Of the Unlikely Kind

Tales of Perseus

PERCY POV

Yep. The life of a demigod sucks, most of the time. I guess my life is pretty cool when I am not getting attacked by vicious monsters on about a daily basis. Or, when the gods are not asking me for insane life threatening favors to top it all off. And that's exactly where I'm coming back from, another stupid favor for Hermes. I guess I shouldn't call it stupid; as it seems that Hermes is one of a few gods that doesn't hate me. Quite frankly, I don't need another one to add to my very long mental list of 'watch out for because I pissed them off somehow'. That is if I still have room on it.

Somehow, Hermes got his catacus stolen. His main symbol of power including the slightly annoying talking snakes, Martha and George who are always asking for rats to eat. Hmm, lets guess who he came looking for to retrieve it for him, yah, lucky me.

After I did all of my demigod business I decided to relax and maybe spend a few days alone for peace and quiet. After all, I was still in the middle of Britain with nothing around me but miles of farmland. Blackjack had originally dropped me off (with the price of a donut run) and ran away to help his friend pegisi who got stuck in some cave that collapsed on him.

Blackjack had warned me it might take a while, his friend was as smart as a party pony. Now I really had no means of transportation and thus decided I would wait until blackjacks friend was taken care of, then ask him for a ride.

At the beginning of the day I had started with 2 drachma. Of course, I had used one of them to I.M my mom to tell her I was safe and would be home soon. Mom was working at the candy shop when I undertook my quest, it was better that I called her so she didn't begin to panic.

There is now one single drachma in my left sock keeping steady pressure against the inside of my ankle. Annabeth has drilled it into my head to always keep a drachma in a case of an emergency ever since that last...incident. Mom will probably have my head if I come back in a couple of days when I said I would be home sooner.

There is nothing I can do, but I hate making my mom panic. It hurts me to see her cry for me when I leave, knowing I might not ever come back from a quest one day. Or when I disappear for multiple days and I come home to face her disapproving look.

Wanting a distraction I began to walk, waiting for blackjacks return. It felt nice not to be running from a monster or having to deal with idiotic mortals for a period of time.

Maybe I don't have the right to be so harsh about mortals since I am half one but since Manhattan is a crowed place I see my fair share. Finally, I could walk in peace and enjoy the fact that I didn't die in the last war.

I'm not the sentimental type but the scenery was actually beautiful. Looking around there was free green grass with fluffy clouds above.
It was kind of how you would describe a perfect day, including the perfect temperature, if I wasn't already so tired from my most recent completed quest. Being bored and without noticing, I began to twirl anaklusmos or riptide (pen form) in my hand unconsciously.

I was walking through for what seemed like hours of just weeds, so tall they began to annoyingly tickle all the way up to my chest as I loudly brushed by. The land contained uncontrolled weeds, mostly flat ground, (with the exception of few hills), and a 'to be discovered' boat size pocket of water.

I was lost in thought when all of the sudden a series of loud splashing noises came from the ground. As I quickly uncapped riptide out of habit, I hadn't even noticed my feet were surrounded by a still cold fluidly substance, yes, water.

For my father being Poseidon and all, the water was no nuisance because my feet, shoes, and socks were still perfectly dry. I made a silent prayer of thanks to my dad, continuing to walk through the swampy water. But so far I can sense the water goes for a long distance.

I hate to say I was right. The pockets of water continued to spread across the land as I walked along, until it finally became the size of a lake. Though still with all the weeds and shallowness, a marsh. "Great just great" I said out loud in a low and hoarse grumble.

By this time my throat ached and I was in desperate need of water but not able to actually consume any of the surrounding water.

Its not even technically clean water, it has a brown tinge of mood. At this point I couldn't decide what was worse, continuing on cool water path with no water to consume, or a scorching hot desert with tons of water. I guess I could survive in the desert if I had water? Whoa, time to get my brain on track Jackson. ADHD is not my friend sometimes.

I ventured on my way anyway with the crisp swishing sound in the result of the water, cold and still, at my knees. I'm quite sure the land was mocking me in any way it could, for I was stupid for not doing the smart thing and getting a ride from blackjack before he left. I'm not even sure if he can still hear me if I call him though. I am all the way in Britain.

Just as I came over a small hill, I saw in the distance a house, about a mile away. All I know is that Annabeth would have thrown a fit. That house should have NOT been standing! The base of the house was small and square while the top was large and crooked.

The building was about 4 or 5 stories high I assumed based on the height and amount of windows. I decided to walk toward it cautiously; not wanting to cause alarm to anything that might be living in that house.

As I approached slowly and quietly I noticed on one side of the house, a car parked at the end of a long dirt driveway. On the other side an old looking brown shed. The house was gated by a short white picket fence that couldn't be higher than my waist.

It seemed overall normal. I took a second look and spotted a light on in what room looked like a kitchen from a not so close distance.

The place looked normal like I said, but normal places are where you find yourself more likely to get killed as I have learned and experienced. Out of curiosity I steppes over the small white fence like a mini hurtle, and scrambled to the edge of the window.

Not wanting to be seen I silently pressed myself flat against the wooden wall in to a crouching position. I slowly pulled my head up towards the glass, avoiding touching the frame for possible future splinters or finger printing.

Through the window I could see to the next room. I think it was supposed to be the living room with a few couches but no TV. Where was the TV? What kind of family doesn't own a TV? It was fairly kept with a big fireplace the occasional house junk lying around. The house had very little dust and looked like people were living in it recently.

There was a winding staircase made of wood like the rest of the house that ascended from the kitchen on. But out of the corner of my eye I saw something move.

I ducked but not far enough so I couldn't see into the house. I realized the moving thing wasn't a person but something in the sink.

I had to concentrate to see what it was but hovering a couple of inches above the sink was a sponge, scrubbing a pan in midair. What? How? I took another look into the house this time spotting a big clock. Or, what I thought was a clock at first glance.

It doesn't have any numbers at all, but nine hands in the shapes of spoons with faces of people on them. What in the name of the gods?!?!

I could sort of sense some kind of different aura in the house. I don't know how to explain the feeling but it wasn't evil. I walked away from the window and slowly circled the perimeter a couple of times. I finally came to a decision that I would camp until morning to investigate the house and its daily activities.

What kind of a person owns a house in the middle of nowhere that can barley even stand. Also, what if the thing\things or even people in this place are working for Kronos?

First I walked over to the water hose and turned it on low. I bent over to drink the running water. It felt so cold and refreshing to my aching dry throat.

Putting down the hose I turned off the water, and walked into the tall weeds surrounding the house. I cleared a small spot to lie on and fell lazily on to my back. Scanning acrossed the night sky my eyes linger on one constellation in particular, the huntress. With the peaceful sound of the low but steady wind grazing across the surface of the land, I fell asleep.