EUDAEMONIC - p. jackson

chapter seven

the first thing the demigods all noticed were his faces. both of them. they jutted out from either side of his head and stared over his shoulders like a hammerhead shark. he was dressed like a new york city doorman, with a long coat, shiny shoes, and a black top hat.

"well, annabeth?" said his left face. "hurry up!"

"don't mind him," said the right face. "he's terribly rude. right this way, miss."

annabeth's jaw dropped. "uh...i don't..."

tyson frowned. "that funny man has two faces."

"the funny man has ears, you know!" the left face scolded. "now come along, miss."

"no, no," the right face said. "this way, miss. talk to me, please."

rather than focusing on his heads, maeve stared at the two exits behind him. they were huge wooden doors that hadn't been there before with giant iron locks.

the two-faced doorman held a silver key, which he kept passing from his left hand to his right. when maeve looked behind her, the path they had come from disappeared, and was now replaced by more mosaics.

"the exits are closed," annabeth said with crossed arms.

"duh!" the man's left face said.

"where do they lead?" she asked.

"one probably leads the way you wish to go," the right face said encouragingly. "the other leads to certain death."

she looked back at maeve for help, but the man snapped his fingers to get her attention back. "she can't help you, annabeth. the choice is yours."

"i..i know who you are." annabeth said.

"oh, you're a smart one!" the left face sneered. "but do you know which way to choose? i don't have all day."

"why are you trying to confuse me?" annabeth demanded.

the right face smiled. "you're in charge now, my dear. all the decisions are on your shoulders. that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"we know you, annabeth," the left face said. "we know what you wrestle with every day. we know your indecision. you will have to make your choice sooner or later. and the choice may kill you."

maeve exchanged a nervous look with percy, tightening her hand around his. neither teen knew what choice he was referring to, but it had to be about more than just the doors.

the color drained out of annabeth's face. "no...i don't-"

"leave her alone," percy interrupted. "who are you, anyway?"

"i'm your best friend," the right face said.

"i'm your worst enemy," the left face followed.

"i am janus," both faces said in a creepy harmony. "god of doorways. beginnings. endings. choices."

"i'll see you soon enough, perseus jackson," said the right face. "but for now it's annabeth's turn." he laughed giddily. "such fun!"

"shut up!" his left face hissed. "this is serious. one bad choice can ruin your whole life. it can kill you and all of your friends. but no pressure, annabeth. choose!"

with a sudden chill, maeve remembered the final words of the prophecy: the child of athena's final stand.

it seemed percy remembered it too, because his hand went momentarily slack before tightening even more than it had previously.

"don't do it." percy said.

"i'm afraid she has to," the right face said cheerfully.

annabeth moistened her lips. "i- i choose.."