Ray of the Sun

"Are you sure you will be okay there, Adi?" Mom asked while helping me pack my things.

"I'll be fine, Mom."

It's already noon and I just decided that I'll be going to New York to meet my Dad. It is not that far from here in New Jersey and my Mom said that I'm going to see him just around Manhattan. For several years, Mom was avoiding the topic about where is my Dad. She always shut me off whenever I'll talk about him but I made her promise me to tell everything when I turn seventeen. So here I am, packing for a trip to New York.

I don't have a photograph of him but Dad said we can find him if we spotted a musical place around Empire State Building. Maybe I can find him selling old cassette tapes, singing on disco bars or maybe a beggar playing instrument (so weird). Mom assured me that Dad will notice me directly if I wear the gold tension ring he left me.

"Adi, what if you'll leave for New York tomorrow? What if you can't find your Dad directly? Where will you sleep? Are-"

"Mom." I cut her off. "I'll be fine. I promise."

"Being away from me for the first time is really making me nervous, Adi."

"I'm sixteen turning seventeen, Mom. I can do this. I'm not sure why I'm feeling this but I really need to find Dad. I think he needs me."

Mom looked at me with full of nervousness but she just smiled. Earlier, when I decided to go, she rattled a bit and told me she'll be coming too but I convinced her enough to let me go alone. Besides, she needs to stay here because she's sick and I would burden her even more.

"Okay fine." She sighed and handed me a gold pocket knife. "For your safety. In case some trouble might come at you."

I stared the knife for a second. It has a leather handle and a five inches iron blade. After checking it out, I slid it on my denim jacket. I waved my Mom goodbye and took a ride on a bus. I slept the whole bus ride and it was already three in the afternoon. I got off the bus and roam around Manhattan. I inquire a cheap hotel for a place to stay overnight in case I won't find my Dad for the whole afternoon.

Now, here' a problem. Being an ADHD and dyslexic teen, I can't seem to ease myself. For instance, I always look behind my back because a city is not a safe place for lone girl like me. I always touch the part of my jacket where I hid the pocket knife my Mom gave me. After an hour, I found an instrument store blocks away from the hotel that I inquired. I was about to enter when someone or something grabbed my backpack and the next thing I knew, I was above ground.

"AHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and I swat the thing holding on to my backpack.

The weird thing is, it's like nobody saw me. Then people started looking up and I was relieved but then they said, "oh, what a pretty bird." I nearly faint but I keep my senses together which was weird because I was never calm in the first place since I have ADHD. I looked up and I saw a woman with wings. She has a talons like a bird and she has a very, very ugly face. In an instict, I got my pocket knife and unfolded it.

"PUT ME DOWN, CHICKEN LEGGED!" I slashed her talons then I was free-falling to my death.

I screamed and was ready for the concrete floor to crash my bones when an arms caught me but we stumbled because of the impact. Now, I was lying flat on the floor with a few scraches.

"Are you okay?" A guy just my aged asked me and helped me stand up.

I stared at him. He's a bit tan, he has brown hair and dark brown eyes. He wore faded jeans and a black jacket with an orange t-shirt inside with a print "Camp Half-Blood". In his neck, there is a necklace with six different colorful beads. He snapped his fingers in front of me and I was back at my senses.