The Adventures of Luke and Thalia

Jason is gone!

Thalia

I was planning to go on a picnic and have some family bonding time, but of course that wasn't how it turned out. Let me tell you the story, with no interrupting, or else….

It all started when I had just turned 9, and my mom, and my brother Jason and I, went on a picnic at the park. I'd thought that was strange, because my mom never took us anywhere.

I was being extra protective with Jason, just in case my mom tried to do something to him. I held his hand while we were walking and didn't let him out of sight.

Of course he hadn't gone out of sight

My mom had told me to get the picnic basket. She had seemed really nervous.

I didn't want to, but I knew that Jason would only be alone with mom for a couple of minutes. So I hurried to the car, which had been about a quick 2 - minute walk from where we'd been.

I remember this part so clearly, for some reason. So, when I got back, my mom was just sitting on the steps of the big building in the middle of the park. I ran over there. Mom was crying and I asked her what had happened. I remember her exact words. She'd said, "Jason… h-he's gone. He's good as dead. Don't even bother trying to find him."

I'd thrown the picnic basket on the floor and stormed away, but my mom grabbed me and led me home. I struggled with my mom, trying to wrestle free of her. She hadn't cared. She'd said I should be supporting her, that I'd betrayed her, as if I would ever agree with giving Jason away!

I knew mom had given Jason to Hera. But why? Who would ever want to put a little, sweet baby that never done anything wrong?

I called the police, and they went over to my house to question my mom. At the end of the questioning, my mom went to a court case. Her lawyer was Alexander Malcolm Johnson. He was a terrible lawyer and he was pretty much drunk. The lawyers argued for a while (well, one of them at least. Alexander was doing more snoring than talking). Then the police came.

They'd made me go to my room while they were 'working out the situation', and I'd tried not to eavesdrop, but I had to. I'd heard my mom saying stuff like: "Oh, but I didn't do anything. I just went to get the picnic basket. I left Jason with Thalia. When I came back, Jason wasn't there. It really wasn't my fault. It was Thalia's, if I have to tell the truth" and "I hate to tell on Thalia like that, but it was her!" I was so mad at her. How dare she blame it on me! Twisting the story like that! When the people went away, I went up to my mom and screamed at her. She'd argued with me for a long time. I forget what we had said, exactly, but it was about how we'd each blamed the incident at the park on each other. And it did NOT end with a nice little hug and us forgiving each other.

For a couple of days, I tried to tolerate my mom, but she was impossible.

Finally, I couldn't stand living there anymore, not with my lying mom and the emptiness of the world without Jason. So at night, I took some of my belongings, like my flashlight and a change of clothes and put them in a small bag. Then I walked away and didn't look back.

Meanwhile, Jason is…

Toddling step by step with his chubby legs, following Lupa to the Wolf House, but he doesn't know what it is. When he gets there, he bursts into tears because he misses his sister and mommy.

Lupa ignores him and waits for him to stop crying. Then Lupa hands him a little baby-sized sword, just right for Jason. It interests him, and his face lights up. Lupa takes his hand and places it on the sword the right way. Jason doesn't know this, but Lupa is already training him.

And Thalia's mom…

Is sitting on the front porch, drinking some beer. She was as bad as Alexander!

She isn't worrying about her kids, or wondering what they're doing. She's thinking about Zeus, waiting for him to come back to her.

She goes inside and puts her drink on the counter. She lies down on her bed and falls asleep.

Back to Thalia…

I walked on until it was getting dark. Then I settled down under a bridge. I tried to make myself comfy. Then I went to sleep. I didn't have any dreams, thank godness.

When I'd woken up the next morning, it was just about dawn. I could tell because the sun was still rising. I kept walking, and as I did, I noticed a goat. I'd thought that was strange, because I was in the suburbs. So I followed the goat. Every time I tried to get nearer to it, it would disappear. But it led me to a cave. I wondered if I should go in it…

To be continued…