Celestial - a Percy Jackson fanfic [BOOK ONE]

Chapter twenty-one

I waited. There was no response.

I knocked again. No luck.

I tried turning the knob, but it was locked. It was now late at night - everyone was supposed to be home from work or school.

I walked down to the bottom floor, in hopes of finding the doorman to help me get into my home. He was an ugly fellow - beer belly with a scratchy, untamed beard. I asked him for help, and he just stared at me in surprise.

"You're the girl who was kidnapped by the crazy guy," he said. "It was all over the television."

I nodded. "Yep. Now help me get home?"

The man looked confused. "The Millers, right? They missed rent, so I went up to see what was going on and I found the place totally wrecked. None of the residents were home and the place was absolutely trashed. They haven't come back."

Guilt fell onto my shoulders. "What? W-where did they go?"

The man shrugged. "Beats me. I'm sorry, kid. I wish I could help you."

"Do you at least have a phone I could use?"

He nodded.

I eagerly took the phone and dialed my dad's number. It rang and rang. I left a teary message, begging my dad to find me and bring me home. I had nowhere else to go.

I gave the man his phone back. Wiping my tears from my cheeks, he gave me a sorry nod.

I left the building. I had no belongings, no money, and nowhere to go. I felt abandoned.

I couldn't go to their work, it was already past closing. Yancy Academy would already be closed by now, too. I sat on the curb at the bus stop, feeling defeated in myself. I was alone.

—

When the bus came, I explained to the driver that I didn't have any money, but he recognized me from TV and let me ride. The only place that I could even think of going was back to Camp Half-Blood. Luckily, the driver was going that way.

He took me as far towards Long Island as he could, which wasn't very far. It was still about a forty minute drive to where I wanted to go.

Then, a thought occurred in my head. I could literally fly. Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?

So I did. I flew high enough to that anyone looking up would think that I was maybe a bird or something. I had never filed for that long before, so it was definitely tiring, but I was ecstatic when I spotted the familiar strawberry fields. The entire forest was pitch black, except for the lanterns that lit up the quiet Camp Half-Blood.

I gently set down on the grass in the U shape of cabins. I sat down, exhausted. And then it all hit me again. I had no idea where my family was - or what happened to them. I had no idea who my real mother was, and my own father didn't even remember anything about me. I couldn't believe it. Tears were streaming down my cheeks by now, my head pushed down between my knees.

I heard footsteps treading along the grass, turning into a sprint.

"Cleo? Cleo!" A familiar voice shouted and I lifted my head to see Percy running over. He stopped in front of me, holding out a hand to help me to my feet.

I took it, and immediately grasped him into a tight hug, burying my face into the crook in his neck.

"Cleo, whats wrong?" He asked.

"My family - who isn't my real family, I guess - is gone. Their apartment was trashed and they're all missing. I don't know where they went, or if they're even alive," I said, lifting my face from his shoulder. "And Zeus doesn't even remember my mother. He doesn't even remember me."