Hey! I'm back!
AncientTide,
Thank you! So much! Hahaha, idek how I came up with it…like the reviews said, it's pretty much just a combination of a bunch of books I've read. Unfortunately, it's only got 90 views. Oh well. I've got you awesome reviewers! I don't need everyone else!
Mr. Invincible,
Yeah, actually, I have read the Gone series. It is similar, I really didn't notice that :)
WriterCat97,
It is also similar to the Maze Runner, which, yes indeed, I have read. Jeez, this is like a mix of a bunch of different stories now that I think about it.
|||| Winter Wolf ||||,
Thank you!
Elsa Sang,
Yup, I have read the Gone series, as mentioned in previous replies ;) Also, yeah, I hate it when Luke is the bad guy. Luke is awesome! And Thaluke is even better! Okay, I will include a friendship between Silena and Clarisse. I was going to, but I had kinda forgotten about it when I was writing the chapter…whoops.
Lahlahland,
I just want to start off by saying THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I noticed that, not only have you read and favorited most of my stories, but you have also favorited me! THANKS SO MUCH! Also, yes, I shall add more Luke and Thalia.
Hey guys…I'm sorry, but I made a mistake. I accidentally made Piper one of the Hunters who grabbed a weapon, but she's not. Sorry.
Anyways, let's get to the freaking story already!
Percy's Pov
Annabeth and I strolled through the forest, waiting to see an animal. Over the years, we had gotten a bit excited and hunted down too many species. Now, many species were endangered. Now, we are only allowed to kill three animals per person per day. That includes birds, fish, and rodents. It does not include bugs or monsters.
Oh, haha, did I forget to tell you about the monsters? Yeah, the Hunters are also the Hunted. Ironic.
Monsters hide in the forest. That's what makes this job dangerous. There is always the great possibility of one of us dying.
"So, read any good books lately?" Annabeth tried to start a conversation with me.
I smirked at her. "Annie, you know I don't read."
"Don't call me that!" She snapped. "Don't or can't?"
"What?"
"You don't read, by choice or you can't read by lack of skill?"
"Um…both?"
"Both?"
"Yeah, I'm dyslexic, so I can read, but it's a struggle and I can't read well, so I choose not to."
"Dyslexia isn't a choice, Percy." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Nor is it an excuse."
"Oh, so me barely being able to read, medically, isn't an excuse for me not being able to read well? You do realize that you're contradicting yourself in that accusation."
"Oh, look, someone's brushing up on his vocabulary."
"Hey! Just because I'm not accustomed to reading doesn't mean I'm not smart!"
"Whatever, Seaweed Brain."
"Well, you're such a…a…Wise Girl!"
"I thought name-calling was meant for dashing your self-esteem, not boosting it."
"I…you…arg! You're so difficult!"
"Why thank you, I try." Annabeth took a little bow, making me groan in exasperation.
"Why me?" I asked, looking up at the sky expectantly.
What I did not expect was the sky answering. Sure enough, something dropped out of the sky. Something small and dark. I couldn't see exactly what it was, but I knew whatever it was couldn't be good.
"Get out of the way!" I yelled, shoving Annabeth out of its path. We crashed down below a tree. Luckily, Annabeth's head came within inches of missing the thick trunk, saving her the pain of the soon-to-be concussion.
"Percy, what the-" She stopped short once she saw the object. I stood, helping her to her feet. We stared in disbelief at it.
It was a person.
It took me a minute, but I soon recognized the person.
It was Piper.
LINE BREAK
Clarisse's Pov
I sighed in annoyance as that twerp continued to talk behind me. I blocked out what he was saying, mostly, but he just wouldn't shut up!
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "If you can't keep your bloody mouth shut I swear I'll do more than shut it for you!" I yelled at him, breathing heavily.
"Jeez, Clarisse, people'll really start to think you've cracked if they hea-" I slammed him against a tree, a really thick one. I hoped it hurt. Screw Castellan and the rules! If this punk decided to say one more word, he would get pummeled.
"I said. Shut. Up." I growled, glaring at him. Connor gulped, bobbing his head up and down quickly. "Good." I released him, and he pushed off of the tree, away from me. I turned to him, about to say something, but before I could, something drastic happened.
I looked up, hearing a faint noise. Something hurled from the sky, plummeting at speeds even our fastest chariots couldn't reach.
"Come on!" I smashed through the trees to where I thought it was going to land, not bothering to see if Connor followed.
I skidded to a halt as I came to the clearing. Prissy and Annie Bell were already there, staring at the girl who had fallen from the sky.
I bent down, getting a closer look.
It was Piper McLean.
LINE BREAK
Jason's Pov
Chris and I usually work in silence, simply nodding to each other or gesturing when we're about to kill something. We were sneaking up on a deer when we heard a faint noise. A scream. It sounded above us, and the deer took off. Little did I know that that scream was about to change my life forever.
"What was that?"
"I dunno."
"Look; over there!"
"Where?" Chris pointed to the sky, and I noticed a dot, getting bigger and bigger as it hurtled towards our place.
"Shoot…Chris, you don't think that's…"
"A person? I don't know man, I don't know."
"It looks like it's going to land over there. Hurry!"
Chris followed me closely as I crashed through the forest. I swiped blindly at branches, stumbling into small clearing after small clearing until I bumped into someone.
"Jason. Watch it, you were about to skewer me with that thing. How many times have I told you-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, don't run with sharp objects." I grumbled, sheathing my sword.
"Nice to see you, too." Thalia rolled her eyes at me.
"Did you guys hear that scream?" Luke asked.
"Yeah. We saw…something falling that way. We were planning to catch up with it, to see what it is."
"We didn't see anything…" Thalia looked at Luke, and he shook his head, confirming her thoughts. "But we'll follow you anyways."
"Great. It was this way." I continued running through the woods, a bit slower but more careful this time.
Eventually, we came upon a clearing. Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, and Connor were already gathered around something…someone.
It was a girl. It took me a moment to recognize her with her mangled features, but…
"Piper." I breathed. I glided numbly over to where she lay, dying. I was half-surprised she wasn't dead already. The other half of me felt like it was dying inside along with her.
"Piper." I repeated, my voice cracking. I was on my knees in front of her body, cradling her head in my arms. Tears slipped down my face, but I was not ashamed. Outside of my bubble of grief, I heard a few gasps of sorrow and disbelief, and a sob or two, but I mentally shoved them aside. I held Piper closer, whispering something in her ear. "I love you." Before I knew it, her body was disintegrating in my arms. My arms shook with rage and grief and desperation.
"No. No. NO!" I yelled to nobody in particular, screaming my pain at the sky. I broke down, sobbing. I stood weakly, staring at the spot where Piper had lain. I shook my head, my eyes blurry with tears. How could this have happened? I turned to Thalia, who hugged me. Even though she was two years older than me, she was shorter than me. I buried my head in her shoulder, and she murmured something in my ear, but I couldn't hear anything. Piper was drowning everything out. My mind blocked it all out until all that was left were flashbacks of better times.
"Hi. I'm Piper."
"I-I'm Jason."
"Where am I?"
"I don't know…we call it The Respawn."
"Why would you call it that?"
"Because it's where the new kids arrive."
"Oh…I don't really remember anything…is that normal?"
"Yeah. I just went through the same thing a week ago."
"How old are you?"
"I'm thirteen."
"Same here. Why are we here?"
"Apparently, the world is ending, and for the last few years, The Respawn has been sending kids here."
"Sounds horrible!"
"It's not too bad, actually. I found my sister here."
"That's cool. I don't remember if I have any siblings…"
"Don't worry, you'll get used to this place."
"I sure hope so."
"C'mon, let me how you around."
"Okay. Thanks, Jason."
"No problem."
"So, is this…like…a date?"
"Um…I don't know…I guess…if- if that's okay with you."
"Of course it's fine with me!"
"What's that mean?"
"In case you haven't noticed, Jason, I've grown pretty attracted to you over the last few years."
"Really?"
"Yeah. And I was wondering if gravity works like it supposed to."
"What?"
"That means kiss me if you like me, Jace."
"Piper…I really, really like you. I have for awhile now. So I guess I should test gravity and become more attracted to you than I am now."
"How-"
I cut her off by kissing her. It was our first kiss, and it was amazing.
"Jason! You made it!"
"What?"
"On the Hunters! You made it!"
"Really? Awesome!"
"Hey! Put me down!"
"Sorry, I'm just so happy we made it together!...Piper…you did make it, right?"
"No…but it's okay. This way I have a big bad wolf protecting me."
"I'm sorry, Piper, I know how badly you wanted that…"
"No, I really didn't want it. I just knew you wanted it. I always knew I wouldn't make it, but that will always be okay as long as you survive your trials."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
TIME /\\ WARP
Jason's Pov Cont.
I was on a table. No, not a table. A stretcher. I couldn't open my eyes, didn't have the strength to sit up. My ears groggily picked up garbled speech of people I hardly recognized.
"No-"
"That's not possible."
"I know…I know what I saw."
"She was…but now…here?"
"How could…so sorry."
"…for? He…"
"…dead?"
"Maybe…"
"Can't be…she…he…why…"
"Travis…it."
"Wha…"
"…leg…injury…larger…thought."
"Sh. Wait. He's…"
"…waking?..."
"Maybe."
I finally managed to open an eye. My vision was distorted, the faces blurred almost beyond recognition. My hearing was returning reluctantly.
"…son. Jason. Jason!"
I tried speaking. "What…who…"
"It's me! Thalia. Can you see? Are you okay?"
"What…happened?" It all came flooding back to me in a rush. "Piper." I choked out. "Oh, gosh, Piper…"
"It's okay, Jace, it's okay."
"No, it's not! It's not! You don't understand!" I was sobbing, finally able to sit up, but I didn't want to.
"No, Jason, it's okay! Really!" Thalia stepped aside, and, through my tears, I saw someone.
My heart stopped.
"Piper?"
Whoaaaaaa. What just happened here? Haha, well, I dunno how I came up with that. Anyways, Sprry for the slow update.
WARNING: not all updates will be quick. Not only do I have school, but I have three other stories to continue. And one that's on HIATUS until I can find inspiration.
THANKS FOR READING!
