A Demigod Life

Montauk

Perci walked over to the edge of the sand as she stared out into the deepest parts of the ocean. The rain was hitting her, making her clothes all wet and they were sticking her skin. The thunder and lightning didn't bother her at all as she was hyper focused on a small light in the darkness. She didn't know what it was, but as the fog cleared, she could see something in baggy dark clothing that sent a chill up her spine. It scared her.

"Who are you? So weak. So scared. So sad. Run away, young hero, before you get hurt."It asked her in a scratchy, deep voice.

Perci woke up with a start. She then saw her mom in the driver's seat and saw her wipe away tears quickly hoping that Delia didn't see it, but she did. 

"We're here."Julie said softly.

"On three?"Perci suggested.

"Ready? One... two...Hey!"Julie smiled but Perci decided to leave before three. Julie got more soaked than Delia did, making Perci laugh.

As she stood in the bathroom, Perci rinsed her face off and looked herslef in the mirror. She didn't know what was happening to her. She didn't like not knowing what was going on, and she was hoping her mom would give her answeres to at least some of the explainable questions.

Perci sighed and walked out of the bathroom, seeing her mom standing in the kitchen, looking at something. She walked over, tapping her mom's shoulders while she stood on the opposite side. Julie fell for it, before she smiled and turned to face her "I found the good marshmallows. Ones that don't burn so easy."

Perci told her "I don't think it was ever the marshmallows' fault I wasn't paying attention. Mom... I need to talk to you about something."

They now sat in the living room of the cabin.

Perci then begins "I'm used to feeling weird. I'm used to the world feeling weird to me. Like a puzzle with half the wrong pieces. I try to pay attention. I really try, but... then I'm daydreaming. I can't help it. But lately... it hasn't felt like daydreaming. It's felt... I don't know. More real, maybe? And then we were at the museum and..."

Julie stated "You saw something. Something that felt real to you, but no one else could see? What did she say to you?"

Perci frowned "She? How did you know it was a she?"

"Do you know why we come to this cabin every year?"Julie asked.

Perci answered, not caring about this at the moment "Because it's near the septic tanks, so it's cheap. Mom, how did you know about that thing I saw?"

"We come to this place every year because this is the place I met your father."Julie said.

Perci asked "My dad? What does my dad have to do with this?"

Julie revealed "A long time ago, I... met a man, here on the beach. He was wise and brave and kind and... noble. From the moment I first saw him, I knew that... that I had never met a man like him before. And then I realized he was unlike any man I had ever met before... because h... he wasn't a man at all. He was a god."

"You fell in love God? Like... Like Jesus?"Perci asked.

"Not God. A god. Delia, the stories... that I have told you about Greek gods and heroes and monsters, they are real."Julie said.

"Mom..."Perci muttered.

Julie continued "In those stories, I have told you about how gods and mortals would sometimes have children together..."

"Mom, please stop."Perci said.

"children called demigods..."Julie says.

"Mom!"Perci interrupted.

Julie continued "and sometimes they are known as half-bloods."

Perci asked "That's what the monster called me. Mom, what's happening?"

Julie explained "You are a half-blood. And half-bloods are not safe in the world. Once they reach a certain age and they begin... to understand what they are, terrible forces are drawn to them, driven to harm them before they can become strong enough to fight back. That is what you have been feeling. It has always been a part of who you are, it was always coming, I just..."

Perci cut her off, she was getting upset, more confused and she just couldn't it "Why are you telling me this?"

"Perci, I know that this is hard to understand, but you have to believe me that this is real."Julie told her and Perci stood up out of anger.

Perci said in a broken voice "No, this is crazy. Okay? I am not a god. There is something wrong with my brain. I understand that I'm weird, believe me, I get it, but I'm afraid something may be really broken now."

"Oh, baby, no..."Julie began to cry.

Perci then said "And now you're telling me stories, like it's gonna make it okay? Well, I'm not a baby! I know there's no such thing as monsters, I know there's no such thing as gods, and I know for certain that there is no such things as demigods."

Before her mom could respond, a loud knock was at the door.

"Who's there?"Julie asked.

"Mrs. Glaser?  It's Grover."Grover said as he looked through the glass on the door.

"Grover?"Perci mumbled.

Grover asked "This is a little time sensitive. Could someone maybe open the door?"

"What is he doing here? I don't wanna see him. Wait, Mom..."Perci said but Julie just ignored her and let Grover in and tells Grover "I asked to have the night, you said we could all leave in the morning."

Grover apologized "Sorry, I'm early, but I didn't have any choice. Things have changed, this is all developing a lot faster than we anticipated."

Perci said "Early? You should have asked me before you-- Whatever it is you're gonna say, I don't wanna... hear it. Grover?"

"Perci. Okay, so something's coming..."Grover said turning back to Julie.

"Grover?"Perci asked.

Grover continued "and I know that sounds really bad..."

"Grover?"Perci asked again.

Grover said "but the important thing is not to panic."

"I'm not panicking."Julie said, perfectly calm and relaxed in her standing position.

"I am! Grover!"Perci exclaimed but he still wasn't responding to her.

Grover said "Great! I'm also definitely not panicking. I feel very good about how we're doing so far..."

"Grover!"Perci cut him off.

"What?"Grover said.

"Grover, why is there half a goat in your pants?"Perci asked.

"First of all, it's half goat and second, it's... Oh! Oh boy, she didn't tell you about... You didn't tell her about me?"Grover asked Julie.

"You're early."Julie told him.

Grover was panicking on the inside, everyone could see it and he turned to Perci and said "So the important thing is not to panic."

Julie told them before they left to go into the car "We'll continue this in the car. Let's go."