Momma's Boy: A Little Boy in Britain
Hello Everyone! Here is a new story for you! This is going to be an epic, as it's going to be very lengthy and action-packed. It's basically an AU in which Percy is born in Lancashire, Great Britain, in the 1880's (during the Industrial Revolution). It's a retelling of the most intense parts of history in Percy's eyes. Features the hidden parts of modern history no one knows about, the gods (not only greek), mysterious intentions, and Adolf Hitler (eventually). Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.
.:~*~:.
It was a town of red brick, or brick that would've been red if the smoke and ashes allowed it. It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which serpents of smoke trailed out of leisurely. It had a river that ran purple with ill-smelling oil, and vast stretches of buildings full of windows that were rattling and trembling all day long. It contained several large streets all similar to one another, and many small streets similar to one another, inhabited by people equally alike to one another. Wait, but that's not true. For in this little town in Great Britain had some very unique people hidden beneath its blanket of smog.
There is a little brown building hidden among many others of the same kind. Nothing special there. Yet, there was, but only to one who had the incentive to look. To the general spectator, nothing was out of the ordinary, if one could call the sickness and plague of poverty taking place in the year of 1884 in Great Britain ordinary.
Inside this little brown building, one could see something extraordinary taking place. Fifteen families, all having different histories, backgrounds and stories, were gathered in the small floor of the building. There were wrinkly looking hammocks hanging from the ceiling, and even wrinklier looking people lying in them, motionless. The younger adults had taken to lying on the floor, tired from their lack of work. All residents were clothed in filthy rags, and their skin was no better, smeared with oil and dirt.
Everything was quiet and dreary in this little brown building, the silence only was broken by an occasional cough. Even though it was close to falling apart, the building was home to the people who lived there. To them, their lives were peaceful and complete, even if they were up to their noses in poverty. But one may look at this scene and find something missing. Where were the children? Well…
"MUM! MUUUUUMMMM!"
A whole stampede of small forms stumbled through the rickety doorway, their little chests moving rapidly as the children struggled to catch their breath. There was a mix of girls and boys, ranging from the ages of 4 to 10. They were all wearing an assortment of worn overalls, either too small or too big for their frames. They were all very thin and malnourished, however they moved with such energy that one would never expect. Their faces were dirty and grimed, mimicking the irritated faces of their parents who were now slowly rousing in response to the enthusiastic shout.
The one who called out was one of the youngest boys there, only 4 years old. He was small even for his age, making him look thin and fragile. He had thick, grimy black hair that was swept to the side, and a golden looking skin tone. His eyes were as green as the ocean, shifting and glinting in the meager sunlight that streamed through the cracked windows of the building. His smile was bright and contagious, as when he walked through the rousing masses of adults, they couldn't help but allow a twitch of their lips as they watched the child's enthusiasm grow.
He strode to one of the forms lying on the ground, covered by a thin sheet of cloth. The other children were eagerly following in his wake. The child stopped in front of the form, kneeled down, and shook it with both hands.
"Mum! Mum! Wake up, mum! I found a shilling and three pence! You must see!"
Immediately following this announcement, the figure the child was shaking started to shift and all the other adults sprung up and began shouting.
"A shilling? What fortune you have, lad!"
"We can get a decent meal with that today!"
"Congrats, you're a real corker, boy!"
Suddenly, everyone calmed down. One of the elders had woken, and now was sitting on the floor, calling for quiet. His wise blue eyes stared at everyone in the room, making eye contact.
His gaze shifted to one of the more cleaner, younger adults, about 26. He had relatively neat brown hair, pushed back on his scalp, and his clothes were slightly less rumpled and filthy than the others. He was one of the only ones in this little gray building who had an actual job, even if it only paid him three shilling per week. His income was what fed the majority of the people in the building. He was also the only one who knew a bit of maths.
"Albert," the old man requested,"How many pence is that?"
"Twelve-pence in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound. 15 pence, grandfather."
"15 pence. Enough to spend, but good to save. Put it in the jar, Albert."
Everyone but Albert and his grandfather groaned. One of the girls, Georgia, aged 9, complained,
" But that's not fair at all! We worked so hard to find these, I want some food!"
The rest of the children agreed.
"I'm hungry, we haven't eaten yesterday."
"I'm going to honk all over the floor if I don't eat something right now."
As the children were rejecting the proposal of saving their hard earned money, the woman who the child was shaking was now fully awake. Her shining blue eyes gazed at the little bodies flinging themselves at Albert while he was opening the savings jar. She shook her head fondly and raised her voice.
"Children, calm down."
Her voice, although not very loud, had a similar effect on the kids as Alberts grandfather had. They all stilled and turned to her, giving her their full attention.
Albert gave the women a grateful look as he was left in peace to put the one shilling and threepence in the savings jar. He mouthed to her,
'Thank you, Sally.'
Sally smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, before turning to the children. But her gaze was mainly focused on the boy who had woken her up. She smiled and tucked one of her springy brown locks behind her ear.
"I am chuffed Percy. As we all are, I'm sure. But we can't just go spending. Or else we'll be skint. I know for a truth that you lot ate our bread this morning, so there is no need to go wag off. No more money and we all starve for real later."
With all the children looking properly guilty, as well as some of the adults, Sally ruffled Percy's hair and hugged him. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and breathed in his mother's scent of sugar and all things sweet. Sally kissed him on the cheek, and muttered,
"I'll love you till the end of time-"
"I live for you, you're end is mine," Percy replied promptly, pushing his face into his mother's shoulder.
This phrase may seem a bit morbid, but it was a promise that Percy and his mother has since he was smaller than he was now. It was a promise for both of them, to never have their love be destroyed, and to keep each other alive. It was a promise to survive in the cruel world, which was hard in their time, the Industrial Era of Great Britain.
After a few more moments, Sally withdrew from their hug and straightened, leveling her gaze to the stagnant kids, who were staring at the mother and son's interaction.
"Well," Sally motioned, flicking her hands in their general direction, "go on, kiddies. Help your parent get a decent appearance."
The other children muttered despondently as they went to their respective parent to help them get ready for a day of finding rich people who would hire them to clean their houses or clip their bushes for a few pence. What, did you think the poor sat around and did nothing all day? Pffffft.
As the different adults got ready for the day and started to exit the building, Sally turned to her son and gave him a mock stern look.
"Now, remember don't-"
"Yes mummy, I know," Percy interrupted, "Don't talk to strangers, don't take suspicious work, and don't eat anything that is on the ground or that looks weird. I know mum. I'll stay safe. Don't worry."
"There's always a cause to worry when regarding you." Sally rolled her eyes and smiled. She pinched his cheek lovingly and walked to her thin blanket where her only possessions belonged; a chipped comb, a light jacket, and a closed jug of water.
"Now, help me brush my hair."
.:~*~:.