The Revivers

Chapter 12

We didn’t waste a lot of time on goodbyes like usual. Juniper opened the door, and that was that.

They say the best part of a trip is the journey there. That rule still applies to post-apocalyptic rescue missions. On the walk to Grand Central, where we were spending the night, Percy kept on trying to get me to skip there singing Follow the Yellow Brick Road. I ended up going along with it for a while, but then we started to attract a few stragglers and had to shut up.

“Dance with me, Annabeth.” Percy said dramatically. He gripped my hand and spun me around in the middle of the street. I couldn’t help but let out a couple laughs, even with the gloomy cloud hanging over my head.

“Percy, stop it. This is a serious mission.” I said sternly, but smiling.

“Kiss me, and I might.” He winked. I rolled my eyes and punched him instead.

“You two are making me nauseous.” Leo stuck his tongue out and gripped his stomach.

“Doesn’t matter. We’re here.” Jason looked up at the old train station. The gates in front of us were locked up tight. There was no way a zombie could have snuck in there after all these years.

“Climb on up.” Frank rubbed his hands together and hopped up onto the fence with Hazel close on his tail.

“After you.” Percy said graciously. He lent me a hand (even though I didn’t need it) and helped me up.

“I wish we could have seen this place when it was running. That would have been so cool!” Thalia said wistfully as we passed by a couple stalled trains here and there. Nico smiled at her. Those two’s “secret” relationship was so obvious, I’m pretty sure Percy had even picked up on it by now.

“We should bunker down for the night.” Jason suggested as he glanced around, “How about one of those stores? It’ll be easier to defend in a smaller area.” Percy nodded.

“Oohh, there’s a candy store over there!” Leo shouted excitedly. “We are so going there!” Percy seemed hesitant, but followed the rest of us in anyways.

Jason and Piper wandered towards the flavored sugar dispenser while Leo found his way to the Jelly Beans. Hazel and Frank started to check expiration dates on chocolate bars while Thalia and Nico had a sour string-whipping contest. Percy wandered in the doorway and stood for a second.

“Percy?” I asked, putting a hand on his wrist. There was a sad smile on his face, “Are you alright?” His eyes turned for a moment to look at me. There was want in his eyes, mixed with some hope.

“Yeah. I am.” He finally said. Percy took my hand and dragged me towards the blue taffy.

We all settled in that night with our pockets filled with sugary sweets. Jason and Piper made pillows out of those bags of cotton candy for everyone. Those two curled up behind a shelf of gummy worms so that they didn’t have far to walk when it was their turn to take watch. Leo happily laid down underneath the jelly bean machine that he’d rigged to drop a bean into his mouth every thirty seconds.  Frank and Hazel volunteered to take first watch. Percy, Thalia, Nico, and me went into the manager’s office to rest for the night. While Percy and Nico talked about different places in camp to search, me and Thalia had a conversation via facial expression.

First I gave her the You and Nico telling anyone yet? She returned the look with a Yeah right. Not yet. I glanced towards Percy to say Well, what about Percy? Thalia puckered her lips in thought, then shrugged and nodded like Yeah, sure, ok.

“Hey Nico.” She interrupted the two guys, “Time to tell Percy.”  Nico’s cheeks turned pink.

“You sure about that?” He asked nervously. Thalia nodded. He gulped, “Uh Perce?” Percy raised an eyebrow.