The worst day of Percy Jackson's life had been absolutely nightmarish, to say the least.
He had started that particular morning pretty well, all things considered. He had woken up, birds chirping and all, and thought about the crazy year he had left behind.
Percy had thought about the first (and best) friend he had in his whole life-and wasn't that a depressing thought- and remembered his enchilada frenzy, his stumbling and weird way of walking, his shy and cautiousness at the beginning that had eventually turned into protective bravery against the schools meaner children.
And realized that maybe, just maybe, he shouldn't have left Grover behind at the bus station.
But Grover had seemed so freaked out about the old ladies who had been knitting across the road that he couldn't help but want to get away from everything.
Pretty cowardly, looking back on it.
When hasn't he been a coward though?
(Not to mention the unsettling feeling in his stomach that was telling him to run and never look back- run while you still can—)
But that was pretty unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.
After sighing and whining a bit, Percy had made a promise to himself about calling the number on the card after the trip from Montauk. He had then gotten up, wrinkled his nose at the room's piss-like smell and then started his day.
He had been pretty excited about going to his and his moms favorite beach, it had been years since he last saw that place because of dumb Gabe's poker addiction and he had been determined about not ruining the festive mood shared between them. So he had not told his mom about his-more-disastrous-than normal semester at Yancy Academy.
Percy had resolutely not thought about the cursed museum trip that had been like a fever dream, or the teacher no one but him and Grover seemed to remember- and even then Grover was pretending not to know about it for some goddamned reason—
Percy hadn't thought about the already monster-like teacher turn into an actual, literal monster; he also hadn't thought about the cool sword that had been dropped on him in the form of a pen and how he had sliced the thing open and then how there had been something akin to shiny powder in the air or how Mr. Brunner, his Latin teacher, had done something to him to make him almost forget everything. Never.
He exhaled shakily.
Calm deep breaths Percy, he reminded himself.
Okay.
He had gone in to Smelly Gabe's poker room, had smacked some good old sarcasm on to Gabe's tiny brain and had watched him fumble to understand what he had said, all the while feeling vicious satisfaction.
He had a emotional talk with his mother at their favourite spot and had come out feeling better about everything, because his mother made everything better. For everyone, basically.
But then it had happened.
His best friend had broken in through the door, scaring him and his mom half-way to hell and back with his new furry legs and then told them to basically get their asses in gear, put them all into the shitty car they had been burdened with and told them to step on the gas.
It had been a bit weird to have his normally shy, timid friend be as assertive as he had been but... Percy digressed.
While he was getting a hang on reality again Grover had told his mom about the semester.
Getting kind of chewed out by his mom had sucked but what had almost sucked worse was the faint yell behind them.
He had looked behind, through the dirty back window glass and then-
There had been a lightning.
That had struck their car, of course.
What.
Through the remains of the car he had spotted his mom and his stiff looking best friend.
With his heart in his throat he had checked for pulse, letting out a shaky breath when he realized Grover was alive. He wouldn't know what to do without his best buddy, even if he was a mythical creature now.
Then the rain storm had started.
He had then begun idly questioning his existence in the pouring rain because, well, if god hated him so much then it was a goddamn well miracle he had made it this far in life.
While he had been standing there uselessly his mom, his awesome and badass mom, had gotten everything together and had called for him to help her carry Grover. Did he mention his mom was a boss? Because she was.
After getting his everything together he had joined his mom and had helped her carry Grover's body. The revealed goat boys body was surprisingly heavier than he had thought. Percy silently cursed his friends enchiladas obsession.
He had heard a louder bellow from behind them. The ground had shook like it was about to split in half, making him almost drop Grover's limp body into the cool grass. He hastily corrected himself. His shaking hands had to make things harder on everyone, of course.
He had then looked behind himself with soaked bangs obscuring his vision and flinched at the bull-like creature that had been running top-speed.
"Percy!" His mom had screamed. Percy, for the first (and last) time in his life didn't pay her any heed. He would always remember this part. Some small, primal, dumb part of himself had frozen in fear at the sight before him.
"Percy!" She had called out again, more desperate. "JUMP!" Her scream had been shrill and urgent, a siren against his unresponsive body.
Letting something instinctual in his body take over his senses, Percy had jumped to his far right and felt time slow down. He had finally got a good look at the thing and had felt his breath hitch.
His first though that crossed his mind was the fact that the thing was huge. It had beefy arms that looked like it could carry three Smelly Gabe's stacked on top of each other without breaking much sweat, two razor-sharp horns that looked ready to sheesh-kebab him and enraged looking red eyes. It was almost entirely naked except for a pair of bright white Fruit of the Loom underwear it had been wearing, fur covering the beings body up from its belly button. Percy would have normally laughed himself silly at the sight but for some reason he wasn't feeling it that night.
A breathless sound had escaped past his mouth. A choke of fear from a helpless prey.
"The Minotaur."
Lightning flashed behind them, the sound deafening to his ears.
"NO!"
Feeling time take it's hold again he continued dragging his unconscious half-donkey-goat—whatever friend up the high-hill, trying not to pay too much attention to his moans of food. He had looked at his mother that had saved him.
His mother had looked (he winced to himself, feeling guilty even after it was over and done with) like she had seen better days. Her normally straight hair had been soaked from the rain and had been blowing everywhere because of the wind that had come from basically nowhere, her eyes had held deep worry in them (for him, his had mind supplied) not the mention she had been bleeding from her forehead with burn marks on her hands.
The Minotaur had bellowed its loudest shout yet and had looked right at his mother, hungry red eyes locking onto a target.
"Mom! Over there! Look out!" Percy had shouted. The taste of fear had been dominating
His shout had felt useless even to his own ears because his mother had already been looking at the terrifying monster. Her stance now defeated and resigned. (
Percy wouldn't recognize this fact until much later. Nights spent relieving the same horrid memory over and over again had made him particularly knowledgeable about the day. How he wished he could go back.)
The monster had charged at his mom with a speed unmatched by any human, its arms opened wide to prevent her from escaping. His mother had stood no chance.
Now it had been his turn to scream to the world his denial. Like mother, like son.
"NO!"
The Minotaur snatched up his mom easily, its ugly face reared up in triumph, practically gloating with a mean, smug smirk. But Percy hadn't wanted to look at its ugly face any longer than he had to.
He had forced his eyes away from its face and locked in on his moms. The very last time he would see her, maybe.
Perseus Jackson had met Sally Jackson's eyes from a good 5 feet and had felt something in his chest twist terribly.
His mom's eyes looked at him with a hurricane of emotions, horror-worry-sadness-love-resignation and said her last words, said in a whisper that carried across the field to him.
"I love you." Her eyes had been kind.
Percy had watched in disbelief as his mother had turned into fine gold dust right before his very eyes. He had then turned his wide-eyed gaze towards the monster and had been filled with inconsolable rage. The kind that destroyed lives.
How dare this thing take away his one good thing in life?! How dare it!?
He had ran at the monster and the monster had ran right back at him, intent on finally putting a stop to this pitiful 'fight' and eating some demigod flesh.
Percy had met the Minotaur and slung his right arm around its rib cage, somehow outspeeding the thing, and had pulled himself on top of the huge bull-like abomination. The bull creature crying out with outrage the entire time.
The Minotaur not liking the new position at all had started to flail around and had tried to catch him with its meaty fingers.
Percy had grabbed one of its horns and had tried to control it by jerking its head left and right with all of the remaining energy left in his body but that had seemed to have made the creature angrier.
Realizing that he couldn't do what he had first intended to do, he had put both of his feet on its head and had started to pull.
He must have fallen off the thing and hit his head on a rock because in the next few seconds he would be on the grass clutching the sharp blood coated horn (somehow not getting himself impaled on it) and hear the ringing in his ear. His head had hurt terribly. The yell of pain from the monster would haunt him the rest of his life.
He had somehow gotten up with eyes blurry from the tears (or maybe it had been the rain, who knows) and had looked up at the fucking thing running at him once again and with whatever strength he had left in his body, he thrusted the sharp horn up.
There had been no yelling, then.
It had looked at him, probably suspended in the air, and then had burst into the gold powder his mother had disappeared in; the wind and rain quickly wiping the dust away.
Percy had then felt the power that had helped him get revenge on the Minotaur reduce. It really seemed like everything had been against him that night.
He had stumblingly walked towards his best friend and supported Grover's unconscious body by his shoulders. He had tripped on some rocks that night, sending him and his unconscious companion stumbling into the cold mud. After allowing himself several seconds of wallowing, he had calmly picked up Grover again and started trekking back up. He had literally no other option at the time.
Together, they had went up the hill.
His head had been pounding. He had been absolutely covered in sweat, mud, blood and whatever else that had ever touched the goddamn surface of the earth. He had been aching all over from the various bruises and scratches he had acquired through the night.
But the most important of all, the last memory of his mother had cut the palm of his hand with the wicked sharp edge. He had almost welcomed the sensation.
Letting his mind go blank and robotically moving forward, he had finally reached the top of the hill.
He had collapsed on the green grass, hearing a resounding thump next to him, faintly seeing mud in his vision before he had heard people speaking- two people arguing, one of them familiar the other not. He hadn't really felt like doing anything at that moment so he had just laid there and let the darkness take him in its sweet embrace.
-o-
A bit short but I guess I needed more conversation in there. I made the rating T 'cuz of mainly swearing. I guess the next chapter will be much longer doe I don't know about 10k or something /
Anyways hope you liked it first (hopefully) long Fanfiction so reviews would be much appreciated.
Peace.