I woke up to the sounds of a loud chugging noise which at first made me think that I was in a train. I opened my eyes and tried to see where I was, but all I got was a blearing image of a lush landscape. I got up suddenly and accidently hit my head on something hard above me. I looked up and noticed that it was a baggage carrier. I looked around and realized that I was indeed in a train.
"Oh." I said, remembering where I was and what I was doing.
It was still a shock that I was running from everything that my life had come to be. Running from my family. From my home. From my friends. But I guess the life of a demigod is always full of shocking news.
I looked at a passing board jutting out of the landscape and noticed that we were close to Seattle. Damn, if I have to spend another thirty minutes in this train, I'm going to go swimming to Alaska. To Hades, I'll even go by plane.
"Calm down Percy," Hestia said in my head, "We both know the reasons as to why you're not travelling by both of those modes of transports. But it's really your fault for choosing to go by train. I-"
"No," I said loudly, glad that I didn't have to share a compartment with anyone, "I will not travel all the way to Alaska on a donkey.
"It was merely a suggestion," I can swear I could hear a laugh, "And donkeys are not so bad. They have lots of stamina and are capable of carrying heavy loads."
"Are you calling me fat?" I asked her, knowing her oh so Olympian style answer.
"That's not what came out of my mouth," A small snicker, "But a certain style conscious girl just told it out loud."
"Yeah," I said, a smirk appearing on my face, "She goes by the name of Hestia."
"Why you-" She yelled but I interrupted her.
"Look at that, we've reached the station." I said, "I really loved talking to you but I have places to go and things to do."
I ran out of the compartment, much to the annoyance of the conductor, and jumped onto the platform. I could hear Hestia yelling at me in my mind but it sounded faint, as if her voice was being blocked. I left it like that.
I took out the map in my pocket and checked to see how far I would have to walk to cross the border. I looked at the map for a few moments, to get my dyslexia into check, and realized that it was going to be quite a hike up to the train station up in Vancouver.
I braced my legs, lifted my head and walked on towards my new life.
A day later
"No!" I stated loudly as I paced around in my small compartment, "I will go to the depths of Tartarus before I go to Alaska riding a donkey.
"But you said that trains are the worst modes of transportation ever," Hestia stated, "But you're still travelling in it."
"Then let me correct myself," I said out loud, "Trains are the worst, socially acceptable, modes of transport."
"People in Nepal would disagree with you."
"Many people disagree with me on so many things, Hest." I said, as I looked at a passing sign, "But I still seem to those things. Quick question, where am I right now? The signs here are too small for my eyes."
"Only if you say that donkeys are way better than trains." I could practically hear her smirk.
"You're hopeless." I said as I got out of my compartment. I walked towards the dining car and took out some money from my never before spent allowance. I went up to bar table in front and slid onto a stool.
"I'd like a small burger, please." I said to the elderly-looking, African-American bartender.
"Sure thing son," He said, as he knocked on the wooden paneling behind him and shouted out, 'Herb, a large burger with some fries."
"But I do-"I said, not wanting to spend so much cash on food.
"For you, both are the same price." He said, smiling a little.
"But why?" I asked, pictures of 'kind' humans turning into monsters before my eyes flashing before my eyes.
"You're the only passenger here who hasn't eaten anything from the car," He answered, "and plus, you look like you've gone through hell and forgotten to take a dip."
"You can say that again." I mumbled.
"So, either you've got food in that small bag of yours," He said, leaning on his chair, "or have some sort of food summoning ability; I don't think you've eaten anything at all. I'd give it to you on the house but the camera behind me…"
"Thanks alot mister." I said knowing that the guy was really being sincere, even if he had mentioned about the 'food summoning ability', I didn't think he was a monster.
I looked at the spoon in front of me and saw in it's a reflection a picture of a boy with dark rimmed eyes and dry tear stains, most of which were only visible to me. I guess I really did look like hell.
"What's the word you teenagers use nowadays?" I heard Hestia say, "Oh yes, well 'DUH'." Gods, she and Dionysus say the exact same things.
"No we don't," She said, "And you should really calm down during the nights. It doesn't really help revisiting old memories."
"So where you headed all by yourself son?" The bartender asked me, handing me my burger.
"Just travelling." I said as I munched on my burger, "Want to see the world before I start work at my dad's." I said, sticking to my premade lie.
"Want to explore, huh?" The bartender said, "Yukon ain't no place for that. Too cold and boring."
"Just the first stop," I replied, "Going to Japan the next."
"Well I hope you have it easier than I did," He said, his eyes glazing over, "Never got to see the world. Dad too much in debt to let me. Had to work at the age of sixteen."
"I'm sorry," I said, feeling a little guilty about telling about my 'plans'.
"It ain't your fault," He said, his eyes clearing up, "Just wish I didn't have to correct his mistake."
"I know how that's like," I said, "Always having to fix the mistakes your family make. Always at your expense."
He just nodded, uncapping a beer bottle. He took a seat across from where I was sitting and just took a sip, staring at the window.
"This job let's me do that." He said as he took a sip, "Let's me travel across Canada without a care. Just me and a small little radio."
"What about friends?" I asked, enjoying the little conversation we were having.
"I make them as I go along," He answered, pointing his bottle towards me, "Just don't have many best ones. Hurts more when they let you down."
"But it's good to have at least someone," I answered, finishing my burger and attacking my french-fries, "To share those moments."
"Then where are yours?" He asked, a small smile on his face.
"I'll tell you in a while." I said, smiling back, knowing that he had a point. I offered him some of my fries and we sat there eating silently, enjoying the absence of human voices in the empty car. The sudden piercing sound of the train whistle broke our silent thoughts.
"I have to go now mister," I said as I paid for the burger in full and got up, "I enjoyed our little conversation."
"Same here, son." He said, still seated in his seat. I walked back towards my compartment to get my stuff but stopped as an idea had come to mind.
"What's your post address sir?" I asked.
"Don't have one for personal use, no friends and no definite place of stay," He said, standing up, "But I could give you my work address."
"That'd be cool." I said, taking the slip of paper that had his address on it, "Now I'd better really go before the train leaves." I ran back to my compartment to grab my stuff and ran towards the closing doors. I jumped through and landed neatly on the platform. I looked back at the window of the dining car and waved at the elderly man, glad that I was able to make a new friend.
Another day later
I wonder how big this mountain really is. It seems so huge with all these caves popping out here and there. I just hope I'll be able to find my way back to town and across the border. I want to be able to show Hestia where I'm going to stay.
Truth be told, I never really did find out where I was going to stay, I sort of fell into it. I was walking along the snowy path when I accidently stumbles over a root and ended up with my face in a pile of snow.
But the place I 'found' was nice. It had a huge clearing and large enough cave fit for a family to live in with a small dry patch in front of it for a nice fireplace. I threw my bag into the cave and summoned a fire for the patch. I walked around the cave, unpacking my things and placing them here and there, with my sleeping bag at the mouth of the cave facing the fire. I snuggled into it a fell asleep, falling into a dream.
"That monstrosity dare attack my daughter," I saw a blond haired woman yell, "He should be found and punished for his betrayal."
"Surely it could've been a mistake Athena," A golden haired man said, a lyre hanging on his shoulder, "There was a small misunderstanding, that's all."
"Small misunderstanding? I think not, Apollo," Athena argued back, "He attacked the entire camp, as well as his own brother."
"You don't see Poseidon callin-" Apollo was about to say before being interrupted by a salt and peppered hair man with winged shoes who had just entered the room.
"He actually is Apollo," The man said, "He just agreed with Zeus that Percy needs to be captured. Thinks Percy's gone crazy or something and needs mental rehabilitation. But I think father wants Percy dead. I think there's a secret bounty on his head."
"I must get my word in on this matter," Athena said, "He attacked a well-known architect and daughter of Athena and not to mention a majority of my children and I do not plan on letting him of easy."
"We must find him, Hermes." Apollo said after Athena had left, "He doesn't deserve to be hunted. He saved us all twice. Who else would save us in another war?"
"Apparently Marcus or Thalia," Hermes replied, "According to those two hippies in the throne room but I agree with you. He deserves more, much more."
I woke up after the last statement, my head rushing as it filled with blood. Damn my father. Thinks I've gone crazy. Damn idiot. Who the hell do he and Zeus think they are? Calling me crazy and offering a bounty on my head.
It's safe to say that I wasn't able to go back to sleep after the dream. I just hope the monsters roaming the Alaska-Canadian Mountains know what they got into the moment they got out of their caves, cause I want to fight and I want to win.