Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 69: Conflict From Within

We broke up camp and put everything back into the car before going back on the road. Zoe has been keeping to herself this morning, as if she is processing something. Thalia and Percy seems to be busy packing everything while Grover is performing some kind of spell. I think to see whether Pan may be close by. He has done it a few times, but never came up with anything.

"So, Zoe, does this Old Man live in the west?" I ask her. Zoe snaps out of her thoughts as she looks at the device. "According to the compass. I can't say for sure yet, but I think in the direction of San Francisco," she answers.

"You okay? You seem distracted," Percy asks. "Let's move out. We have no time to lose," Zoe says and walks to the car, avoiding answering the question. Percy sighs a bit. "I guess normal conversations are still not on the table..." he mutters and follows her.

I watch Zoe briefly before I enter the car. She is distracted by something. I mean she is still acting rather cold to Percy which is not all that strange, but her mind is occupied by something that is not solely this quest. Her feelings and emotions are safely put behind a thick, impenetrable mental wall. I can't pierce it to see what is happening inside her. I tried finding out through touch last night by putting an arm around her, but even then I can't pierce her defenses. This lies deep, that is all I know.

We soon drive away from our camp site. If San Francisco is indeed where we need to go, then we better make the most of the day. I can switch with Zoe and, if all goes well, we may be able to push ourselves and reach Saint Louis today. If not, we can always stop at Indianapolis.

The few hours of travel went by pretty well. Everyone was in a better mood considering we knew where to go. Conversations were held between us about nothing major, but it eventually led to our earlier days when we were growing up. Not sure how we got there, but it seems it was a topic that everyone was curious about. Thalia refused to talk about her own, and no one really pushed her either. The angry eyes were enough to deter any questions.

Grover had a rather... uneventful and boring youth. He was mostly training and learning to be a searcher. A goal that many satyrs have, so they could try to find their God Pan. The next person that was of interest was me. As I was a rather "special" case, I gathered a lot of interest.

"So, you're born in which year?" Percy asks me. "1933, Richmond," I answer while I drove on the highway. "What was it like? I can't even imagine what it was like back then."

"I am not sure whether I am a good representation of that time, Percy. Even when I was young, the kids in my neighborhood stayed away from me. I did not really get a normal childhood. As a kid, I probably had an aura around me that felt off-putting. Bad vibes, as Thalia puts it. It didn't help I discovered pretty early on that I liked girls and not boys," I explained.

"They made fun of you?" Grover asks.

"Sometimes, but it only caused my "bad vibes" to increase, which lead to them staying far away from me. I never really had anyone to play with. Mother played with me as much as she could, but she couldn't always be there. Her work in the hospital took most of her time. I had to fill many hours by myself," I continue to explain.

"I guess I can relate, my childhood wasn't exactly stellar either. My school record says enough. At least I had a few friends for a time. Although it never really lasted as I frequently had to go to another school again due to my behavior," Percy says.

"I wasn't always alone, though. When I was eight, I did have Bianca and Nico as friends for a while. They came to Richmond and stayed for a while before they moved to Washington. And then the war began. That was the only time I really felt alone and sometimes even forgotten. Mother was away to the front lines. No family that could take care of me, and school life was not very enjoyable. But I managed to get by through some governmental help and with what mother left me," I say.