The Hybrid

1. Hecate

The bus rattled along the winding road, the sound of its tires humming against the asphalt as the scenery outside blurred into a monotony of green and brown. Percy Jackson sat slouched in his seat, head resting against the window, staring out at the endless stretch of trees. His earbuds were in, music low, but his thoughts were miles away—back in Chicago, back with his friends, with his ex-girlfriend. His fingers moved quickly as he worked to draw a canopy on his sketchpad, but it wasn't quite turning out right. He was normally very good at pencil art speaking for himself, but today's sketch was a disaster. He just couldn't concentrate even on something he loved to do, which was drawing. 

He sighed, the dull ache in his chest returning as he thought about leaving his old life behind. Chicago was a world away now, and Angel Falls... well, it wasn't exactly where he pictured finishing high school. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, adjusting his hoodie. The air in the bus felt too thick, the kind that weighed on you when your mind was somewhere else.

The thud of something hitting the floor snapped him out of his thoughts. He blinked, glancing across the aisle. An older woman, silver-haired and dark-skinned, was fumbling with a water bottle that had slipped from her lap and rolled under the seat.

Percy pulled out one of his earbuds, leaning over to retrieve it. 

"Here," he said, offering the bottle to her.

The woman's eyes met his, a warm, deep brown that seemed to shimmer in the dim bus light. "Thank you, dear," she said, her voice soft but rich with a certain weight that Percy couldn't quite place. She sat back in her seat, adjusting the long green dress that draped elegantly over her knees. Her hair was tied in a bow bun, silver strands catching the light as they framed her face. Something about her seemed timeless, like she had seen things that most people hadn't.

"No problem," Percy replied, slipping the earbud back in but keeping his eyes on her for a moment longer.

The bus jostled over another bump in the road, the trees blurring faster as they dipped into the heart of the woods. Percy pulled his earbuds back out. 

"You from Angel Falls?" he asked, not really expecting much of an answer.

The woman turned to him with a small, knowing smile. "Born and raised," she said, her eyes twinkling slightly. "Though I don't see many people heading to Angel Falls. Usually, they're on their way out."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, not really my choice," he muttered, turning to glance out the window again. "I'm staying with my uncle and aunt for the year. Gotta finish high school somewhere, right?"

The woman tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Your aunt lives there?"

"Yeah, Wes Jackson. My mom's brother. She grew up in Angel Falls."

At the mention of his mother, the woman's expression shifted ever so slightly. Her smile faltered, just for a moment, but it didn't go unnoticed. She pursed her lips, a small frown creasing her forehead.

Percy noticed the change and frowned himself. "You know him?"

The woman didn't answer right away. She seemed to be considering her words, her eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing something in her mind. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter this time, more cautious. "I know the Jackson name. Your mother, what did you say her name was?"

"Sally Jackson," Percy replied, watching her carefully now. "She died recently. Cancer." He hesitated, the word still raw on his tongue. "She wanted me to come here."

The woman's face darkened, her brows knitting together. She looked away for a moment, her gaze drifting out the window as though the trees held answers to questions she wasn't ready to ask. There was a slight unease to her attempt at recovering a reassuring expression.