Ghost of the Skies

Blood of Sky

* Ben *

They called a meeting to discuss what was happening. I felt out of place in the meeting room at first, though there were many strange things within. It was chaotic and interesting. I began to settle into the atmosphere.

"May I have some order?" The centaur, Chiron, clapped his hands. "Jason and Nico proposed this meeting to discuss something of importance."

The room quieted down but wasn't quite silent.

Jason leaned on the table. "Some of you have met my cousin." He nodded at me. "And I'm sure many of you are curious about what's been going on." He looked at me, which was my cue.

Suddenly the room felt foreign again. I swallowed and took a breath.

"Hi, uh, my name's Ben," I started hesitantly like I was introducing myself during my first day at school. Someone giggled. "Uh, right, so, I'm a ghost."

Full silence this time.

"Like, actually? You're a for-real ghost?" a girl at the table asked.

"Yeah..."

"How are you here???" someone else said, furrowing his brow.

"Er, well, I'm not actually sure. I'm not like you though. I wasn't a demigod." I shrugged uncomfortably. There was a pause. I took a breath. "I did some bad things after I died. I regret all of it. After I died I was vengeful and some evil people wanted to take advantage of that. Now that I've turned my back on them, they'll want revenge. They'll try to spread ruin, fear, and despair wherever there's someone who's willing to help me. I'm sorry to have brought my problems to you."

No one spoke, staring with wide eyes.

"Sounds like a Tuesday," a guy said. The tension was broken by laughter. A girl stood.

"I will help you. Many of us were given second chances, so why shouldn't you be given one?" she held out a hand. I took it gratefully, nearly melting with relief and gratitude on the spot. Jason began to lead a discussion on defensive strategies. He asked me about the enemies we would be facing and I gladly gave him information about them. Hell, maybe these demigods would be the key to wiping out the killers and monsters I'd been companions with.

A girl with wild red hair watched me from the side of the room. I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. We made eye contact. She held it for a few moments that felt like eternity stretching darkly across the space between us. Then she turned and walked outside.

I snapped out of a daze I didn't know I had been in. Leaning over to Jason I whispered, "Hey, is it all right if I step out for a sec?" He glanced at me and seemed to understand I wasn't feeling well. He gave me a nod and smile. I smiled back then darted out the door in pursuit of the red-haired girl.

Outside a few drops of rain occasionally fell from above. The girl was standing a few meters away from the porch, her face turned toward the gray sky. Scattered drops of rain fell against her skin, tracing the freckles on her cheeks. I didn't know why, but everything felt slow and unsettling.

She turned to me. "Felt too stuffy in there..." I couldn't figure out if she was telling me how she felt or if she was asking me how I felt. Both, I realized. "My name is Rachel," she told me, her green eyes filled with shadows, burning into my soul. Then she turned her face back to the sky, closing those eyes. Somehow, I knew her quietness was wrong. I didn't know her, but she felt unlike herself.