The Girl in Apollo's Oracle

“I hate it when Mrs. Cruz tells her life story when the time is about to end.” Mia annoyingly kicked the pebble in front of her as they walked out of the school. 

It’s already dark since they’re last subject teacher didn’t dismiss their class on time. Eleena just shook her head at her friend. 

“You used to love going home late.” She glanced at Mia but she just rolled her eyes at Eleena. 

“You’re lowkey reminding me that I used to go home with Jacob.” Eleena burst out laughing knowing that her comment will annoy Mia even more. 

Mia hissed while glaring at Eleena before she playfully slapped her arm but Eleena just let it go. Mia kept kicking pebbles that were on their way as they silently walked. Now that it is night, the busy street in the morning turned dark and quiet. It’s quite scary but Eleena and Mia are already used to their place’s creepiness. Unlike other towns, theirs became a ghost town when the sun started setting. It was a custom they grew up with as the elders in the town are superstitious. 

“See you tomorrow, Eleena.” Mia waved her hand to Eleena before she entered their house. 

Eleena continued walking because their house is at the very end of their street. As she kept walking, the lamp posts decreased and in no time, she was swallowed by darkness. The sky is dominated by gray clouds so the stars and the moon are not in sight. She didn’t mind the dark path because she remembers every detail of the place she grew up in. 

Eleena stopped when she felt that she stepped on something hard. She took a step back that revealed a silver necklace. She picked it up and put it in her pocket. When she got home, she quickly went to her room and sat in her bed with excitement. Eleena took out the necklace and her eyes went wide when she saw the necklace. 

The thin silver chain is clean and still glistening as if it hasn’t been used but the real highlight of the necklace is its pendant because it’s unique. The small sickle has little gems in its body that make it stand out. 

“I never saw someone wear such a strange necklace but it’s cute.” She smiled to herself before she hurriedly went to her vanity. 

Eleena flipped her long curly hair on her right shoulder then she wore the necklace over her neck. She looked at herself in the mirror with awe. It looks perfect on her as if it is made exclusively for her. The simple necklace suits her tanned skin. The more Eleena stares at the necklace she’s wearing, the more she falls in love with it. 

“I hope no one owns you.” She pouted before trying to remove it but she can’t seem to unlock it. 

No matter how much she tries, she can’t remove the lock so she gives up and hopes that the owner won’t see her wearing her necklace. Eleena changed, then ate her dinner with her parents. After doing her homeworks, she went to sleep with the necklace giving her a slightly cold feeling. 

Eleena woke up with a good feeling. She kept touching the sickle pendant as if it was her good luck charm. When she entered their school gate, she stopped because she couldn't see anyone. Not a single student or teacher can be seen anywhere. 

“I’m late.” She whispered to herself when she realized that the classes had started. 

She went to their building and started jogging all the way to the third floor. She was out of breath the instant she reached the last step. Eleena held her knees as she tried to even her breathing. When she calmed down, she started walking towards her classroom but stopped when the door of the room she just passed by suddenly opened. 

Eleena slowly looked back but her brows met when she saw no one. She was about to turn back when something came out of the room. Her eyes slowly went wide but she still couldn’t believe what she’s seeing. Eleena wiped her eyes but the thing was still in front of her so she screamed in hope that someone would save her from this horrendous monster. 

‘I’m just dreaming.’She kept saying in her mind as she sprinted.

Eleena covered her ears when the minotaur roared. The piercing sound caused the windows to crack that made Eleena more terrified. She reached the end of the hallway and faced the monster that’s slowly making its way towards her. Eleena’s heart is about to burst with its wild pounding. 

‘This is impossible.’ She thought as she looked at the monster that she only knew existed in the book. 

“Help!” She screamed and tried to look outside but there’s no one. 

As the minotaur closes their distance, Eleena has no choice but to lock herself in the room beside her. She quickly put the tables against the door to keep the monster from coming in. She started crying out of fear. She slowly went to the far corner of the room as she kept her eyes on the door. 

The minotaur roared once again before she started slamming the door. Eleena sobbed and sat. She covered her head as her tears continuously raced down her face. She’s hopeless and trembling in fear. 

She screamed when she heard the door break. She hugged herself tightly as she heard the heavy footsteps and the rowdy breathing of the minotaur get closer. She’s not a religious person but at this moment, Eleena started praying hard. 

“Eleena!” 

Eleena saw hope when she heard someone call her name. She doesn't care who it was, as long as that person will save her, it’s fine by her. Eleena looked up and with tears staining her face, she saw a man behind the minotaur who’s not that far from her. The monster angrily exhaled as it saw the man before his eyes diverted to Eleena then they turned red. It startled Eleena that she wasn’t able to move. 

The minotaur charged towards Eleena and all she could do was to bow her head, waiting for her death but it didn’t come. A loud thud made her look up again and she backed away when she saw the minotaur lying in front of her. It looks like it is dead. From its gruesome face, Eleena’s eyes slowly went to the back of its head and she gasped when she saw a golden arrow stuck through it. 

She backed away again which caused her back to hit the wall. She’s more scared now that someone just killed this monster. 

‘If he can kill this monster, then he can do it easily to me.’She thought before she looked at the man who called her name. 

He’s holding a golden bow so it means that he was the one who saved her from the minotaur.The man slowly walked towards them so Eleena tried to back away again but there’s nowhere she can go. She doesn’t even know if she can stand after everything that just happened. She started crying when the man kneeled beside her. 

“Don’t kill me.” She even shook her head to show her desperation. The man looked at her with confusion. 

“I will not kill you, Eleena.” Eleena blinked and looked at him. She copied the man’s expression and stared at him with confusion as her tears slowly dried. 

“How come you know my name?” She didn’t move and looked at him warily. Although the man looks harmless, she’s still afraid of him. 

“I’ll explain on the way. For now, come with me. This will not be the last one to attack you.” Eleena’s eyes went wide upon hearing the last statement. 

She looked at the dead minotaur then back to the man. She cannot trust him but he just saved her. 

“Come on. I won’t hurt you.” He said carefully before he quickly grabbed her arm. 

Eleena doesn’t have any energy left to protest so she just lets the man drag her out of the room. Eleena’s still confused because no one’s around even after all the noises caused by the minotaur and her. She looked at the man that’s firmly holding her arm. He’s not from here because he’s not familiar to her and the fact that he knows her name, puzzles her. 

“Wait, where are we going?” Eleena panicked when they went to the rooftop. 

The strong winds welcomed them. The man didn’t answer or stop walking. Eleena tried to pull her arm back when she saw that they’re heading to the broken railing. They will fall if they don’t stop walking now and the man looks like he doesn’t care. 

“Hey! Stop!” She still cannot get away from the tight grip of the man. 

She started crying when they were just inches away from the broken railing. She tried to stop walking but the man just dragged her. She begged him to let her go but it’s like he’s deaf that made Eleena sob with fear that’s starting to eat her again. 

“We’re gonna die!” She screamed when the man took a step in the air and dragged her with him. She creamed at the top of her lungs before she closed her eyes tightly but despite her closed eyes, she still knows that a blinding light appeared.