Lush ✵ Luke Castellan

ii. Eric

" My heart, my heart
wants to hold you but
I know, I know, I know
the rules blue light, dark
room, the white of your
teeth as you smile at my
trembling shoulders but
your skin, did you notice
your skin? it cries a soft
weep like mine "

PERSEPHONE JACKSON COULDN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HELL, and reality.

Her brother had passed out after killing a Minotaur, then she got swarmed by people sometime during her zoning out process.

After she was 'welcomed' by a human-horse, she followed her brother to the infirmary, but eventually, she had to leave it. Though it was not under her will.

"It's been a day, he should be waking up soon. I need to be here for him." Persephone shook her head at the human-horse.

"I get that, child, I do—"

"I think I stopped being a child the moment I saw my mother get cremated by a Minotaur." Persephone sassily snapped, smiling sarcastically.

"Right..." the man cleared his throat, "You will be the first person notified when your brother awakes, but in the meantime, I highly suggest you get out, get some fresh air, meet your fellow campers—"

"You suggest." Persephone interrupted. "So, that's not an order."

"I can make it one." The man deadpanned.

"Look, horse guy—"

"Chiron. And I know you've had a hard time, but I suggest you watch your tone."

"And I suggest you invest in some lotion."

The horse guy, Chiron, looked down to his hands with a blank face. The ashen surface caused him to clear his throat.

"I will have one of our best tour guides come to collect you in five minutes, Persephone. You may use that time to tell your brother you'll see him shortly."

Chiron walked out of the room.

"'You may use that time blah blah blah, I'm an asshole with a horse ass and I work in a summer camp!'" Persephone mimicked his voice with a high pitch, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes. "Fucking dick."

With a sigh, Persephone stood from her seat beside Percy's hospital like bed and she looked out the window. From her perch, she saw a strawberry field, a volleyball court, a lake, and some hills that led down. She assumed it was bigger. Or, she hoped.

She found her eyes drifting over to the side, a forest was what she saw. She wondered if it was the same forest that was near them when they entered camp. Persephone pursed her lips and crossed her arms as she thought of the forest as a possible exit.

"You must be Persephone." A voice spoke behind her.

Persephone didn't jump, nor flinch, she just slowly turned around with furrowed eyebrows and slit eyes. "Who the fuck are you?" She asked.

The boy had curly black hair, tan skin, and glistening brown eyes. His curves were sharp and planned as if he were ancient architecture. He had a scar running down his face near his eye, but it looked as though it was placed by the gods. In the simplest words Persephone could put it in, the boy was ethereal. It almost made Persephone drop to her knees and curse at whatever being above why she couldn't be blessed to be so beautiful.

The boy in front of her seemed stunned. She didn't know wether he was gaping at her looks, her clothes, her attitude, or what — but the boy had a look on his face of absolutely disbelief, a bright glimmer in his eyes.