For Us Demigods

Metaphorically

Third Person's POV

*click*
Mr. Jackson. It's me. Rick. I need to tell you something. Call me back.
*beep*

*click*
Mr. Jackson. It's me. Rick. I need your help. I've seen something and I need an update. Call me back.
*beep*

*click*
Percy. It's Rick. Have you seen the news? There's something happening. Call back soon.
*beep*

*click*
Jackson. Monsters Jackson. I was right. We were right. I'll be going to the bank. Call.
*beep*

*click*
Percy. Something's following me. Something's after me and my family. I need your help.
*beep*

"Annabeth." Percy looked to her. He had his phone on one hand listening to dozens and dozens of voice messages he received from their English teacher.

Annabeth looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look.

"What?" Annabeth inquired softly.

"Listen to this." Percy said, quickly walking over to her bedside, tossing his phone to her as another voice message from Rick played.

Percy crawled over Annabeth to get to his side of the bed, and he ruffled around the sheets trying to find the TV remote.

He clicked the TV on right on Channel 5's breaking news. The pictures were censored but he could see a victim, lying dead on the sidewalk of the footage. His eyes darted to the victim's frail, limp arm, the only thing that the censor didn't get. Her nails were filed down and she had scars on her hand and wrist. The SPQR tattoo on her arm is what hit him in the gut.

"REYNA!" Percy yelled at the top of his lungs. "FRANK! HAZEL!"

Annabeth looked up and it took her seconds to spot it. She dropped Percy's phone and clasped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh gods, how old is she?" Annabeth said, stunned with, remorse in her voice. Tears were clouding her eyes. This isn't the first time Annabeth has seen a dead demigod, but it was the first one she's seen after she got pregnant.

"FRANK! HAZEL!" Percy yelled again. "Where are they?" He asked a bit irritated.

"Percy." Annabeth stood up. "We have to go get her. We have to burn a shroud. Oh do they do that? The Romans? Do they burn-"

"Annabeth." Percy's attention diverted to his wife. "Calm down. We'll figure it out. We'll take care of this, we'll-"

Percy squeezed her hands before running outside straight to Hazel and Frank's room. They were frozen in front of the TV screen.

Percy noticed that Frank took a few steps back, his hand covering his tattoo, his eyes not leaving the screen.

Hazel turned to Percy, tears on the brim of her eyes. She turned back to Frank and Percy could hear a soft

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. It's fine." Frank tried to say.

Percy glanced at the TV screen, and that's when he first noticed the crossed spears below the tattoo. The crossed spears that looked so familiar on Frank's arm, looked so pale and withered on the girls arm.