Forgotten Paradise by Average Canadian

Chapter 1: Monkey Boy

Sometimes, when the mood was right, Athena would sneak out of her apartment trusting that her daughter wouldn't wake up. She'd slink to the basement of her musty apartment building and creak the ancient door open in the forgotten regions below. 

He'd always be sitting there. His back hunched over the desk, his glasses perched on top of his head laying on his combed dark brown hair. Working late, or waiting for her. Either way Athena's heart always fluttered on seeing him. They would work together late into the night as two scientists trying to keep afloat in a critical world. Conducting undocumented experiments and working with disapproved materials.

Then he'd kiss her goodnight and they'd part in the lobby. He always took the stairs to get to his apartment. An endearing trait was what Athena thought of it now. Usually smiling like she was drunk, she'd slip under her covers and giggle girlishly at stolen kisses and loving remarks he lived to give her.

Annabeth never woke up during her night time visits. The kid slept like a rock. Or if she did wake up, Athena never knew.

It's strange how the highlights of her life happened in opposites times of the day. Annabeth during the sun hours while Ron after nightfall. Her daughter always found something to make Athena's day better. A flower, or a song or even just a crudely drawn picture of a butterfly that she could proudly hang on the fridge.

Ron would make her laugh or would just make her feel happier while being him as they discussed the possible experiments they could do to identify if their discovery worked. A hidden discovery for sure. Both Athena and Ron knew how earth shattering their work truly was.

Why else would they be working at night in the basement of a run down apartment building? Not illegal, that word meant they were criminals. Unaccepted. That's the word. Their work was unaccepted. Never to be ever released or mentioned outside the magical little lab they built up in the basement.

Athena was happy. Something that took her a long time to build up again. Her work made her happy, Annabeth made her happy, Ron made her happy. Her happiness was something she thought no one could take away from her.

Oh how she was wrong.

"Hide it." Ron rasped, blood seeping from bullet holes that dotted his chest sickeningly. "Hide it so well no- no one will find it. You can do that Athena."

The chem set, hundreds of dollars worth in equipment, was shattered and splintered around the room. Athena had come running as soon as she heard the gunshots. Someone knew about their discovery. Somebody didn't like their discovery.

"Don't leave me too." Athena whimpered as she tried to stop the flow of crimson blood with her shaking hands. To her dismay the dark substance oozed out between her fingers and silently dribbled to the floor. 

Ron's white hand strained to brush her cheek. "You've got Annabeth. She'll keep you company. She- she's a smart girl." His usual sweet voice now dulled and raspy as his dry throat was like sandpaper against her ears. 

The tears spilled over Athena's cheeks, mixing with the blood on his handsome face. For the first time his sleek brown hair looked ruffled while his gleaming black eyes had lost their special twinkle. 

"Ron, Ron please. I need you. Annabeth needs you." She pleaded desperately. Her cries turning into painful sobs. 

"No" Ron breathed painfully "You need each other, and you need to hide what we made. They'll kill you too if you don-" 

"But Ron, you can make please ju-" Athena was cut off by Ron's cold lips surging up and meeting hers. Athena's heart swelled and fluttered while it broke in the most painful way. Athena's tears throbbed down her cheeks as he tried in vain to wipe them away. Moving his lips softly on hers he kept his hand on her wet cheek comfortingly. Her heart beat pressed against his weaker one.