WHAT VIVIENE NOTICED FIRST WERE HIS FACES. Both of them.
They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders, so his head was muchwider than it should've been, kind of like a hammerhead shark's looking straight at him, all Viviene saw were two overlapping ears and mirror-image side burns.
He was dressed like a New York City doorman: a long black overcoat,shiny shoes, and a black top-hat that somehow managed to stay on his double-wide head.
"Well, Annabeth?" said his left face. "Hurry up!"
"Don't mind him," said the right face. "He's terribly rude. Right this way, miss."
Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Uh...I don't..."
Tyson frowned. "That funny man has two faces, warrior girl."
"Yes, he does, Ty. " Viviene nodded, slowly pulling Tyson behind her and Percy and letting him hold her hand.
"The funny man has ears, you know!" the left face scolded. "Now come along, miss."
"No, no," the right face said. "This way, miss. Talk to me, please."
The two-faced man regarded Annabeth as best he could out of the cornersof his eyes. It was impossible to look at him straight on without focusing onone side or the other.
He wanted Annabeth to choose.
Behind him were two exits, blocked by wooden doors with huge ironlocks. They hadn't been there our first time through the room. The two-faced doorman held a silver key, which he kept passing from his left hand to his right hand.
Behind them, the doorway we'd come through had disappeared, replaced by more mosaics.
They wouldn't be going back the way they came.
"The exits are closed," Annabeth said.
"Duh!" the man's left face said.
"Where do they lead?" she asked.
"One probably leads the way you wish to go," the right face saidencouragingly. "The other leads to certain death."
"I—I know who you are," Annabeth said.
"Oh, you're a smart one!" The left face sneered. "But do you know which way to choose? I don't have all day."
"Why are you trying to confuse me?" Annabeth asked.
The right face smiled. "You're in charge now, my dear. All the decisionsare on your shoulders. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"
"I—"
"We know you, Annabeth," the left face said. "We know what youwrestle with every day. We know your indecision. You will have to makeyour choice sooner or later. And the choice may kill you."
Then, Viviene realized who they were and why they were here.
The color drained out of Annabeth's face. "No...I don't—"
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THE PROPHECY ² / Percy Jackson !
FanfictionViviene Smith finally has it all- she's in a happy relationship with her soulmate, she's moved on from Holden, she's learned to control her powers- it seems like her life turned to perfection. That is until her insecurities come to the surface when...
