A Demigod Like Me

nightmares and mini marts

I knew something was wrong as soon as she started mumbling.

First, she had said my name, then Nico, Will, and Evie, though the last name, Evie, was small and broken, and unbearable to hear. Nico had drifted to sleep on Will shoulder, and Will shortly after, laying his head on Nico's. I was the only one awake when Nikki started mumbling. Evie had woke up next, then Nico, Will, and Skylar.

Nikki was still lying on Evie, so she couldn't really do much. I grabbed her shoulders and shook. Her head came swinging up, with a gasp. From her terrified expression, sweat on her forehead, and grip on Evie's arm, it seemed to be a bad nightmare...one Will would want to hear about. But I know Nikki wouldn't.

"We gotta get moving again." Nico stated, pulling on his own backpack.

"Neeks, its still dark." Will said, yawning,

"duh." Nico replied, "thanks captain obvious. Children of Hades can travel easier in darkness," Nico smirked,

"besides, the monster's will come after us in the night," Skylar added,

Evie nodded in agreement.

"shadow travel then?" I suggested,

"NO!" Will and Nikki said in sync. this was a first...

"why not?" Nico and I argued (also in sync)

Will went off jabbering some serious medical bullschist, while Nikki looked so sad, afraid, and broken, it was enough to guilt me out of it.

"Nico,..." I touched his wrist, he flinched,

He looked away from his boyfriend's eyes, and into mine, we had a momentary, silent conversation, he seemed to understand,

"fine." he sighed.

()()()()()()()()

We walked, some had more spring in their step then other's....meaning, no one on the dam quest. We were all tired, hungry, broke, and just plain gross. Physically and mentally. I had no idea what time it was, and honestly I didn't really care. We were all stumbling along, following the familiar lights of a city. We had stuck to forest and darkness, out of mortal sight. I saw a nearby sign, read, 'welcome to Richman' I think,..the longer I stare at something, the harder it gets to read. At least we were going in the right direction. I saw the familiar turquoise color of Walmart. I sighed, "thank the gods.." I heard Evie mumble from behind me.

We walked into the blinding light, all Hades kids blinking(and Nikki letting out a fake-hiss) Skylar shielding her eyes, "I've never been so happy to see an all night store in my life.." I muttered. We wandered in, hoping we didn't smell too bad for a group of six, that hadn't slept outside for two days

I silently whispered, 'yes!' when I found actual cash in my pocket, and in the backpack from camp. 110$ total. dam.

We wandered around the store-I had a hunch that the people working the night shift had the idea we were teenage robbers. I laughed at the idea. Then I heard the crash of a shelf. Nikki was on the ground holding a very strange carton of milk. She clutched it as if her life depended on it. She slipped it into her backpack. "Uh...Nikki what are you doing?" Skylar asked before I could, she ignored us and continued to stuff the carton of milk in her pack. I now had a better look-it was soy milk, with a weird logo, it had a picture on the container, it shifted images. I was never so confused in my life...Nikki was allergic to soy milk, what the hell was she doing trying to smuggle a carton of it from Walmart.

"What are you doing?" Nico hissed.
"I-I can't tell you.." she muttered
"why not!" Nico demanded

"Evie?" Will tried. Evie seemed to have understood...for some reason.

"guys," I said, "trouble at the doors" The doors opened, three guys security guards perhaps, but I did not like the look of them one bit.
-----

I knew we were dead the minute the fat dude threw a sack of flower at Skylar, then an attempt to Nico, but his reflexes were faster than ours. He tumbled out of harms way. I never knew Nico was so agile..

Skylar was crumpled to the floor, "Sky!" I yelled, Although Skylar had been the one that was hit with the sack of flour, I felt the wind knocked out of my lungs. Anger filled my chest, I grabbed my sword from the sheath at my side, I swung, hitting the security guard-or what we thought was a security guard...The man dissolved to ashes, I gasp, and I tried to yell, "there monsters!" but my voice was nonexistent and the fire in my bones was put out.

With Skylar knocked unconscious, Nikki and Evie trying to smuggle milk, and me gasping for air, the odds weren't the best. We were lucky we still had Neeks.

I was on my knees, gasping my lungs squished together, "Will" I could hardly manage. He looked into my eyes for one second, a look of pity, it filled me with guilt. Nico called for some friends from beyond, two zombies, somewhat resembling Jules-Albert. But these were warriors, They had long Calvary swords, that looked dull. But they sliced through the guards like paper. i wondered why Nico hadn't done it sooner.

I made my way toward the daughter of Poseidon, i didn't know how...but I knew her minutes were numbered. She was still unconscious, Nikki and Evie weren't much help, and Nico had passed out. What a bunch of work we must be for Will.

The guards may had been monsters in disguise, but the workers at Walmart, still had us sent out, soy milk and all.

Other than Will i was the only other one...relatively well.

"Hey Nik, uh...what's up with the milk?" I asked, with a hopefully good nature laugh.
Nikki wouldn't look at me...I wondered why, she had been more distant than usual ever since our meet with Erebus, when he had talked to her in private once he gave us our swords.

had she told Evie? but why not me....

The questions had kept me occupied, On the walk out, Will had said, "why don't we head uphill, see if we can find a gas station?"
"sure...but I'll stay." I responded stiffly
"ok..." he said, but didn't seem convinced.

Will ran off, and I was left with several unconscious friends. my sword, and my own thought.

......

I was in no mood to sit and wait for Will to come back, but its not like I could go to sleep, or pick up a book and read(no matter how much I wanted to) But soon my tired body gave out and I slipped into the realm of sleep.

I was in Nikki's memory-I wasn't sure how I knew it-but I did. I was seeing her private conversation, I heard Erebus say, "just remember the ingredients, " They all blurred together, everything he had said making it impossible to understand so I would possibly never know what Erebus had to say...

All of my memories shifted, some possible memories, some actual dreams.

It was hard to tell one from another, my head spun, i woke up with a gasp, with Will staring down at me, looking ready to catch me, from whatever came from the nightmare. Though I didn't remember it, my cheeks were wet, as if I had been crying...I could only wonder what they had heard...gods why do I have to talk in my sleep.

After I had caffeine in my system, and some candy, I felt much better. Will really gets me.