Hunter rarely thought of her family as being incomplete. She had her mom and her step-dad and a little half-sister pain in the butt.

She’d never thought about her birth father before she’d started Karate lessons. But after her first tournament (which she’d won), she was looking at a gift her mother said was from her father.

The gift was a pair of padded fingerless gloves. Black, but with bronze stripes over the knuckles.

‘Your father is so proud of you, Hunter.’ Her mother had said.

Then they’d gotten home and all hell broke loose.

A giant dog attacked her sister. Her step-father blamed Hunter. Hunter’s mom hadn’t defended her. And Hunter had run away.

She’d been alone for years, always running, always fighting. Survival was her only priority.

The truck stop was full of tough men, most proud of their strength. Most laughed when Hunter challenged them to an arm wrestling contest. A scrawny teenage girl vs a burly man would normally be a no-brainer.

After the first three truckers failed, the others started taking her seriously. After twenty more failed, they started turning her down.

Fine. She thought to herself. The bet money she’d already won would last her a few months at least.

The stop had a few eateries, but none sold the food she was craving: pancakes. Hunter knew it sounded silly. A Canadian runaway wanting pancakes and maple syrup. But she couldn’t help it.

A kilometer down the road, she found a fast food place with pancakes. She ordered three servings.

As she sat down to eat, the door opened and a skinny girl poked her head in. She must have been a regular, because the bored employee behind the counter perked up. The girl gave him a shy wave.

“Get out!” The man yelled. “I thought we were pretty clear last time!”

The girl flinched and her stomach growled. Hunter realized that she wasn’t just skinny, she was starving. Her hair was long, but tangled and greasy.

The girl pointed toward the washrooms and gave the employee a pleading look. The man shook his head and glared. “I’m not letting an arsonist in here.”

Hunter wasn’t entirely sure why she did it, but she got up, grabbed her food, and walked out the door, pushing the other girl outside with her. She sat on the sidewalk and put the tray down between them.

“Sit.” She instructed.

The girl obeyed and Hunter handed her a plate of pancakes. “Thanks.” She mumbled, a flapjack already in her mouth.

They ate in silence, Hunter giving the girl the extra plate. When the food was gone, she took the tray back inside and got six muffins and two coffees to go. She handed the muffins to the girl, along with one coffee.

“I’m good.” She insisted, but she was eyeing the bag.

“Take them.” Hunter said. She obeyed instantly, pulling a pastry from the bag. “You a runaway?”

The girl coughed and nodded slightly. “Got kicked out for burning down my step-dad’s garden.”

Hunter laughed. “Barbecued veggies?”

The girl smiled. “I’ve got a reputation around here.” She twisted the hem of her shirt in her fingers and Hunter noticed the fabric was singed.

“I’m a runaway, too.” Hunter told her about the hell-hound incident. The girl’s eyes grew wide.

“You’re a Godchild, too?”

“A what?”

“A Godchild.” The girl reiterated. “Half-God, half-human. My mom told me that’s why I—” She stopped talking, shifting uncomfortably.

Hunter remembered her silent plea to the employee and looked around. There was a restaurant a block away, but she doubted they’d be let in if they weren’t eating.

She sighed and stood up. “Come with me.” The girl stood and Hunter took her hand, leading her back into the fast food place.

There was a different employee behind the counter, but this one still shook her head at the girl. “Sorry, hon. I can’t let you in.”

Hunter thanked the heavens that this employee was a woman. “It’s an emergency.” She glanced around the restaurant and lowered her voice. “A monthly emergency.”

The woman bit her lip. The girl got the hint and gave a pleading look. “Just two minutes. Please?”

The woman gave them a sympathetic smile and turned around. “I didn’t see anything.”

They ran to the washrooms. The girl bolted for a stall while Hunter looked over her reflection in the mirror. Her brown hair didn’t look too greasy, but she figured a hot shower wouldn’t hurt. She’d stop at the next motel she found.

The girl came out and Hunter moved so she could wash her hands. She figured the girl could use a shower, too. And she wasn’t getting anywhere staying around here.

“Wanna come with me?” she asked.

The girl shook her hands dry instead of using the air dryer. “Where are you going?”

Hunter shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

The girl hesitated. She was silent as they walked outside, but she followed Hunter down the street. “Ottawa.” She finally said.

“What?”

“I had a dream a few nights after leaving home. About a school in Ottawa. A school for Godchildren like us.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “I was never able to get there. Too many monsters.”

Monsters. The word sent a shiver down Hunter’s spine. But it was something else the girl had said that drew her attention.

“A place for people like us.” She mused. “I’m in.” she stuck out her hand. “I’m Hunter, by the way.”

The girl shook her hand and smiled.

“Tyler.”