Poseidon's Daughter

1. Strawberries get me in trouble

Nerida

The ocean is so beautiful tonight, I couldn't help but be drawn into the gentle waves. I took one last look at my bag to make sure it was hidden before I plunged into the waves. I let the current pull me along as I gazed up at the sky above, my raven hair floating around me. 

Suddenly I wasn't being gently pulled anymore, I was being ripped through the water at a fast pace. I was caught in a riptide and I was running out of air. I scanned my mind looking for what my old swim instructor told me about getting out of riptides: You were supposed to swim sideways, not against the current. So I did just that, except I was in desperate need of air, my vision had started getting fuzzy. I clawed to the surface but I was being dragged down. My mind was screaming at me to take a breath, I could feel myself slipping away; drowning. My mouth opened of its own accord, I inhaled. And I could suddenly breath again! Underwater. I was breathing underwater! Whoa, whoa, that should be impossible, only fish breath underwater! Maybe I was hallucinating? I seriously doubt that.                                                                                                                          

My feet grazed the bottom and suddenly the current was gone. I scrabbled for a foot hold because no matter how awesome I thought breathing underwater was, it freaked me out. I poked my head above the surface and took a deep breath, the air smelled of strawberries, it made my stomach rumble. I looked up at the moon, trying to gage the time, it had to be at least 10:30. I swam toward the shore and promptly collapsed on the beach for a few minutes before I got up. 

I looked down at my clothes thinking I would be wet and covered with sand but I was the complete opposite. My old threadbare blue t-shirt and tan cargo pants were completely dry. Whoa. First I could breath under water and now I didn't get wet? This day. I shook my head at myself and took another deep breath of the strawberry scented air. 

I walked up the hill, hoping to find the source of the smell. My breath caught, in front of me were rows upon rows of strawberries. I raced down the hill into the strawberry field, I crashed to my knees and filled my face, letting the strawberries chase away the hunger that has been with me for the last three days. Only later did I remember seeing buildings and people.                                                                               

The sounds of swords being drawn and bow strings being pulled taught filled my ears. I looked up and was met with the sight of a man sitting on a white horse, his arrow pointing at my chest. No, wait, he wasn't sitting on a horse, he was part of the horse! A Centaur I think his kind were called. I scrambled backwards one hand out in front the other bracing myself on the dirt behind me. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I ate your strawberries! I-I can pay for them, well no not really. But I can wash dishes o-or do whatever you need me to do!" I said rather loudly, I was terrified, my sea green eyes were wide and filled with fear. 

For some reason he relaxed slightly and let his bow down. I looked around, hoping for a way out but I was surrounded by sword and arrow wielding kids and teenagers. 

"You said she walked out of the water completely dry?" the centaur asked the teenager to his left, she was a big burly girl with choppy dirty-blond hair with a red bandana on her head. 

"Yes, sir." she confirmed. They all glanced at a tall, tan, dark haired, green-eyed, muscular man who, strangely, looked like an older male version of me. I could tell he was thinking the same thing. "And the first thing she did was come eat strawberries?" the girl nodded. 

"I-i'm sorry, its-- I was just really hungry, I-its been three days since I've eaten." I hurried to explain why I was eating his plants. He gestured for everyone to relax, they did and I slowly and carefully stood up. My mind racing to find a way out of this situation. 

"Come child, let's get you some proper food." I flinched away from his outstretched hand, he looked at me strangely but I resisted the urge to apologize. Everyone took a step back, this was my chance! I bolted and slid right under the Centaur and sprung up running. I heard shouts behind me and the pounding of feet. I could let them think I was heading toward the forest and hide in one of the many odd cabins. Sounds like a good plan to me. I altered my course towards the forest. I risked a look behind me, they were 10 yards away. I put another burst of speed, I was now in the forest, I just needed something to hide behind. 

There!  A big pile of rocks that looked like some giant deer pooped out of the sky. I looked behind me, I could barely see them through the trees. I skidded to a stop behind the rocks. I tried to muffle my heavy breathing and calm my pounding heart so I could hear better. The running  was getting closer, I shrunk into the rock as much I could. 

They ran right past. I grinned and waited for five minutes before I decided the coast was clear and bolted off towards the cabins checking to make sure I wasn't being followed. I ran into a short building made of sand and seashells, I don't know why I chose it, I guess I felt drawn to it somehow. 

It looked like only one person was living in here. A horn was hanging on the wall along with some other stuff next to the bed closest to the door. There were a total of six beds, three on each side, with trunks at the footboards and night =stands with lamps on the left side of every bed. Everything in here was tied to the ocean somehow. In the corner was something that looked like a bird bath. I walked over to it, it was a saltwater fountain with gold in the bottom, it created a fine mist. I picked a piece up, it had a triton on one side and a floating mountain on the other. I pocketed it, thinking I could get some good money off of it. "What are you doing in here?" a voice boomed from the doorway.

A/n How did I do? this is my first story, if you have any feedback let me know!