I hate life.
I absolutely do.
It's unfair to me.
What do I mean by that? Oh, nothing. I just go to a shit school, heget the shittiest teachers, and be surrounded by rich snobby assholes who live off their parents.
While I'm broke and my mother works 2 jobs to sustain me, and my stepfather is a bumbling baboon who only knows how to gamble and lose money.
Absolutely nothing at all.
I just can't help but sigh. It's so sad, being surrounded by everything Idon't have, looked down upon and be made a laughing stock because of- no, not because of who I am, but because of what made me who I am.
I so want to prove myself against these snobby gits. Someday, I'll triumph in grades. Someday, I'll beat the ass out of Gabe. Someday.
I just hope that "someday" will come.
-line break Latin exam was coming around the corner.
Speaking of Latin…even though it felt like I couldn't study more, I had to. For my Latin teacher Mr. Brunner. Ah, he was a sweet guy in a wheelchair, and the best teacher I could ever ask for-better than any single one in Yancy academy.
I still vaguely remembered his appearance that day…what was the festival again? God, my memory sucks. But anyway, he showed up in a Roman centurion's battle dress-armor and all- with a freaking sword! And then he challenged us to answer his questions on the board. In Latin, no less.
I snickered slightly, imagining if he was actually from the Roman era. Would he be considered infantry or cavalry? Ah anyway, he was a funny and good teacher. But also, a stern one. He would often help students in need even though they didn't deserve it- and he took particular interest in me and Grover. Like, particular interest . He would often just check up on us two, or pull us aside to see how our progress was going. Neither of us were fluent in Latin- I was mediocre, Grover was good but none of us could ever hope to match Mr. Brunner's level of Latin fluency. He spoke it like he was born with the innate knowledge of Latin.
Anyway, why was I thinking about Mr. Brunner? I should be focusing on revising, for god's sake…curse my ADHD! God!
But as I flipped the textbook open again, a small piece of paper, stuck between pages of the book, caught my eye. Curiously, I flipped to those pages and pulled the piece of paper out. It was a notice to parents. Reading through it, I was shocked to know I forgot about this- it had been something I was looking forward to.
A museum visit to the metropolitan museum of art. -Time skip
I'd had a bad history with field trips.
There was this funny incident where I blew up the school bus when touring a revolutionary war battlefield. And this even funnier incident where I dunked my whole class into a shark tank. And I talked to the sharks like a pal.
Needless to say, my troubles seemed to follow me everywhere. This time though, I was determined to keep out of it.
Easy to say when Nancy Bobfit, the biggest bully in our school, was on the same trip with me. And Grover.
I hated it when Nancy picked on me. I hated it even more when she picked on Grover.
Y'know, Grover's got a sad past. Kicked out of his home, having some sort of defective leg growth that lead him to have this cripple-like limp when he walked. I feel bad for him every time someone asked him to travel some distance to do their errands- he walks like every step hurts his legs. And yet, people seem to not notice. Though…he does run suspicious ply fast. Especially when he wants to. That day when the cafeteria served enchiladas…oh boy, he sprinted there faster than usain bolt.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, field trip. Currently, the class was stuck up in this smelly, antique looking school bus. The amount of noise in the confined space made me very, very uncomfortable-it seemed like Grover felt that way too. We were huddled at the very back, trying our best to be invisible.
I hated attention.
Speaking of attention...
A clap brought me back to reality, and I stared as Mrs. Dodds- god, why did she have to be in this field trip- clap loudly, bringing the attention to the front of the school bus. She always had that ability to make everyone focus on her- be it lessons, or her walking down the corridor. It wasn't that she was beautiful or anything- no, she was every bit as ugly as you could get- saggy wrinkled skin, too much makeup, glasses that seemed to date back decades ago, stringy raven black hair. No, it was something about her- the aura, the feel when she was nearby. Something felt…off. Wrong, even.
"Class! We're almost at the museum, gather your belongings, and make sure to leave the bus in an orderly fashion- or," she looked directly at me, "I'll eat you for dinner." The whole bus nodded in unison, and I followed suit-WAIT. "Did I just hear her say she'll eat us for dinner if we don't behave?" I whispered to Grover, who gave me a confusing expression-he seemed confused. But at the same time, shock. And fear. "You-what? No. I didn't hear her say that. You alright today, perce?" I nodded. "I'm fine."
Deep down, I felt like something was deeply wrong today.
-line break
Mr. Brunner, in his spectacular Männer (manner. Sorry), had led the field trip with his usual charisma, pointing our art exhibits and speaking about their history with absolutely no problem at all. It seemed like he was a chest filled to the brim with knowledge- it seemed almost infinite. Who knew a man- a cripple looked down by literally everyone, no less- had so much knowledge between his ears?
Sadly, all good things had to come to an end. Leading us out of the museum, our bus had not returned yet. So, Mr. Brunner told us all to sit down at the benches outside, or around the rim of the fountain, while he went and bought sandwiches for all of us from the food vendor nearby.
And Nancy just had to pick on me at this moment.
"Oi, pretty brat." She strolled up to me casually, like any friend would do- if not for the malice for her eyes, I would have thought she was a stranger- a rude stranger at that,
Her shadow towered over my sitting form as I looked up, her fat frame blotting out the sun. Nearby, I saw her goons approach Grover. Wait,,,was he eating a can? Or was he drinking from it? Either way, how did he find the can?
I was snapped out of my thoughts by Nancy, who politely smacked my head against the stone that made up the fountain rim. "Oi, pretty brat. I'm talking to you. Don't you think being pretty is a get out of jail free card for you." She then grabbed my chin and yanked my face up to face her, as I saw Grover getting harassed by her goons not far from me. I desperately looked around me. Where was Mr. Brunner when I needed him?
A yelp brought my eyes to focus on Grover. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Nancy's goons advance onto Grover. "Grover, no!" A dark chuckle burst fourth from Nancy's lips, as her goons stopped and turned to look at me. "Why, why, isn't the little green-eyed princess," she spat out the sentence with contempt, "protecting her cripple friend?"
Blood roared in my ears, and I stood up so suddenly I made her take a step back. A look of shock registered on her face, before it broke into a cruel smile as she raised her hand, threatening to slap me.
Behind me, I heard the calm waters of the fountain slosh and slap against the fountain side.
"That's enough, Nancy."
The voice of Mr. Brunner instantly calmed me, and Nancy had to lower her hand as she looked over her shoulder. Mr. Brunner had his wheelchair turned to face us, his face stern. "I can't seem to leave you alone for a bit, can I?" He let out an exasperated sigh. "Nancy, you know better than this." With that, he turned his wheelchair back to pay the vendor for the sandwiches.
And that's when I felt hands squeeze my butt and slip under my crouch.
Somehow, Nancy's goons had slipped besides me, unnoticed, and was now…violating me.
As the shock and humiliation finally registered, everything went white.
The next thing I knew, I was curled up into a ball, sobbing and screaming. The ground was wet, and I could hear yelling and splash in in the fountain behind me. Somehow, I wasn't soaked.
"PERCY! are you alright?" Grover yelled, running over to me. Peeking out from between my arms, I could faintly see a wheeled figure coming full-speed towards me- Mr. Brunner. "Percy! Percy, you okay?" Grover, now kneeling next to me, gently patted my shoulder as he asked. "G-man, I'm-I'm Fine. Go-go away." I sniffed, choking out my words between guttural sobs. "Perce, it's me. Grover. You need to sit up now, please." He then leaned in and said, "You need to. Please, perce, trust me. You're in danger."
I didn't care. I pushed him away. He stumbled a bit before landing on his butt. "Yeow!" Ge yelled, as one of his shoes came off. Quickly, he scrambled back up and stuffed his foot back inside.
Not before I noticed a hood-shaped imprint in the styrofoam stuffing the shoe.
It wasn't like I cared anyway.
"Percy! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" It was Mr. Brunner. "I'm fine, leave. Me. Alone!" I yelled at him, and he recoiled a bit in shock, before nodding and wheeling his wheelchair back. Then, I noticed his eyes widening, and his wheelchair coming to a stop. Grover, who had been trying to get me off the ground, also backed off.
Instinctively, I felt something was wrong. I scrambled up as Ifelt someone hold my shoulder, gripping it tight.
"Young Woman, you're not going anywhere now." Mrs. Dodds chided, as I looked over my shoulder to see her smile.
It wasn't fake anymore. It looked very much real, and it looked sadistic.
"Yeah! Punish that puny brat! She deserves it!" I heard Nancy and some of her goons to my left, accompanied with some splashing. Looking to my left-wow.
Nancy and her goons were in the water. They seemed to be trying to get out, but…why couldn't they? Something seemed to be stopping them, but as I looked on, they seemed to struggle free and clamber out of the fountain, soaking wet.
And I realized too late that they wanted revenge,
"Puny brat! How DARE you shove me and my pals in the fountain!" What-but-but I didn't? I didn't even recall touching them!
"But-"
"No 'But's, Miss Jackson. You pushed them in, now you deserve to be punished, follow me." I heard Mrs. Dodds say, before her hand abruptly left my shoulder. Now free to turn, I saw Mrs. Dodds already atop the museum staircase, standing in front of the entrance. "How did she get there so fast?" I thought, but still, orders were orders. And…something seemed to will me to comply with what she said.
It wasn't until I was grabbed by Grover did I realize I'd moved-against my own will. "Percy, no! You surely know-" he was cut off by Mr. Brunner. "Grover. I've told you about this." His grip on my rewritten came loose, and his hands fell limp next to his sides. "Just…be Safe." He muttered, and under Mr. Brunner's stern yet worrying gaze, I set off to follow Mrs. Dodds.
Climbing up the staircase, I turned around to look at the group of kids, and Mr. Brunner, slightly below me. Grover…he was nibbling on something. Mr. Brunner was looking at me still, and his wrinkles were clearly pronounced even from a distance. Nancy and her goons were whooping and cheering, but when I turned around…Mrs. Dodds had moved into the museum. Without a sound. Which was impossible, given I'd only turned my back for three seconds, and she was wearing high heels. High fucking heels. She beckoned me forwards, and as I glanced back once more, Grover had a look of alarm. Mr. Brunner was nowhere to be seen.
"Miss. Jackson." Mrs. Dodds exclaimed, making me jump. How was she even further now? What the fuck? "Follow me." There was something I couldn't place in her voice. Sure, she had that dangerous sweet voice that she used on me and only me, but…she was hiding something under it. Was it glee? Was it sympathy? Whatever it was, it just…confused me. Still, I was obliged to follow her order.
And so I did.
We walked down corridors, through exhibits, and past artifact after artifact. Until we came to a stop in front of a large marble column.
"Miss Jackson. Can you tell me what this is?" Looking at the column, I realized this was the column Mr. Brunner had described to all of us. "Yeah…wasn't this the stele thing? The one where the Greek girl was…buried…with?" With a jolt, I realized something bad was going to happen. It probably wasn't that Mrs. Dodds was gonna kill me…but she had to have stopped in front of the column for a reason.
Well, I realized it was to kill me soon enough, as the old hag…transformed into an even more uglier old hag.
To be precise, she sprouted bony wings and oily feathers. Her skin turned dry and cracked, with skin like a reptiles. Her hands turned into bird-like claws…and with a jolt, I realized that she'd transformed into a monster. What that could be, I had no idea. A sadistic smile spread across her lips.
"Well, Perseas Amphitrite Jackson, you are to end up like the girl our dear Chiron has so avidly described. You'll die."