The lights shone bright as the people danced all night, without a care in the world. I glared at the two girls who were fighting messily over a guy in the dance floor.

It was slightly funny because the guy that they are fighting over is making out with another girl. I snorted as I sipped my pineapple juice.

I know, pineapple juice at the club? I was surprised too. But this club had everything.

Loud music, obnoxious people, and hot guys. Hot guys who has a brain the size of a peanut.

“Hey there y~” another drunkard sat by me, slinging an arm around me. I smirked and kept on drinking. I want to see until where he dares.

And besides, I haven’t punched anyone in awhile.

“Why so quiet? Surely a girl like you looks like a screamer- OW! SHI-“

“No cursing. One of my rules, erted jerk,” I snarled down at the boy, standing up. I just punched him in the groin. No harm done, right?
 

Eh, he’ll live.

“Ugh, I know I love the club, but the people here- Ugh,” I complained, shaking my head as the two girls who were fighting before finally calmed down. If you call calming down lying on the floor, then that’s what they did.

I weaved through people and soon found the exit. I stepped into the night and breathed in fresh air. I checked my watch to see that it was already ten at night. I groaned as I pictured my aunt and dad giving me looks.

“Time to hit the hay, Choi Haneul.” I started walking down the path I took earlier to get here, putting my hands in the pockets of my jacket as I whistled a tune. I walked down an alleyway, my foot making loud footsteps which I didn’t care.

Just then, a shadow passed by me.

I turned around, looking around at the dimly lit alley. I squinted my eyes, but I saw nothing more. I huffed, annoyed. I turned around again and sped up my pace.

Something about that shadow told me it would be back again.

After a few minutes of walking, I got back to my apartment. I ran inside the apartment building, taking the elevator. In the elevator, I thought about the shadow.

No one was with me in alleyway. And I’m pretty sure that the guy awhile needed anesthesia before he could walk. I shook out those thoughts.

It was just a shadow of maybe an object. Nothing to fret about.

The elevator stopped at my floor as I got quickly, jogging to my apartment that I shared with my father and aunt that was on the end of the corridor.

I got the keys out of my pockets hurriedly and opened the door. I opened it as quietly as I could.

See my plan was to go clubbing without them noticing I left my room and then come back quietly in early morning because those two sleep late at night.

But then, my plan failed. Great.

“And what, do you think you are doing out of bed at ten thirty? And why are you in those clothes?” My aunt, Choi Jihye, demanded as soon as I passed the kitchen where she was seating. I sighed and turned around, a scowl on my face.

“I played dress up eomma, don’t worry,” I consoled as I removed my jacket, setting it on the chair.

“Hey, where’s dad?” I questioned curiously as I looked poked around. I didn’t know why he wasn’t showing up or watching TV. He usually is the one staying up all night, not Jihye.

“Ah, about that Haneul, please sit down. We…need to talk,” I heard Jihye call as I went back to the kitchen, sitting down noisily as I propped my feet up on the table, getting a cookie from the plate on the dining table.

“So, what’s up? Where is he?” I asked more impatiently. I was starting to get worried, and I hated getting worried.

“Well, your father didn’t tell you, because he said it would just burden you. So I hope you don’t…blame him. He was a great brother to me, okay? But…he had a sickness. A sickness that was incurable,”

“What’s that sickness?” I demanded almost instantly, narrowing my eyes. I didn’t like where this is going. Jihye gulped and clasped her shaking hands together.

“Jihye…your father died while you were at the club yesterday. He wanted to tell you yesterday about his sickness, but you went straight up to your room and he didn’t want t-to disturb you. H-he passed away yesterday, on his bed,” Jihye chocked out as my cookie fell on the floor, making a thud.

This is not real. This can’t be happening.

“No. He’s here, somewhere. He’s hiding. DAD!” I shot out of my seat, looking around for him. He’s not dead. I’ll never believe it.

“Haneul, he’s not here!”

“DAD! Stop playing! I’m here! I went clubbing, okay?! NOW PLEASE SHOW UP!” I shouted again, making a mess as I turned things over. Tears started streaming down my face, but I didn’t notice it until I stopped by the window, the wind flattening my teardrops on my cheeks.

“Haneul, it’s going to be-“

“GO AWAY! DON’T GO NEAR ME!” I screeched at Jihye, giving my all. I pushed past her and ran.

I wiped my tears away as a few more tears strolled down my cheeks. After a few minutes, my feet took me back to the alley as I collapsed in front of a wall, sobs erupting from me.

Memories started playing through my head. When my dad and I cooked together, but failed in making spaghetti. When I got bruised in the knee and he fixed it up in the jiffy.

His face popped in my mind, his kind smile assuring me.

“It’s going to be okay, Hannie. Stay strong.”

I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing, because I can’t. I hate him. I hate how he left me alone.

“Dad, come back. Please,” I whispered to no one, hoping to ease the ache in my heart. I continued crying, making howls without a care. He left me. He’s gone. No more.

Just then, the ground shook as I heard a stomp. Still crying, I looked up and almost fainted. It was a twenty feet tall, and it was rubbing its belly, yawning. I looked at its shadow, and my spine chilled as I realized it was the shadow I saw earlier.

The word popped up in mind as easy as pie: Laestrygonians

I stood up, my mouth open in awe. How did that thing even come here?!

It started to walk as I stumbled backwards, knocking over a trashcan which clanged loudly with the ground, loud enough to get the giant’s attention. It looked down and reached for me with its giant hand.

“NO! GET AWAY, YOU MONSTER! HELP!” Yes, I, Choi Haneul, needs help from this mongrel. I tried twisting and turning, just to get it out of my way, but the giant just held me tighter. It brought me to eye level, and I saw how ugly it was.

It roared and I immediately covered my nose.

“Dude, there’s this thing called mouthwash. Try it sometime.” It roared again.

“Or not. HELP!” I screamed one more time it opened its gigantic mouth. I started screaming again and again, and suddenly, an arrow appeared in the giant’s nose, thus dropping me on the ground.

“WAHH!” I yelled as I free fell. I landed in a bunch of trash bags as I coughed, bring some air in my lungs. That giant had a firm grip.

“Get away from her! And as she suggested, use mouthwash!” A male’s voice arose from the giant’s continuous roaring. I looked to my right, and in front of the giant was a teenage boy, about my age. He was dressed in casual clothes, but what looked off on him is that he carried a large sword.

Yeah, that was normal.

“I need help here! Here’s an extra sword!” I heard the male say as he threw me a golden sword.. It hit me in the stomach as I stumbled to stand up with the heavy things.

“Yeah, but can you be a bit nicer in throwing things at people?!” I called out again as he smirked before trying to stab the giant in the foot, which he succeeded on. I tried to hold the sword right, but to no avail.

I dropped it in the ground in anger. Stupid sword, how hard it is to make me hold you?! I mean, sword fighting is hard enough!

Just then, an idea popped in my brain.

“Yo boy! Distract that thing in the front! I’ve got a plan! Just don’t let him walk across those two streetlights!” I called out as I ran. I looked around for some string, yarn or a rope. To my luck, I saw a long rope that looked sturdy enough. I then tied the rope to the street light’s pole and the other end of the rope to the street light opposite from the first one.

I went and stood with the boy who was looking at the giant seriously.

The giant was ten feet away in front of us, and all I needed was for him to run into that rope and trip so that the boy could pierce his head and be done with it.

“Now boy-“

“Name’s Chunji.” He flashed a grin at me and held out a hand. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

”Later with the formalities. Chunji, I need you to stick the sword between two things right over there. The giant will fall, and we don’t have to kill it ourselves. Let the swords do the killing. Try to estimate where his chest will land so that he’ll be dead instantly,” I explained the plan as he nodded.

“You’re one smart kid.”

“Thanks. Now go get those crates!” I told him hurriedly as I got to large boxes that were heavy, so I needed to push them to where I wanted them. I tried to measure where he would land and put the sword there. I stuck the sword in between the boxes, as Chunji did too.

I collapsed in a sitting form as he did beside me.

“How do we call him ove-“

“HEY UGLY! Why don’t you turn around and stop nursing your boo boo! Face me like a man, you stupid monster!” I called out as the giant turned around, bellowing loudly before charging.

“Uh, maybe we should get out of here-“

“Wait.” I crouched along with Chunji and squinted my eyes.

PLESAE WORK, PLEASE WORK, PLEASE WORK

Just then, the giant’s foot got caught in the rope, him falling down towards the swords and crates. It lay unmoving on the ground before it was exploded into golden dust that rained above us.

“Ugh, monster leftovers. Anyways, I’m Choi Haneul. And how are we going to explain this to the cops-“

“We won’t. I have to get you to Camp Olympus,” Chunji said hurriedly before taking my hand and smiling.

“And Haneul? You’re a half-blood. Let’s go!”