Alstroemerias {Percy Jackson}

08

Percy woke up to banging on the cabin door.

He carefully made his way to the door, only to find that his mom had already opened it. Standing there, presence dramatized by the cracking of lightning, were Grover and Magnolia. Percy swallowed.

"Searching all night," Grover began to say. "What were you thinking?"

Sally Jackson turned toward her son. "Percy, what happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

Percy remained silent. Instead of answering his mother's question, Percy stared at his friends. Maggie seemed dead on her feet, more tired than she had been that morning or the days before. Grover, however, was what drew his attention even more. From the waist up, the boy who had become one of his best friends was normal. He was still wearing the same tie-dye shirt he had picked out that morning and the flower Maggie had placed in his shirt pocket was still thriving; however, he had lost the hat he had been wearing during their bus ride. From the waist down, Grover somehow had gained fur and hooves.

"We need to go," Maggie spoke up, still trying to regain her breath. "It's right behind us."

Grover pouted, "I was going to say that."

"Grover."

"Percy," Mrs. Jackson said, "Tell me."

Percy muttered incoherently, but his mother seemed to understand what he was saying.

"Get to the car, all three of you, now!"

Grover didn't need to be told twice. He trotted toward the old Camaro that was parked outside the cabin as fast as he could. Percy followed behind at a slower pace, pulling Maggie with him.

Mrs. Jackson turned the car on and the three kids piled in.

The car zoomed down the country roads, Percy stealing glances at Grover as often as possible without being caught. His expression was almost comical while he tried to process everything that happened in the last ten minutes.

"So," he cleared his throat, "You two and my mom know each other." he couldn't help but send a nasty glare at Maggie. He had thought the girl was on his side, that she would have told him what she knew was happening.

"Not exactly," he answered. " I mean, we've never met in person, but she knew I was watching you." he looked at Maggie. "She didn't know about Magnolia though, unless you told her about her."

"Watching me?" Percy asked, ignoring Grover's last statement. In truth, he had told his mom about Maggie, in countless letters. He had even enlisted Maggie in trying to convince his mom to let him dye his hair like her own, or at least part of it. (She had only responded with "we'll talk about it later.")

"Keeping tabs on you," Grover continued. "Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend."

"Um, what are you exactly?"

"That doesn't matter right now."

'Doesn't matter? From the waist down, one of my best friends is a donkey-"

Gver bleated, offended.

"He's a goat from the waist down," Maggie corrected, "not a donkey."

"What about you-"

"Blaa-ha-ha! A donkey!" Grover interrupted. "There are satyrs that would trample you underhoof for such an insult! Just ask Magnolia." He crossed his arms.

"Whoa, wait. Satyr? You mean like... like Mr. Brunner's myths?"

"Where those old ladies from the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?"

"So you admit that Mrs. Dodds really was real! I was right!"

"Of course."

"Then why-"

"To protect you, Perce." Magnolia butt in.

"The less you knew, the less monsters you would attract." Grover continued. "We put the Mist over the humans' eyes. We hoped you'd think that the whole thing was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize something was wrong. No thanks to Magnolia here-"

She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Who I... Wait a minute, what do you mean?"

A deafening roar sounded from behind the car. Maggie knew he was getting closer, and she wasn't sure how much help she would be at the moment.

"Percy," Mrs. Jackson said, turning to look at him for a few seconds. "There's too much to explain. We have to get you to safety.

"Safety from what? Who's after us?"

"Oh nobody," Maggie muttered. "Just the lord of the dead and a few of his bloodthirsty minions."

"Magnolia!"

"Sorry, Ms. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?"

It was quiet for a few more seconds before Percy asked another question.

"Where are we going?"

"The summer camp I told you about." his mother answered. Her voice was tight, revealing that she was just as sacred as the rest of them. However, she tried her best to cover it up. "The pace your father wanted to send you."

"The place you didn't want me to go." 

"Please, dear, This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger."

"Because some old ladies cut yarn."

"Not exactly, but that's part of the reason."

"Those weren't old ladies." Grover and Magnolia said at the same time. The satyr shot a glare at the glare, causing her to turn red.

"Those were the fates." Grover explained. Do you know what it means? That fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to... when someone's about to die.

"Whoa, you said you!"

"No, I didn't. I said someone."

"You meant you, as in me."

I meant you, like someone! Not you, you!"

"Guys!" Maggie shouted over their argument. "It doesn't really matter, someon'es going to die at some point. Besides, Percy wasn't the only one who saw, we were in a crowded place."

All of a sudden, Mrs. Jackson swerved in order to escape the monster. He bellowed in frustration.

"What was that?" Percy asked.

"The m-"

"Magnolia!"

"Where almost there," Mrs. Jackson muttered to herself. "Another mile. Please, please, please."

Percy turned back to look at Grover again. However, before he could even open his mouth, lightning struck, throwing the car off the road.

Percy heard a scream of pain before felt the glass rain down on him as the car skidded to a stop. For a few seconds, all he could manage was a small "ow."