Chapter 1: I Have Unexpected Visitors

It was the middle of the night when I heard the doorbell ring.

I twisted and turned but no matter where I lay, I just couldn't sleep. I blamed my insomnia for my nightmares. They've been recurring for several weeks now, but I don't know what they mean. When you're a demigod, dreams have meanings, but this could just be my own anxieties. I'm not sure how that's much better, but at least it wouldn't mean something terrible happening.

That's when I heard the doorbell.

At first I thought I'd imagined it. I mean, who would come visiting in the middle of the night. I waited for a full twenty seconds in the darkness of my room. Waiting and hoping that the doorbell I heard was just my own twisted imagination playing a trick on me.

It rang again. This time more urgently. But who could it be?

There's only one way to find out, I thought as I pulled the covers off me and reluctantly made myself get out of my very comfortable twin sized bed. Shadows seemed to swirl around my vision, sucking me in as I blindly made my way to the light switch. Luckily I reached it without stabbing a toe, which was miraculous, and flipped the switch, but my room remained immersed in darkness.

I let out an annoyed sight as I brought my fist up and punched the switched. Instantly the room was filled with light as the single light bulb hanging from the ceiling came to life.

The sudden brightness blinded me as I squinted and blinked to adjust to the new found light. My bedroom, now freed from the shadows, was a total mess. Clothes, underwear, papers and pencils littered the floor. A bin overflowing with garbage. A desk with stacks of homework not yet started. And of course a fish tank with a very hungry red fish swimming around frantically trying to get my attention.

I sighed. I really didn't need to be reminded of the state of my life right now.

I picked up some blue PJ's lying on the floor slipped them on before I opened my bedroom door. I quickly made my way through the house, down the stairs and to the front door. My foot bumped into an empty beer can that rolled and joined the other hundreds of beer bottles that littered the entire apartment.

I cursed under my breath and resumed my walk to the front door. Just before opening it, I noticed the cracked mirror hanging on the wall to my right. Even though it was in a bad condition, I could clearly make out my reflection.

Although sometimes I was pretty proud of my reflection, but right now, I must admit, I looked horrible. My long hair looked even messier than usual, as if I'd just woken up from bed. Oh wait, that's exactly what happened.

With a shake of my head I grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. To my surprise, the figure standing before me wasn't just super tall and imposing, but looked like someone playing dress up. It was like a mix between a Greek warrior with the breastplate, shin guards and gauntlets. But also that of an assassin with the hood and heavily ripped caped that might have reached his feet when it was new, but now it barely reached his knees. But despite the strange outfit, what spooked me the most was the faceless mask that covered his face with two eye holes.

I didn't move. I stayed completely immobile. I blinked. Once. Twice and third time before I made up my mind. I shut the door right in his face.

Impolite I know, but do you blame me? You see a complete weirdo like that at your front step in the middle of the night, you shut the door and call the police, right? Except, I knew that this wasn't just some weirdo cosplay outfit. The fact that he wore Greek armour only proved my point. He had some kind of connection to the Gods and me being me, of course he's sent over to me. Oh you're the only one that can save us, please do this and I might reward you by not voting for your death at the next Council meeting, okay?

Yeah, right.

I was about to run back to my room when the doorbell rang again. And again. And again. And again. Again. Again. Agai-

I swung the door open so hard I nearly took it off its hinges as I snapped: "What?!"

"Hi!" came a cheerful response from the man behind the mask. It happened so fast I almost didn't believe it. The man continued by raising his hand up for me to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm P-uh-John, John Smith."

I gave him a suspicious look as I still didn't shake his hand. Who was this guy? John Smith? Really? Couldn't he have come up with a more suspicious name than that?

I didn't shake his hand.

He looked down at it as if disappointed before he brought it back down to his side and continued speaking with slightly less enthusiasm. "Okay, you might be confused, but we really need to talk. It's the life and death kind of thing and we could really use your help."

Called it!

"What do you mean by 'we'?"

"Oh, sorry I forgot to introduce my companion. Freddy, say hi." He moved sideways so I could see at the bottom of the steps another person. This one seemed ordinary enough compared to 'John Smith'. He was so thin that he reminded me of a skeleton. He looked up at me, his eyes hidden under his bangs as he smiled and gave me a small wave.

I hesitantly waved back. Who the hell were these people? They weren't gods… I think.

"What do you guys want exactly?"

John looked back at me. "Just to talk."

"Strangely I don't believe that, but whatever. I guess I can hear what you guys got to say, but first I need to change out of my PJ's," I said and I moved to close the door when John stopped me by putting his hand on the door.

"By the way, just to be sure and so that this is not completely awkward," he said sounding rather embarrassed. "You're Percie, right? Percie Jackson?"

"Persephone," I clarified with a slight glare. "Only my friends call me Percie."

With that, I shut the door in his face for the second time. I wasn't even surprised anymore that complete strangers and weirdoes knew my name. I am the daughter of Poseidon and the saviour of Olympus, after all.