No Strings Attached (Sequel to Puppets)

Piper

tw - blood, suicidal mentions

I'm gonna do a tw at the beginning of the chapter each time, but only if there's anything. tbh theres a really gory chapter coming up so im gonna end up warning you guys between paragraphs for the gore and then sum it up later if you wanna scroll (but you'll miss out)

[5]//PIPER://

She was on her early morning jog when it happened.

Despite the fact that Mama Thals (her new nickname for Thalia) didn't want her to go anywhere alone, much less early 6:00AM jogs, Piper still snuck out and went on them. She always had her phone if she really needed help, and Thalia didn't understand that.

She decided to change up her route, jogging farther into the forest. Although they weren't allowed to go in there since Zoë's death and Bianca's-kinda-sorta-possible-death, Piper wanted to. It wasn't like anyone would notice.

She jogged farther and farther as the thick trees began to block out the morning light. Once she had a steady pace and was going fine, she tripped over a tree root and landed on the ground. She lay there for a moment, making sure she had no physical injuries, before getting up. As she rose, she saw the light glinting off something in a thick bush. She tentatively stepped forward, taking it out. It was a silver circlet- Zoë's circlet.

She broke down then and there. Although Zoë and her hadn't had the best relationship, it was yet another death Piper didn't prevent. Her head spinning, she slumped over as she replayed the most horrifying death she'd let happen yet- Steph's. She watched as the fallen Calypso fired, as the bullet embedded itself in Steph's body, as droplets of blood started dripping down as she laid there, Calypso taunting her, until they both took their final breaths. Zoë, Steph, Calypso- who would be next?

Piper was shaking, her vision blurry, her breathing rapid. She felt someone put their arm around her shoulder and pull her to her feet. "Just lean on me, okay Piper?" The familiar voice said as the person supported her, guiding her. Moments passed and soon Piper was sitting in a chair in a small area, her head spinning. It took her a moment to take control of herself. She looked at her surroundings. She was in a small room, in a cabin, she guessed. The walls were filled with sticky notes in colour coded areas. She was seated on a rickety chair at a small table. There was a coffee cup there, filled to the brim with something, and a blue sticky note beside it.

Piper,

When you exit this cabin, walk to the right to get back to school. Move quickly, this is enemy territory. My place was too far away to get you there. Place the coffee cup in the bush in between the two large pine trees to your left once you start walking back. By the way, it's peppermint tea. The best comfort drink.

-B

PS. Good luck.

Piper stared at the paper, wide-eyed. She pocketed the note. It was from Bianca, she was sure of it. She made a mental note to ask Hazel what type of tea Bianca preferred the most- just to check. She sipped the tea. It was really good, and she made a second mental note to get some. She stood, grabbing the coffee cup.

On her way out, she paused, staring at the wall. There was a sticky note on the wall that said Calypso Ogygia on it. Below, there were multicoloured sticky notes with little facts on it that she was sure were colour coded. She looked at the small cabin, with all the walls chock-full of colourful notes. Was she on there, somewhere?

Piper grinned. She wanted to come back at some point to check, but she had other issues. She walked out and to the right, and after a few metres, placed the coffee cup in the correct bush. She looked back at the cabin and froze.