created →jason grace

twenty-seven

{Lina}

LINA WAS HAVING A NIGHTMARE.

It was something gruesome and horrible, but Lina couldn't really see it. Everything was fuzzy as if her dream wasn't on the right focus. She could, however, hear everything that was happening. The screams, full of pure terror and pain, had Lina covering her ears.

"No, NO! I don't want to hear this," Lina let out a painful moan. "Why are you making me hear this? I don't understand."

The girl lowered herself on her knees, her hands pressed painfully on her ears, trying to block out the screams.

Suddenly, static was heard, then a single voice came through. "This is the curse you must bear," the voice spoke woefully. "for the path you have chosen will be hard."

It had been a warning, but Lina couldn't focus on the voice anymore, it had started fading out. The words jumbling together again.

That's when Lina snapped awake.

—————

{Piper}

PIPER'S VISION HAD BEEN interesting to put it simply. It didn't hurt any less, but she was willing to push away whatever feelings she thought she had for Jason. It didn't take a genius to notice the budding feelings the son of Zeus had for Lina.

"At the very least don't let this be my eternal punishment." Piper pleaded, she couldn't bear having to watch a love that could have been, for however long death kept her.

"No, dear," said a woman's honey-sweet voice. "No punishment."

Piper turned, afraid she'd see Medea, but a different woman stood next to her, browsing through the fifty-percent-off rack.

The woman was gorgeous—shoulder-length hair, a graceful neck, perfect features, and an amazing figure tucked into jeans and a snowy white top.

Piper had seen her share of actresses—most of her dad's dates were knockout beautiful—but this lady was different. She was elegant without trying, fashionable without effort, stunning without makeup. After seeing Aeolus with his silly face-lifts and cosmetics, Piper thought this woman looked even more astonishing. There was nothing artificial about her.

Yet as Piper watched, the woman's appearance changed. Piper couldn't decide the color of her eyes, or the exact color of her hair. The woman became more and more beautiful, as if her image were aligning itself to Piper's thoughts—getting as close as possible to Piper's ideal of beauty.

"Aphrodite," Piper said. "Mom?"

The goddess smiled. "You're only dreaming, my sweet. If anyone wonders, I wasn't here. Okay?"

"I—" Piper wanted to ask a thousand questions, but they all crowded together in her head.

Aphrodite held up a turquoise dress. Piper thought it looked awesome, but the goddess made a face. "This isn't my color, is it? Pity, it's cute. Medea really does have some lovely things here."

"This—this building exploded," Piper stammered. "I saw it."

"Yes," Aphrodite agreed. "I suppose that's why everything's on sale. Just a memory, now. And I'm sorry to pull you out of your other dream. Much more pleasant, I know."