We Are Cursed (A Percy Jackson AU) || BOOK 2

Chapter 3 || Percy

Mornings, nights, and afternoons were the times for accidents.

Percy took a cautious step outside the safe house, as if one touch to the pavement would burn him up instantly. When nothing happened, he continued to walk towards his car. He could feel Annabeth's breathing on the back of his neck as she followed him. It was almost like they were tightroping over lava or something.

When they were sure no one was gonna hurt them, they leaped into the car. It wasn't his blue Bugatti, if that's what you thought. It was a Rolls Royce white van, the edges of it glistening in the morning sun.

"Get in," he said as he kept watch outside the driver's side of the car.

Once everyone filed in, he leaped inside the car, locking everything. Taking off on the road, he felt like something was off. Thank gods they were still very early, or Percy would've been late to school at the rate he was driving. It was required they got out of the house at 5 AM, as that was when the barriers first opened to cars. If they had left any later, someone could've gotten in.

But still, something was off to Percy.

"Why are you driving like a grandma?" Leo complained. "This is worse than that time my grandma tried to go race car driving!"

"She tried to go race car driving?" Percy's hand traced over a button. Weird... he never noticed the button in the past before.

"Yeah. She says the engine goes off like a bomb..." He stopped listening to Leo as he stared at the button, a small light flashing on the side of it.

"Bomb!" he yelled, realizing what it was.

"I already told you that--" Leo started but Percy cut him off.

"No! Someone planted a bomb in this car and it's going off!" he yelled, opening all the windows, including the sun roof. "GET OUT!"

Being on the driver's side of the car wasn't at his advantage. He could see Annabeth crawling out of the sun roof, launching herself out onto the pavement. Percy saw the bomb explode as he hurled himself out of the van, feeling lucky that the traffic wasn't heavy and there were no cars out in the road at 5 AM. Coughing at the smell of smoke and avoiding pieces of metal that were flying at his face, he grunted as a tire hit him directly in the face.

The flames were licking the bushes and Percy quickly summoned a water jet to put the flames out, leaving nothing but black, burning, pieces of what used to be a car. Staggering to his feet, he limped off the streets and onto the sidewalk. He had fallen on his ankle wrong and it was bent at an awkward angle.

"Is everyone okay?" he coughed, surveying his friends.

"Yeah!" Annabeth's voice came from his left. "We're good!"

"I think my wrist is sprained," Leo said, holding up his limp wrist.

"It's fixable," Hazel replied, taking out a first aid kit from her backpack. "I'm really glad I decided to bring it in a fire-proof case."

Wrapping Leo's hand in bandages, she moved to Percy.

"Are you okay?"

"I think I landed on my ankle wrong," he said, sitting down. "But otherwise, I'm okay. Wise Girl? You good?"

"Yeah!" Annabeth replied. "Aside from a few scrapes, there's really nothing else."

"Jason! You didn't get hit in the head with a brick, did you?" Percy called over to his cousin.

"Very funny," Jason spat back. "But yeah, I'm fine."

"Frank, Piper, Nico, Thalia, and I are good!" Clarisse yelled.

"Great!" Percy got to his feet once his ankle was bandaged up, slipping his foot back into his tennis shoes.

Looking around him, he cursed. He'd have to let out the mist again to avoid the mortals from noticing the mess that was gathering on the sidewalk. Pressing a button on his watch, he watched the cloudy puffs burst out in the air, settling like a sheet on the floor. As it disappeared, Percy trusted that no one could see it, as he couldn't tell for himself.

"How are we gonna get to school?" Frank asked as he walked over.

"We have to get to school either way," Annabeth reminded him. "The barriers only open from the inside and the only time it opens from the outside is at 3 PM to let us back in."

Percy cursed, remembering. "Well... we'll have to walk or something."

"I know this seems really bad, but these people are having a garage sale and there are eight bikes out there. We could take those," Leo said, pointing to the bikes lined up. "The owners are taking a break."

"We'll just use mist," Percy shrugged. "It'll be okay."

Rushing over, they let out a stream of mist and grabbed the bikes, taking off. As they sped down the hill, Percy had to try his best to slow down, not wanting to hit anything else. After the explosion, he just wanted to go home.

But no. When you're in a war, all precautions are taken.

He examined the bikes to make sure they had no bugs on them. Yep. Being at war also meant everyone was paranoid.

Or maybe that was just him. He couldn't tell.

Bursting into the Goode parking lot, he got off the bike, parking it. He watched as Thalia rammed into the pole, falling over.

"You good, Thals?" Percy asked, trying not to laugh at his cousins's hilarious reaction.

"I haven't rode a bike in years, Kelp Head. Lay off." She glared at him before getting up, brushing herself off.

Looking at the building, Percy sighed. He'd rather be dead than enter the horrid building.

But he had to go, nonetheless.

"Come on, we don't wanna miss the first bell," Frank beckoned them forward.

AS IF THEY DIDN'T JUST GET IN A CAR CRASH.