The rental cabin was...something. First of all, there isn't much space, the curtains have faded, and there were sand and spiders on the sheets. Not only was the water freezing, but I would have turned into a popsicle as soon as I jumped in. Overall, an upgrade compared to the orphanage. Percy told me during the drive that it was a special place to him and Sally. He had been going there when he was a baby.
But Sally has been there a lot longer, since it was the place where she met Percy's dad. I remember Percy and me talking one night in Yancy Academy, where Sally often avoids talking about Percy's dad, but clearly, there wasn't anything bad blood between them. The only thing Percy knows about him is that he was lost at sea. When we arrived, Sally's tired expression shifted from an energetic one. In fact, she seems younger than before.
When we were unpacking, I caught her staring at the waters with a melancholic expression. We unpacked and cleaned up the cabin to a more desirable appearance, which made it look actually cozy. Then we sat on the beach and ate some food which was colored blue. Percy explained to me that Ugliano and she had an argument about it, and ever since then, Sally has baked blue birthday cakes and blue candy. It's delicious.
Percy is really lucky to have her as a mom. My mother, with little memories I have of her, always looks at me with a sour, cold expression. I got my emerald eyes from her, while I got my brown hair from my father. I could remember all the birthdays where I had to bake cake for myself, cook for myself and clean up after myself. Until my seventh birthday, and I mean it, it was my birthday when it happened.
I sobbed, crying ugly, fat tears with my luggage to the side. I opened my tears tearfully, praying that it was all just a dream. But it wasn't, I saw them walking away from me, casually, as if leaving an unwanted item in a pawn shop.
"Clay!"
"H-Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts.
"Your marshmallow." Percy points, barely containing his giggle.
I look confused before looking at the campfire, where my stick is near. Stabbed on top is my marshmallow, at least what's left of my marshmallow.
"Oh darn it!"
Sally smirked at me, while Percy just laughed at me. "Penny for your thoughts, space cadet?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever fish-breath."
"Oh, for the last time, I do not smell like a fish!"
"You gotta get your nose fixed, Jackson."
We started to squabble as Sally watched with amusement. After a bit more time had passed and mosquitoes started to assault our skin, we went inside the cabin. We sat on the couch, drinking hot cocoa that Sally made. We all sighed as we took a sip and huddled together on the couch as we just watching the fireplace.
"How old was I?" Percy suddenly said. "When dad left."
"He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."
"But, he knew me as a baby."
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and made as little noise as possible, letting them talk. I wanted to zone out again, so they can have their conversation peacefully without an outsider like me listening in. But I was curious. I see Sally shaking her head in the corner of my eye.
"No, honey. He knew I was expecting, but he had to leave before he had the chance to see you." Sally offered a smile to Percy. "If he saw it right now, he would be so proud."
Percy got quiet, and so did Sally. Nobody made us sound, just the cracks the flames in the fireplace were making.
"Are you going to send me away again, to another boarding school?" Percy says, his voice shaking.
"I...don't know, but I think...I think we'll have to do something."
"Because you don't want me around?"
I gasped and looked at Percy with a look of shock. Before I got mad and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Hey!" He yelped.
"Percy, she's-" I started, but Sally shook her head.
"It's fine, Clay." Now her voice is shaking like Percy's, and she gently grabs his hand.
"Listen, Percy, I have to send you away. For your own good."
"Why?"
She bit her lip like she didn't want to say it. "Because you're special, Percy, you have no idea how special you really are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough to keep you safe-"
"Safe? From what?"
Percy looked nervous, and I was too. I have no idea what's happening, but my hands felt clammy and my heart raced like I just ran a marathon.
"Percy," Sally says slowly. "There...there is a place your father wanted you to go, but I...I just can't stand to do it."
"My father wants me to go to a special school?"
"Not a school. A summer camp."
Sally looked like she didn't want to talk anymore and was in pain just by saying it. I wanted to tell her to stop, but do I really have the right to? At the end of the day, I'm just a guest to them, not family.
"I knew that place would keep you safe, but..." Sally looks at Percy tearfully. "It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."
"For good? But it's just a summer camp?"
Sally looks ready to cry, and Percy is about a few seconds away from passing out because of how strange and stressful this situation is. Without thinking, I cleared my throat to gain their attention.
"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt, but it seems we're getting a little stressed out here." I tried to laugh, but it came out forced. "Why don't you guys talk later in the morning once everything is all calmed down?"
Sally stares at me for a few seconds before sniffling, wiping the tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Then she smiled at me.
"Yeah, that would be best. Percy?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine with me."
The Jackson's are seemingly thankful for my intervention. I, on the other hand, am glad that the tense conversation is now over. All of us are physically and mentally exhausted after everything that happened today, so we quickly turned on the fireplace and slept. Well, except for me, I lay on the couch while Percy and Sally slept on the same bed. Both are sleeping, though they seemed restless and stressed even in their sleep.
As for me, I was wide awake. Despite being mentally exhausted, my body forced me to stay awake. I stared up at the ceiling, just remembering the events of today. First, it was Grover acting like a paranoid conspiracist, those three old ladies and finally the conversation from earlier. I realized that ever since the Mrs. Dodds incident, things just keep getting weirder.
I've been seeing monsters more; sometimes, these monsters I've been seeing are stalking Yancy Academy grounds. Just want in the world? I tried to close my eyes and forced myself to relax. I could feel I was about to drift away, but a loud booming thunder made me flinch and open my eyes. I got up from the couch to stare at the window with a confused expression.
It was raining, raining hard. What happened? I literally didn't hear any rain or news about rain happening today. And it seems to be pouring hard almost instantly. Lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating the outside briefly, before a few seconds later, the booming sound of thunder came.
Percy shot up from his bed, breathing hard; he was covered in sweat and was shaking slightly. We both look at each other with a look of confusion and fear. We didn't know what was happening, but both of us could feel something bad was coming. With the next thunderclap, Sally jolts awake, getting up and looking at the window with a pale face.
"Hurricane."
All three of us jumped in the freight once we heard the door banging and a desperate voice on the other side. Percy immediately went into action, grabbed the firepoker, while I took my pillow, ready to throw it against the assailant behind the door. But I looked with widened eyes as Sally practically rushed and jumped over the table to open the door in a hurry. Standing there, soaked and looking ready to pass out from exhaustion, was...Grover.
"What the-Grover!?" Percy exclaims, dropping the firestick and rushing to him.
I dropped my pillow and rushed to them. Only to stop halfway once I saw two things. One, he didn't have his beanie that covered his head, and he didn't have pants. It showed me horns, and the one that caught my eye the most is his legs. Which are covered in fur, and he didn't have feet; he had hooves.
"What were you thinking..." Grover said between breaths. "I told you two to wait for me!"
"Uh, nice cosplay there, Grover. What are you, the Donkey from Shrek?"
Grover shot me an offended look. He made an irritated bleat before responding. "That's racist, Clay, I thought better of you!"
"What? What's even going on!" I yelled.
"Enough!" Shouts Sally, making us go silent. "Percy, what's going on? What happened in school!?"
He gulped, and I don't blame him. Seeing Sally, who is usually sweet, become this demanding is making me want to hide behind the couch. Grover said something in a language I'm unfamiliar with.
"You didn't tell her?"
All of us just stared at Percy. Who panics and begins to stammer about the Mrs. Dodds incident and three old ladies. Somehow, this makes Sally's face turn even more pale. She quickly recovered and put on a frightened but determined face.
"Get in the car-"
"What-"
"Now! All of you!"
It didn't take long for us to get in the car. Percy and Grover were in the back while I sat in the passenger seat. Sally got in a couple later, still in her nightgown and before I could ask what was going she slammed her foot on the gas and started to drive. We tore through the night along dark country roads. I gripped the seat as I knew we were driving way above the speed limit.
I wanted to ask Sally what's going on, but her eyes narrowed and focused on the road. I then turned to Grover, who looked even more nervous than usual, while Percy was about done with everything.
"Okay, what's going on?" Percy demanded. "Can someone please explain to me why my friend is literally a goat from the waist down and everybody acts like I'm being targeted!?"
"Look, Percy, I know this is going a little fast-" Grover tries to say, but Percy makes an exaggerated huff.
"Little!? Try breaking my neck, Grover! I don't even know whether I'm still dreaming or maybe Clay slipped something in my food-wait, are you on this too, whatever this is!?"
"Don't look at me! I have no idea what's going on!"
"Guys!" Grover shouts. "Listen, I'll tell you everything. Just both of you be calm."
Percy and I looked at each other and took a deep breath. We both nodded at Grover, who seemed a little less on edge now that we weren't shouting.
"Mrs. Dodds and the whole thing you both saw, that happened as you saw it."
I flinched at Mrs. Dodds being mentioned, rubbing the spot where her talons slashed me. Even when it was fully healed and not even a scar left behind, I could feel chills touching the non-existent wound.
"I knew it," Percy said.
Looks like we weren't crazy, we actually saw Mrs. Dodds turning into a monster. But this means...
"Grover, what exactly are you and Mrs. Dodds?"
He seemed hesitant, but answered regardless. "I'm Satyr, and Mrs. Dodds is one of the Kindly Ones."
"Satyrs? You mean the one from Greek myth?"
"Greek, yes. Myth, no."
I looked away from him, my hands shaking. Percy noticed and asked if I was okay. I didn't say anything as my shaky hands gripped my hair and bit my lip.
"Grover, that means, my hallucinations...they are-" I didn't finish that sentence.
I heard him gulp. "They aren't hallucinations, they're real."
As soon as those words left those lips. A few tears escaped from my eyes. I could hear Percy and Grover call out my name, but it felt muddled. My ears rang as the world around me spun. This is crazy, this can't possibly be true.
This is all just a dream. There is no way my hallucinations could be real, no way. Mrs. Dodds never attacked us, and she didn't exist in the first place. Percy and I just had a maniac episode where we shared the same delusion, and I accidentally cut myself somewhere. Because if it were true. And all my delusions and hallucinations were true.
That would mean all the years of the jeers and bullying I had to suffer through, the pain of being rejected from potential foster parents because I was crazy, the constant disgusting pills I shoved down my throat, and the doctors telling me I would never be normal. All of that because everybody, and I myself, believed I had a broken mind. If everything I see is indeed reality, it means that everything I've suffered for absolutely no reason.
And they abandoned me without a reason.
I pulled my hair to the point it hurts, and I screamed. Percy, Sally and Grover flinched. They immediately told me to calm down. But I couldn't do it, not when everything is a lie! I could hear them screaming my name, but I was too busy shattering from the revelation until a flash of light hit our eyes, blinding them. I felt something hot, and the car exploded.
Well, the car didn't literally blow up, but it felt like it. I groaned as I opened my eyes. What just happened? Did we just get struck by lightning? The car was smoking and full of dents, the windshield shattered into tiny pieces, and the bumper looked melted. I looked at Sally, who gritted her teeth as she released her seatbelt slowly, as a tiny trickle of blood trailed down her forehead.
"Sally..." I managed to groan out.
"I'm fine, what about Percy and Grover?"
"I'm fine mom, but Grover is unconscious and hurt." I released my seatbelt and forced my hurt body to face them.
Percy recovered quickly and was trying to shake a knocked-out Grover awake. Just as I was about to go help him, lightning flashed again, but in that brief illumination, I saw something. Just a block away, there was a towering silhouette. And whatever it is, it was huge. I thought this was another hallucination...until I remembered a few seconds ago where I learned I don't have schizophrenia.
"Everybody, get out of the car," Sally says in a shaky but serious tone. "Now."
We got out of the roughed-up car. Looks like Ugliano is going to be pissed, good. I helped Percy and Grover as we moved we could through the dark woods. I hear loud booming footsteps chasing us. I was going to turn my head to see the far creature, but I instinctively pulled Percy, Grover and jumped to push down Sally just before Ugliano's car flew past us, crashing through several trees before it finally landed upside down.
Against our better judgment, Percy and I looked over our shoulder to see a giant creature that looked like a bull but was standing bipedally. The thing was like Andre the Giant if he somehow fused with a bull. It had two bone-like horns and glowing golden eyes. It was wearing white underwear, which I would laugh at normally, but in this situation, I'm more terrified.
"Is that the Minot-!?" Percy exclaimed.
"Don't say its name! Just move!" Sally shouts.
And we did, trying our best to move quickly, but the actual minotaur drew closer and closer.
"We're almost there! Look at the tree, you just need to enter the barrier!"
And in a flash of lightning, Percy and I spotted it. A large pine tree, but we're still a good bit away. I looked back to see the minotaur searching for us, despite being twenty yards away. Either this thing's IQ is room temperature, or it can't see very well.
"Mom, that thing is that really-"
"I told you not to say its name. Names have power!"
"What, how did you know all this mom!?"
Sally didn't say anything as we finally reached the pine tree. I was about to step near it until something hit my face, knocking me back.
"What the frick was that!?" I say getting back up, Grover and Percy have passed the tree.
I looked at Sally, who blinked in surprise. Percy looks at both of us, worried and angry.
"What are you guys doing? We have to keep going!"
Sally shakes her head as she grabs my hand and tries to push Percy, but once again, something pushes. Now I was confused. I slowly raised my hand and pressed it forward, only to be stopped by something. I tried to push my hand even further, but no dice.
"Clay, mom, stop messing around, let's go!" Percy begged.
I can see tears welling up in his eyes despite the dark and rain obscuring my vision. I could feel Sally's gentle hand on my shoulder. I look at her. At first, she looks confused until her eyes widen in realization of something.
"You're not like Percy, you're like...me."
We flinched once he heard a loud bellow from below. The minotaur is approaching us, getting closer and looks ready to charge.
Sally frantically shakes me. "Listen, Clay, you can't cross the border, but unlike Percy, they can't smell you. Use that."
"What? I don't get it, what are you-?"
"And Percy!" She turned to look at her son. "I...I'm sorry, I should have let you go sooner. Forgive your mother."
"Mom, what are you saying? Stop talking like that and let's go!"
Grover was still on his shoulder while all this chaos was going on. What wouldn't I give to be him right about now? She returned her eyes to me, it was filled with fear but still with the same warmth, her chocolate eyes seemed to hold.
"Please take care of Percy for me; he's a bit of a troublemaker, but he's a good boy."
"Sally, I-"
"Run, Clay, run!"
That's all she said before she dashes off, but not to where Percy is, but towards the minotaur.
"Mom!"
"Sally!"
Percy and I shouted in unison. Sally was waving her arms to get the bull's attention.
"Hey, hey over here, yeah you!" She waves frantically in the air.
I heard the minotaur bellow before charging right at her. To Sally's credit, she rolled out of the way just in time before the bull could tackle her. The monster crashed through several thick trees before fully stopping. It bellowed again in frustration before turning back and charging at Sally again, who tried to move out of the way like before, but it seems it learned its lesson as it stopped and grabbed her by the neck.
"Mom!" Percy shouts, gently dropping Grover before running past the large pine tree, but I quickly stop him.
"Don't you just get caught too!"
"Let go, Clay!"
Percy tried shoving me away, but I was stubborn, and then we stopped. We see Sally's form start glowing while still being held by the minotaur. And not a second later, she dissolved before our very eyes. And Percy and I just stood there in shock. I let go of Percy and dropped to my knees.
"This can't be happening."
Percy shook, but not from fear; instead, he was shaking from pure rage. Percy charged in.
"Percy, don't!"
"You stupid ground beef!" Percy roared as he ran up to the hulking minotaur, who turned his attention on him.
The minotaur made a growling sound, and before I could react, Percy just got backhanded by the minotaur. His back crashed into a tree, and he groaned; a tiny amount of blood escaped his lips. My heart hammered as the minotaur bellowed and started stomping towards Percy. Come on, Clay, you've got to think!
Think!
Think!
Think!
Use that ADHD for god sakes! I looked around the area. I could see a piece of a tree when the minotaur missed Sally, a sharpened piece of wood that lay on the ground. I ran and grabbed it. I don't know how good this 'weapon' would be against a mythological monster who looks like he goes to the gym fifty times a week, but it's better than nothing. I look to where the monster is, it's near Percy now and is reaching its meaty hands on him.
"Hey, you overgrown hamburger, come look at me!" I shout, already charging.
It turned to look at me, but I already jumped as high as I could and stabbed the sharpened wood and its eye. It didn't go in like I expected; in fact, the wood shattered in my hands, but this caused the Minotaur to roar as it backed away, clutching its damaged eye.
"I hope that stings, jerk!"
I then go and tend to Percy.
"Percy, come on!" I tried shaking him, but he was delirious.
Awake, but seemingly dazed from the attack. I looked back at the minotaur, who didn't look long to recover and look at me with hate. I gulped, but I pushed down that fear and stepped slowly away from Percy. I nearly tripped when my foot landed on a tree stick, which I grabbed. I glared at the minotaur even as my heart pounded.
"Yeah, I hit your eye. And what is a big dummy like you going to do about it, huh!?"
It roars as it charges at me. I was about to roll out of the way like Sally until I remembered this thing isn't dumb. It must be expecting me to roll out of the way, and so I took a deep breath and charged towards the overgrown stake. I then pushed myself down between his legs as it barely missed me. I quickly pushed myself up and turned around.
The minotaur's horn got caught by one of the trees and is trying to pull it out. Now's my chance. I ran, lifting the wooden stick on top of my head as I yelled before bringing it down on its back. As soon as it made contact, the wood broke into two pieces.
"Eh?"
Oh, right, facing a supernatural beefcake, of course, a branch isn't going to do anything. I backed away slowly, my heart racing as I tried to form any other plans. But all thinking vanished when the minotaur jerked its head, roaring as it was forced to break its own horn to escape being stuck. It turned and gritted its teeth. Ah crap, I made it mad. I backed away, only to yelp as I slipped, and my butt painfully collided with the ground.
I stared up in fear with tears in my eyes as the minotaur loomed closer and closer.
"Who said I was done with you!" Percy's voice called out.
Then Percy somehow climbed on top of it. The bull-man bellowed and tried to shake Percy off, but he gripped the fur on its back tightly before grabbing its other non-broken horn. And with a feat that shouldn't be possible for a twelve-year-old boy, much less a human, he broke the other horn, earning him a painful roar from the monster. Percy raised the horn in the air, its sharp part aimed at the head and with a primal yell that sent chills down my spine, Percy plunged the minotaur's own horn into its scalp. It froze, as if time had stopped.
It's head where Percy Pierce started to leak a golden substance. Then, a few seconds later, in a golden flash of light similar to what happened to Mrs. Dodds, the minotaur gets vaporized, leaving golden dust flying away in the wind. Percy crashed hard to the floor, still holding the minotaur horn. I just lay there looking at Percy in shock. How did he do that? No, there is no time. I pushed myself off the ground and rushed to Percy, who was out cold.
"Percy? Hey!" I tried to shake him awake, but to no avail.
I was tired, exhausted and hurt, but I managed to barely carry him back to the pinecone tree. I was out of breath, and my vision was blurry and unfocused. Percy was still clutching that minotaur horn for dear life as we finally reached it. I can see Grover still unconsciously muttering about food. I tried to keep going forward, but I was stopped by that invisible thing again.
No longer having enough energy to stand, I collapsed to my knees and gently dropped Percy to the soaked grass. I took multiple deep breaths to restore air in my lungs, which burned like fire. In frustration at everything that's happened today, I shout as I punch that invisible barrier separating me and whatever is forward. My vision darkens even more, and my ears ring. Then, I heard it, the sound of galloping and rushing footsteps which splashed on the soaked grass.
In my focused and dark vision, I look up to see a blurry figure running to Grover's side, shouting his name; they sounds like a girl. Not only that, even in the dark and with my compromised vision, I could see she had blonde hair, though I couldn't tell anything else. The girl turned to me, her face obstructed and behind her was a horse? No, it's a man riding the horse, though it looked like the man was attached to the animal.
"Percy and...Mr. Brandon?"
Does he know me? A few others ran and stopped just behind the blonde girl and the rider.
"Please," I say weakly as I look at Percy for a brief moment and then to them, who now look like blurs of shapes. "Help...him."
I said before exhaustion took me, and my head bounced to the ground. But the last thing I heard was:
"I, Chiron, give Clay Brandon permission to enter camp!"