VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- thirteen

JUNE 16, 2019. 5:00 PM.

ROSE FELT DISGUSTING.

thankfully, they came out of the labyrinth not far from camp. they appeared in the middle of times square.

they arrived back at camp at six, just in time for dinner. rose didn't feel very hungry. she was still exhausted, and worried about percy.

love was complaining about a girl from school, and rose tried to listen, but she was too distracted.

she hoped percy wasn't dead. she sent a prayer to her mother, asking for any sort of sign that would tell her he was okay.

it never came.

JUNE 29, 2019. TWO WEEKS SINCE THE EXPLOSION OF MT. ST. HELENS.

rose was not having a good day.

she'd missed breakfast, and now was supposed to speak at percy's funeral.

"we must assume he is dead," chiron said.  "after so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. i have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors."

rose took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames.

rose turned to face the audience. she looked terrible. she seemed like she might start crying, but she managed to say, "he was probably the bravest friend i've ever had. he..." then she saw him. her entire demeanor changed. she looked pissed. "he's right there."

heads turned. people gasped.

"percy!" beckendorf grinned. a bunch of other kids crowded around percy and clapped him on the back. rose heard a few curses from the ares cabin, but clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to survive. chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him.

"well," he sighed with obvious relief. "i don't believe i've ever been happier to see a camper return. but you must tell me—"

"are you fucking kidding me?" rose said, shoving through the group of people around him. "not one phone call? no texts? no iris message?"

percy genuinely thought she was going to hit him, but instead she hugged him so fiercely that he thought she might crack his ribs.

rose seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed him back.

"we thought you were dead!"

"i'm sorry!" he said. "i got lost!"

"lost?" she said. "two fucking weeks, percy—"

"rose," chiron interrupted. "perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? the rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

without waiting for them to protest, he picked up the two as easily as if they weighed nothing, slung them both on his back, and galloped off toward the big house.

percy was clearly not telling the whole story. he explained how he'd caused the explosion at mount st. helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano. he told them he'd been marooned on an island. then hephaestus had found him and told him he could leave. a magic raft had carried him back to camp.

bullshit. he was clearly on ogygia. rose wasn't stupid. she wished he would just tell her.

"you've been gone two weeks." rose's voice was steadier now, but she still looked pretty shaken up. "when i heard the explosion, i thought—"

"i know," percy said. "i'm sorry. but i figured out how to get through the labyrinth. i talked to hephaestus."

"he told you the answer?"