to them. It would solidify the fact that he was effectively homeless.

The only plan he could come up with that didn’t involve calling his parents for help, was to go to work. It would take his mind off things; give him time to clear his thoughts.

Without looking back at the smoldering ruins of his home, he slid into the driver’s seat of his clunker and stuck the key in the ignition. After turning it several times to no avail, Will let his head fall against the steering wheel.

He clenched his fists, trying to calm himself. He really shouldn’t have been surprised; after all, his motto since High School had been What can go wrong will, at the worst possible moment and in the worst possible way.

Taking one last calming breath, Will vacated his vehicle. The weather wasn’t terrible – he could walk to work.

He was wrong.

Just minutes after beginning the long walk to work, it began to precipitate in the worst way; freezing rain. The hood on his sweatshirt helped a little, but the icy liquid quickly seeped through and chilled him to the bone. He kept the hood up anyway. It made him feel slightly less wet and miserable than he actually was.

Long after his clothes became completely soaked, he was able to make out the building where he worked. The book–store looked so warm and inviting that he decided to run the remaining distance despite the slippery sidewalk upon which he tread. Three steps into his sprint he managed to lose his footing and fall flat on his back, completely knocking the wind out of himself.

When he finally made it inside the cozy little shop, he shifted uncomfortably at the extra weight the rain added to his clothes. After a moment of standing awkwardly, a voice startled him from his discomfort.

Where have you been? Will looked up into the angry red face of his manager. You were supposed to be here hours ago. We had to open late. The Manager yelled loudly enough to turn the heads of a few customers.

This had happened before, so Will was accustomed to the older man’s outbursts. The thing he’d never gotten used to was how close the manager liked to stand when yelling. It was unnecessary to shout that loudly when they were only inches apart.

It’s complicated, Will said flatly.

Complicated, everything’s complicated with you! the manager bellowed, once again using more decibels than absolutely necessary. Well what’s your excuse this time?!

You wouldn’t believe me. Will shrugged. I hardly believe me.

Try me, the older man said, his voice oozing disdain.

Shrugging indifferently, Will recounted the events preceding their conversation. When he finished, he looked up into his manager’s eyes and waited. The two men stood for some time, neither saying anything. Just as the silence was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, the manager spoke two words.

You’re fired.

Without getting angry, Will simply nodded a few times. It was the response he’d been expecting. After all, who’d believe his alarm clock had failed, his apartment had caught fire, and his car had broken down all in the same day?

Now, thanks to his manager, he could add losing his job to the growing list of the day’s unfortunate events.

Alright, he said calmly as he turned and headed back outside. Even though it was still pouring, he decided it would be better than spending another moment with his ex–employer. He’d never really cared for the man anyway.

Will stood shivering amongst the freezing rain and considered his options. After hemming and hawing for a while, he eventually decided to head to the local police station. They probably knew what to do about his apartment situation. With that settled, he set out, praying for the universe to show some leniency.

The universe wasn’t listening.

As Will trudged through the rain, he nearly ran into a person blocking his path. When he looked up, he found himself staring into the most criminal face he’d ever seen. Gulping audibly, Will took a step back, straight into two more brutes. Each of them took one of his arms and yanked him off his feet.

I don’t suppose you guys are from some kind of community outreach program? Will said, giving them a weak smile as they held him aloft.

The thug in front of him produced a small knife from his pocket. Icy droplets of rain bounced from its surface as he brandished it menacingly. It made Will want to laugh; there was no way these thugs were going to believe the story about his house burning down along with his wallet.

There wouldn’t happen to be any way you guys would… I don’t know… just let me go? Will shrugged as much as the muggers holding his arms would let him.

The man with the knife took a step forward and nodded to his accomplices. The men smiled in affirmation before dragging their prey into a nearby ally. It didn’t look like they were going to let him go.

Will stumbled out of the alley several moments, three punches, two kicks, and one head butt later. He had a few stars in his eyes, but that was perfectly natural after suddenly smashing his face into another person’s.

As he tried to get his bearings, he could hear yelling from back inside the ally. Without waiting for his friends to return, he shot off in the first direction that caught his fancy.

After running for what seemed an eternity, Will decided that he’d lost his pursuers and plunked himself down at a bus stop. Breathing heavily, he began to look over the bus routes. As luck would have it, the police station was on this particular bus’ path. However, it looked as if he’d just missed the one o’clock bus and the next one wasn’t due to arrive for another thirty minutes.

While Will waited, he felt the events of the day wearing on him. Things like this had happened to him before, but they usually happened days, or even weeks, apart, giving him time to adjust. This time, the hits just kept coming. And he still had the rest of the day to look forward to.

The minutes ticked by so slowly, time seemed to have stopped. After a while, Will managed to find an almost Zen state of mind. Unfortunately, his state of Mu was cut short when a passing car managed to splash the entire contents of a nearby puddle into his face.

The grimy water was so cold that it caused him to inhale sharply and go completely rigid. A few seconds later he relaxed and stood up to get a better look at himself. He was pleased to find that at least the puddle had been thorough. Will wasn’t sure he could take much more, if one more thing…

There he is!!

It was the thugs from earlier.

Without thinking, Will shot off the bench and into the street. He’d barely stepped onto the asphalt when a blinding light bore down on upon him. He turned just in time to see the logo on the front of the bus an inch from his face and…

Suddenly and without warning, William Murphy appeared roughly four stories in the air, and began plummeting to his death.

Chapter Two

As Will hit the ground, something strange happened. Instead of the skull–shattering impact he’d been expecting, the wind was merely knocked out of him. Not that it was much consolation as he lay gasping in panic, but after a few moments he was able to draw a single ragged breath.

Ouch, he groaned flatly.

As the oxygen entered his system, Will became aware of more than his problems breathing. He noticed his hand was touching something soft. He turned his head and was astonished to find he was lying in a field of grass, which was completely insane. Not that appearing in mid–air was normal.

Slowly, he began to take in his surroundings. The only thing, as far as the eye could see, was an endless field in all directions. He tried sitting up to get a better look around. Still, the only thing he could see was an infinite expanse of green. Some taller sprouts stuck up here and there, but that was the only thing that changed.

As he surveyed the area, Will got the feeling that something was off. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he remained wary all the same. It was only when the sound of rustling grass hit his ears that he realized what was missing.

There was no wind.

He watched in silence as the clouds moved and the grass bent and flowed without reason. It was unnerving, but no more so than his second discovery.

There was no sun.

Light filled the world. He still cast a shadow, but the glowing golden orb was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t even an indication it was behind a cloud or had set behind the horizon. While he thought about why or how it all was possible, one explanation came to mind.

He was dead.

Well, if not dead, at least in a coma. That would explain everything; it was all some crazy dream. Most likely the result of having a bus parked on his head.

On the bright side, it meant that the horrendous day he’d been having was apparently over. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about his burned apartment, his lost job, or his broken car. Though he did wish he’d had time to say goodbye to his friends and family. He hoped they wouldn’t be too broken up about his… death… coma… whichever.

After what seemed like hours, though it was very hard to tell as there was no change in his surroundings, Will began to feel uneasy. It was too quiet.

In the real world everything made noise. At night he could hear his heater running, the refrigerator kicking on, and cars on the street outside. Even his neighbors made noise from time to time. It was unsettling to hear absolutely nothing. That is, until a loud pop resounded across the field.

Will looked around to see if he could find the source of the noise. Nothing jumped out at him, until he heard something from directly above. He looked up just in time to see something falling at him, screaming bloody murder. He tried to move out of the way, but it was too late.

Pain exploded from Will’s forehead as something collided with it. He clenched his eyes and jaw tightly in an attempt to contain some unsavory explicatives from escaping his mouth. As the pain slowly subsided, he felt the thing that landed on him shift slightly.

You alright? To Will’s surprise it was a woman’s voice. He opened his eyes, despite the pain, and found himself staring at one of the most attractive women he’d ever seen. Her deep chestnut colored hair was put back in a single long ponytail and her eyes were so green they seemed to make her whole face glow. It could only mean one thing.

Crap… I am dead, aren’t I?

The woman raised an eyebrow questioningly.

No, you’re not dead, she said, giving a slight smirk. Though, I could see why you would think that. After a long moment of staring at her in silence, Will said the first thing that came to mind.

Oh… that’s good. He blushed slightly at how the two of them were positioned. So, could you get off me, please? he said as politely as possible. The young woman looked down and realized she was straddling him. Without showing any expression, she carefully stood up and straightened her clothes before she held a hand down for him.

Will reached out hesitantly

Sorry about that, she said flatly, as she clasped his hand and pulled him up with surprising strength.

Once he was standing, and the pain in his head had subsided, Will took a moment to admire the strangely attractive woman before him. She had on a sleeveless light yellow shirt with a small four leaf clover embroidered on the front, and a brown knee length skirt. The outfit looked good on her, but he was pretty sure she’d look good in anything.

Not a problem… he paused, fishing for her name. She didn’t seem to notice as she’d taken to looking around for something. Umm…hello, he waved to get her attention. I’m Will, he said, holding his hand out in greeting. She broke away from her search and looked him over before taking his hand.

Tyche, she said curtly.

She quickly retracted her hand and once again took up her search. Will balked incredulously; it was one of the strangest names he’d ever heard. Not really knowing how to respond, he shrugged.

That’s an interesting name, he said politely. Got a nickname? Will shifted uncomfortably as she turned her head in his direction.

You could call me Ty if you want. She shrugged, like it didn’t matter, and continued looking around. Will absently wondered what, exactly, she was looking for. If there was something nearby, she would see it instantly. There was nowhere for something to hide.

He waited patiently. He had more questions, but he wanted to make sure he had her full attention. However, when she didn’t cease her hunt after a number of minutes, he found it hard to stay silent.

So, do you know what’s going on here? You said I’m not dead, but I distinctly remember being hit by a bus… or at least the last thing I saw was a bus about to hit me. Ty continued to ignore him in favor of searching.

Now slightly annoyed, Will tried a more direct approach. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Look, Tyche or Ty, I don’t want to be rude, but could you tell me what’s going on? The woman still ignored him. What are you looking for? His voice filled with exasperation.

That. Ty pointed off in the distance. Will followed her finger and was completely flabbergasted. Out in the middle of the expanse was a four way intersection.

His mind reeled as it tried to figure out how he’d missed something so… noticeable. There’s no way he would miss a crossroads when there was nothing else to see. He looked suspiciously at the woman standing next to him and slowly pulled his hand away from her shoulder.

That wasn’t there before, he said pointedly.

Yes it was. You just weren’t looking for it, she said flatly, as she started walking toward where the roads intersected. Without understanding the situation, Will could only follow.

Alright… what’s going on? he asked as the two trekked onward. Ty however just continued walking with an indifferent look upon her face. Come on, you can’t just make a crossroads appear out of nowhere and then ignore me. He picked up his pace so he could walk next to her.

I would love to tell you what’s going on, really, unfortunately… I can’t, she said apathetically. I don’t mean to be rude, but for right now you’re just going to have to trust me. She shrugged and glanced at him askance.

Trust her; he’d known her for all of ten minutes. How was he supposed to trust someone who just fell out of the sky? Granted he’d done the same thing, but Ty seemed to know what was going on and he didn’t, which was unfair. The thing that bothered him was that he actually felt inclined to trust her. Not completely, but for the moment he didn’t see how it could hurt.

Fine, but promise me you’ll tell me what’s going on at some point. I don’t enjoy feeling like I’m going insane, Will said sarcastically, though he sort of meant it.

Everything in his life had turned a bit topsy–turvy. He felt a little like Alice in wonderland, and he had the distinct feeling things would continue that way until a proper explanation was made.

Fine, it’s a promise, Ty said begrudgingly. Just don’t bug me about it.

Will sighed. It was probably the best he was going to get, so he decided not to push the issue, until later anyway.

As the two made their way across the field, the near–absolute silence began to weigh on Will. The place needed more ambient noise. Anything would do. Even the clichéd cricket chirping would have been welcome. To alleviate his discomfort, Will tried making small talk.

So… where are you from? he asked casually as he took a step closer to Ty. The young woman rolled her eyes and continued walking in silence. What, we can’t even make small talk? Did I do something to offend you? If I did, I’m sorry. He put on his most apologetic smile.

It’s not you. Don’t worry about it. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later, so could you just be quiet until then, Ty said, picking up her pace a little.

Her words did little to ease Will’s apprehension. He was about to open his mouth again when something caught his eye. Standing just to the side of the intersection was a small old man.

As they drew nearer to the crossroads, Will was able to see the old man in more detail. He was black, around five feet tall, with grey hair covering the sides of his head, but not the top. He wore a pair of thick coke bottle glasses that magnified his eyes to an absurd degree, and in one hand he held a walking cane. The cane seemed to be the only thing keeping him upright as he wobbled back and forth.

When Will and Ty approached him, the old man’s eyes darted in their direction. He looked them over before looking straight ahead once more. Will wondered how the old guy stayed standing; a stiff breeze would probably blow him over.

Hey Legba, Ty said conversationally.

We need a ride.

Legba looked up at her askance. The young woman held his gaze for a moment before adding. Please. Will was content that even she knew when to be tactful. Sorry, we’re in a hurry.

Will wondered why she’d chosen the word we. He wasn’t in any kind of hurry, at least not as far as he was aware.

Legba turned and looked back and forth between Will and Ty as if weighing them. After a moment, he stopped on Will. The younger man nodded uncomfortably and gave a slight wave.

Hey, I’m Will, he gave an awkward smile. I’m not sure what’s going on here, but it’s nice to meet you, he said, holding his hand out to the elderly gentlemen, who happily accepted it.

As Legba took his hand back, he slowly lifted his cane before gently tapping it on the pavement in front of him. Will looked around in anticipation. When nothing happened he leaned in closer to Ty.

So, what was supposed to happen? Will whispered.

Before he was able to finish the question, a bus appeared suddenly in the middle of the street. It made a loud hissing sound as it came to a stop, causing Will to jump.

Whahaaa! he exclaimed as he held his hands up in defense. It wouldn’t do anything against the bus, but it made him feel better. He stood completely rigid for a moment before he screamed. Don’t DO THAT!

Just calm down and get on, Ty said in an offhand manner. Well, almost offhand. There was a twinge of urgency in her voice that didn’t go unnoticed.

Will had had enough. He’d been killed by a bus only to have another appeared out of nowhere. Then add a strange woman and a little old man also appearing from nowhere. Finally heap on the surreal surroundings and a ghost bus, and you have a recipe for one seriously stressed dude. Will looked between the girl and the vehicle a few times, once at Legba, then made his decision.

No, he said flatly.

There was absolutely no way he was getting on the bus.

I think I’ll wait here with him, He pointed at Legba. You go on ahead.

Ty considered his answer for a Brief moment. Then her face took on a quality that reminded Will of his mother. It scared him.

I said, get on! Her voice brooked no nonsense. After a long pause, her eyes narrowed and she pointed at the vehicle. NOW!

Will wasn’t sure how to react. So far she’d been very level headed, and now she was yelling at him for no reason. Part of him thought he should obey. The rest of him, however, wasn’t interested.

Nope.

Why not?, Ty said taking a step closer.

Because, I don’t need to see Saint Peter, Cerberus, or the Red Queen today, he said, almost jokingly.

He figured the bus would be taking him to one of three locations, Heaven, Hades, or Wonderland. Locations better left to ones imagination.

Ty raised an eyebrow and stared at him confusedly.

I have no Idea what you’re babbling about. Her ponytail bounced from side to side as she shook her head, trying to rid her mind of his words. Just get on the bus, please.

Will eyed her appraisingly as he considered her use of the word please.

Why? Will’s question was punctuated by a deafening crack so loud he could feel it deep within his chest.

They both turned toward the sound, and immediately Will wished he hadn’t. He watched in horror as the sky split open to reveal a dark nothingness. The fracture in the air was gigantic, and it was growing bigger with every second.

That’s why. Ty said with finality. So get on the… however in the second she’d turned away, Will had managed to disappear. A second later, his head popped out of the bus’s window.

What are you waiting for? Will said as nonchalantly as possible. Ty let out a deep sigh and slowly made her way onto the bus. She gave Legba a small nod as she passed. Will stayed leaning out the window and observed the alarming rate at which the world was deteriorating.

The sight was giving him a panic attack. He’d never seen anything so terrifyingly bizarre. The world was ending… sort of. As his breathing became shallow and erratic, his mind began running in circles. It was trying to decide how he should react to his impending destruction.

He’d reacted well so far because he figured he was already dead. It made worrying seem pointless. However, dead or alive, it now looked as if he had a great deal to worry about. He was saved the trouble of fretting by something closing around his windpipe.

Didn’t you read the sign? Make sure all parts of your body are in the vehicle at all times. Ty said pulling him inside by the hood of his sweatshirt. When she let go, Will coughed sporadically. That is, unless you want to disappear along with the scenery.

A small smile graced her features at his reaction to the crass treatment. Will had been about to yell at her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He thought she’d been pretty before, but that was nothing compared to when she smiled. She was so stunning it was almost inhuman.

Needless to say, it took him a moment to remember that the world was ending.

Can you please tell me what’s going on… I’m not sure how much longer I can keep it together, this is crazy, Will said, turning away from her. I mean the sky is literally falling. He motioned to the destruction outside, where he noticed Legba was still standing. Is he gonna be alright?

He’ll be fine. As she said this, the bus suddenly started itself and began to drive off without a driver.

Will watched the small old man wave to him as the bus began to pick up speed. Before you freak out… don’t. This is perfectly normal, so just sit back, shut up, and enjoy the ride. Will’s eyes widened incredulously. They had drastically different definitions of the word normal.

I think we’re a little beyond freaking out. Will took a deep breath and let it out slowly. And I assume you’re still not going to tell me what’s going on.

She nodded.

Figured as much, he said, resignedly.

Shaking his head, he turned to watch the world end.

The sky continued to crack. Broken sections of space fell and collided with the ground creating more fissures. After a few minutes, most of the area they’d been standing on earlier had vanished.

Will continued to watch until there was nothing left outside the bus, and began to wonder what exactly the vehicle was driving on. He decided that it was better left unknown. Mostly because he was certain that if he stuck his head out the window to get a better look, something terrible would happen.

After waiting in silence for a long while, Will had one single annoying question to ask.

Are we there yet?

Ω

Will mumbled unintelligibly as something shook his shoulder. For a moment he thought it might be his mother trying to get him up, but he really didn’t want to. He was too comfortable to move.

Five more minutes, he slurred as he shifted against his pillow.

It was then that he realized something was wrong. Not only was he sitting upright, but his pillow was not a pillow. As he thought about getting up, something prodded him in the side, hard. Wha was that?! he said as he stirred from his slumber.

I said, we’re here. The voice that spoke sounded oddly like the one in the dream he’d been having. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he took stock of his surroundings.

Displeasure gripped him when he realized that the events of his dream… had not been a dream. He grimaced until he noticed what he was leaning on and jumped as far back as the seat allowed.

Ty rolled her eyes at him.

Have a nice nap? she said sarcastically as she dusted off the shoulder he’d been using as a pillow.

Sorry about that, Will said, trying to hide his embarrassment in a long sleepy yawn.

His eyebrow rose questioningly when he turned his head to get a view of their destination. The only thing outside was the nothingness that blanketed the entire bus ride. He looked back at Ty and hooked a thumb at the void.

Nice place. he said sarcastically.

You’re funny. Ty matched his sarcasm perfectly as she stood and stretched. She then turned on her heel and headed for the exit. Will, on the other hand, stayed in his seat.

He was still stuck in an impossible–to–comprehend situation, with someone about as uncooperative as humanly possible. Pretty, yes, but far too mysterious.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he slowly stood up and went to follow Ty. As he approached her, he noticed that the scenery outside the door was completely different from the view out the window.

Quickly, he dashed over to his traveling companion and looked suspiciously at the street corner in front of him. Then he turned back to the blackened windows, and finally to Ty. She smirked, clearly amused by his reaction. It took him a moment to tear his gaze from her as he took a first tentative step off the bus.

The street was full of the hustle and bustle that accompanied only the largest of cities. The sheer volume of people moving about made Will somewhat apprehensive. On the same note, the height of the nearby buildings was making him equally as dizzy.

The one standing directly in front of him was quite possibly the most impressive structure he’d ever seen. The monstrosity of metal and glass was unbelievably tall; He couldn’t even see the top clearly. In his amazement, he almost missed Ty as she moved up next to him.

Wow… that’s big, Will said, his voice full of awe.

Alright, follow me and stay close. She said the last bit as if it was an order, not a request.

Eventually Will tore his eyes away from the building and followed Ty as she wove through the unyielding throng of people. He tried to stay as close to her as possible. The last thing he wanted to do was get lost in a big city. Unfortunately, he was forced to stop when something inexplicable caught his eye.

Standing next to him, was an eight foot tall man in a business suit… with the head of a bull.

Will stared unblinkingly at the spectacle before him, unable to think clearly. The Minotaur…? That sounded right… looked down at its watch impatiently. It stomped its hooves and let out a displeased snort when another man walked out of the crowd.

This man’s head was completely normal, but that was about it. From the waist down he had the body of a horse. Will watched with rapt fascination as the Minotaur glared at the horse–man before he spoke.

We were supposed to meet fifteen minutes ago. Now we’re late. The man with the bull head held up his watch for the other to see as they headed to their previous engagement.

The exchange between the two mythical creatures had been so mundane that it bordered on normal. It was as if they were just normal guys out to lunch.

Will turned to ask Ty if she’d seen what he had, and was horrified to discover that he’d lost her in the crowd. His horror quickly turned to panic as he realized his plight. He was now alone in a strange city, which was becoming stranger by the second.

The more he looked around, the more he realized that he wasn’t in Kansas anymore. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Everywhere he turned, monsters of legend went about their daily lives, unconcerned with the fact that they were just legends.

Walking, or rather slithering, on the other side of the street was a lady with the tail of a serpent and hair made of writhing snakes. She swayed to and fro, listening to some song on her Mp3 player.

A few meters away on a bench, sat a man with the legs and horns of a goat. He was eating lunch with a woman who had the wings and talons of a bird. The two of them were casually discussing a movie they’d seen recently.

The most alarming of all, was the Cyclops. The one eyed behemoth was by far the tallest creature around. It was at least a head and shoulders over the others, which was impressive since the taller ones were almost eight feet tall. It was playing a large set of custom made drums and thanking passersby who were kind enough to spare some change.

To Will’s infinite dismay, there were no humans in sight.

Trying to maintain a level head, he sidled out of the crowd and to the edge of the sidewalk. Once he had some breathing room, he hopped up onto a nearby bench and began searching for Ty. It was a little like looking for Waldo in a sea of candy canes.

After searching franticly for an indeterminately short amount of time, Will began to get a headache. He wasn’t sure if it was the jarring nature of the monsters around him or the cacophony of the crowd that was causing it. What he did know was that it was getting worse quickly. Moments after the pain started, Will fell into a sitting position and mashed his palms into his temples.

Are you alright?

Will squinted at whoever was talking to him. It was a woman… thing.

She had leaf green skin and her hair, which appeared to be made out of vines, had twigs and leaves sticking out of it. He tried to recall what kind of monster she was, dry–something; however his head hurt too much to concentrate.

You don’t look so good, she said placing a hand on his shoulder. The dry–something sounded genuinely concerned.

I’m fine. I think, he lied.

He wasn’t fine. It felt like his brain was trying to escape by boring its way through his skull. As his face contorted with pain, the whatever–she–was got a closer look at him.

Oh my Gods, you’re human! she said, apparently much more loudly than she’d intended.

She placed a hand over her mouth, as everyone and everything in the immediate area turned to look at the two of them. Will tried to read their expressions through his pain. Some were shocked, others confused, and a few… well, they certainly didn’t look happy.

I am so sorry, the Dryad – that’s what they were called! – said taking a step back. He could barely understand her, as the pain in his head had become quite unbearable.

A large crowd gathered around Will as he fell forward off the bench and onto his knees. He wasn’t sure what they wanted, but he was pretty sure he didn’t want to find out. His first instinct was to run; unfortunately his legs had the consistency of rubber.

He was saved the trouble of running when something pulled him into the air by the collar of his sweatshirt. Noise filled his ears as whatever picked him up said something. Whatever was said he didn’t care, he just wanted the pain to stop.

Then, for no apparent reason, it did.

Will breathed a sigh of relief. With the pain gone he could finally think straight. He could even understand whoever was talking to him.

What are you doing here? questioned a deep gravelly voice.

He never got a chance to answer as bedlam broke out on the