100 reasons to love our lives

Misery in the walls

Nico

Well, at least both of us knew how to apply for a job.

100 Dates in one year? My boyfriend was officially crazy. That's why I loved him.

I knew why he did this; he wanted to make me feel welcome in this strange, new world: school. Well, actually college, but a learning institution nonetheless.

The last time I had been to a proper school, it had been Westover Hall, and I was pretty sure this would be totally different. Westover Hall had been a Military school, strictly disciplined and patriotic. This college had the reputation of being rather easy-going, having the focus more on individual, free development - or something like that.

Maybe, Will also guessed my own dilemma, which I didn't tell him about. But he had that strange instinct to exactly say something that would cheer me up, even if he didn't have a clue what was going on.

I vividly remembered Chiron's words from two days before. He had called me into the Big House, already making me nervous with his worried frown.
"Hello, Chiron", I had said. "What's the matter? Something to do for me?"
It happened often that I was ordered to use my unique travelling skills to get him something, or to save someone's life. But that time, my engagement didn't make the centaur smile, instead, he had frowned even more. "Hello, Nico", he had greeted me. "No, I just wanted to talk to you a little."
Of course, that had made me wary. Still, I had said: "Of course."
My teacher had looked like he would be embarrassed. "I don't know if it helps you in any way", he had started, "but I wanted to thank you."
"For what?", I had asked surprisedly. This situation had been very uncomfortable to me, but Chiron still had answered: "For all the times you have saved the camp. And for all the times you have given us support, important support. I think it's fair to assume that you saved us more times than anybody else here."
Well, the seven weren't in the camp anymore, but I still somehow had liked to hear that. "You're welcome", had been my answer.
"I'm glad you survived", the centaur had said, "and I wish you a peaceful, fulfilling life."
At the last part, his voice had sharpened somewhat. I had retreated as politely as I could, and I had understood what he actually wanted to tell me.

I should stay away from the demigod world, to provide my own safety.

Chiron didn't have to tell that to Percy, or to Annabeth, because both of them wanted peace. They retreated from the scene as soon as they were able to, just living with each other and for themselves.

But I never retreated. I always influenced the matters, sacrificed my free time and sometimes my mental health to the greater good, stayed intertwined with the prophecies as much as possible. If it hit me, it didn't hit others, and that sounded like a great deal.

Now, he wanted me to let the others take that burden.

For about 24 hours, I allowed myself to imagine how that would be. Maybe a life as a judge would be the right one for me - it felt good to imagine that. Sentencing the criminals of the world to sit out their punishment and better themselves before the eternal fields of damnation got their souls? That sounded like a life worth living.

And then, the next afternoon, my father Hades had called me down into his palace. His voice had been unreadable as always, just telling me: "I know what Chiron told you, and I know you like the idea. That's why I want to leave you the choice."
"What choice?", I had asked, angry that I had to ask so much. Hades calmly had said: "You can live the mortal life, or you can spend your life being my ambassador."
That's what I always had been, what was easy for me.
"Would that save lives?", I had asked, because that was the primary reason I had been working for my father before. That, and the fact that he always abused the fact that I didn't want to let my family down.
Hades answer had been quite suspicious: "It would save some lives."

Some lives? What did that mean? That I would save some, but others only if I stayed out of business? Or did it mean nothing and I was just overthinking?

I knew I was overthinking right now. Two years until I had to choose my major. Two years until I had to make my decision.

My room was three corridors away from Will's, three endless long corridors. I was a little horrified, to be honest. My boyfriend was the best man I could ever find, but he was also the only person I knew here. Meaning: I had to go through the motions of introducing myself again and again. New Rome would have been the better option that way.

But both of us wanted to visit a mortal college. New Rome was fine, but also... Well, New Rome. Beautiful, but tied to a lot of dead friends. Here, we could start from scratch, with all advantages and disadvantages coming from it.

And I wasn't exactly antisocial. Exhausted by people, yes, annoyed by them far too often, but I didn't think it would be impossible for me to make new friends. Just harder than for extroverts.

As I tried to push the door open, I realized it was locked, meaning that my roommate most likely wasn't there at the moment. My heart beat against my throat in double speed, my fingers trembled a little as I turned the key, finally stumbling into my sleeping room.

Nothing could visualize what the next inhale did to me.

Liquid darkness, sharp and poisonous, filled every last inch of my lungs. Misery seemed to suffocate me, painful, dreadful.

I couldn't even cry or scream. I just froze.

Back in my mind, images boiled, angrily demanding attention. Tartarus. The bronze jar. Gaea. There was no other thing than letting them wash over me, bathing me in horror.

Did someone die in here? Would I find a corpse if I would dare to look? Hesitantly, scared of what they would find, my eyes scanned the room.

There was no death. Just misery, oozing out of the wall, laying its cold blankets on my skin.

Suddenly, my body moved. I left my luggage behind and locked the misery in the room. Fresh air, finally! Still shaking on all my body, I leaned against the wall, collecting whatever I had left of my self control.

What was that? Who was that? Phobos and Deimos, maybe? But what would they want from me? It didn't make sense.

Sunshine. I needed sunshine. Not just any sunshine, but my sunshine.
With sudden hastiness, I hurried out to wait for Will.

~~~

Here we are again! I want to sincerely thank KQKDOWO01LK2BR. You are my first follower, and I'll hold you in honor!
What do you think is the mysterious misery in the walls? Well, you'll find out soon...
Stay tuned for part three of my story! I'm very excited to write it already!
~ Sunflower