Percy was sitting in the silence of his room. Talk that he had with his mom was still playing over in his head. Secret that was hidden from him was tempting him even more as the time passed. He knew it was important, he knew that he needed to know about it, no matter how bad it was. His stubbornness was one of the traits that he got from his father. He couldn't count how many times he was told that from his father's side of a family. If it was about dedication to learn new techniques or to stand his ground in an argument, his stubbornness was enough to make some of his family members to dislike him.

Temptation to call his father was growing as each minute passed. One simple Iris message would be enough, but somehow he knew that it would not work. If his father didn't want to be contacted nothing would breach to him. By the talk that he had heard before and the silence in the past six months, he knew that would be the case.

Percy was well known by his stubbornness. Growing up amongst immortal gods was enough to make it more pronounced. But he knew that gods were even worse. Even though Olympus was not closed, he knew it would be impossible mission to enter it.

He bit his lip trying to calm his frustration. He felt as his limbs charged with unused energy. His leg started bouncing in an attempt to release it, but he knew it would not be enough. Thanks to his ADHD, there were very few things that could help him release bottled energy. He knew that he could practice his sword fighting, one method that could exhaust him, but after a broken furniture accident (something that is not spoken about in Jackson household), his sword was strictly forbidden in an apartment.

Sudden sound of opening doors stopped his spiralling thoughts. Sally entered his room sitting by his side. He leaned toward her side, laying his head on her shoulder. He let his eyes close as his mom soothingly passed her fingers through his hair. She hissed his temple as she spoke.

"I have a surprise for you, but I guess it just slipped my mind, with everything that happened" Percy questionably looked at her narrowing his eyes. Sally just smiled as she spoke "I've managed to get us three nights at Montauk"

Percy's eyes widened at the mention of the place. He has been there few times in his life, but he also knew it held important sentimental place in his mom's heart. As he has been told, it was a place where she and his father met.

"When are we going?" he asked excitedly, his bad mood falling in the back plan just for a few moments.

„Tomorrow morning. I thought you deserved it. Little time away from city and everything. I managed to save more money, so I thought both of us need small vacation"

Small vacation was good description. His mom was, by his humble opinion, the best person in the world and if anyone tried to deny it, they would have to face his wrath. Her biggest wish was to become a novelist, but reaching that goal has taken a lot from her. After hard childhood, unfinished high school due to family problems, she was unable to reach her goal.

When Percy was five years old, monsters started showing up. With his knowledge of his godly parentage and constant visits to mount Olympus, Percy's smell has increased. Unknown to him at the time, his mom found one way to reverse unwanted effect. She got married to a man named Gabe Ugliano.

Even now he shuddered when he thought of him. They managed to live together for a few years, but it became unbearable. Even though his mom didn't know, Percy knew about abuse that she went thru. But when one day she found a bruise on Percy's body, Percy knew that she has had enough. Soon, his father got involved, even though everyone thought that Percy knew nothing about this. Gabe Ugliano went mysteriously missing, according to the grown ups, but Percy knew his family well enough not to question any of it. If his mother said it couldn't be explained, then it certainly could not. Both his mother and father were involved, but if anyone asked them that, they would deny it.

Right now, she was saving money to enter her long wanted writing course. She was currently working at the candy factory. Even though it was hard job, she was trying to hide it. For most of the time she has managed her goal, but that still didn't mask the fact that Percy could clearly see dark circles under her eyes. He was relived that it will soon be over. Even though his father offered her help, she refused every single time. She had thought that if she's to succeed, she will do it on her own.

„Now" she said „What do you say on that promised ice cream?"

Percy enjoyed as sun tickled his face. He was sitting with his mother in a Central Park. People were walking all around the park, green trees making cool shade for its occupants. Children's laugh filled the air, perfectly mixing Sally was slowly eating her on ice cream watching life of city unfolding in front of them. She looked at Percy smiling at him. He has managed to get some of his energy out of his system, but he still felt as if he could run for a long time and not to feel tired. They were currently talking about school.

His mom offered him some of the options, but both of them agreed about one of the choices. There were schools that were willing to take students with ADHD and dyslexia, but they knew that they would need more time. Percy also knew that his father purposed special schooling, not related to mortal schooling program, but Sally quickly disagreed.

"Don't worry about school Percy. There are many more options, and besides, I heard one school that is ADHD and dyslexic friendly. How about we try that one next?"

"Yeah sounds like a plan" he agreed.

He saw that his mom wanted to talk more about subject, but decided against it. Percy crumpled napkin that sat in his palm. His energy was building up and Sally saw it. She gave him her napkin.

"How about you go and throw this away? And if you want go and take some of the steam off. After that we can go back to the apartment, I'll order pizza. Is that fine?"

"More than fine" Percy smiled as he run away. It felt good to take the steam off. Wind was rushing through his hair as he sprinted amongst the people. He might have stepped on few feet, but he ignored it. As he threw away napkins, he turned around to go back, but he felt shivers down his back. He turned around looking for the source of his discomfort. After a bit of wandering around, his eyes stopped at the weird sight.

Three old ladies were sitting on the bench far away from him. Even though Percy thought that it would be far enough for them not to notice him, he saw that they were looking straight at him.

People were walking around them, not paying any attention to those three weird women. If they didn't move their hands, he would have thought that there were corpses sitting in the bench. But Percy has been surrounded by many ancient beings in his life, when he saw them, he managed to recognise them. Their skin wan pale and wrinkled, their silver hair was lying lifelessly over their eyes, making their resemblance to a corpse even more pronounced.

Their hands were moving together, synchronized movements were knitting pair of socks. Lady in the middle was holding big basket with yarn. Other two were making slow but steady progress, Percy could only stay paralysed as he watched them. Shivers were more pronounced, he felt himself shaking even though he could not explain why.

Lady in the middle was carefully watching his every move. Only movement she made was reaching in her basket. Percy stood unable to move. She took pair of enormous golden and silver scissors. It felt as if like cold wind suddenly went right through him. He tried to take in a breath, but his lungs would not expand. The other two ladies stopped their knitting. He and the women were now standing completely still. Percy felt as if the time stopped. People were walking around then, suddenly creating a swirl of colour completely shifting reality. Old lady in the middle whispered quietly, in ancient Greek that Percy knew all too well.

"Τομή"

Cut. Word so simple yet so significant. As he heard those words, cold knife went thru him. She raised golden scissors as she cut through the yarn. He felt as he was suffocating. He heard faint scream in his head as everything around him disappeared. His eyes were suddenly covered by complete darkness and then, by the blast of colours. He could not discern what was playing in front of his eyes, but as it started, it stopped.

Even though it was only a couple of seconds, for Percy it felt like a lifetime. His body suddenly became weightless. He felt as if air has been sucked out of a space around him. His lungs felt even more constricted, sudden coldness was starting to get overwhelming. He felt sudden pain in his palms. His fingers grabbed stones underneath him trying to ground him.

His sight suddenly started to clear up. He was on the floor, people walking around him. Some of them looked towards him, as if deciding should they approach him while the other just simply walked by, apparently thinking he was just child that fell down. He quickly stood up looking toward the bench, but the ladies were gone.

He bit his lip as he still felt cold feeling lingering in his body. His legs were shaking, his ears were ringing as if he was in his father's underwater palace. He looked at his palms wincing at the pain. Reed spackles were mixed with greyish stone remains. He looked around the park trying to locate his mom, but he felt so disorientated that he could barely think.

Sally looked towards Percy, her eyes narrowed. Percy could see her mouth moving, but he couldn't hear a single word that she was saying. It seemed like his ears were completely underwater. Cold feeling was still lingering in the back of his mind. She run towards him placing her hands on his shoulders.

"What is it Percy? What happened?" she asked, her eyes falling to his bloody palms. She suddenly stood reaching for them

His lungs were still screaming for an air. He knew that he should say his mom what happened, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He could feel his

"I-" he started "I tripped on the way" he finished quietly. Sally's eyes narrowed on his explanation. She knew that he got far worse wounds while training, much to her dismay. She sat him down as she cleaned his palms. Percy's mind felt clearer but he still could hear cold snap of scissors.

He felt as she squeezed his arm. He looked up to her, suddenly drained completely out of energy. Her eyes narrowed even more.

"Percy, what happened?" he knew that she wanted to hear full story, to know the reason why he was suddenly in a state that is complete opposite from the one he was merely ten minutes ago.

"Nothing" he said in the end "I just tripped, I guess that entire school year came crushing down on me."

He winced on the lie. He knew clearly that his mom could read him as an open book. She still looked unconvinced, but didn't comment. She took now his clean hands and helped him up on his feet. She opened her mouth to say something, but her voice failed her. She looked around them as she quietly led him towards the busy streets.

"Is it a monster?" he could barely hear her voice, it almost got lost in a sea of people walking around them. He shook his head.

"Trust me mom, it's nothing. Why don't we just go home? I can assure you that I'll be going to sleep early" He could see hesitation in her eyes, but in the end she gave in. he could feel energy going back to his body, but the cold feeling was still lingering inside of him.

He tried to ignore his weird, but in the same time terrifying experience. Yes, he had fought monsters before, but this time everything felt different. He could not explain what has happened to him. He tried to ignore the feeling that was still lingering in the back of his mind. His thoughts were interrupted as his mom squeezed his hand. He smiled towards her as they continued towards the apartment.

Hello, everyone! Here's another chapter. Sorry if it's a bit shorter than usual, but it's a filer chapter, I made it as big as I can! You can expect next chapter to be bigger and it should be up in a few days! Thank you for reading and support! Also, do you think it would be better if I upload one chapter every two weeks or two chapters at the same day once a month? Either way you'll get two chapters per month! Sorry if there are some grammar or spelling mistakes, English is my second language! See you soon, your E.P.o.A