𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬, p.jackson

𝟏𝟒. viva las vegas

fourteen.
( the lightning thief. )
❛ viva las vegas. ❜

COLETTE WAS SURE, positive, certain, doubtless and ultimately confident that they had been transferred from a cruel reality into a dimension made and designed for their personal entertainment. It was a paradise in the form of a measly hotel and casino-a world of wonder and adventure so vast that it had pulled her in and she had willingly indulged. She felt like Alice in Wonderland, each turn and twist fabricated into something Colette could only ever long for.

The interior was a piñata of colour, bursting at the seems and enveloping the whole place in a disco-like kaleidoscope of vibrancy. The entirety of the lobby was unfolded to fit any child's desires. There was an indoor waterslide snaking around the glass elevator, which went straight up at least forty floors. There was a climbing wall on the side of one building, and an indoor bungee-jumping bridge. There were virtual-reality suits with working laser guns and hundreds of video games, each one the size of a widescreen TV.

It was heaven. their own semi-private heaven.

"Hey!" a bellhop's cheery voice resounded from nearby. There was a young man walking towards them adorning a white-and-yellow Hawaiian shirt with lotus designs, shorts, and flip-flops. "Welcome to the Lotus Casino. Here's your room key." When Percy went to interject, he shook his head with a laugh. "No, no. The bill's taken care of. No extra charges, no tips. Just go on up to the top floor, room four-double zero-one. If you need anything, like extra bubbles for the hot tub, or skeet targets for the shooting range, or whatever, just call the front desk. Here are your LotusCash cards. They work in the restaurants and on all the games and rides." He handed them each a green plastic credit card.

Unsurely, Percy took the card and gave him a cautious glance. "How much is on here?" He asked, only for the man to laugh in response.

His eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, when does it run out of cash?"

Letting a look of playful understanding wash over his face, the bellhop gave the four a nod and a laugh. "Oh, you're making a joke. Hey, that's cool. Enjoy your stay." Nevertheless, they brushed off the odd encounter as they boarded the glass elevator.

Once they had located their room, Colette could've tired tears of golden joy as she looked at the four suites, each designed to fit their own needs. As Colette opened the door, her mouth hung agape at the sight of the freshly laid out clothes, the voluminous bed and fountain of pillows.

Stepping into the shower was a wave of pure adrenaline as the warm water dripped through her hair and along the battered skin of her bruises and hidden scratches. She must've spent at least forty minutes in there, shampooing and conditioning her hair twice and drenching herself in vanilla shower gel before she finally stepped out. And for the first time in a week, she felt fresh and clean.

Her hair was barren of grime and fell in smooth locks once again, curling towards the end as they fell down her shoulder. There was a small platter of jewellery beside a mirror and she plucked two small earrings. It was refreshing. Soon after she pulled on the fresh clothes: a white tank top under a long sleeved and dark red henley shirt and dark blue denim shorts. At the end of the bed, her star-imprinted converse were neatly positioned and lacked any sign of ruin or scratch. Lee's jacket had been promised to be cleaned by staff and to her surprise, when she opened the closet it was there awaiting her. It was cleaned of dirt and smelled fondly of the lotus that was noticeable in the air conditioner. she laid it out on the bed, choosing to not put it on as she covered her arms in a thin white cardigan.