Hi everybody!
This is my FIRST EVER FANFIC, so no flames!
As you know, this is a Carrie and Percy Jackson crossover, but there may be Harry Potter in this fanfic later on. Sorry if this first chapter is a little long, but I've been planning this fic for ages.
Also a special thankyou to my beta reader Jasmine14447219 check out her stories if you can.
Please read and review, constructive criticism is welcome.
AND NOW TO THE STORY!
1972, The White Family Residence
Carrie stared down at the bloodied and broken form of her mother, the recently deceased Margaret White. She felt numb, apart from the pain caused by the knife that was still embedded hilt deep in her shoulder, the past events of that night were starting to sink in, she felt horror, grief and a horrible, wrenching, sense of self hatred rise and expand inside her.
She had done this.
She had done all of it. She had murdered her fellow prom-goers and walked away unscathed. She had murdered her mother and brought terror upon her town. Maybe her mother was right, maybe the world would be better off with Carrie White dead. And, as her feelings grew inside her, she started sobbing, sobbing as she cradled her mothers head in her lap, sobbing as the first stones started to fall.
They rained down on her house by the bucket load. They smashed the dusty windows and dented the rusty gutters. They ploughed through the roof and eradicated all of her personal possessions in her room above. Carrie could do nothing but stare down at her mother's face, tears still running down her cheeks, not even acknowledging the stones.
Carrie was ready to die, almost happy that, after 16 long, bitter years, her suffering was finally over. She could finally rest.
She was kneeling by her mother's side, awaiting death when…
"Carrie?"
She turned and wasn't very surprised to see Sue Snell standing mere metres away, staring in horror at her mother's body.
"I killed my mum," she sobbed "I want her back."
"I can help you, Carrie." Sue stated
"No you can't, no-one can help me." Carrie whispered, too quietly for Sue to hear.
She turned, her face a mask of grief, and raised her hand, as though she were about to shove something, and concentrated. The effect was immediate. Sue was instantly lifted off her feet, and rose into the air.
"No, Carrie!" Sue gasped "Please don't hurt me!"
"Why not? I've been hurt my entire life." Carrie declared.
"I wasn't in on it, it was just Chris and Billy."
"I've dealt with Chris and Billy." she snarled "But now it's your turn."
Sue's face paled. "Look inside me Carrie, I didn't know."
Carrie looked into her eyes. She couldn't be serious, why on earth was she saying she was innocent? If anything, she was just delaying her own death. And to think, Carrie had been going to make it quick and painless, just to be nice. But, Sue had been more decent to her than the other girls had been. Maybe, just maybe, she was telling the truth. She gazed at Sue's face, pale and nervous, and looked inside her.
Years later, had someone asked her to recap how it had felt to look inside someone else's mind, or asked her to do it again, she wouldn't have had a clue. It was almost like diving into a swimming pool, watching as the water came closer and closer until… SPLASH! You're in the water. This time though, Sue's eyes were the swimming pool.
She was watching herself, wrapped in a towel, on the floor of the bathroom, shrieking and pleading. At first she felt a strange sense of happiness and satisfaction, but the longer she watched, the guiltier she felt. Until all she felt was horror, horror for her own actions. Then, she was out on the sports field, waiting for Tommy to finish. He came towards her, grin plastered on his face. He saw her serious expression, and his grin melted,
"No," he said "Not this again, I hardly know the girl."
Sue had begged and pleaded, until he agreed. He asked Carrie White to the prom. It was a win/win situation. Sue's conscience was cleared, Carrie would have a great time and would like she was finally being accepted, and Chris would get the punishment she deserved. Suddenly time fast-forwarded. It was prom night, the lights above were casting a warm, hazy glow over everything, laughter and voices filled the air, though the sounds were soon down beaten by the thunderous applause. Sue could see the bucket hanging high above the recently cleaned stage, hanging from a thin cord. Chris high above on the catwalk, usually only used for maintenance, though tonight, she felt it would have a whole different purpose. It was then that she saw the lengths of the cord clutched tightly in Chris' hands, Billy behind her, urging her on. She was struggling with Ms Desjardin, trying to escape her iron grip, trying to get to the stage, trying to warn Carrie…
Carrie's mind lurched from the memory and she stared at Sue in complete astonishment. She had been telling the truth, she really had just wanted to be kind to Carrie, to do something charitable, something that would benefit the outcast instead of the popular girl. And you were going to kill her, a voice in her head whispered. Shut up random voice she thought. Well screw you, the voice replied.
"You really didn't know?" Carrie whispered. She lowered her hand, and Sue landed gently on her feet.
"Listen, Carrie, we need to get out of here." Sue stated calmly, though she was still pale.
Carrie shook her head. "You need to get out; not we, you."
"Listen, I know the police will be looking for you, but there's a place you can go, a place that they'll never, ever find you."
Carriehesitated.
"Will you come with me or not?" Sue asked.
Carrie shook her head again.
"Please Carrie, you have your entire life left to live, if you choose to leave here with me tonight, you'll get a second chance, and you'll be able to start somewhere new. But if you don't come, you will die, forever regretting your decision to stay."
"What is this safe place?"
Sue was about to reply when a groan shook the house, followed by several creaks. Carrie and Sue looked around at the house. Carrie had almost forgotten that the house was due to collapse any minute now.
Sue looked back at Carrie, a sense of urgency in her voice. "Never mind what it is, we need to go now!"
Carrie looked at her helplessly. She began to struggle to her feet -
And the supports holding up the house gave out. The walls of the kitchen were instantly crushed, the rest of the house groaning as it finally collapsed. Carrie swept her hand in an arc in front of her, and Sue felt the same strange force that was telekinesis grip her as it had earlier, and Sue was instantly thrown from the building. She landed on a heap in the grass. She could still see Carrie in the hallway, looking around frantically as the house collapsed around her. Sue leapt to her feet and stumbled towards the house, her sneakers slipping and sliding on the dew-soaked grass. "Carrie!" she shouted she staggered up to the veranda hand out, meaning for Carrie to take it, Carrie's eyes met hers.
And the girl lunged in one final attempt to escape. Carrie grabbed Sue's hand and Sue pulled her away just as the hallway collapsed.
Carrie and Sue lay on the grass coughing, from the dust that had risen in huge, billowing clouds from the wreckage of the house.
The two girls pulled themselves to their feet and strolled over to the footpath like they hadn't almost died a minute ago.
"So," Carrie prompted "Now what do we do? I'm guessing this 'hiding place' isn't around the corner." she sounded kind of hopeful.
"Nope," Sue sighed "It's in Las Vegas."
"Okay, so what do we do now? Get passports or plane tickets? Pack bags? Eat? Sleep?"
The corners of Sue's mouth turned up in a small smile. "I think we would get busted the first time we went through security."
"Why?" Carrie questioned
Sue merely pointed at Carrie's shoulder. "Unless you've forgotten, or haven't noticed, you have a knife in your shoulder."
"Oh, right." Carrie looked mildly surprised, like she hadn't expected Sue to notice or care, or perhaps she'd forgotten herself.
Sue looked at her worriedly, "Let's go to my house" She suggested "We can pick up some supplies there, and take care of your injuries."
Carrie nodded, feeling too numb and confused to do much else.
"Alright, I think that's everything." Sue confirmed after rifling through their bags for 10 minutes.
Carrie emerged from the bathroom, her shoulder had been tended to by Sue, who apparently, had had first aid lessons when she was younger. Carrie, having stood under the warm spray of the shower for 30 mins, washed her hair and been dressed in some of Sue's old clothes, was feeling much better. Her hair was tumbling around her shoulders in a curly blond heap, and a fluffy blue towel was hanging on her good shoulder. She was wearing a plain shirt, jeans and an old blue cardigan that Sue's mother had handmade for her a few years ago. It was now too small for Sue, but it fitted Carrie quite well. This wasn't surprising, seeing as Carrie was a little small for her age. Carrie scooped up her neatly arranged bag with a murmur of thanks. Wanting to get away as soon as possible, she was down the hall and out of the front door in a matter of seconds. Sue lingered for a few minutes, she had the strongest suspicion that she wasn't going to see this place for a while.
She could hardly believe everything that had happened, the evening had started with her relaxing in her room, and now…
Now she was helping Carrie escape to a hiding place, after she had murdered hundreds of people. You should tell her the truth, she doesn't know what that place does to you, her voice of reason said. But how can I tell her? Sue thought helplessly. She knew everything about the place, how its enchantment worked, everything. Of course, her father had kept her well informed…
No, she was doing the right thing, things were better this way, this way Carrie could tell people her true name, without them screaming in terror or notifying the authorities.
You need to tell her…
And finally, after an epic mental struggle, during which she got so mad at her voice of reason that she visualised smacking it with a chair, she made her decision and walked out the door.
Sue met Carrie standing by the car doors, fiddling with the sleeves of her cardigan as she waited impatiently. She heard Sue's footsteps, turned and yanked the car door open, and climbed in.
Sue walked around the front of the car, so that she could feel the cool night air on her face for a little longer, she mentally planned what she was going to say.
She was going to tell Carrie on her way to the airport, so that she wasn't unprepared.
Sue pulled open the rusty-hinged van door, and scrambled inside, slamming the door behind her.
Since Carrie couldn't drive, and Sue could, it was pretty obvious who would be sitting in the driver's seat. Sue sat down on the grey, cushioned seat, did up her seatbelt, and turned on the engine.
The engine roared to life and she then floored the accelerator. The van shot of down the street. There was no possibility of a crash anyway, nearly everyone was at the ruins of the school.
"I can't believe I'll be going on a plane!" Carrie said, she looked excited, but also nervous.
Sue felt Carrie's gaze, she tried to smile, but her expression must have been too serious, because Carrie frowned and said,
"Sue, are you all right?"
Sue sighed, knowing that she couldn't hide the truth from Carrie any longer.
"Carrie, there's something you need to know about the hiding place." she paused to look at Carrie's questioning face, then continued,
"I told you it's a hotel, and that was the truth but….. It's called the Lotus Hotel and Casino, it's enchanted, so that you could stay what feels like a week there, you come out, and years have passed, if you went in there for a month like you planned, you'd leave and decades will have passed. I was going to tell you earlier, but then I thought you wouldn't want to go."
Carrie raised an eyebrow.
"You expect me to believe that it's actually enchanted?"
Sue decided that she needed Carrie to listen, so she played her last tactical card, it wasn't a good one, but guilt would make her listen.
"You don't believe me? Well, if I told someone on the street that telekinesis was real, they wouldn't believe me, would they?"
The amused look on Carrie's face vanished, replaced by a look of guilt.
Sue instantly regretted her words.
"I'm sorry Carrie, I just wanted you to believe me."
Carrie looked up at Sue.
"I think I would believe you better if there was an explanation for the 'enchantment'. "
"Okay, you know all those ancient Greek gods, like Poseidon and Zeus and Hermes? The ones we learnt about in History class?"
Carrie nodded.
"Well, they're real, and so are all the monsters like the Minotaur and the Hydra, but don't say those names, they'll attract monsters. And sometimes, those gods go around having kids with mortals. The results are demigods, who are half mortal and half god. I'm a demigod, my dad Hermes told me about the Lotus Hotel and Casino since he is the god of travellers."
For a moment Carrie just sat shocked, staring at the road and the green lights they were getting, before she said.
"That's... terrifying."
Sue looked at her in surprise.
"Wow, you're taking this better than I would have expected, most people say, 'Wow! That's so cool!' But they have no idea how dangerous our lives can get."
Carrie looked over at Sue and opened her mouth to say something, just as their van slid into a parking space.
"We're here." Sue muttered.
Carrie gazed up at the huge airport.
It was nearly dawn, but the airport was still the busiest place she'd ever seen.
Carrie and Sue climbed out of the car, hoisted their bags onto their shoulders and strolled up towards the airport.
"Wait," Carrie said, she sounded alarmed "We don't have any money."
Sue smiled and held up some papers.
"I took these from my parents' house, I'll be able to access their bank account, so we can buy tickets."
The pair entered the airport and walked towards the desk for buying tickets, they were just about to reach it when the huge TV hanging overheard switched on.
"And there are found to be a few survivors of the Chamberlain prom incident, though there is still a large death toll. All surviving students managed to give us enough information about the incident for us to name one perpetrator."
Carrie looked at Sue in alarm.
"We won't be able to get on the plane if they find out it's you." Sue breathed.
"I know." Carrie whispered back.
"Do something!" Sue hissed now sounding frantic.
Carrie turned her attention back to the TV where the reporter was still speaking
"…and all survivors claim it was supernatural activity that caused these problems, though survivor Rita Desjardin claims it was the doing of a single person…"
At that moment the TV switched off, and sparks flew from its frame.
"Aww!" an old lady in front of Carrie and Sue in the line said "I wanted to find out what caused such destruction!"
Sue breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Carrie.
"I'm guessing that those 'technical difficulties' were your fault." Sue muttered to Carrie
"Yeah."
The two of them broke away from the line, and milled around near the entrance.
"Hey Sue."
"Yeah?"
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom and explore a little bit."
"Okay, but don't talk to strangers!"
Carrie grinned and walked off.
Sue sighed and leant against the wall, glad for the coolness of the glass pressing into her forehead, it had been a close call with the TV. A second longer, and they would have been found out, and Carrie would have been arrested and taken to jail for murder. She wondered whether she was doing the right thing.
"You are doing the right thing, Sue."
Sue spun around and found herself face to face with a grown man. He had curly salt and pepper hair, twinkling eyes, and elfish features. He was wearing an expensive looking suit that had a caduceus embroidered on the breast pocket, and holding a travel bag. Sue stared at him in shock.
"Dad?"
Hermes grinned.
"Hello Sue, you've grown a lot."
"Why are you here?"
Hermes' grin got even wider
"To give you a present of course!"
Hermes then pulled a manila folder out of his travel bag and handed it to her. Sue wasn't sure whether or not she should trust him, but her curiosity got the better of her and she opened up the folder. Inside there was a variety of plane tickets, documents and other files. Sue gazed at it all in shock for a moment and then looked up at her father.
"What is all this stuff?"
Hermes leaned forward slightly.
"All that 'stuff' is your friend Carrie's ticket to freedom, there's fake certificates, passports, plane tickets, bank documents and even a driver's license. In this folder is everything she could possibly need to start a new life."
"Well, thank you Dad."
Sue opened up the folder again and found a piece of paper with what looked like instructions scrawled on it. She raised an eyebrow.
"Instructions?"
Hermes grinned.
"From her godly parent."
Sue stiffened and looked at Hermes in astonishment.
"Carrie is a demigod?"
"Oh, what? You thought a mere mortal could do what she did? No. Carrie is a demigod, and you know what that means, the instructions will help you."
Sue gazed at the sheet of paper and read through some of the instructions.
"But how?"
Sue looked up to see what Hermes would say, but there was no one there.
"Hey Sue, what's all that stuff you're holding?"
Sue turned to see Carrie strolling towards her, and managed a weak smile.
"Come on. We don't want to miss our plane." Sue said holding up their tickets.
The plane ride was a nightmare. The plane was bumped and jostled around so much, Sue wondered if Zeus was intentionally slapping the plane around just to mess with them. Carrie tightly gripped the armrests, face white and nervous, all the way through take-off. Finally when the plane was levelled out and the seatbelt sign turned off, Sue thought that they'd have a nice, relaxing flight. So naturally, the plane hit turbulence every 10 minutes, and after half an hour of turbulence, bumping and terrible airplane food, Carrie got airsick. It wasn't a pretty sight. Eventually the air stewardess gave Carrie a drink that made her fall into a deep sleep, and by that point Sue was so sick of trying to fall asleep naturally, that she asked for some too.
Landing was probably the best thing that had happened to Sue all day. She had to wake Carrie up, and though she woke up fine, she was still very sleepy. The two sat at a table in the airport and Sue ordered coffee for the both of them. This yielded few results. Eventually, Sue had to whack Carrie in the face with her passport to keep her awake. Once they'd had their coffee, they left the airport and hailed a taxi.
Carrie spent the entire taxi ride with her face pressed up against the window, staring in wonder at the brightly coloured buildings, at the statues and replicas of international monuments. She asked the cabbie a ton of questions. What was that monument called? What was the reason the city was named Las Vegas? What type of tree was that? What did Las Vegas mean? The cabbie tried his best to answer all of her strange questions. After a while, Sue handed Carrie the folder with the documents in it and she read through the instructions.
"Okay, so I stay what feels like a month in there and when I come out, it's been 4 decades?"
Sue nodded in confirmation.
After what felt like hours the cab drew up in front of a large, and very colourful building which had the words LOTUS HOTEL AND CASINO written in huge neon lettering on the front side of the hotel.
"Okay, this is your stop." The cabbie declared.
"Thank you." Carrie said as she climbed out and onto the busy street. Sue helped her pull her bag out of the back, and then shut the boot.
Sue hugged Carrie.
"Good luck Carrie, I'll miss you."
"Thank you Sue, for everything."
Sue gave her a sad sort of smile, then climbed back inside the cab, shut the door, and the cab sped off down the down, trailing dust behind it.
Carrie turned and looked up at the hotel.
1 month Carrie, and no longer, no matter how tempting it is.
Carrie walked up the drive towards the hotel. Inside she could see cafes and some games.
Carrie took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
Whew! Only now do I realise why some people hardly ever update, my fingers hurt!
Anyway, that was the first chapter. Please review, and yet again thank you to my beautiful beta reader Jasmine14447219! :-)
See ya next chapter!
~SparkyDill128