Cleaning Up Percy Jackson's Multitude of Messes

IV ~ Chrys

The smell of rotting food and wet cardboard permeated the air and sat on my nose like an old patch of dill weed. I breathed through my mouth so as to help as I lay still, my limbs tangled with Diago's and wait for the pounding of feet to pass. Once they pass, the demigod from earlier with the awesome leather jacket pops her head over the lip of the dumpster, glares at us and demandingly says, "Explain."

Ignoring her, I attempted to get up from the awkward position that Diago and I had fallen into when we were shoved behind the dumpster. Keyword: attempted. I ended up slipping on what I later confirmed was a dead mouse and further entangled myself with Diago. Not that I minded.

Hoping that the darkness would cover up my blush, I stood up and brushed myself off after helping Diago to his feet and we both turn towards to the girl now climbing out of the dumpster with the grace of a goddess, various bits of rotten food and candy wrappers falling from her clothing and hair. She was almost as tall as Diago so I was, sadly, the short one of the trio. Her pale skin a stark contrast to her dark hair and eyes, giving her the haunting and striking appearance that had stunned us earlier when she withdrew from the shadows. When I first saw her, I thought she maybe was a monster and the smell of the surrounding garbage didn't help, but the wrench in my gut told me otherwise. This girl is a demigod and I am obligated to take any demigods to Camp Half-Blood for them to be save and to be trained to fight monsters. No matter how strange this girl was, I had to take her with me and Diago.

I watched her pick candy wrappers and rotting food from her hair and clothing as I thought over how to get her to come with us. She seemed like any other kid who lived on the street, the smudged dirt on her face was evident enough as was her thin, willowy frame showing that she didn't eat near enough. Sadly, a case like hers is common in the demigod world. Some demigod children are too hyperactive for some families and foster homes to handle so they end up running away and living on the streets. A bad idea since monsters are crawling everywhere since the Doors of Death opened all those years ago and will do anything for a quick demigod snack.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

The female demigod's question pulls me from my deep contemplation and I look at her full in the face, that gut wrenching feeling hitting me again full on as I notice her jacket flicker for a moment to a long read cloak. One that seems strangely familiar. Hmm.

"Sorry. Lost in my thoughts. Thank you, by the way, for hiding us from the cops." As I talk, she turns to look into the dumpster, looking for something.

"You're welcome. Hah! Found it!" She pulls out an entire chocolate cake with a smile like a box of razor blades. I mean an entire chocolate cake. It seemed perfectly fine. It was still in its container and everything so none of the garbage contaminated it. But still, disgusting.

"You're not going to eat that, are you?" I ask pointing to the dessert aloft in her hand.

"Hey man, don't dis the cake. Why did you do to have the cops chasing you anyway?" She asks, turning the tables.

"Long story," Diago buts in. "Thanks for the help, but we have a long journey and really must be getting on our way." Diago grabs me by the forearm and begins to lead us out of the alley and onto the street. The street that is now strangely devoid of mortals. Oh, and covered in monsters. And to think I thought my first day on the job couldn't get any worse.

A Lastriagordian walks in our direction and I put my hand on my bag of seeds in my pocket but I know they would be useless with all of the concrete and asphalt surrounding me. I really hate big cities. The dam Canadian was huge! At least ten feet tall and as wide as a pickup truck. I've definitely got my work cut out for me on this one.