When Two Worlds Collide | pjo & fhdw ✔︎

Chapter 10

chapter ten - p e r c y

The morning sun shone through the windows, highlighting the furniture. I woke up with my arm around Annabeth, her back leaning into me on the bed (they let us take a guest room.) I gently shook her awake. It didn't take long for her eyes to shoot open and her hand to automatically clasp her drakon-bone dagger on instinct. She saw my hand around her and relaxed.

"I think we should go today," I whispered quietly because of my raspy morning voice. "I have more ambrosia at home."

It was only a 2 hour drive from here to Manhattan. Which means her scratch-wound? soul-sucking scratch? intense injury? should be fine for the next few hours until she needs more godly medicine. I heard her grumble a bit. "You know that we should just call Jason and he can," I heard her voice crack. "...y'know...we can just take the subway."

It was times like this that his name just slips out. Jason. I knew what she was going to say. He could fly us back to camp faster than a bus on wheels could. But he couldn't fly. Not in a casket. Not six feet under.

We didn't cry. We already shed so many tears for Jason that he must've drowned in the salty water. Instead of crying, we cuddled tighter to ward off the pecking feelings of hopelessness and sadness. We never even knew him that well.

I glanced at the time, sighing. "It's 8:00 o'clock. Better leave now to catch the A-train."

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, let me go to the bathroom real quick."

I changed in the room. Well, I changed into a new shirt that I kept in case I spilled something at school. I picked up my backpack and slipped on the emergency shirt that I kept in the bottom. I sat on the bed, waiting for her to come out.

I thought about our predicament at the moment. My plan was simple: leave and return to camp and forget about this crazy place. I kept feeling hesitant though. As if there was something needing to be done before we left this place.

I heard the sink water, which was previously running, shut off and a click of a door opening. Annabeth stepped out in her clothes from before, which consisted of leggings and a sweater dress with boots. Her hair was in a ponytail as usual with her golden hair cascading down. Her stormy gray eyes cut the picture in half as she rolled her eyes, with an eyebrow raised. "Done gawking?"

It's not fair. I was inspecting the wall behind her, pfft. I don't know what she's talking about.
"Ready to go, wise girl?" I asked, brushing off the previous comment.

She opened the wooden door as it creaked and picked up her backpack. Turning she winked, "Race ya, seaweed brain!"

She rushed down the stairs and ran to the front door. She began to put her hand forward to turn the handle, but as her fingers hovered over the doorknob, a grandmotherly voice froze us in our tracks. "Won't you have breakfast with us before you leave?"

I thought about it. I was hungry and we weren't in any rush. On the other hand, it would delay our departure and if that happened, we would be prone to danger. I'm sick of being in danger.

"Thank you, but no, " I replied, turning around. "We should get back to camp—I mean home."

She frowned. "Very well, at least let me walk you to the gate." I discreetly saw her slip a knife into her pants. I couldn't figure out if it was protection from monsters or us. Either way she was under oath not to hurt us. I don't think she understands the extent of the oath though.

She closed the door, briefly calling out that she'll be back. We started walking, the lady in the middle of us.

"I'm afraid we never got to truly meet, " She began. "I'm Ruth. Ruth Sorenson. The kids' grandmother."

"Nice to meet you, " Annabeth said, offering a polite smile. I nodded to show I agreed. I was too busy looking in the shadows at the edge of the forest. I swear I saw something move.

"The fairies are quite fantastic, " Ruth pondered, glancing over at us. I felt like she was trying to test us. "Aren't they?"

"The pink one is pretty short, " I pointed out, gesturing to a plump fairy tending to a rose.

"I suppose so. You see these naturally?" Ruth asked, absentmindedly picking at her fingernails.

"Yes, " I said, confused. "Is there a problem?"

"Oh look, " Annabeth interrupted. "Here's the gate!"

I chuckled at the trespassing signs lining the driveway. I reached forward to open the gate but as my fingers came into contact, an invisible force zapped them, forcing me to recoil them. I stared at it, I mean I knew I was hot, but not that hot.

Everyone looked shocked. "What was that?"

Annabeth went to take a step forward between the gate's bars as a means to get out but she also got zapped, singeing her clothes. It's like a frickin bug zapper. And we're the bugs.

"Maybe if I open it," Ruth offered. She opened the gate just fine, but when we took a step past the invisible barrier that seemed to line the fence, it struck us more forcefully. I felt like the zapper was salty we tried again.

I groaned. "We're stuck here."

"This is serious," Ruth said. "We need to tell the others."

We started jogging towards the door. Before we made it all the way back, Seth noticed us through the window. Others followed suit, and soon the old man opened the door.

"What's wrong, Ruth?" He asked.

"We have a problem, Stan," She answered, her tone low. "The demigods are officially stuck here."

━━━━━━★━━━━━━

don't forget to vote <33