When Two Worlds Collide | pjo & fhdw ✔︎

Chapter 18

chapter eighteen - p e r c y

Forks clanked against the plates as a palpable tension was like a thick suffocating blanket over the table.

It may not have been obvious to the average layperson but to an ADHD kid, the nervous rolling of the napkins, the jerky movements, and the quiet was smothering.

It almost reminded me of the muskeg.

Determined to get that train of thought out of my head, I asked a question that had been floating around my mind recently. "Is there a phone here I could use?"

Stan cleared his throat and nodded to Dale. "Yes, in my office. Dale, could you show Percy to it?"

"Yeah, " Dale rose quickly and started walking. "This way."

I scrambled out of my seat, thanking Bracken for the meal, while almost tripping trying to keep up with Dale.

We entered a hallway and he pointed to a mahogany door with intricate detailing along the sides. "It's this one."

I thanked Dale and opened the door. I took in the oddities littered around the room in a second and headed straight for the telephone.

I dialed my mom's number and waited as the ringing subsided. "Who's this?"

"Mom, it's Percy—"

A strangled sob sounded from the other end of the phone. "Percy! You had me worried sick! Where's Annabeth?"

"She's with me, we're all fine, " I decided to word my next sentences very carefully. "I'm not on a quest, but I'm stuck somewhere, but I'm stuck with good people and at a good place. I won't be able to come home for a while, but know that I'm okay."

"Okay, " my mom is almost used to this by now and is content just knowing I'm alive. "I love you, Percy."

"I love you too, mom."

I took a deep breath after I put down my phone. I hope Estelle is happy at home and that she isn't causing trouble. She's grown into a very vociferous toddler that is sometimes vicious. Kind of reminds me of what Annabeth was as a child. Or what I'm told she was like.

My mind moved on from home onto food, however, when I had stepped into the dining room. People were already gathering plates and starting to clean the dishes. I would've protested that I hadn't been done if not for Warren's soberingly serious expression.

"Hey, Percy and Annabeth, " Warren called. "We've mutually agreed we need the full story. We're also willing to share ours. We just really need to know what we're working with."

"I agree, " Annabeth started. "We're going to together for the unforeseeable future so we need to be on the same page."

Warren turned to me expectantly, waiting for my answer. "Ditto."

"Well that's settled," he rubbed his hands together. "Living room, in about, oh let's say, thirty seconds?"

Sure enough, everyone was filing into the couches and chairs. I thought it was unusual we got such a tiny increment of time until Kendra explained that there had already been a preset time, and Warren was just late on asking us.

"Okay, " Annabeth began. We had agreed to give the standard talk we give to new campers but with a few tweaks, 'cause they aren't, you know, campers. "I'll start. You know all those myths about Ancient Greece? Those are mostly true and most are still alive today. They were hidden because of a mystical blanket called the mist that obscures mortal's, which are basically non-magic people, eyes. I think it's the same thing that you guys lift using milk."

"Anyway, the gods in these myths, like Poseidon or Athena," I picked up, "have had children with many beings, but when it's a mortal, the offspring is called a demigod. Demigods attract monsters immensely because of the monster's hatred for the gods. Basically, if you can't get to the gods, the next best thing is to eternally torment their children."

"But there was a solution," Annabeth continued. "An immortal centaur wanted to help these heroes,-"

Seth choked at this part.

"-so he built a camp to train the children and help them."

"But we aren't the only ones," I inserted. "I've personally met the Egyptian myth people, or magicians, the Romans...um...the Norse myths also have their little thing going on...mmm...did I miss anything?"

"No, that pretty much sums it up," Annabeth said.

"Not to be blunt, but why aren't you in Greece?" Seth asked. Kendra silently mimicked his not to be blunt. "If you're Greek with the Greek gods and stuff, why aren't you in Greece?"

"Because the center of influence is in the west, in the U.S. specifically," Annabeth explained. "And since Greece was always in the east, the central greek power, Olympus, is in New York. The Empire State Building."

Kendra opened her mouth like she was going to say something and then closed it, shaking her head.

"Do you kill every monster you see?" The grandpa asked.

"Only the ones that fight us, " I answered. "But, don't worry, they'll come back."

My voice accidentally turned a little sour at the end. Okay, very sour.

"They're immortal, but they take time to develop after their death, which they do in Tartarus, which is like the Greek hell," Annabeth added.

"Can I take your hands for a second?" Bracken asked us.

"Why?" I asked, but without suspicion, as I extended my hand.

"Just to make sure you're telling the truth, " Bracken replied. He took both of our hands. "Okay, was everything you just told us the truth and only the truth?"

"Yes, " we answered simultaneously.

"What happened to Nico?" Bracken asked.

"He shadow traveled out. Shadow travel is a form of teleportation, " Annabeth clarified.

"Why was he able to get through?"

"Probably because of Chrysie, " Annabeth answered.

"Who's Chrysie?" Everyone asked except Warren, Kendra, Seth, Annabeth, and me.

"I guess we never went over what happened last night, " Annabeth mused. "Oh boy, we have a lot to go over."

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