𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘿, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀, 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘢𝘥, 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥

I couldn't sleep. Not any more, at least. I had gotten a decent hour or so in before I snapped awake. From a nightmare — which was strange, considering I've never had nightmares before. It might've made sense if it had something to do with my mom, but this didn't seem to be related to her much if at all.

Rather than that, it seemed like I was in some sort of state where I knew I was asleep, but the dream still managed to feel as real as real life. There was nothing around me as far as I could see, and what I could see was just some sort of desert-looking landscape. It almost felt peaceful for a while, then some sort of voice came out of nowhere, and when I looked around I couldn't see anyone else in this strange dream land.

"You must hate them." The inhuman sounding voice had spoken. "For what they did." I had tried speaking myself, but it felt impossible to get any sound out, or really to move much at all. "Athena — well, you know what she did to your mother, to your father. And those three killer kids — you saw what they did with your own eyes."

And then I woke up. It was only a few seconds until I realized where I was — a train car, with a sleeping Grover, Annabeth, and Percy.

I kicked the blanket off me in my sleep, yet I still woke up sweating. A cold sweat, produced from the nightmare most likely, but it still stuck my hair to my face. I pushed myself up from the pallet on the floor next to Percy, leaning my back against the wall.

Do I hate them? I can't help but ponder on the words of that weird dream guy. Percy killed my mom, and Annabeth seems to be the one who owns that hat that turns things invisible. Grover seemed sympathetic enough, so I wouldn't say I hate him, but it's hard to not hate Percy and Annabeth after what they did, at least a little bit. Especially Percy.

And why bother bringing up a goddess? I would never say I liked Athena after the stories my mom told me, obviously. But how is she really involved? The quest is for Zeus, yeah, but nothing Grover said made it seem like Athena would really be involved here, or any of the other gods or goddesses for that matter.

What was the point of that dream at all? I wonder. If it had been a nightmare replaying what had happened earlier, that would make enough sense for me to not bother questioning it. But I had never been to a desert — or anywhere but home, actually. And I've never heard that voice in my life, not even on a show or in a movie I could remember.

Whatever that dream was, I decided to try and push it away. At least for now, unless I have something like it again. Even if I do, I wouldn't know how to talk about it, or even who I would talk to. My mom would've listened, but since she's not a choice, that really only leaves Percy, Annabeth, and Grover.

Percy was the one who swung his sword at my mom — I'm not talking to him unless I have to. Annabeth used that magic hat she has, so she isn't much of an option either. That would leave Grover, who I 'd say I trust, but how can I be sure he'll understand anyway?

I push it out of my mind again, sighing quietly. I stay still there for a while, not exactly thinking of anything exceptional as I glance around at whatever's in this small space.

"I can't sleep either." For a split second, I wonder if it's Grover from his top bunk, but my brain quickly redirects to who the voice actually belongs to — Annabeth.

"Yeah." I nod. I stare at the ground and pull my feet up to my chest. When she doesn't speak again after a few awkward silent minutes, I look up at her. "Did you need something?" My voice comes out sharper than I had intended, but I don't exactly feel like apologizing to her.

Annabeth stays quiet for a minute before she sighs and leans up on her elbows. "Do you even know what this quest is for?" She asks. I nearly turned her to stone for that — the quest? Is that all she cares about? — but decide against it since I don't really know how to turn people back since it just happened on its own last time.

"Does it matter?" I shoot back. Maybe it matters to them, but I'm only having them string me along because it could keep me safe if I help Zeus — or make it look like I helped, at the very least.

"If you're coming with us, yeah." Annabeth narrows her eyes at me, like she's about to yell or scold me, before her eyes soften again.

"Fine." I scoot back to lean against the wall in a more upright position and look towards her completely. "How about you tell me about it? Assuming it doesn't take too much of your precious sleep away." Maybe a bit too salty, now that I think about it, but she did help kill my mom.

"We didn't know about you." Annabeth says, as if that would change anything. "Just- she was trying to turn us to stone and ship us off to Olympus."

"Whatever." I grumble. "Get on with the quest thing, would you?" I wave her on, although I know I wouldn't be able to sleep with or without her here.

"Zeus thought — maybe still thinks — Percy stole the Master Bolt." Annabeth starts.

"Did he?" I can't help but ask, despite not even knowing what the 'Master Bolt' is.

"No." Annabeth shakes her head firmly. "We're pretty sure Hades has it." She clarifies. "And we're also pretty sure Hades has Percy's mom." She adds.

"Why are you here then? With Percy, I mean." I question. "Why isn't he doing it alone? To prove his innocence, or whatever."

"No one goes on a quest alone at Camp Half-Blood." Annabeth answers.

"Camp what?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Camp Half-Blood." Annabeth repeats. "It's a safe haven for people like us." With how it's gone so far, I would lean towards the idea I'm not included in the 'us' part of her statement, but with the way she stares at me dead on, I can't be sure right now.

"...'people like us'?"

"Demigods and demigoddesses." Annabeth responds. "People with a godly parent. Or, those like Grover or Chiron. Satyrs, Centaurs." She pauses, eyeing me momentarily before she adds, "Or people whose mother is Medusa."

©CRUELCRUDECHARACTER