The Riptides: Percy's Sister (Percy Jackson And The Olympians)

Book Two, Chapter Eight 2.8

June fourth, Monday Schedule.

08:00am - 09:00am Breakfast and cabin inspections

My morning was not fun.

The first thing Tantalus asked when he noticed I was by myself, "Where is your kitchen boy brother and that monster Cyclops?"

"Their names are Tyson and Percy and Tyson is not a monster." I answered. "And I don't know where they are." Not a lie, not an excuse. Just fragments of the truth.

I don't know where they are exactly. Besides, Tantalus even said himself that the sea of monsters isn't an exact location. My usual general assumptions are that they're heading towards the coordinates Percy mentioned last night, 30, 31, 75, 12.

I took my Fruity Pebbles, orange juice and strawberries to the hearth and sacrificed some of the biggest strawberries. "Dad, help me out here, please."

I smelled that clean ocean air again. I hope it was some sort of sign he was listening. Though how he could help I wasn't sure.

I ate my breakfast alone in silence. I was just getting used to being without Percy last year. Without him, I always felt so lonely, even if he gets on my nerves most of the time, okay, all the time. As a sister, if I didn't say that I would be a complete liar. Anyway, whenever he goes somewhere without me, he'd always tell me where he's going, what he'll be doing and when he'll be back. Always. It didn't help that I didn't even get to say goodbye.

When breakfast was just about over, Tantalus stood and called out to everyone.

"Well, I suppose I should say good morning to all of you. Well good morning to all you brats," he was still trying to chase down a pastry to no avail. "Now time for morning announcements. It seems we have lost three dear campers last night. Our dear friends Percy, Annabeth and that monstrous Cyclops have snuck out of camp. We will assume they died a painful, horrible death, until proven otherwise and if they didn't, well, they'll be banished either way. As for such disrespectful behavior," he looked me dead in the eyes. "Molly will do all the chores around camp. All of them. By herself. Anyone who tries to assist her will be punished severely."

I stopped my meal entirely. Of course he'd single me out and I get the blame for following the rules, but to some degree of fairness, shouldn't the Athena cabin clean, too? I mean Percy and Tyson weren't the only ones who snuck out, cabin six's head counselor snuck out and is gone too. So I could at very least get their help instead of being on my own.

Everyone was staring at me. This is the most uncomfortable moment of my life thus far. During the meal, some glanced then looked away. Some, like Connor, Dean and Evelyn, kept looking back and forth between their meals and me. But most were the same. Pity. Some of the meaner people and those I wasn't exactly on good terms with just snickered, taking amusement out of my misfortune. I just wished Percy could be here. Staring at my bowl of cereal saying, "Cereal again?" at least I'd be able to wish him and bid the others farewell.

When everyone was dismissed to go about their schedules, Tantalus pulled me aside. "No, your punishment starts right now, girl. Dishes are dirty," he clapped and pointed, "get to it."

"What about my schedule?" I wondered.

"No, no, no, no, no. There's no time for that," you know, despite it being a literal schedule, "the dishes, the pegasus stables, the racetrack, everywhere. Now go. Oh and no dessert for you." Then he pushed me into the underground kitchen.

The no dessert seems completely uncalled for. I just really wanted to complain or to vent, but I was afraid to. If I did, I probably would be given something worse on top of cleaning the whole camp by myself. With no help. But how could things possibly get any worse, I have absolutely no idea. My brothers left to go on a quest. I'm alone in my cabin. If anyone tries to help me with the chores they'll be unfairly punished too. If it's anything like the chariot races, no s'mores for a week or something.