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Maggie was surprised to see that Grover had gotten on the same bus and she and Percy had. She hadn't told Percy what she knew about him being a demigod, but she was hoping that she could go with him to tell his mom too. She was annoyed that Chiron didn't think she could help Percy by herself, but she knew that if there were too many monsters she was going to need the back up.

Magnolia tried to keep up a conversation with Percy, but he was being distracted by Grover's constant surveillance. But Percy was nearing the end of his rope with patience.

"Looking out for Kindly Ones?" he asked Grover.

Maggie drew a short breath. She hadn't expected him to be that subtle.

Grover whipped around to face the other boy. "Wha- What do you mean?"

"Come on Grover. I'm not stupid. Plus, Maggie and I both heard you talking to Mr. Brunner."

Grover shot a nasty look toward the girl, as if blaming her for his inevitable death. He turned back to Percy. "How much did you hear?"

Percy shifted slightly in his seat moving closer to Magnolia. "Oh... Not much. What's the summer solstice deadline?"

"Look Percy, I was just worried for you. I mean hallucinating about demon math teachers..."

"Grover..." Maggie tried to intervene before everything came crashing down.

"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there really is no such person as Mrs. Dodds and-"

"Grover," Percy interrupted, "you're a really bad liar."

Grover turned red. He quickly rummaged through his pockets and eventually pulled out a small, white business card. He handed the card to Percy. "Take this. In case you need me this summer."

Percy looked down at the card and took a few minutes to read what had been printed in tiny letters. Magnolia knew what it was. Grover had sent her to go make them a few summers ago after realizing that he needed a way to keep in contact with demigods or get them to Camp Half-Blood when he couldn't physically accompany them.

"What's Half-" Percy tried to ask.

"Don't say it aloud!" Grover hissed. "That's my, um... summer address?"

Maggie kicked him before he could say anything too mean. Grover had a sensitive soul. "Okay," he mumbled. "So like, if I wanted to come visit your mansion."

This time Magnolia kicked Grover in the shin as best as she could.( He was seated across from her, and her tiny legs were a small impediment to her task.)

Grover just nodded. "Or.. Or if you need me."

"Why would I need you?" Percy snapped. This time, Maggie did not hold back as she kicked him once more.

"Ow! What the heck Maggie?" She glared at him. "Fine... Thank you Grover, for the card."

Grover blushed a bit. "Look, Percy, the truth is... Well, I kinda have to protect you."

Percy stared at him for a few seconds. "What do you mean by protect me?" What exactly are you protecting me from? And why am I being singled out and not Maggie?"

Before either Maggie or Grover could open their mouths to answer, the bus lurched to a stop, black smoke poured out of the dash. The drover cursed and quickly pulled over. He tinkered with the engine a bot before announcing that everyone would have to get off the bus. Percy quickly grabbed a hold of Maggie's hand so that the two wouldn't be separated by the other passengers. Thinking quickly, Maggie grabbed hold of Grover's backpack strap and pulled him along.

The three walked around the bus for a few seconds before their attention was drawn to the fruit stand. Sitting there, in the shade of the small canopy, were three elderly ladies knitting a pair of socks. At least, Percy thought, they would be considered a pair of socks for a giant.

Percy turned back to look at the other two, only to be met with Grover's pale face and wide eyes.

"Grover?" Percy said. "Hey, man-"

"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"

Percy let out a weird laugh. "Yeah, but I think they're looking at Maggie too. Weird, huh? Do you think those socks would fit me?"

Grover looked ready to pass out. Maggie, who hadn't really been paying attention, didn't understand what was happening. She had seen someone drawing in the seat across from them, and her ADHD brain decided to focus on that rather than the conversation happening in front of her.

"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all." He said. "Come on guys."

Before they could move, the middle woman took out a pair of shears and cut the string. That caught Maggie's attention.

"We're getting on the bus." Grover declared. "Come on!"

As soon as the three reclaimed their seats, The engine roared to life.

After driving for a while, the three finally got a good look at each other. It seemed as if each kid had suddenly caught the flu with how much they were shaking and how pale each of them were.

"Grover?" Percy asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"What aren't you telling me?"

Grover was still shivering, but he made a gesture that Maggie knew meant that she shouldn't jump in.

"What did you see back at the fruit stand?"

"You mean the old ladies? They're not like Mrs. Dodds... Are they?"

"Just tell me what you saw."

Maggie's voice was a bit wobbly as she answered for Percy. "The middle one took out her scissors and cut the yarn."

Grover closed his eyes and made a gesture, curling three fingers over his heart and then pushing outward. He turned back to Percy. "You saw her snip the cord?"

"Yeah, so?" he challenged.

"This is not happening," Grover muttered. His eyes got wider, more terrified. "I don't want this to be like last time. And both of you saw it...

"What happened last time?" Percy tried to ask, but Grover ignored him.

"Always sixth grade, they never make it past sixth grade."

"Grover, you're scaring him." Maggie tried.

"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me?" he pleaded.

"Is this like a superstition or something?" Percy asked, but Grover didn't answer. "Grover, the snipping of the yarn... Does that mean someone is going to die?"

Grover looked back at his two friends. His look of mourning (even though they weren't dead yet) made everything worse. He wasn't sure who the cord could have belonged to, Maggie or Percy, and he didn't want anything to happen to his friends.

When the three got off the Greyhound, Grover immediately made a beeline for the bathrooms. When he was sure that Maggie wasn't looking his way, Percy ditched his friends. 

He could vaguely hear Maggie yelling his name in panic as he got inside a taxi. He ignored it and closed the door behind him ready to escape the weirdness and finally go home. 


Alstroemerias {Percy Jackson}Where stories live. Discover now