This is Halloween - The Great Holiday Mystery

9. Don't Count Your Chickens

Halloween – Part 1

Annabeth fingered the straps of her nerd costume in agitation as she watched the demigods party. Will Solace was operating the DJ booth, waving his bow back and forth furiously as he rocked out in his Robin Hood getup. The campers flooded the dance floor, occasionally bumping into one another. The music blasted from Leo’s rigged up stereo system, shredding apart her eardrums with a rendition of Time Warp.

The glowing orange disco ball pulsated above everyone’s heads, bathing the dance floor in a ghostly, surreal fire. It seemed to illuminate the cobwebs hanging around the columns, from which Annabeth stayed well away from.

Percy came back from the drinks table with two glasses of blood punch, the edges of his ripped shirt flapping in the cool October evening breeze. Piper had really outdone herself on his zombie makeup, giving Annabeth a fright she had to work cleverly to conceal. She would not give Percy the satisfaction of spooking her.

‘Milady,’ Percy bowed deeply and handed her a drink as she chuckled at his folly. ‘Everything seems fine, don’t you think?’

Annabeth sipped her punch, ‘So far. Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched though.’

‘Mm,’ Percy nodded. ‘Where are the others?’

Annabeth pointed to the middle of the dance floor where a vampire and bloody cheerleader roared in amusement as a werewolf and skeleton flopped around on the ground, obviously trying to attempt the worm.

Percy snorted, ‘Is that Leo and Jason?’

Annabeth laughed, ‘Yes. And Piper’s the cheerleader and Calypso’s the vampire.’

Percy shook his head as he delved back into his drink.

‘Hey, you two!’ Hazel chirped, popping out of nowhere with Frank in tow.

The daughter of Pluto had opted for a witch costume, despite her previous experiences with the trade, complete with a wooden broomstick and pointy hat. Frank (obviously attempting a hilarious pun) was dressed in a suit and patterned with scars, impersonating Frankenstein’s monster.

Annabeth caught on instantly, ‘Wow, not an obvious choice at all.’

Percy slung his arm around the son of Mars’ shoulders, ‘Now, buddy, let me be frank with you.’

Laughing, Frank pushed him off, ‘Ha, ha. It was Leo’s idea.’

Pointing, Annabeth said, ‘And he has such good ideas.’

Frank nodded, watching Calypso try to untangle Leo from the knot he’d wound himself into, ‘Fair point.’

‘Off topic; why aren’t you two dancing?’ Hazel hissed.

‘We have to oversee the party,’ Annabeth explained. ‘I’m still not dismissing those warnings. Something big is going to happen tonight. And I want to catch whoever it is off guard.’

‘I’m helping!’ Percy added happily.

Hazel sighed and tugged on Frank’s hand, calling over her shoulder, ‘We’ll miss you on the dance floor!’

They slipped into the fray and disappeared in the crashing mass of dancing demigods. At the center of the chaos, Calypso managed to unravel Leo. Connor and Travis (easily identifiable in their white sheets) ghosted around the outskirts of the Mess Hall, loudly shouting ‘boo!’ at random campers. Thalia was the only Hunter on the dance floor, the rest choosing to sniff distastefully at the males from a distance. The daughter of Zeus looked ravishing in a low neckline black dress ending in rips around her thighs and a pair of dark angel wings adorning her back. She danced with a redhead Cinderella who could only be Rachel, laughing as they turned and threw out their dresses.

Percy heaved a deep, satisfied sigh, ‘You did good. Everyone’s having fun.’

Annabeth nodded distractedly, biting her lip as Goosebumps danced up her skin. Percy noticed her shiver and frowned, worried.

‘You okay?’ he asked.

Annabeth shook her head frustratedly, ‘I can’t get these stupid notes out of my head.’

‘Annabeth, they can’t hurt us if we’re having fun,’ Percy coaxed. ‘Don’t give them the satisfaction of knowing it bothers you.’

“You will sleep forever,” Annabeth cited. ‘What does that even mean? Beware the disguise; no time to heal-”

She cut off as Percy attacked her with a kiss. Her worries died with her resistance. Percy held her close and when the time came to let go, he did so reluctantly.

‘We’ll work it out,’ he murmured against her temple. ‘We always do. For now, just relax.’

‘Relax,’ she repeated. ‘Right. How do we do that again?’

Percy laughed.

Just then, from the shadows, melted a dark cloaked figure with a drawn up hood and a long, curved scythe. Percy dug Riptide from his pocket, but before he could uncap the pen, they threw back the hood to reveal wild, alert eyes and a tousle of dark hair.

‘Nico,’ Annabeth breathed thankfully as Percy replaced his weapon.

‘You might not want to put that away just yet,’ he warned the son of Poseidon.

‘Why?’ Annabeth demanded. ‘Nico, what’s going on?’

‘We’re under attack from within,’ Nico replied. He took off running around the outside of the Mess Hall. ‘Hurry!’

With an exchange of looks, Percy and Annabeth followed hastily. Dodging the mass of campers entirely, their feet pounded the hard dirt ground in sync with the beat that hammered their hearts faster with every step. They both knew that this was no coincidence and it had something to do with the warnings; we’re under attack from within.

‘Here!’ Nico called, sinking to the ground alongside a camper dressed as a boxer. They knelt over a mummy wrapped companion.

The boxer’s head whipped up as they approached; Clarisse.

‘Help him, you have to help him,’ she pleaded, uncharacteristic tears sliding down her face. ‘He’s not breathing, help him.’

Annabeth dropped to her knees and examined the camper in the dim orange light. It was Chris, fallen splayed, his mouth slightly open and his eyes shut. She placed her fingers against his neck but found no pulse beneath.

Clarisse wiped her eyes, her boxers gloves discarded beside Chris’ unmoving body. Percy lay a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder as her hand dropped and she stared in horror. Clarisse’s hope evaporated and she collapsed onto Nico’s shoulder. He patted her back awkwardly as he frowned, obviously trying to find Chris’ soul on the way to the Underworld in amongst the many others.

‘Annabeth,’ Percy mumbled, pulling her lightly to her feet.

She turned, grief stricken, ‘He’s dead, Percy. He’s dead.’

She wound her arms around his waist as he hugged her close and let her sob while he held back tears of his own. Chris had been a good friend. ‘I know.’

After a moment, Annabeth pulled back and sniffed, ‘This is different from the other times. It used to be a game. Now they’re toying with our lives.’

Percy nodded his head in agreement, ‘It’s the ultimate game of life and death. And we’re the playing pieces.’