The Jackson Twins and The Parent Thief

Dream

 The dream started off like any other dream. I was a giant orange being chased by the Jeepers Creepers monster. Then, it morphed into something that turned my stomach. Mom and Dad, where chined up to giant rocks. Their clothes tattered and barely holding on. Dad looks like he got the worst of it, he was beaten, cut, and bruised. Two figures stood in front of them, I couldn't make out what they looked like.

"Percy Jackson. I'm tired of hearing that name... every conversation... over and over again." One voice said.

The other shadow walked up to mom and dragged a small knife along her cheek, hurting hurt but not cutting.

"Leave her alone!" Dad snaped. "I told you! Your issue is with me! Leave Annabeth out of this!"

"Fine. But she stays and gets to watch us torture you... until the great Perseus Jackson dies." The shadowy figure laughs. The other figure takes the knife off Mom and shoves it in Dad's gut. The two figures laugh harder.

The dream shifted again. Now it shows a little girl sitting by the fire. Her hair long and brown, she stares into the fire solemnly.

"I know you want to go save them." She said. "But you can't... at least not now."

I try to speak, ask her why not. But my mouth just opens, and no words come out.

"As a precaution, from the ones who took your parents. They put you back in time, you have to relive key points in your parents lives to understand where they are. You have to live through them all, then it will lead up to their present. It will not be easy, and you will see things your parents never wanted you to see. But it's the only way, to save your parents, and get back to your present time." She said. She slowly turned her head and stared at me. "Good luck Charlie."

The dream fades to black, and I wake up in a cold sweat. Cabin 3 was still empty and dark. No one in here except for me, and a feint glimpse of the moonlight. Waves from the Sound crash just out side of my window. My heart racing and my breath ragged.

"No way I'm getting back to sleep." I sighed.

I threw off my covers and slowly pressed my bare feet on the ice-cold floor.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Quick pounding on my door sends my stomach straight out of my ass.

"Char open up it's me, Ty!" He said franticly.

I quickly opened the door and he stared at me with sweat dripping from his face and wild eyes. "What's wrong?" I said.

"A dream... of mom and dad..." He huffed, like he just sprinted all the way over here in an instant.

"You had the dream too?" I said, he nodded, and I looked around quickly then pulled him into my cabin.

"Mom looked hurt, and dad..." He trailed off. "Then some weird little girl talked to me."

"So, we had the same dream. Is this a twin thing?" I asked.

"No, I don't think so. It was to real." Ty said. "I guess we have to go through mom and dad's life, to find them."

"Shit..." I said.

"Yeah..." Ty agreed.

"What about the gods? Can't we ask Grampa Poseidon?" I asked.

"I don't know." He scratched his chin. "They claimed us nearly instantly despite..." He looked around. "You know. So, I think Grandma Athena and Grampa Poseidon know what's happening, but this is the best they can do for us. I think it's only up to us to save mom and dad."

"Dad was right... the gods are lazy..." I sighed.

"I should go, try to get some sleep, ok?" He patted my head. "Remember, I'm Ty Chase, and not your twin brother." He said kinda sadly.

"Well then what are you?" I asked.

"Best friend of course." He smiled.

"Wait. Isn't mom's maiden name Chase? And you two look like Identical twins. What if someone askes questions?" I said.

"Then... I'll run away." He nodded. "Goodnight Char." He waved and slid out the door shutting it behind him.

I could not get back to sleep, my stomach felt like it was doing a gymnasts routine in the Olympics. I went out the back door to the cabin. A privet dock connected to it, stretching a bit out into the Sound. I walk on the thin wooden dock, the wood old and from being neglected for decades. I sat on the edge of the dock, letting my legs sink in. The cold water rushed around my legs and soaked them. I'm glad I decided to wear shorts to bed.

I stare into the dark water and listened to the waves gently crashing behind me. A face slowly raises from the water, just between my feet. My heart stops.

"I'm sorry I scared you." She said.

"It's ok... what are you?" I asked and she smiled.

"A Water Naiad." She smiled. Her face looked young, like a teenager. She had on a green shirt and blue jeans, her hair was long and brown. "In all my days, I never would have thought I'd see someone as beautiful as you sitting here. What brings you here?" She said.

Mom's words flashed through my head, advice she told me days before we left for camp. "Stay away from Water Naiads, they are terrible flirts." At first I was confused, now I know.

"I'm the new resident." I said.

"Ooh a new Camper, how cute!" She smiled. "What cabin?"

"That one." I pointed behind my shoulder with my thumb. "Cabin 3."

She stared at me. "I have to go.... See you later." She sank back into the depths.