Crowley's Daughter

My Detention from Hell

         I really should have known better than to think my life couldn't get worse.
I never wanted to be a half-blood, I never wanted to be some foretold seal of hell, and I never wanted to be adopted by its king. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned. 

         The summer I turned thirteen was a busy one and rather morbid. I lost my mother to the minotaur and then discovered my dad was still alive and legally unable to talk to me. I killed my step-father, Smelly Gabe, with the head of Medusa for being a jerk and a drunk my whole life. I was used as a pawn to four ancient deities, including my father. Then I chose, rather than bring my mom back to life, to save the life of a girl who hated me. Very heroic, I know. Also, very stupid because as soon as the summer ended, I was returned to my step-father's beer-soaked apartment and handed over to Child Protective Services.

         The family that took me in was not looking to adopt but was kind enough. The Blois family was definitely better than Smelly Gabe. They gave me food and water, and they never made me get them a beer or yell at me for something I didn't do at school. Grover, Annabeth, and I kept in touch, and they bought me a phone to use for it. We never called each other when we were home, so the Monsters couldn't track us, and they both helped me explore my powers, given that dear old dad was a deadbeat.

         Life was good until it wasn't.

         It started at school, like all disasters do, and seemed inconspicuous. Most demigods probably curse out the Mist more than anyone would let Hecate know. It was the beginning of the school year, past orientation but not beyond classroom introductions. I had gotten in trouble with the principal for arguing with a teacher, so I was on my best behavior. This, of course, didn't stop the administrators from blaming me. My school had a room and teacher specifically for detentions, so I supposed I would be in there often. The teacher hadn't arrived yet, which I thought wasn't very respectable, but her bag was at her desk and her coat on the back of her chair. I felt weird as soon as I stepped into the classroom. I had never felt actually afraid of detention, yet now I felt terrified. The class had bright colors, but they felt dimmer than any other classroom. The windows must have been open a crack because it was cold. Of two people in the class, though three were supposed to be there, they didn't seem bothered by it, so I didn't pay it any mind. When the teacher walked into the room, she was stiff. Her legs stumbled in her heels like she hadn't worn them since she was a teen. I hadn't even realized what was wrong until she dismissed the other student. She smelled like sulfur and the gate to Tartarus. Her old yellow sweater was ripped in the back, and her hair fell out of her ponytail. It hangs in front of her blue eyes.

        "Oh, little forbidden child." She drawled out. I knew detention would only end in Monsters. "You should have known better. Detention is no punishment at all. What I have planned, well, it's much worse."

         I jumped out of my chair and pulled out my pen. "Yeah, that sounds great, really, but I'm gonna have to decline." Uncapping Riptide, I leaped at the desk ahead of me. The teacher's eyes turned black, and she disappeared before my bronze sword could even knick her. I turned to face the room.

          "Child, what do you think you're doing? All this is simply prolonging my hunt." she taunted.

          "I really should learn your name," I said before jumping at her. She disappeared like before, but I turned and swung my sword up behind me. The fury last year had burst into a glittering sandstorm. This monster must be from some different part of the underworld because my sword passed through, dragging an angry cloud of ash out of the mortal teacher. "Huh, that's never happened before," I said.

          The fire alarms went off, likely as a cause of the monster's death. I capped my sword and grabbed my bag before running out of the nearest exit. I didn't stop until I got home and strolled through the door and into my room. Mr. Blofis didn't ask, so I didn't tell him.

          "Gods, I hope I don't get blamed for killing a teacher."