The Skeletons In The Closet

Chapter Twenty-Two

Reyna's POV

When the world was level again, we were in a school. In fact, it was a gymnasium full of students. Percy was searching the crowded bleachers. Finally, he pointed.

"There I am. With Rachel."

We all turned to look and sure enough, there sat a fifteen year old Percy and Rachel. We started to head up to see what they were talking about, but Percy stopped us. "We'll be heading down in a minute," he said.

So we waited. We saw Rachel point at the cheerleaders leading the assembly. I glanced over and nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Then Rachel's face paled and she turned to Percy and said something. They got up and headed out of the gym. We followed them and found them hiding in a band room.

Behind us, two of the cheerleaders burst into the room, the door slamming shut behind them.

"There you are, Percy Jackson. It's time for your orientation," said the blonde one.

"They're horrible!" Rachel gasped. Only when she said it did their images start to waver and I saw a flicker of their true forms. Rachel was right. I recognized them to be empousai.

Percy seemed to not be able to see them as monsters. His eyes were wide and Rachel nudged him. "Percy," she said.

"Uhhh?"

"Snap out of it!" she yelled and Percy pulled out Riptide. They fought and Percy killed the blonde, named Tammi.

Kelli, the other one, got very mad and her hair lit on fire. Then people started banging on the doors and Kelli started playing the victim. The door burst open and there stood some students and Paul Blofis, Percy's step-dad. Well, he wouldn't have been his step-dad at this point in time.

Percy had no choice but to bail. He jumped through and window and took off down the street, leaving a fire behind him.

On the street, he ran right into Annabeth. She laughed. "Hey, you're out early! Watch where you're going, Seaweed Brain."

Then Rachel barreled down the street after him and immediately ruined Annabeth's mood.

Annabeth then seemed to notice the smoke coming from the school. She frowned at Percy.

"What did you do this time? And who is this?"

"Oh, Rachel--Annabeth. Annabeth--Rachel. Um, she's a friend. I guess."

"That was very awkward," Leo commented.

Annabeth laughed. "Oh shut it."

"Hi!" Rachel greeted before turning to Percy. "You are in so much trouble. And you still owe me an explanation."

Sirens wailed in the distance. Annabeth scowled.

"Percy. We should go.

"I want to know more about half-bloods," Rachel said. "And monsters. And this stuff about the gods." She got out a marker and scribbled her phone number on Percy's hand. "You're going to call me and explain, okay? You owe me that. Now get going."

Annabeth and Percy left to go to Camp, arguing the whole way.

WhOosh

We reappeared in the woods of Camp Half-Blood.

"Capture the Flag?" I asked knowingly.

"Not quite," Percy said as him and Annabeth burst through the trees, followed by a bunch of huge scorpians.

"Holy Hephaestus, chain me to a rock and have Zeus send birds to pick out my liver for all eternity until an asshole son of Zeus named Hercules comes to save me!" Leo cursed loudly upon seeing them.