“Mommy, mommy! My wallet’s gone!” A little boy cried out, pouting as he held his bright red balloon in his fist. He was about seven years old at the most. His mother looked down at him, clucking her tongue as her hand gripped firmly on the handle of the baby stroller in which a baby was sleeping in.

“Haewon! Why didn’t you take care of it better? Come on, let’s find it…”

“Ah, poor kid. Shouldn’t have his wallet hanging out in public.” I, Feng Li Hua, clucked my tongue disapprovingly, a smirk on my face as I counted the won in the little boys’ pocket. He had five thousand won in total. Quite small, but it could do me a small favour. I smiled happily and skipped to an ice cream stand, my lips as I viewed the flavours in their menu.

“May I have a double-strawberry scooped ice cream with marshmallows and sprinkles? Thanks!” I chirped childishly, giggling for the effect. They always fell for the innocent image. The male worker smiled and nodded.

“Sure thing, darling.”

I flinched inwardly and tried not to scowl, and instead, kept that smile on my face. He worked on my ice cream, and after a few seconds, he handed the cone to me.

“That would be twenty thousand won, please.” The worker smiled as I tilted my head, nodding with a bright grin.

“Alright then! Oh, may you throw this tissue for me please? I don’t need it.” I pouted cutely as he chuckled, nodding. “Of course, sweetheart.” As soon as he turned around, I bolted for it. I laughed when I took a look back, seeing his confused expression. I shook my head, my strawberry ice cream in glee.

“er,” I snorted and passed by the little boy called Haewon. I discreetly dropped the wallet with five thousand won still in it on the stroller. After I was a few feet away, I heard his mother shout that his wallet was in the stroller all along. I hummed and look around; trying to find rides that interested me. In the local amusement park that you go to everyday, there wasn’t anything interesting after you have been riding the rides for weeks now. Of course, I didn’t pay for the entrance. I basically slipped in stealthily without anyone noticing me. It was quite easy. I did it all the time I went here. No one reported me to the police, no one saw me. And I mastered that skill till I was basically a ninja at this.

I smirked as I heard the people scream from the drop tower. It was this ride where you are strapped in this chair and fall down quickly from a height of three hundred and sixty feet. Pretty high if you asked me. It was a new ride that was installed days ago. Annoying tourists quickly dominated the park, and soon it was crowded and hot. Something that bothered me to the extent I stole wallets and goodies from the tourists to keep them from coming back. Though it was mean, my stealing didn’t bother them much.

Why? Because I always gave it right back to them. I feel too guilty to keep it all to myself. I mean, sure, I had money. But did I have things to spend it on? No. I was happy with my life. I don’t care if my school branded me as a crook or a bandit or anything. I’m not going to prove them right.

I finished my ice cream and patted my hands on my jeans. I quickly ran to the long line of the drop tower. I sighed as I saw how long the line was. I understand that it’s new, but I don’t want to wait forty minutes just to enjoy a ride that will last a minute or two. I smirked as my mind created a scene in my head.

“Oh no! Look at that cute dog ice cream!” I shouted in a high pitched voice.

“Where?!”

“I think it’s over there!”

I chuckled and slipped past the people who were lining for the ride. I tried to hold in my giggle when I avoided an elderly woman’s cane. Soon, I was one of the first five, just in front of an old lady that was wearing a large turquoise coat. I sniffed at her. I gagged silently, covering my nose while making a face.

“Geez woman, take a bath,” I muttered, my nose scrunching in disgust. Apparently, the woman had super-hearing, because she turned around and flashed her yellow teeth at me, her eyes wide with excitement.

“I haven’t taken a bath in thousands of years child.”

Before I could ask if she was crazy or insane, the drop tower was available and the ticket guy let us in. I kept my mouth shut and tried to pick a seat where the old lady wasn’t near me. Since everyone that was allowed to go in rushed in quickly, the only seat was beside the old lady. She was still smiling that creepy smile when I sat in and pulled the seatbelt over me. I tried not to look at her and instead look up at the sky. The vehicle started moving upwards and the people in line were cheering. They said once you get one this ride, you’ll never be the same again. It was cool with me, because I wanted to leave my past anyway. Sure, my mom was always supportive, but the others? Wanted me away from them as much as possible, which was okay for me. The vehicle reached the top of the 365ft height. I closed my eyes and braced for the falling sensation.

Three seconds passed.

There was a sound that resembled to an animal groaning.

And we were stuck.

How’d I know? I opened my eyes and blinked, still up in the air. I looked down to see workers banging on the controls. I rolled my eyes. As if that will work.

“I guess we’ll be stuck here for awhile,” the creepy grandma muttered as I shrugged, looking away. I wanted nothing to do with her.

“So, Feng Li Hua, daughter of the god of thieves, would you really want to be in this situation with a gorgon?”

I widened my eyes and whipped my head to the right, staring at the old lady in a new light. She cackled, a sound that hurt my ears. With unbelievable strength, she pushed her seatbelt up and started taking mine off.

“YAH! You crazy lady! Don’t you know how high this is?! We’re going to die if you keep going!” I shouted loudly, the people around me panicking. The creepy grandma probably didn’t mind trying to kill me, but there were people here. A crazy idea popped in my head.

“This is going to get me killed,” I mumbled but sighed. “I was going to die anyway. Better to go down heroically than simply. AH!” With one huge push, I finally removed the seatbelt and pushed the grandma away from me. Bad choice.

“You’re coming with me, half blood scum!”

“AH!”

That ratchet old lady grabbed me by the foot and pulled me down with her. We were free falling now, from 360ft. I could already see the people pointing and staring at us. Oh great. I struggled to keep my arms and legs spread wide, like in the movies.

Just then, the old lady laughed. I was already fed up by her dangerous humour. I pointed a finger at her.

“You! You creepy grandma! You’re crazy for doing this! Now we’re going to die!”

“Crazy, am I?”

My mouth went dry as my eyes bulged when she started to change shape. Her head enlarged, fangs coming out of . Her eyes were bright red as her hair turned into venomous viper snakes. Her fingers turned into claws and her feet were like chicken feet, but her skin is scaly and green.

“I’m Stheno! Eldest of the gorgons, child of Phorcys and Ceto!” The gorgon bellowed as I pinched my nose, waving a hand in front of my face.

“Phew! I don’t care if you’re a gorgon, brush your teeth!”

And with that, the gorgon just cackled and spread its small wings. I quickly moved to grab onto a wing. Hey, if I die, she’s going down with me.

“Get off me, demigod filth!”

“NEVER!” I shouted as a battle cry as we circled down, the gorgon flapping its wings desperately to stay in flight. Suddenly, someone materialized with us. I think the more correct term is, “flew towards us”

“Hold onto me!” The boy said as I launched myself on him, wrapping my arms around the boy’s neck, burying myself on his chest. I wouldn’t admit this to anyone, but I was scared and I felt helpless. I was facing a gorgon, someone said they could help me, so what’s the harm in trusting?

“Now!” The boy shouted as he soared down, the gorgon on our heels. Suddenly, a team of archers came in and shot arrows upwards. The boy was smart enough to stay near the gorgon but not close enough to get shot. An arrow found its way to the gorgon’s neck as I heard the flying boy mutter, “Rot in Tartarus, monster.”

And with those words, the creature burst into gold dust, flitting away in the wind. The flying boy finally reached the ground as I stumbled out of his grasp. He was saying things like, “I’m Jang Wookyung from Camp Olympus and I need to get you there fast. That was Stheno, a gorgon that could’ve killed you instantly. You’re valuable to her, but we don’t know why. We need to get you to safety. And that safety is Camp Olympus.”