Centuries | PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS

CHAPTER SEVEN: WINE DAD? NO THANKS

Chapter Seven: Wine Dad? No Thanks

(I Become Supreme Lord Of The Bathroom,  Pt. 2)

***

Fortunately on Hester's end, she was able to catch up with Percy pretty quickly before any gods could be offended—if any gods were around.

She walked down the corridor and out to see Percy on a verandah, now wearing the hoodie, staring out into the distance. Or maybe not so into the distance, as Hester now saw what he was seeing—a lake that seemed to be endless, with the bank she could see peppered with colourful canoes and kids in the same bright orange T-shirts Grover wore. Birdsong filled the air, and the banks of the lake were bordered by thick, dark green trees as the wind brushed calm ripples over the lake and clouds scuttled over the blue sky lazily.

Was this the camp Grover and her aunt had mentioned that was a sanctuary for demigods like her and Percy? If it was, then Hester was surprised.

For a supposed training ground for the half-mortal children of the gods who might also be heroes in training, it looked... peaceful.

It looked like a place her mom might have loved to see.

A lump formed in Hester's throat, and she swallowed it back down, that it was not just her mom she'd lost, but now Aunt Sakura as well. That she had no more family left.

And whose fault is that? a voice that sounded disturbingly almost like the voice from her dream whispered in her head as Hester's palms prickled.

Curling them up, Hester stuck them in her jacket pockets, forcing the prickles to go away. Reluctantly, they faded away.

A tap on her shoulder came and Hester turned to Percy, who now jerked his head to the right. And letting Hester see the patio surrounding by three stained glass walls and the man dozing in the sun wearing what had to be the loudest pattern shirt Hester had the displeasure of seeing.

Looking from the asleep man to Percy, they engaged in silent communication again:

Percy raised his eyebrows and jerked his head to the patio. Wanna see if he has some answers about our dads?

Hester shrugged. Maybe. Couldn't hurt to try.

With the messages communicated to each other, Percy and Hester turned and headed to the patio and the man still sleeping in the sun.

When they got closer, Hester could see the shots of grey through his wild, bristly hair and beard, the sunglasses on his face and the can of Cocoa-Cola in his hands, and amended her previous judgement.

Maybe he isn't sleeping. Maybe he's actually hungover.

Not keen to wake the guy up just in case, Hester looked around, taking in more details—the candles that seemed to be everywhere, the cards on the round table, the plant in the corner, and the vacant wheelchair next to the probably-hungover guy.

Wait... vacant wheelchair?

Immediately Hester's eyes snapped back to the wheelchair and her shock and confusion grew, especially since she recognised that as Mr. Brunner's chair, except the Greek History teacher was nowhere in sight.

What the—

"Excuse me?"

The sound of Percy's voice jerked Hester's attention back into focus, seeing him now in front of the table, and obviously trying to wake the probably-hungover guy. Not wanting him to do it alone, Hester joined him as Percy continued, "I'm Percy Jackson, and this is my friend, Hester Sāto, we're new here."