𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐥𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐞

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲

"You're just a stupid girl. A scared little girl. The one that disappoints her mother simply by breathing."

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃.

A terrifying place to Birdie, somewhere she had always feared. Whenever she heard stories about it, her dreams that night were anything but good. And now she was there.

Birdie held onto Annabeth as they pushed through the long line of newly deads, waiting to enter their new home for eternity. She felt bad skipping ahead, taking their places, but she had no choice. They had a quest to complete.

One of Birdie's hands clutched the pocket of her jacket, making sure the pearl was still there. And the other hand was glued to her younger sisters arm.

"Sorry. Oh, sorry. Excuse me, sorry. Sorry" Birdie repeated, bumping into many people. Did the others have no feelings? Surely they knew that this was wrong.

They all stopped once they reached the front, met with a man in a dark cloak. Charon. He stared at the four, who all stared back.

"You're not dead."

"I mean," Percy said "we're all dying... to some extent" Birdie looked at him like he was an idiot. Maybe because he was one. Charon sighed "and you didn't pay to cross" he said, unclipping a rope.

"Wait! We-- we can pay! We can pay!" Grover said, pushing Percy forward "here. Drachmas. Just take.. take, uh.. just, you know, take 'em all" Percy held out the Drachmas. This was not a situation Birdie wanted to be in.

Charon blew on a whistle, which was almost silent.

Percy didn't take his hand away "you can buy a new whistle."

A growl was heard. And then heavy footsteps that were definitely not a persons.

Birdie stepped back, letting go of Annabeth and turning around. She started running before her friends did. In this moment, she was allowed to be a coward.

The girl ran and ran, hearing everything behind her. Grover had been eaten, which was absolutely horrifying. Annabeth told the remaining two to go right, of course, they did it. Birdie managed to increase speed, stopping earlier than Percy did.

Percy grabbed the pen from his pocket, it immediately grew into the gold sword that saw around every day.

"If she gets hurt, it's your fault" Birdie said in a sharp voice. Percy understood. The one thing Birdie cared about was Annabeth, and if she wasn't okay, Birdie was different.

The two were expecting to be attacked by Cerberus but there was nothing. They heard the dog whimpering as he came into view, showing through the fog. The three heads turned, letting Annabeth be seen, scratching the beast. It lowered itself, lying down and once it's heads met the ground, all three began to snore.

From the middle head, Grover pushed his way out of its mouth. He scrambled up to his feet, completely covered in slobber "you.. are a bad.. bad dog!"

"Guys! I can't hold this forever!" Annabeth strained, struggling to hold on and keep the dog asleep "can you fly us up there with your shoes?" Percy asked, turning to Grover. He looked up and saw the great wall "you can do this. One at a time. Take Percy first."

"Maia."

Grover lifted Percy up, Birdie was left on the ground, watching her sister carefully. Then Grover returned and took Birdie, somehow. She thought he wouldn't be able to lift her. Birdie put her feet on the ground right next to Percy, staring down where they had just left her sister.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled.

The red ball Grover brought from the sleezy mattress store was thrown up, being caught by Percy in one hand. He squeezed it, the ball made a small squeak. Cerberus leapt up, making the two boys back away, and the girl fall down. He went back down, Percy and Grover went back to the edge, Percy helping Birdie to her feet as they did.