percabeth at goode ; pjo/hoo

We take a trip in the elevator of death

| Percy Jackson | 

My bed was warm, and cosy. I didn't want to get out of the covers. The sun was slipping into my cabin, making my eyes sting. I groaned as someone knocked on the door loudly. "Wakey wakey, sleepy head!" Called Piper. "We are leaving in two hours!" 

Two hours? What was the time? I rolled myself over to check the time on my clock. Ten o' clock, oh man.  

I realized I hadn't even packed yet, and all my clothes were sprawled across the cabin. Quickly, I put on a top and jeans and ran to find Annabeth. She was leaning against her cabin reading an architecture book - just like the time she'd shown me around the Hermes cabin. Memories. 

⠀"Can you-" 

⠀"Help you pack?" She offered, predicting what I was about to say. 

⠀"Er, yes please." Annabeth closed her book and sighed. "Come on then, Seaweed Brain. Maybe we can fix your fashion sense."

It only took an hour to pack. Okay, that is quite a while, but I couldn't find any of my stuff! Thank the gods Annabeth was there to help me. We packed everything into my suitcase then dragged it outside. "Ready?" Asked Piper cheerfully. Piper seemed to be so excited about going to High School, she was well prepared and really efficient about it. 

⠀"Yep," I nodded as Jason and Leo joined us. "Seen Nico or Clarisse?" I asked. Everyone shook their heads.  

⠀"No, maybe they are still getting ready?" Suggested Leo. He looked like he hadn't got a good nights sleep. I'd heard Leo had had a pretty rough time at many High Schools. I hoped he knew this one would be different. "I guess we better tell Chiron we're ready." Said Annabeth. 

⠀"Wait!" Someone shouted. A wind of red hair hurled me off my feet. 

⠀"Rachel?" I asked, confused.. 

⠀"Sorry!" She moaned, helping me up. "Couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye." Once I was steady on my feet again, I smiled at her and nodded.  

⠀"Of course!" 

Annabeth reached over and hugged her. "We'll be back next summer, or sooner." She told Rachel. 

⠀"Huh," Rachel sighed. "My old school. Well, have fun guys!"

Eventually Nico joined us. He kept quiet though, I guess he was nervous. He would be below us in school, he'd have to make new friends. Clarisse stormed straight past us on into the van Argus was driving us in. Chiron came to meet us and explain the plan. "You will be taken to where you are staying first. There you can unpack and settle in. As it's Sunday, school will start tomorrow." 

⠀"What time?" Asked Annabeth. 

⠀"You will find alarm clocks in your bedrooms all set to the same time, so you won't be late." Chiron answered. 

⠀"Is there a-" started Leo. 

⠀"No, Leo. There is no snooze button." Chiron told him much to Leo's annoyance. 

⠀"Now, all I can really say is good luck! Enjoy yourselves!"

The journey in the van was long.and in my books long equals boring. Us being all ADHD, sitting still for ages wasn't very pleasant. Argus had to stop at least four times for us to get out and shake it off. We drove down winding country lanes laden with bright flowers and fruit bushes.

The sun was still high as it was around twelve o' clock. Eventually we hit the city. People were busy on the streets, rushing to get to work and going about their daily lives. They seemed oblivious to the traffic on the streets until someone had to honk their horn to get them to move.

But it seemed like home, the place I grew up. On the way to our new home, we passed Goode. It was a tall brick building with a large faded sign that with my dyslexia I couldn't read.

⠀"Wow," Annabeth muttered. She'd seen Goode before a couple of years ago but not had much time to admire the architecture. "Looks like a reasonably old building, maybe built in the 1950? Seems like that kind of style." 

The others stared it at as we drove away, except Clarisse who was pretending to be asleep.

Argus opened the doors for us and let us out. In front of us was a tall apartment complex, and I mean tall. It looked brand new; shiny and clean. Most of the walls were large glass windows, overlooking Manhattan. "Oh my gods," Muttered Piper. 

⠀"It's amazing..." Jason agreed. 

Argus handed us a key with the number 400 on it. "But there can't be 400 floors in this, it doesn't even look like 200!" Leo said.

I could see Annabeth's mind working, thinking of an explanation. "Well, I'd say this building was built with the help of the gods, so we don't get attacked by monsters. Because we need a place to stay in the city, but out of sight, they must have concealed the floors and rooms. The gods have Olympus, the 600th floor to hide them, so I guess we do too." 

⠀"But why can't we have the 600th floor?" Leo asked. 

⠀"Duh, because that's Olympus, grease monkey." Snapped Clarisse in her usual tone.  

⠀"It makes sense," Piper nodded, gazing into the sky. Annabeth turned to Argus and asked "Is that right?" 

Argus nodded before handing us our luggage and getting back into the van. He waved as he drove of out of sight, some of his many eyes still checking we were safe. "Come on then," I said. "Let's find our new homes!"

There was a reception when you first walked in, nearly identical to the one in the Empire State Building. A young lady sat at the desk. Her wiry hair was pulled back in a stiff ponytail and her eyes were glued to a gossip magazine.

She reminded me of my old 4th grade teaching assistant. not a good memory. We approached her nervously and I rung the bell on her desk to get her attention.

⠀"Erm, hello. I believe we've rented the 400th floor." Piper said, using a little charmspeak to get her attention. 

⠀"There is no 400th floor." She sighed absentmindedly, as she turned the page on her magazine. Piper plonked the key down in front of the lady and coughed to get her attention.

She glanced at the keys and her expression changed. She looked sterner and more responsible.

⠀"I see, welcome, welcome. Make your way up there. Just put the key in the elevator, there's a key hole on the button panel. My names Violet, by the way."

We rushed over to the elevator and all seven of us squeezed in. There were 100 buttons for 100 different floors, all glowing orange. Piper pushed the key into a golden key hole at the bottom and instantly the doors shut.

For a second nothing happened. Suddenly the elevator shot upwards at a tremendous speed. Annabeth grabbed for my arm and held on. I think someone else grabbed onto me too (cough cough, Nico) but we were all too squashed to see around us.

My stomach lurched as I felt yesterday's dinner attempt to resurface. If we had to do this everyday, twice a day, I'm not sure how I could cope.

Finally, it stopped. Everyone gasped with relief and the doors opened. We all stumbled out, gagging and clutching our heads. Then I looked up, and the 400th floor was so spectacular, all my sickness was drowned in excitement.

Afterword: 

So tell me what you thought! I think this chapters longer than the others!