Smithereens

Chapter 8

This song is Salvation by Skillet! I love it so much!!!! In the next chapter, I'll post a different song by them, because I love the lead singers voice, but this song is mostly done by the backup singer/drummer.

*Dramatic fanfare of trumpets*

Attention tributes, attention. There has been a slight change in the plot.

I just realized that in earlier chapters, I said that Nico was already dead. Forget that. I'll edit it later. Nico died on Sunday and today is Tuesday. That's all there is to it, please don't hurt me.

That will be the only announcement. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Later that night-

*Panem anthem plays. May's face flashes in the sky. Percy and Peter look away dramatically Peter starts to cry again. May disappears and Thalia takes her place, Cabin 1 flashing under her name. Rain starts to drizzle down and Percy pulls Peter further under their shelter in the arena. Piper appears next, Cabin 10 written under her face. Lastly, Nico shows up, with a Cabin 13.*

Sorry. I had to.

During this chapter, please, please, please keep in mind that I moved everything up five years, so it aligns a little better with the MCU. I also bumped everyone's age BACK a year. I forget why, but I had a reason at the beginning. That means, instead of the prophecy saying 'shall reach 16 against all odds,' it says 'shall reach 15 against all odds'

ALSO LOOK AT MY AMAZING NEW COVER!!!! LOOK AT IT!!! BE JEALOUS!!!!! It was made for me be @DespionaNightshade who is awesome.

Please. Just vote or something. If you really, really, hate it, then comment and tell me WHY!

Except tell me nicely.

It was raining. Again. It was Tuesday today, May's funeral. Tomorrow, I would go to California for Piper's, then to Camp Half-Blood to burn Nico's shroud and do whatever routine they do for Hunters. We would also burn a shroud for Piper. Tony offered to charter an airplane for me, but I declined. No way was I taking a plane when Zeus had just killed all of my remaining friends. He was just looking for a way to kill me, all because he knows I'm right.

I sat in my seat and listened to a pastor who knew nothing about May talk about her like they were old friends. May didn't go to church, so I knew that wasn't true. A lot of people showed up, but no one I cared about.

I was numb all the way through the service and through the burial. There was an opportunity for people to say something, but I didn't. I didn't even hear what the other people said about her. I just stared at my shoes and watched water soak up around them.

Soon, the gravesite emptied out, leaving only Peter and me. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded and he led the way to the car. I sat in the driver's seat and started the engine.

Only then did a sob escape me. Peter whipped his head around to look at me. I slammed my head on the steering wheel, accidentally setting off the horn but I didn't care. It was just one, loud, ugly sob, then I was done. And I said so.

"I'm done," I screamed. Peter was staring at me like I was crazy, and I think I might've been. I opened the door and stepped out of the car, so I could see the sky. "I'm done crying, Zeus. You hear me? I'm done giving you the satisfaction of knowing you can get to me." Thunder rumbled overhead. "Don't give me your sass, you pathetic excuse for a god. You killed your own daughter just to get under my skin. Well guess what? It's my turn now. And I'm going to do everything in my power to get under your skin." I released a string of colorful curses in a variety of different languages.