Chapter 3

The Birds Are Very Loud

"Percy!" My uncle called after me walking behind me and I only walked faster. "Percy! Wait!"

I turned around and tears brimmed my eyes. I felt so stupid. I was 17 for God's sake. "Did they do that to everyone that wanted to become king?" I asked, glad that my voice didn't crack.

"Kind of. Percy, we can better talk about this at home. I already took the day off. Let's go home. You need to leave to go to Decibel in a few days." Chiron walked over to me and beckoned me to walk with him. And we went home.

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The longer we were walking the more calmer I became. I still felt stupid, just like I was 6 again and everyone had asked about my parents at school. Maybe this situation was kind of the same, but still.

"I'm sorry uncle. I know that it's stupid." I muttered.

"It's not stupid, you can be sad about your parents and what they did in there was uncalled for."

"But I'm 17."

"Yes exactly, you're 17. Just 17. Percy don't put too much weight on your shoulders, I know you. Your dad was just like that and your mother too. She loved way too much, just like you."

"You're just like them, a perfect mix of them. You have the kindness and good heart of your mother and her cleverness. And your fathers braveness and looks, unfortunately also his mouth." I knew what he was doing, saying all these nice things about me.

We didn't say a word until we got home.

"I suck so bad, you know that too." I looked at him and he just shook his head standing next to the kitchen counter while I was standing next to the table. "I suck at everything that I do. I can't even talk to six petty ministers without breaking down like I'm six again. I can't read and focus. Just stupid overall."

"Percy -"

"No! You know it's true! Everyone knows it! Everyone has said it! The kids at school, teachers, and other parents! Everyone. And you know it deep down, you just don't want to believe it!" I screamed, not at Chiron, he knew that. It was more letting my frustration out.

"And deep down you know that that's all not true. You don't suck."

I was silent after that. I didn't know how to respond to that.

"And I took this ridiculous plan to become a king to help people. Orphans like me, who didn't get an amazing guardian. Homeless people, students. People in general. But apparently there are some crazy ministers that want me dead! And that lady the most!"

"I can explain it. If you calm down and sit down. I will get you something to drink and we can talk. It's good to yell though. I'm proud of you Percy. And I couldn't have gotten an more amazing orphan either."

After Chiron handed me a glass of water he sat down across from me.

"That lady is called Athena. And she is the head of the ministers. She and your dad hated each other. I don't know why exactly, he never told me. And since you look exactly like him she disliked you immediately I assume. Typically Athena. She is a very smart and wise woman, only not with her and your father's rivalry."

"That's stupid."

Chiron let out a laugh. "It is. But it doesn't matter, don't provoke her too much and maybe she won't go out of her way to kill you."

"And about the ridiculous plan and all..." Chiron forced me to look at him. "I didn't like it first. But if anyone should become the new king. You should. As I said before, you're indeed smart and very brave and incredibly loyal. Your ADHD will keep you alive. But for your dyslexia, yeah that sucks."

I laughed a little.

"And Percy if you believe me or not. That's what I think and is the truth. All those other people don't know what they are talking about. They are the one that suck. And remember when it is all getting too much, Percy you're just 17 and trying your best. Just stay yourself and follow your heart then all will work out."

Now I fell in a full laughing fit. "That's so cheesy."

"And I meant all of it."

After I calmed down once again I looked at Chiron again. We were so different. He was calm and wise. And I... well, the opposite of wise and calm.

"Thanks uncle, I really needed that. And I believe you. You wouldn't lie to me."

"I love you, Percy."

"I love you too. But I'm going to pack my stuff now, thanks for the pep talk!" And I jogged to my room to pack my stuff for my trip.

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"Please, be careful Percy. And come back."

I shot Chiron a grin and hugged him. "I'll try, but I can't promise to be careful."

"Your parents would be so proud, so am I."

"Thanks but you know I'm already 17. I'm not a little boy anymore. I can take care of myself."

"We have a different understanding of age Percy. You're just 17, that's really young and for me you'll always be a little boy."

I hugged him again, I thought that it would be easier to say goodbye. "Goodbye, I'll miss you." He whispered and let go.

"Diddo." And I shot him a grin, waved and got on the train.

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I mostly listened to music and stared outside. And eventually fell asleep. I thought a bit about the task that the ministers had given me, but it was all vague for me. I needed to do something about the birds of Decibel, but it wasn't possible to kill them. And I don't really want to kill some birds.

"Hey, where are you heading?" I asked a boy who seemed a year younger than me. He looked like he was Chinese and looked nice.

"Uh, Decibel, I'm visiting my grandmother." The boy said.

"Me too! Not for my grandmother. I need to fix a problem there involving birds. Do you know anything about them? I'm Percy by the way."

"Frank, and they haven't told you anything about the birds?" He asked and I shook my head. "The birds make a lot of noise all the time people have gone deaf. They screech so hard that it's not safe to live there. But my family has lived there for years. My grandmother will not leave."

"Has nobody tried to defeat them?"

"They tried. They are big and aggressive birds. They kill anybody who comes too close. My mother died when she tried to kill them with a group of people. That was the last straw for me and I moved out. I visit my grandmother every month though."

We talked for a while and I really liked Frank. He even offered his help if I needed anything.

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"Goodbye Frank, thank you for your help."

"No problem, and Percy you have my number. Use it." We did a short hug and a box and then he left and I went to search for the mayor of Decibel, I could stay with him had the ministers said to me.

"Perseus Jackson?" A guy, probably in his 40's with brown hair that was starting to colour to grey. He had friendly eyes. And I assume was the mayor.

"Yes! I am here! But I prefer Percy actually."

"Okay, Percy, welcome in Decibel. I'm Paul Blofis." I shook his hand. "Thanks for having me mr. Blofis. I already talked to someone who told me more about the birds. But can you tell me more about them?"

I didn't really have a plan, but killing them wasn't going to work.

"Of course, we can visit them later, but first let's drop your baggage off."

Mr. Blofis didn't tell me much new information. Frank had told almost everything there was to know about the birds I suppose.

I learned that they were here for as long as people could remember but that nobody had found a solution to the birds. You couldn't kill them, they seemed immortal and they would kill you if they would sense that you wanted to kill them.

They hadn't named the birds because the people here believed that if they didn't name them the birds would go away on their own. I thought that it was stupid, but I wasn't going to offend mr. Blofis.

"They've sent people before you, you know. Most of them died, or gave up. You can still leave, I like you Percy. And you seem like a nice kid, and you're just 17."

I stopped walking, and laughed a little. "What do people have with my age? 17 is old."

He just laughed and walked further talking more about the birds.

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Two weeks later, and my mind had still not come up with a plan. I had shatters of an idea. But it wasn't much.

Mr. Blofis tried everyday to convince me to go. But I wasn't going, I couldn't leave these people. A good part was that I met up regularly with Frank. We walked to the birds and observed them, since we had no bad intentions so they didn't attack us.

"How can we silence them?" I asked myself out loud, Frank said next to me but was too deep in his thoughts to bother.

The ministers had said silence them. And how can you make something make no noise without killing them? That was the question that I was walking with for two weeks.

"Something terrible happened this week here." Frank began to tell me another story, we mostly did that while sitting here. I had begun to like Frank even more and he was a really good friend.

"Some mother here was depressed after the birth of her baby. She left the baby alone, the father was working and she just left. Packed her bags and left her baby and husband. The father was not home until midnight he had overworked. The baby had cried so much that his vocal cords ripped."

"That's terrible." Normally we talk about hapier things, but this is also a part of life.

Suddenly it dawned on me. "Frank! I know how we can silence them!" I shouted and stood up.

Frank stood up and hugged me. "That's amazing? How?"

I grinned at him and I must've looked like I was crazy. "I'll explain on the way. But we need to get speakers. A lot."