The Ocean Arrow

Nightmares suck

Percy

After the exhaustingly long day, I sat down on the hotel couch and leaned my head back, staring at the white ceiling.

"Why are you so tired? You've been doing nothing but sitting around all day," Paul asked..

"It's very tiring doing nothing but watch Mom sit and talk to people all day," I complained, leaning farther back into the cushions.

Paul walked up to the curtains and pulled them open. The setting sun gave a rosy hue in the sky. It shone through the window, and I gave him a look. I grabbed the nearest pillow to my right and pushed it against my face, trying to block out the sunlight.

"Whoops," Paul shrugged. I swear. I feel like my sarcasticness is rubbing off to him.

But there was something unnerving me whole way home, something was sticking to my mind. And I couldn't shake it off. This whole day, my hand had been glued to Riptide. I refused to let go because I was afraid that the second I did, a monster would appear and cause more damage in the seconds that it takes me to grab and uncap my sword.

But I sighed and brushed my hair back with my fingers. My mom picked up the remote as she was taking her scarf off.

The television turned on to a news channel, my mom was about to change it when something caught our eye.

"At 3:00 today, Tobias Church attacked a charity event happening at City Hall. Witnesses claim that he came in a large truck with a few assailants and began shooting their guns in the air. A few civilians did get hit by stray bullets, but they are currently in stable condition at the Star City hospital."

Suddenly, a clip of someone, presumably a witness, came on screen. "It was crazy. My friend and I were just helping out, carrying boxes and stuff when they came. Then all chaos broke loose. Guns were shot. Screams were shed. Blood was everywhere. But after that scare, he just drove away."

The reporter came back to the camera, "Thankfully, there were no casualties. But Star City is wondering whether if our Mayor is doing anything to help."

The mayor popped up on the screen, and he seemed to be in an interview. "We're trying everything we can to catch him. You may not trust me or my methods, but I can promise you this, I will do anything to get Tobias Church behind bars."

"That's all in City Hall today, back to you, Thomas," the report said, speaking into her microphone. The screen then switched to a man back at the station.

My mom frowned, "Oh, gods, I mean, that's horrible. Who does this person even think he is?" 

I shrugged, "This is one of America's most dangerous cities."

My mom then went off into the bathroom, presumably to take a shower after the day she had. I couldn't imagine being in her position, having to talk and smile to strangers for a whole day.

"Well, I ought to take a shower also." I announced, standing up.

"Do you even let yourself get wet while you take a shower?" Paul suddenly asked. I turned to him in shock.

"Uh, sometimes," I responded, eyeing him slighting.

"But why let yourself get wet when you could just walk out of the shower completely dry?"

"I don't know, I guess I like feeling the water."

Paul nodded his head slowly, "I still can't get over the fact that you have powers. And Greek gods are real. And literally everything else you told me."