the archer, percy jackson

002. the minotaur slayer

chapter two
002. the minotaur slayer!

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     PERCY HAD no idea what was happening. 

     The night outside was a blur of vicious rain, lightning and rolling thunder. His own heart pounded with a breathless desperation▬a pleading desperation to know what was going on. To understand why his mother was so scared. To understand what that dream was. To understand why Grover had furry donkey hindquarters for legs. To understand why his dad wanted him to go to a summer camp. To understand what those old ladies were. To understand why Mrs. Dodds attacked him▬and why everyone made him feel crazy for thinking she existed. To just know▬

     Percy yelped when the car shuddered over a pothole in the road, jolting upwards in his seat. He had no idea how his mom was seeing anything in this storm, but she didn't slow down, heading down a long and winding road that seemed to lead nowhere. He glanced at Grover sitting in the backseat of the Camaro beside him▬and he seriously began to wonder whether he was going insane. He had to be wearing some weird set of pants and shoes. His best friend didn't actually have donkey legs ... right? Right?

     And yet Percy knew it was real. He could smell it. His best friend smelt like a wet dog. 

     There was a rather bright flash of lightning▬almost immediately, the entire sky split in a horrifying crack of thunder that shook Percy to his bones. He took a shaky breath, terrified. There was so much he wanted to say▬so many questions he wanted to ask. But as they sped dangerously down the narrow road, he turned to Grover and blurted out: "So, you and my mom ... know each other?"

     Grover's dark eyes darted to the rearview mirror. Percy glanced back as well, but there was nothing behind them. No lights, no cars▬just the complete blackness of Long Island woodland around them. "Not exactly," he decided to say eventually. "I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you."

    "Watching me▬?"

    "Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay." Grover pursed his lips and held his breath for a second. "But▬but I wasn't faking being your friend," he told Percy, some part of his voice seeming to crack as he feared Percy's response. "I am your friend."

     Percy didn't know what his response was. His mind was buzzing with so much▬flooded with questions, reactions and more questions. His ADHD didn't help, either. Instead of worrying and focusing on questions and responses that were focused on what they were running from, all Percy could think of was▬was his friend half donkey? He took a few quick breaths, clenching his hands to stop them from shaking. 

     He nodded at Grover, trying not to be so obvious, but he failed miserably. "Um ... what are you, exactly?"

    "That doesn't matter right now."

    "It doesn't matter?!" Percy let out, eyes wide and heart racing. "From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey▬!"

     "BLAH-HA-HA▬!" Percy jumped, shocked at the sound Grover let out, sharp and livid. "Goat!"

    "What?"

    "I'm a goat from the waist down!"

    "You just said it didn't matter▬!"

     "Blah-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you under hoof for such an insult!"

     Percy threw his hands up, giving up until he had to take a moment to backtrack and realise what his friend just said. "Whoa, whoa, whoa▬wait. Satyrs. You mean like ... Mr. Brunner's myths?"