Read Online The Pantheon by Amy Leigh Strickland - Free Book Online
Authors: Amy Leigh Strickland
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Teen & Young Adult, Paranormal & Urban, Myths & Legends, Greek & Roman
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to keep control. Semi-formal committee wasn’t the be-all and end-all of student leadership. It would have been nice, but she didn’t need it. At least now she’d have more time to keep her eyes on Devon. She was going to need that.
“ Appearances are often deceiving.”
-Aesop
vi.
The friends were wrestling in the marble temple.
The young girl broke free of the goddess’ grasp.
She ducked under her arm and hid while laughing
behind a column.
The goddess had not seen where the girl had gone
but she knew her pattern well and so she smiled.
The girl managed to slip behind her and crouch,
ready, set to pounce.
They played this game often: the young girl would leap,
the goddess would vault out of her path and strike,
cutting the air behind and missing her friend,
and then they would laugh.
It was all a familiar game by this point.
He saw the mortal girl charging to attack
but he did not know that it was all pretend.
He reacted fast.
He thought that he was protecting the goddess.
He thought that her good friend had turned against her.
There was a flash and his arms circled the girl,
holding her in place.
Unaware of this, the goddess spun and struck,
intending to skim where the girl had just been,
to miss her friend and laugh about it later.
But she did not miss.
She stood over the dead body of the girl.
She began to weep for her closest of friends,
“ What have I done?” she cried to the heavens.
They did not answer.
“ Memory is the mother of all wisdom.”
-Aeschylus
VI.
The voice that trickled down the hall met Jason’s ears as he bent at the water fountain. At first he couldn’t tell what he was hearing, then as it became louder he was sure of it. Giggles. He looked back at his office, unsure if he should ignore it and go back to reading or be the responsible adult and go see to it that everyone got back to class.
The giggle was joined by a more masculine guffaw. Jason started toward his office, wanting to pretend he never heard anything. Candice Matthews came out of the main office and started toward his door. Jason pretended quickly not to see her and started down the hall. He’d rather deal with disciplining skiving teenagers than the chatty English teacher with a clear crush on him.
The culprit was one Devon Valentine. She was chatting up a senior who was growing a sad excuse for a goatee, leaning close and whispering in his ear. Jason didn’t want to know anything about what she was whispering.
“ Mr. Casey,” Jason said. “Where do you belong?”
“ Study hall,” the senior said. “Just using the bathroom.” He waved his pass.
“ Then I suggest you get back there, unless you’ve somehow found a way to teleport your pee to the urinal while talking to Miss Valentine.”
Jason was pretty sure he heard Mr. Casey mutter “douche” as he walked away, but he wasn’t in the mood to get into it with a surly eighteen-year-old. He turned his attention to Devon. “And where are you supposed to be? Do you have a hall pass?”
“ Oh, I’m late for Math.”
Jason blinked. Was she really going to be that brutally honest? How could he not write her up when she admitted so openly that she was basically cutting a required class! “Okay. Well, you need to follow me to the office then.”
“ Wait,” Devon said, reaching out and resting just her fingertips on Jason’s arm. “Wow,” she said. “Do you work out?”
He rolled his eyes, “Not funny Miss Valentine, and not going to work.” Suddenly he was struck with a wave of what he could only describe as heavy air. It was like a perfumed current of humidity crashed into him, making his eyes droop, his heart race, and his breathing labored. His skin tingled. He looked around and the only clarity he could find was straight ahead, eyes focused on Devon. He had no desire to leave right now, only to focus on her. He couldn’t even open his mouth.
“ Please don’t take me to the office; I just barely got off
“ Appearances are often deceiving.”
-Aesop
vi.
The friends were wrestling in the marble temple.
The young girl broke free of the goddess’ grasp.
She ducked under her arm and hid while laughing
behind a column.
The goddess had not seen where the girl had gone
but she knew her pattern well and so she smiled.
The girl managed to slip behind her and crouch,
ready, set to pounce.
They played this game often: the young girl would leap,
the goddess would vault out of her path and strike,
cutting the air behind and missing her friend,
and then they would laugh.
It was all a familiar game by this point.
He saw the mortal girl charging to attack
but he did not know that it was all pretend.
He reacted fast.
He thought that he was protecting the goddess.
He thought that her good friend had turned against her.
There was a flash and his arms circled the girl,
holding her in place.
Unaware of this, the goddess spun and struck,
intending to skim where the girl had just been,
to miss her friend and laugh about it later.
But she did not miss.
She stood over the dead body of the girl.
She began to weep for her closest of friends,
“ What have I done?” she cried to the heavens.
They did not answer.
“ Memory is the mother of all wisdom.”
-Aeschylus
VI.
The voice that trickled down the hall met Jason’s ears as he bent at the water fountain. At first he couldn’t tell what he was hearing, then as it became louder he was sure of it. Giggles. He looked back at his office, unsure if he should ignore it and go back to reading or be the responsible adult and go see to it that everyone got back to class.
The giggle was joined by a more masculine guffaw. Jason started toward his office, wanting to pretend he never heard anything. Candice Matthews came out of the main office and started toward his door. Jason pretended quickly not to see her and started down the hall. He’d rather deal with disciplining skiving teenagers than the chatty English teacher with a clear crush on him.
The culprit was one Devon Valentine. She was chatting up a senior who was growing a sad excuse for a goatee, leaning close and whispering in his ear. Jason didn’t want to know anything about what she was whispering.
“ Mr. Casey,” Jason said. “Where do you belong?”
“ Study hall,” the senior said. “Just using the bathroom.” He waved his pass.
“ Then I suggest you get back there, unless you’ve somehow found a way to teleport your pee to the urinal while talking to Miss Valentine.”
Jason was pretty sure he heard Mr. Casey mutter “douche” as he walked away, but he wasn’t in the mood to get into it with a surly eighteen-year-old. He turned his attention to Devon. “And where are you supposed to be? Do you have a hall pass?”
“ Oh, I’m late for Math.”
Jason blinked. Was she really going to be that brutally honest? How could he not write her up when she admitted so openly that she was basically cutting a required class! “Okay. Well, you need to follow me to the office then.”
“ Wait,” Devon said, reaching out and resting just her fingertips on Jason’s arm. “Wow,” she said. “Do you work out?”
He rolled his eyes, “Not funny Miss Valentine, and not going to work.” Suddenly he was struck with a wave of what he could only describe as heavy air. It was like a perfumed current of humidity crashed into him, making his eyes droop, his heart race, and his breathing labored. His skin tingled. He looked around and the only clarity he could find was straight ahead, eyes focused on Devon. He had no desire to leave right now, only to focus on her. He couldn’t even open his mouth.
“ Please don’t take me to the office; I just barely got off
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