𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓! [pjo]

XXVII; burps

━━━burps

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・

Hazel led them through the dingy little sea-port town until they stopped in front of a closed apartment building. The girl crawled through an open window and disappeared inside. Cal, Frank, and Percy followed in behind her.

    The room inside hadn't been used in a long time. Their feet kicked up dust that swirled in the buckshot beams of sunlight. Moldering cardboard boxes were stacked along the walls. Their faded labels read Greeting Cards, Assorted Seasonal. Why several hundred boxes of season's greetings had wound up crumbling to dust in a warehouse in Alaska, Callahan had no idea, but she felt like she was in a museum.

    "It's warmer in here, at least," Frank said. "Guess no running water? Maybe I can go shopping. I'm not as muddy as you guys. I could find some clothes."

    Callahan hummed, nodding and whispering a thank you as he left. Percy stood behind her, his presence comforting and warm. The three of them made a makeshift camp, scraping mud off their jackets, and used dirty old blankets to clean up. Moldy boxes made good resting places, too, and Callahan curled up against a wall on top of Happy Easter! Cards from the 1920s.

    Left alone in the quiet, her brain started to scream, yelling about the things her mother said, and the memories she had of Percy and Annabeth. Hazel and Percy were talking behind her.

    Did you really mean it? That Percy, the man I love, is going to be my doom? And what do you mean by doom? Doom--doom can mean so many things, right? It doesn't just mean death. Gods, I--

    "Doll?" Percy's hand was solid and warm on her shoulder. She didn't mean to jump. Percy pulled on her until she turned and looked at him. His hands, big and warm and rough from swordwork, cupped her cheeks. "You ok?"

    Callahan nodded in his grasp, "We ask each other that way too much"

    Percy snorted, "well, we have a right to, living this life."

    Callahan shook her head, "Gods, you owe me a cheeseburger."

    "And you owe me blue cookies and a kiss" His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

    Cal leaned forward until his breath was against her lips, and their noses almost touched, "tell you what. We survive this, and I'll kiss you so hard you'll see stars."

    Percy's cheeks were pink as he pouted. "But not now?"

    Callahan kissed his nose. "Not now." and she pulled away as Frank crawled back into the room. 

"Success!" Frank carried new arrows, rope, and rations from a hunting store. From a local tourist shop, he had bought three sets of fresh clothes, some towels, some soap, some bottled water, and, yes, a huge box of wet wipes. It wasn't exactly a hot shower, but Callahan and Hazel ducked behind a wall of boxes and changed. Immediately Cal felt better, somewhat clean and happy. The Feast of Fortuna—all the luck that happened today, good or bad, was supposed to be an omen of the entire year to come. One way or another, their quest would end this evening. Callahan sincerely hoped it ended well.

    "So," Hazel said, "Now we need to get to Hubbard Glacier." Her voice sounded fragile. Cal wrapped an arm around Hazel's shoulders, rubbing along her arms. Hazel smiled tightly at her and leaned into her.

    "Well," Frank said, rubbing his tummy. "If we're going to battle, then we can't go on an empty stomach, and I know just the place."

    Frank led them to a shopping plaza near the wharf, where an old railway car had been converted to a diner. The food smelled amazing. While Frank, Percy, and Cal ordered, Hazel wandered down to the docks and asked some questions.