chapter two
' weird dreams '

MARIA DI ANGELO KNEW THAT THIS WASN'T NORMAL, she was being held hostage by some monster with her siblings. Not just that but she'd finally thought about the fact that she couldn't remember her childhood at all, except for the vague memory that threw her off at the worst time ever.

The air seemed to go still as a terrifying feeling spreaded throughout the Di Angelo children. All of them stared at the slightly disoriented Dr. Thorn, not a single child let out a whisper let alone a sound. Even so, Maria felt the tight squeeze her hands were trapped by Nico. The feeling felt familiar, and with ease her mind slipped back into the memory.

Things were weird. Maria could feel it in her bones.

Her Mama acted as if everything was normal, getting the three ready for the day, but she'd caught a glimpses of the paper. Tales of Nazis, Germans, and Jewish people were spreading around like wildfire. Maria wasn't jewish, she'd grown up a very catholic household and community. That's exactly why she feared for them.

She and her siblings heard the elders talk about their mother, having a child out of wedlock then the father barely ever being around. Maria wanted to hit them, scream, shout, anything, but, it's not anything they could do. She was born different, and had to live with it. But the tales in the newspaper, it was far from comparison to the little whispers and gossip about the Di Angelo's. Maria knew that.

She'd picked up Nico, and held Bianca's hand, about to leave for school and daycare. Her bones shivered and teeth clattered. An overwhelming feeling of fear seeped throughout her bones, not just fear but also death. Nico began wailing and Bianca looked up at her an anxious look on her face. She wasn't the only one who felt it, also her sister and brother. Something was coming and that was going to shake the whole world.

World. World- World War! World War II! The Nazis, the germans, and jewish people. Things clicked in Maria's mind as she was snapped back into reality. She breathed heavy as if she was a sailor that'd just struck land after sailing for days.

She immediately felt the weird glances from Bianca and Nico. His hand shuffled around hers and she could feel the sweat build up as they were scrunched close together sitting down. It was a dark corridor and they'd picked  the sport farthest from Thorn's standing point.

Maria took a breath, why'd it have to be her? Why couldn't she just be, well, regular? Why couldn't she just live a happy life with her siblings? They'd never done anything wrong, always got good grades, always respected the adults even if they were rude to them. With a slow exhale, Maria put her thoughts to the side. She couldn't pity herself if she never tried to get a happy regular life.

Nico glanced at his sisters. Bianca was visibly shaking, she was in the other side of Maria. Her face was cold and emotionless, as if she didn't want to show her fear. Though her slight flinches whenever someone moved and shaking hands told everyone that wasn't the case.

Meanwhile Maria, she looked focused. Her eyes scanned around the room as if she was looking for something. It didn't suprise Nico, being the oldest Maria always took on the leadership role. He just hoped that somehow she'd get them out of this one.

Though all the Di Angelo kids gazed turned to the the light filled part of the hallway. There stood a boy, the boy who'd entered the cafeteria earlier. He was holding a.. sword?

María glanced at Thorn who'd slowly gotten up from his sitting position. Her eyes widened, this wasn't good. The girl looked around, trying to find someway to escape or atleast to warn the boy. As he came closer, Thorn began to circle behind him.

The fear in the kids' eyes, he must've thought they were afraid of him. But in reality it was because of the looming monster behind him, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

Nico's grip on Maria became harder as he fought the urge to warn the boy infront of them. On the other side Bianca faced the same quarrel, gripping Maria's hand as well. Maria stared at Percy, her mouth open as if she wished to say something but couldn't make out the words. The terror of Thorn made her lose her voice.

"My name's Percy," He'd said, with a small smile.

Wait. He was a kid- just like them. Why was he here? Maria had thought, feeling slight shock. Was he like them? A kid who'd drew the short straw in life. A kid who didn't get that happy regular life. A kid who didn't get to enjoy school dances. A kid who had more responsibilities than anyone could bare. A kid like her?

"I'm going to take you out of h-" "Run."

She'd suddenly whispered as silent as a mouse but still loud enough for him to hear. Percy looked confused but before he could turn around he was flung to the wall landing right in between Bianca and Maria. She flinched heavily but didn't move an inch. Maria slowly turned her gaze to Percy, she didn't move or turn she stayed completely still. For a few seconds, Maria felt completely petrified.

He looked alright, the only thing was his shoulder pinned to the wall with some sort of spike. Before Maria could focus any further she heard a cold laugh. It bounced around the corridors walls, echoing loudly.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson" Thorn said, "I know who you are."

Bianca and Maria both glanced at Percy, both cautious and questioningly. To Maria, he seemed like a friend but Thorn seemed like a regular vice principal. She knew she couldn't trust anyone, so she definitely couldn't trust Percy. This wasn't a standard kidnapping, and Maria knew it. The only question now was, why? Why did Thorn want her and her siblings? Why did Percy suddenly appear to help them?  Though those questions weren't getting answered anytime soon.

The four watched as Thorn stepped into the light. He looked exactly the same but all of them could feel that something was off. In their heads, Nico and Maria compared him to some comic supervillains. But it wasn't the best time to make jokes.

"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said to Percy. "I hate middle school dances."  Maria couldn't argue with him on that one, but kidnapping children? She had a problem with that.

Percy swung his sword but to no avail. The only thing that happened was Maria and Bianca both sliding away from him. After her close experience with being slashed by a sword, Maria scanned the room. This was her last chance to find a way out. Now she didn't just have her siblings lives in her hands but also a random kid who tried to save them's

She shuffled slightly but Maria instantly went still right when a projectile landed right in front of her. Nico yelped, pulling his sister closer. A sudden sense of fear ran throughout her. The thought of death gave her chills, today she'd had way too many close to death moments.

Slowly, she looked up to see Thorn. A cold look was on his face as he told them, "All four of you will come with me, Quietly. Obediently." He stared at Maria as if he knew she would be the ringleader to any sort of rebellion. "If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw."

—

María wasn't stupid, she was pretty intelligent in fact. Even though she bore the weight of having to take care of her siblings she still kept good grades and made sure her siblings got greater. So of course she knew that there was little to no chance of this situation going good.

Her, Her siblings, and a random boy with a sword were all getting kidnapped by her Professor who could somehow shoot deadly projectiles. There was basically no way of them getting out of this safe and sound, Maria had thought, doomed. We're doomed.

Maria had figured it out, he was going to hide them in the forest then kill them for the fun of it, afterward, he'd bury their bodies in unmarked graves. Leaving them to sadly rot, never to be remembered.

The quartet followed behind Thorn. Nico stuck close to his oldest sister while Bianca and Maria eyed Percy suspiciously. She couldn't figure out whether or not he was a friend or a foe. Sure he tried to save them but who knows what he was going to do after? It wasn't everyday you saw a 12 year old with a sword. Though Maria happened to be much more obvious than Bianca and he'd noticed.

He smiled at her before he stopped walking and closed his eyes. She looked at him like he was crazy, had he not seen how quickly Thorn flings those projectiles?

"What are you doing, Jackson?" their former vice principal hissed, "Keep moving!" He glared at the boy who groaned loudly.

He opened his eyes and shuffled around, groaning slightly, "It's my shoulder." Maria looked a him slightly confused, but caught on pretty quick. She didn't know whether or not he was faking, dramatizing it, or he was actually in pain. Though Maria shrugged it off, didn't matter either way it was a good way to stall. "It burns," Percy complained, miserably.

She looked at him with somewhat sympathy while Thorn looked at him as if he was a complete burden. "Bah!" Thorn screeched, "My poison causes pain. It wont kill you. Walk!" The fear of those spikes multiplied by 3 when they heard about the poison and Percy went quiet, glancing at his shoulder.

The group continued to follow Thorn, Maria would've appreciated the pretty scenery but they were in a life or death situations. They walked along a secluded snowy path, old fashioned lamp lights was lined around it and it was surrounded by tall trees. Usually it wouldve been beautiful, now it was just a horrifying reminder that nobody would hear her screams for help.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said, turning behind to look at the children, "We will summon your ride." This time not just the Di Angelo children was confused, but also Percy. Maria looked at the boy, awaiting some kind of answer to it but Percy looked clueless as to what this 'ride' was about.

"What ride? Where are you taking us?" Bianca asked, the only one out of the three who mustered up enough courage to question. Though, Thorn sneered at Bianca. "Silence you insufferable girl!" Thorn exclaimed.

"Don't talk to my sister like that," Nico said. His voice confident yet quivering at the same time. Maria stepped forward, glaring at Thorn. Though her face faltered when she heard the noise Thorn made.

It wasn't human, it was some sort of growling and the sound sent a chill down all of their backs.  Disturbed, Maria stepped back turning her gaze to the floor. She shivered, not liking the familiar feeling the voice gave her. What is he, she wondered.

She followed along with the rest of the group, their walk stopping at a clearing. "Halt," Thorn commanded.

Fear ran through Maria's blood, wondering if this was going to be her final moments. It terrified her mostly because she remembered nothing before coming out of that hotel. She jumped slightly when her an the others were pushed near the edge.

"I'm scared," Nico murmured beside her. Maria looked at him and her frown deepened. She watched as he glanced around expectantly, nervously fiddling with his fingers. Maria hated the situation and how there was no way out. Why did he just take her, she thought. Anything besides taking Nico and Bianca, Maria wouldn't know how to function without them.

"It'll be okay Nico, I wont let anything happen to you or Bianca," Maria told him.

"It'll be okay Nico, I wont let anything happen to you or Bianca."

10-year old Nico shivered before looking up to see his sister. The stormy skies soaked them with water and the drain lines flooded alongside the roads. He was sitting on the curb, beside Bianca both of their shoes were soaked. Above them stood Maria, holding her thumb out as she stared at the passing cars. She'd given away her jacket to shield her two siblings, and felt goosebumps rise along her arm as cold droplets of rain repeatedly hit it. "But they kicked us out, and- and Mama, they took her away, is she coming back?"

Bianca flinched slightly, readjusting the cost over her head. She remembered how the wave of electricity ran through them all, but it didn't hit them instead it just flowed throughout. But their mother, it had hit her. The lights had gone out and when the backup generator got them back on paramedics was surrounding their mom. Maria had been the one they told, but Bianca had knew as well. She was standing closest to her after all, when the lights had come on the lights in her mother's eyes were gone.

"She- She can't. But, it's okay," Maria shivered, struggling to hold to false smile on her face, "I'll get us a ride to Grandpa's house and he'll help us. I remember the address," She explained, in her other hand she was clutching a few soggy five dollar bills and a picture of her mother.

"Okay," Nico murmured, still shivering in the cold.

Maria had let out a sigh of relief when a car had finally stopped infront of them. It looked pretty fancy and new. A lady  stepped outside from it, she wore a suit causing all the kids to furrow their eyebrows. But they didn't care, it was just unusual to see. She also held an umbrella and walked towards them, holding it out to shield them all from the rain.

"Maria, Bianca, Nico Di Angelo?" She questioned.

Confused, Maria nodded.

"Friend of your dads, I'm here to pick you up."

Percy looked at Maria, worried slightly. After Thorn had yelled at them to be quiet she seemed to be spaced out, her eyes looked dazed as she stared at a tree. He nudged her slightly and the girl jumped, her eyes widening.

"The package—it is ready to deliver," Thorn said, looking over the four kids once more.

NOTES.

tbh it's been awhile since i've updated.
but here's the rewritten second chapter
hope u guys like it <3333

words - 2474