River Island

Four

Thalia

I waited for everyone to fall asleep before I headed out into the forest the moon illuminating my path. I always did this when Peyton was asleep. Every night since the crash I always went back to the plane. What was left of it anyway. It was a habit I failed to shake off. When the plane had crashed it had taken down a couple trees with it. It had created a sort of skylight amongst the dense trees.

I got to the crash sight and sat in front of the wreckage. It was rusting now. The humidity doing it's thing. The first three years were horrible. I always got nightmares about the crash. Saw it all happening over and over again. Saw my mother get ripped out of her seat and thrown into the dark night sky. Saw my father smile at me and tell me he loved me just before we crashed and it all went black. Each night had something different but the same outcome. The weird beginnings were the only indication that I was in fact dreaming. Not that that made it any better.

I missed my parents even though I didn't show it. They were everything to me. They gave me everything I needed. Even things I didn't need. I did everything in my power to not be bested by Peyton. We competed for everything. I always won. Be it grades or our parents attention. I knew they gave me more attention to make me feel like I wasn't just their adopted daughter. Like I was actually theirs. It worked for a while. But I knew I wasn't and I didn't care so much.

The only things we managed to get out of the plane were a couple blankets, our parents suitcases and ours. Everything else was destroyed. Peyton and I started wearing our moms clothes when we outgrew ours. And pretty soon we grew into hers. Now they were old and the lack of soap meant not a lot of the dirt was removed.

I sat down on the forest floor and stared up into the stars. I was a goddess. It was overwhelming. It was unbelievable. I could have saved my parents if I knew what I was earlier. I would have prevented any of this from happening. I closed my eyes and listened to the insects around me. I felt a presence lay down next to me but kept my eyes closed.

"Weren't you told never to go into the woods alone at night?" Jasper asked next to me.

"Who exactly are you?" I blurted out. I knew Amelia was what a general and Allison a maiden. What was he, a god? Another one of my so called protectors?

"You're changing the subject princess."

"And you're avoiding the question." I said. He sighed.

"I'm Hades and Persephone's child. My father's fourth kid."

"So why are you here?"

"Well. My mother is a very paranoid woman. She thinks you'll take her crown away. I was told to get rid of you. But I was also told to make sure Hades never sees you. Now if I kill you..."

"He'll see me when I go down to receive my judgment." I said finishing his sentence.

"Bingo."

"I thought the Underworld already had judges." I said.

"Rhadamanthus, Minos and Aeacus are on vacation. They need their rest too you know." He said. "Even if they weren't, my father takes walks in the Elysian fields. He would have seen you."

"And what I'll see him and immediately fall in love? I'm not gonna fall for the greek equivalent of the devil you know." I said laying on my back after a few minutes of silence. "This isn't some cliché romance novel."

"I know." He chuckled.

"So you think this whole prophecy thing is wrong?" I asked hopefully.

Don't get me wrong as fun as being royalty sounded, I wasn't gonna waste my days in hell married to some old crone. I wonder what he looked like? I mean his son is super....

"The Oracle has never been wrong." He said pulling me out of my thoughts. "I just think people are looking at it wrong."

He whispered that last part. Like he was talking to himself. What did that even mean? What other way was one supposed to look at it? I sighed in frustration.

"I'm still hoping I'll wake up tomorrow and this is all a dream" I said more to myself.

"You still don't believe us? After I pushed you off a cliff?" Jasper asked in disbelief.

"It's not that I don't believe you. It's just too much to take in."

"Most people would kill to be in your position princess."

"Really?" I scoffed. "People would kill to be orphaned and stranded on a freaking island for five years? Ooh and let's not forget the bounty on my head."

"It's not that bad."

"It's not just a walk in the park either." I closed my eyes again and let the silence wrap around me. Jasper didn't say anything after that. He was just there.

I slowly let sleep take over. Before I drifted off completely I felt myself get lifted off the ground and a warmth seemed to envelope me. But then it was probably all my imagination. Just like the rest of this.

I woke up the next morning and looked around. I was in my hut on my very uncomfortable bed of leaves and twigs and old clothing. Some goddess I am. Sleeping on the ground with a thin blanket that was starting to fall apart due to excessive use. Thank God they put these things on planes. And thank God not all of them got destroyed. I closed my eyes and started my day the way I always did. With my little manta.

"My name is Thalia Rivers. I'm Eighteen years old. I've been stuck on this island for five years with Peyton. She's a total b***h that I still care about. I'm the child of Aphrodite and Ares. There's a really hot guy who's been sent to kill me. Yesterday was probably all a dream. It's best if yesterday was all a dream. Am I dreaming?"

I got up from the bed and stretched. I walked out of the hut and into Peyton's. She was still fast asleep. I walked out and scanned my surroundings. Of course it was all a dream. Part of me was disappointed that Jasper wasn't real. Can you blame me.

Of course he wasn't real Thalia. Someone that good looking doesn't actually exist.

"I don't feel so good." Peyton said wobbling next to me.

"So..." I turned and looked at her. She was looking worse than usual. I put my hand on her forehead and moved it away instantly.

She was burning up. The last time this had happened I had to fend for the both of us for two weeks. That was until I found the little plant that grew by the waterfall. What was it again, Catnip. Stopped her fever. I hated playing doctor but I wasn't going to let my sister die on this island. Yes people Thalia Rivers does have a heart. I mean would you let the one person keeping you alive die? I don't think so.

I helped her walk back to her hut and put her on her leaf bed. Peyton and I used to share this one for the first three years we were stuck here. After my nightmares stopped I moved out. I grabbed my handy knife and made my way to the waterfall. My mind slowly drifted to the dream I had last night. It felt so real. But it wasn't.

I got to the waterfall and looked around. No green eyed murderers in sight which meant I could proceed with my day. The shrub was located right by the edge of the pool of water a few feet from the falls. I bent down and was about to cut a few leaves off when a hand popped out of the water and pulled me in.

This isn't how I thought I'd die.

It let go of me and I kicked my way to the surface. I gasped for air and quickly climbed out. My hand over my frantic beating heart. I slowed my breathing and heard someone laugh near me. I turned and found myself looking straight at Jasper. An amused look on his face. I glared at him, my grip on the knife tightening.

"You asshole!" I yelled lunging at him. He dived down causing me to dive in after him. I was going to kill him. I swear. I came up for air and glanced around trying to spot him.

"You're crazier than I thought princess." I heard him say behind me.

"I'm not..." I stopped talking when I turned around. He was out of the water. Leaning against a rock in nothing but black swim trunks.

I couldn't even speak. This guy was unnaturally attractive. It wasn't right. No one was this hot. Has he considered modelling. Because he would make a s**t load of money with that face, and those abs and that....

"Are you checking me out?" He asked smirking. I shook my head and got out of the water.

"Why are you still here?" I asked changing the subject. I grabbed what I came here for not waiting for a response.

"Curiosity mostly." He said appearing in front of me out of thin air. I jumped back and put a hand over my heart.

"Don't f*****g do that!" I said smacking his arm. I looked at him and saw he was now wearing jeans.

How?...

"Do what?" He asked looking almost clueless. Almost.

"Stop giving me mini heart attacks." I said walking past him.

"I didn't know I was that exciting." I could literally hear his smirk. I didn't have to look back to know that. He was always smirking. It was irritating. And slightly attractive.

"You are completely insane."

"I know isn't it wonderful." He sighed. We got to Peyton's hut and I started making a fire to heat up some water in an old coke can we kept for such instances. Heating water that is.

"So...since you're here and not just part of my fantasies..."

"Did you just admit to fantasizing about me?"

"Focus Jasper, stop interrupting. Since I didn't just make you up. It means everything that happened yesterday was real."

"Yes." He said seriously. "I'm real enough to sleep with."

"Not every girl wants to sleep with you Jasper." Allison said appearing next to me.

"You, of all people, are really telling me that?" Jasper asked completely amused. Seems like he was always amused too. Glad to know we were his daily dose of entertainment. I saw Allison go red next to me. Jasper smiled smugly and walked out of the hut.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked me trying to change the subject.

"I need to heat up some water and give the hot catnip juice to Peyton so her fever can drop." I said while shaking Peyton awake. She opened her eyes slowly then looked at me.

"T?" She asked sort of dazed.

"Sit up Peyton you need to take this while it's hot if you want to feel better."

"What is that poison?" She asked sitting up slowly.

"Yes Peyton I've come to kill you once and for all." I said rolling my eyes.

"You can't kill me." She said smugly.

"Really? Why not?"

"Because you love me."

"Wow. You really are sick." I said smiling at her.

"I'll give her the medicine. You go find Amelia." Allison said.

"Why do I need to find Amelia?"

"Training."

"Training?"

"You're going to war in a few months Thalia. You need to be prepared."

Oh right. I completely forgot the trio came with a free 'impending doom' message. Learning how to fight wouldn't be so hard. I was already a black belt before I was dumped here.