Under the Mask - A (Deep) Solangelo Story

Death -1 - Will POV

WARNING: Sad. Proceed with caution. 

I sink down into a chair on the porch of the infirmary, massaging my head and closing my eyes. I know I'll only get a few minutes, at best, before someone calls on me, but I'm determined to enjoy what peace I can get for a couple of moments at least.

I sigh, staring into the distance. Thoughts flutter around my head like harpies, each one begging for my attention. I really am keeping too many things bottled up these days. Lori was cool, but I haven't seen her in awhile. She's been hanging out with Percy and gang.

Contrary to popular belief, I, the sunny kid of Apollo, am not quite as happy and carefree as I put on. I'm kept busy here at the infirmary, working more shifts than anyone else as Head Doctor. Not that I mean to sound complainy—I really and truly love my job and it's my dream to become a professional surgeon.

Not that anyone knows about that. That's the thing with helping the wounded 24/7–it leaves me less time to develop friendships. My siblings are all absolutely wonderful, and I know a bunch of kids who I'd consider friends. But I don't really spend too much time with them. Instead I end up watching my friends play truth or dare, and pull pranks. I end up watching my probably-straight crush from afar, wishing he might stop by the infirmary sometime. Just to say hi. But nope. He's off with much cooler, much more popular kids. I'm happy to see him happy, I really am. I just wish I could be there with him.

I don't want to say I'm glad he's here in the infirmary. He's here because he shadow-traveled too much during an intense game of Capture the Flag. But at the same time, I like being able to take care of him. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to get him to open up. I want to get to know the kid better, he's just so... closed off.

"Hey, Will?" Kayla pops her head out of the door. Her face is solemn and she's biting her lip, not quite meeting my eyes. My heart sinks. I know where this is going.

Suddenly a horrible thought occurs to me. I jump up, my heart pounding as loud as Zeus's thunder and frantically ask, "Is it Nico?" She quickly shakes her head and I breathe out a sigh of relief, trying to calm the overworked muscular organ inside my ribcage. I don't know what I'd do if he...

"Who is it?" I ask, following her inside.

"Hadley," she says softly. My heart skips a beat. She's a tiny little unclaimed eight-year-old who arrived last week hardly breathing. The satyr who got her was beat up, too, but he was fine after a few days, last I heard.

I've been by Hadley's side all week, doing everything I can, but from the beginning I hadn't been hopeful. She's just so small... young deaths are the hardest. I mean, all of the patients who I... failed... are too young for death's grip, but she's especially small. It's the hardest part of being a doctor. Watching people die.

Kayla and I hurry down the hallway, and I go into doctor mode. It's the only way I can bear this without breaking down.

"How long do we think she has left?" I ask.

"Her heart skipped a few beats, so probably only minutes."

I nod my head once as we reach her door. Kayla pushes it open and I hurry inside.

"She hasn't even been claimed..." Terry is muttering. My brother is standing by her bedside, holding her tiny little hand. His face is solemn as he looks up at us. The anguish in his face is obvious. So many times this has happened, but it never gets easier. But not even five seconds later, her frail body starts glowing a soft pink under the white sheet. She's suddenly wearing a ballerina costume. A tear slips down my cheek despite myself.

"Daughter of Aphrodite," Kayla whispers in a choked voice. I'm glad she was claimed, but she looks so small and precious and I know what will happen in a few minutes. It's close. I might not be a son of Hades but I can feel it. Son of Hades... no. This is not the time for that, Solace, I scold myself, feeling instantly guilty. I push all thoughts of that away, turning to Kayla.

"Get Piper," I order, and she dashes off immediately. At least Piper can meet her sister, and little Hadley will have someone with her when she...

I pray to my father that even if I can't save this tiny child, Kayla will return with Piper in time.

Not even two minutes later, the door bursts open to reveal panting Kayla and Piper. Her face is despairing and makes my heart contract, and her cheeks are flushed from running. She pushes past me to meet her younger half-sister, dressed up in her ballerina outfit. Normally when children of Aphrodite are claimed they look instantly crazy-beautiful, but I assume the goddess took pity on her dying daughter and dressed her up in a way that would have made her happy.

"Hadley," Piper whispers, her voice cracking as she presses her forehead to her pale sister's. Even though they didn't even know each other, she instinctively feels a kinship to her half-sibling. We all do.

Piper continues whispering, even as Hadley's heart rate slows. "Listen, beautiful. We love you, and you pushed so hard. I'm praying to our Mommy that when you go down into the Underworld, you make friends and get to dance your heart out. I pray you'll meet Silena, your amazhang sister. And up here, we're going to build you a shrine and decorate it with pink sparkles and flowers, just like your outfit, okay? I love you."

Piper's crying hard, and us Apollo kids are close to it, too. In doctor mode, I can normally get through these tough moments without breaking down. But Piper's love is real, and it's just so sweet...

I swipe at my eyes, noticing my sister and brother are doing the same.

There's a moment of silence, and then a very small, very faint beep. We all turn to look at the heart rate monitor. The jagged ups and downs have smoothed down to nothing. Just a flat line. The flat line of death.

I cautiously step forward and hug Piper, while Terry quietly pulls the white sheet over the ballerina-clad child. Kayla turns away.

I walk Piper out onto the porch, where she's able to calm down.

"I feel so bad I didn't know before..." she shakes her head firmly. "But it doesn't matter whether she's my sister or not. Somebody should have visited her." She looks up at me with half-hope, and I avert my eyes. Nobody did come to visit her. Nobody knew she was even here, except us in the infirmary. Nobody knew an eight-year-old daughter of Aphrodite was dying here, alone.

Piper swallows, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the tears.

"Will, I'm going to come here a few times every week and bring flowers, is that okay? For the people who..." she leaves it hanging. I nod.

"I think that would be really nice," I say softly. She nods.

"I'll bring Jason, too. I'd better go and... tell my siblings." I nod, squeezing her shoulder.

"I have a feeling Aphrodite heard your prayer," I add. "You did call her Mommy, after all." Piper manages a tiny smile. I let out a breath. At least I helped one person today.

"Thanks, Will. You did what you could, and that's all anyone asked," she says, sensing my guilt. I just nod half-heartedly and yawn.

"Night, Piper."

"Night, Will."

I turn around again and walk back inside to where Kayla and Terry are talking softly. I hug them both.

"We did everything we could," I repeat Piper's words to them softly, forcing both of them to meet my eyes. They nod and we all say goodnight, our shift finally over.

But I'm not quite ready to forgive myself.

That night, before I drift off, I add a name to the old, crumpled list that I keep under my mattress.

Hadley Larson.

That list grows one name longer, and my heart sinks farther.

She's one more person I've failed to save.