Collision

2. First Day of School

I awoke to screaming. I shot up, thinking there was a person in the house. I opened her eyes and looked around, this isn't Charlie's house. This is Tartarus. I heard the screams again. I recognized them, they're the screams that haunt her usual nightmares. Maybe this isn't real.

I stood there for a second before hearing them again, I couldn't take the chance that this was real. I heard Nico's screams again and took off running. I didn't even know where I was running, but I kept going in the direction of the scream. I came to a wall and heard a scream in the other direction. I took off running again, faster and faster.

"HELP, NAT!"

"I'M COMING!" I yelled back.

"NAT"

"NICO"

I came to a clearing and saw Nico laying on the ground covered in his own blood, gasping for breath. "Help me, please."

There was a whisper in her ear, "You can't help him, you failed. This is your fault."

I cradled Nico's head in her lap. "No, no, no. Nico, I'm sorry," I cried. c

~

I suddenly gasped awake. I saw the book I was reading discarded to the side of her bed. I turned over and looked over to the clock on the side table. It read 6:12 am. Not a bad time to get up for her when I had a nightmare.

I took my small bag filled with dracmas and headed into the bathroom. I turn on the water once more to create a rainbow. "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, accept my Offering. Show me Leo Valdez." The mist turns into a picture of Leo working in his workshop. "Leo!" I called.

"Nat," He looks up. "I was wondering when you would call, it's been too long." He smiles. I shake my head.

"I've been gone less than a day," I replied, amused.

"Yeah, but you called Death breath, yesterday," he whined.

"Be glad I'm calling you now, I have to go to school soon," I said dramatically. I really didn't want to go. It would most likely be dreadfully boring. "I also might not be able to IM you or anyone else for a while."

"What, why?" He asks, sadly. He looks adorable. "You know the others are going to worry."

"You mean, you're going to worry?" I asked teasingly.

"You know I will, now answer the question. Why won't you be able to IM us?"

"I have a feeling, Charlie's daughter is very nosey, if she suspects something weird, she won't leave me alone. If she doesn't leave me alone, I won't be able to complete my quest, which means you'll have to wait even longer for me to come home," I reasoned with him, making him pout.

"Fine, I've never met her and I already hate my niece," he sighed. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," I laughed. "I have to go get ready for school. I love you."

"I love you too." The IM ended, making me sigh and walk away from the sink to grab a towel and shower. After showering I made my way downstairs and grabbed a bowl of cereal.

Apparently, Charlie already got school supplies for me. I found a black backpack with a couple notebooks, paper, pens, and some other school materials. I heard someone coming downstairs and turned around to see my fake cousin.

"Am I taking you to school?" She asks.

"Uh, yeah, I don't know where the school is," I tells her with an eye roll. Otherwise, I would probably walk or shadow travel.