Chapter 16:
Flypaper
The sea of dead land stretched out into the horizon and most likely beyond. The sun had scorched the land dry of anything supporting life. A desperate attempt to bleed out the already burning wasteland of anything left.
The road that spearheaded the horizon through the desert was nothing but a long stroke of flypaper. Attracting monsters, survivors and everything in between. Luring them in with the promising car wrecks that must be full of supplies and the unseen destination beyond the horizon.
If there was a goal for his journey it remained out of sight. Just beyond where the visible light spectrum could reach. But he knew there was something waiting for him at the end of the road.
But despite knowing he was headed somewhere, so far he was stuck on this endless road of flypapers.
At least Percy wasn't alone.
A strange comfort was found by the young demigod by stalking the fearsome Kampê. The jailer of monsters older than the Gods.
A strange sense of familiarity came with the creature. And although Percy refused to ever admit it, he was glad that the monster at least provided him with some sort of goal. Some sort of company.
A saying he once heard echoed through Percy's mind. Better walk together in the dark, than alone in the light.
His peculiar predicament was quite the reverse. Yet true for all intents and purposes.
Kampê was by no means a friend. Percy did not know how the jailer would react if his invisibility were to ever wear off. Nor did he aim to find out.
But they shared a common enemy.
No, that wasn't right.
Olympus wasn't an enemy. That would suggest they were in any form equal to the Greek Gods.
No, the Olympians declared war and murdered billions of lifes so effectively, it wasn't even a challenge. Tracking down Monsters and Gods who stood against their goal.
Kampê and Percy shared a common predator.
Why Herakles had targeted Kampê was a mystery. Neither did he know where the monster was headed. But he knew she was headed somewhere.
He hoped she was at least.
Because if she wasn't headed somewhere, then he wasn't either.
Trailing the monster had not been difficult. The endless wasteland allowed for a direct line of sight to the monster most of the time. The cars, rundown gas stations and occasional settlement provided some of the privacy if he needed it.
The glowing sphere that hung in heaven began to lower. The celestial body touched the horizon, slowly dipping in as if to check whether the water was fine.
Immediately the temperature in this sea of sand dropped.
The shadows lengthen and the sky went from a clear blue to a dark canvas of black, purple and white stars.
The cold was unsettling.
Percy thought it was hardly fair how big the difference was.
During the day the sun was wearing him down, trying to burn his flesh with its laser focus. And when night came it was the freezing cold that got to him. Slowly numbing every nerve in his body.
Percy imagined it was Apollo and Artemis taking turns messing with him.
He survived despite all of this. He wasn't sure how or why he was still alive. He was truly convinced he should have been long dead.
All the others had perished. Why hadn't he?
Percy tried to put his thoughts away and tried to focus on the situation.
Satisfying the growing beast inside his stomach had been a challenge. All his provisions had been used up. What little he could scrape together from burned out cars and gas stations was barely enough to sustain him.
At least the hunger had died down. The growling hunger had turned from a fearsome beast to a dying puppy. It had barely enough energy left to beg for food.
How he survived the scorching heat and chilling cold was a whole other story. Something Percy loathed to recall.
As if he could recall anything.
A mad grin cracked his face in two. The skin on his lips shattered from the unexpected movement.
He knew he had survived the nights and the worst moments of heat. He didn't know why or how. His memories failed him. Thinking about it hurt his head.
Everytime he found himself near death he blacked out. Only to find him a couple miles ahead, still walking and trailing the jailer.
Maybe it was sheer will power that kept him moving forward.
Or maybe he had already died. And his mind hadn't noticed it yet.
However, whatever had gotten Percy through the other nights wasn't working that night.
Percy felt that he no longer had the strength to pass out, to let the numbness take over and make him move forward.
After nightfall Percy expected to be taken over by the same mind numbing haze that blocked all painful experiences. Only to find it never taking over.
The cold expanded its presence. Covering Percy like a ghostly blanket.
There was nowhere to take shelter. The closest gas station was a couple miles back, but he couldn't risk losing Kampê.
Percy started shivering. Wishing dearly he had more of that Ambrosia.
Lying on the cold road underneath him Percy's vision began to blur.
Curled up like a fly in a trap, Percy was ready to give it up. To let it all go.
He was sure it would be swift and painless. The end would embrace him.
So he thought.
But something in his vision grew. A burst of color. Something that shredded the canvas of the pitch black sky.
His senses started to drift back into his body.
The sound of smoldering ashes was heard. He smelled something burning.
Still invisible, Percy slowly made a move, albeit reluctantly.
His hands started to move. His legs stretched out. His fingers curled up.
Percy began to blink. His dried out eyes started to profusely blink.
In front of him, the orange blur began to form into something smaller. Something cohesive.
A small bonfire had been made. In the middle of the road.
Percy reached out to it, almost sticking his arm into the fire before recalling that the heat of the flames could consume him.
Percy sat down and stared at the fire. Slowly feeling heat banishing the cold that had taken over his body.
"You know,'' a voice said. It sounded deep, vaguely femine. Percy struggled to locate the voice. "I can still smell you?"
It came from in front of him. From the bonfire?
Percy rubbed his eyes. He blinked. He shook his head..
He looked ahead and saw there was a figure behind the campfire, hidden by the harsh light and reduced to a backdrop on a colorless night.
As his senses started to work again, the gears in his head began to turn.
Percy could make out details. Large wings. The subtle sound of snakes hissing. A human torso on top of a reptilian body.
On instinct, Percy's fingers curled around the top of his pen. Ready to flip off the cap and unsheathe Riptide without wasting a moment.
"Don't bother." Kampê said. Percy saw the large shape of her body shift. She lowered herself to the ground. Allowing herself to be exposed by the light. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be long dead."
Percy slowly moved his hands away from Riptide. Realizing that, even if he was in peak condition, there was no way he could take on the monster in front of him. Not here; not in this dry land devoid of anything that could even remotely give him an advantage.
Percy removed his invisibility cap and made himself at home next to the bonfire. At first his movements were stiff, like he was still trying to hide his presence by moving as little as possible.
The futility of it all came down on him. He allowed his limbs to move more freely.
Without any elegance, Percy sat down next to the small fire.
"Here…" From her side of the fire Kampê tossed something his way. It was small, roughly the side of a football.
It looked charred, smoked and vaguely shaped like something edible.
"Eat it."
"What is it?" Percy asked. Or tried to, but his voice croaked.
"Flesh…" Kampê answered after a brief silence. "Eat it."
Percy looked down at the clump of meat.
Before his mind could start a fierce debate, the monster inside his stomach violently started to trash and roar.
He opened his mouth and took a bite, using his teeth to sever the muscle from the main piece. The demigod swallowed it .
It vaguely tasted like pork.
Without wasting anymore breaths the demigod began to wolf down on his meal. Ripping the meat in pieces, devouring every bite and making sure not a single chunk of it was lost.
Meanwhile, the Jailer opted to silently watch Percy devour his meal. Not saying anything. Her face was hidden by the shadows cast by the flames, but he could feel her eyes on him.
When he was finally done, and nothing but bones and charred black muscles was left; he wiped his mouth clean.
The eternal question arose once again, making its unwanted presence once more known. "Why?" Percy asked.
The female voice from across the bonfire hesitated before answering.
"Does that matter?" Kampê asked. A light hearted chuckle followed. "Does anything matter these days?"
"Why didn't you kill me?" Percy insisted. His frown burrowed itself deep on his face. "Tell me."
Although invisible; Percy could feel a smug smile. ""Why not? Although, I can return the question to you as well, demigod." The last part was said in a condescending tone, the same usual tone Percy was used to hearing from monsters and gods. "Why are you following me through this land?"
Percy cursed something. He thought it was ancient Greek but he didn't know for sure.
"I don't know."
The figure in front of him shifted. "You don't know?"
"I just thought…" Percy shrugged. He kept staring at the fire, not able to bear the weight of the monster's gaze. "You seem like you were going somewhere. You were targeted by Hercules. So you aren't at least with them."
The monster on the other side of the light kept quiet.
"So that's why. For me, at least." Percy continued.
The silence stretched on. Percy watched the shape of Kampê. Trying to read her emotions and thoughts. He came up empty.
"You want to know why I haven't killed you?" Kampê's raspy voice tore through his thoughts.
She didn't wait for an answer. "It's to spite the gods. That's all."
Behind her back, two wings unfurled. The monster got up and Percy felt a rush of wind.
"Wait!" Percy croaked, just before the monster took off.
Kampê turned to face the young demigod.
Everything about him screamed defeat. His bloodied lips, the black hair that has gone dirty, the red soaked jeans and worn clothes. And most of all, his hallowed look.
There was no reason for Kampê to listen. To keep him alive, or to obey him.
But she did.
Maybe it was because the demigod appealed to a part of her that could vaguely be classified as human, or maybe it was the simple matter that both of them were stuck. Stuck on this endless stroke of flypaper.
Kampê stared at the demigod.
"Please," Percy muttered softly. "Just stay..."
A/N Daddy made you some content.
Finale:
Great chapter!
Are you still there?
A: Yes
Please review…Those really motivate me to keep writing ngl.
And no, I am not black mailing you all. You guys are blackmailing me!
-CaptainMoonShine-