Chapter 2

My first thought about Greece was HOT. I mean, the guys are hot (I don't think much about guys, so me saying that means it is entirely true. The actual reason though, is the fact that it's like a zillion degrees here. I started sweating the minute we got down from the plane. I looked at Mom and Kel and I can see that they're not fairing any better than I am. Everybody else though we're walking around like it's not a 100°. They must be used to it. I think coming from where it's almost constantly drizzling contribute to the intensity at which the heat hit (ha!),and I'm sure we'll get used to it soon.

"Looks like we're going to need a lot of sunscreen here" Mom said. "I didn't know it'd be so hot at this time of the year, I'd have picked a more cooler place"

" It's fine mom, we'll get used to it in no time. Anyway, we're here already. Let maximize this vacation to the fullest. They have a beach right? I can't wait to go there" I love water bodies, absolutely love them. I've always been partial to water ever since I was a kid.

" Calm down, fish. I'm sure you'll get you chance to visit as much water as you can. And look at you, using new vocabulary. Slayyyy" Kel commented from behind me.

I turned to face him " I said what ... maximize? Wow, you must be an even bigger dumbass than I thought"

Mom chuckled, "kids, you can continue whatever this is later, but first we need to get our luggage from the belt. Apparently, all airports have one thing in common... delayed luggage"

We still had to wait extra 10 minutes before I spotted one of my extremely bright and humongous traveling bags ( whoa! Look at me using big words. Fancy!)

Between the three of us, we have six bags. Kel has just one bag, it's quite big though. I have two because why not have enough space for souvenirs. Mom on the other hand, has three bags. I know clothes and other needed stuff are in two of those bags, but what's in the third, I don't know. She has always packed like that, a third extra mystery bag. I'm not in the slightest curious about it (I totally am) and I'm sure if it was important to know, she would have told me about what is in it.

It took two cabs to get us and our bags to the hotel (as I said, humongous bags). I'm really impressed though, Mom outdid herself this time. The hotel looks and feels less than a hotel and more like a mansion. First, it is hugeee and second, it is shiny. Also, for a hotel, it is weirdly quiet. I mean, normally, you'd see kids screaming around and parents screaming after them to stop whatever they were doing. There's none of that here. It seems almost eerie (OMG, mom will be so proud of me with all the vocabulary I've been using in my thoughts).

"Doesn't something seem off to anybody?" We were standing at the foyer (reception, if you may), and the only person there is the receptionist, a young woman in suit with a smile that seems pasted on. It seems like she hasn't seen us yet or she is intentionally not paying attention to us.

" I'm getting the heebie jeebies here. Ms. T?" Kel said, from the corner of his mouth, obviously. We are not about to get caught saying something bad about the place we are in.

" Something definitely isn't right. When I booked the hotel, it wasn't like this. At least from the pictures I saw. And I checked the reviews, all five stars. Let's go, though" Mom walked forward, dragging behind one luggage and one smaller one in hand " Hello, good morning. Reservation for three under the name Thorn..?"

The receptionist's smile grew wider as she sat up straighter, " Welcome to Shade Hotels" she typed something into her computer " Yes, your reservation is here. Here's your card for the suite you've booked". She handed over a gold card. Call me paranoid, but she has blood red painted nails, I mean that's not usually a good sign, but again, what do I know?

As if by magic, a bellhop came to assist with our luggage, we were led to an elevator and he pressed the button for the 6th floor. I peeked into the card mom was holding. 666. Yeah, definitely not weird. We were shown our suite and we thanked the bellhop who surprisingly didn't accept any tip. Bellhops are always looking for extra tips. That's like in the handbook for being a bellhop or something. Our room was immaculate though, shiny, as if it has never been used before.

" At least it's extra clean" Kel spoke up.

" Yeah, but the vibe here is just not it". I replied him as I walked into the next room. Clean, shiny. As with the rest of the suite.

I'm suddenly feeling very tired, must be the jet lag. I looked over at Kel to catch him at the end of his yawn.

" Tired?" He nodded. "Same, it's unusual, I'm usually very hyper at a new place and my brain is still on the time from home" I stifled my own yawn.

" Maybe we're just really tired" Kel replied

" Or it's this place. It's weird, not in a good way" I countered

" Now, now, Mil, let's not grasp at straws. We're tired, that's all. I'm sure it's nothing a good night sleep won't fix" Leave it to Kel to be the realist. I'm not entirely convinced though. Something is going on here.

" By the way, where's mom? We came in together didn't we?" I looked around in search of Mom

" Yeah, she's probably in the bathroom or something"

" MOM?! MOM?!!! Where are you?" I shouted

" Why are you yelling? I was in the next room, ordering our dinner" Mom walked in from the first room I went to check when I came in. Must have lost her there.

" Oh, I thought we planned on eating out on our first night?" That was originally the plan anyway. I'm not sure I'll like to go out now, I'm too tired. I just want to sleep. It's like the air here is laced with sleeping gas (if that exists, which I'm sure it must, because I've seen it being used in movies where the mask is worn over someone and they fall asleep immediately and... I'm rambling again, I'm sure you understand what I mean).

I focused back on Mom, " I'm really tired right now, I think I need to sleep for a while so we'll just eat dinner in and call it a night, I guess. We can start sightseeing tomorrow and you might even go to the beach"

" I'm really tired too, I guess we'll do all that tomorrow" I assured.

" Also, I've got something really important to tell you. It's about why we're here" Mom's expression is something I've never seen on her before. It's halfway between guilt and shame. Mom isn't like this. She has never been.

" We're here on holiday, aren't we?" What is going on?

Mom half shrugged, " Yeah, I guess"

" You guess?" At that moment, the doorbell rang.

" I'll get it" Kel said as he was already headed to the door. I'm sure he doesn't want to be involved in whatever is going on right now. He came back a few minutes later

" Room delivery" He told us as he pushed a trolley filled with the food Mom had ordered. I remembered Mom was going to say something, but seeing the food made me realize how hungry I am.

" We are going to talk after we finish our dinner" I looked pointedly at Mom. She nodded and we settled down to eat.

•~~~~~~~~~•

I'm not going to lie, the food was really good. Almost out of this world in fact. I'm not going to bored you with the details of what we ate, in case you're hungry, that is. After we finished our dinner, we sat down in the sitting area with the TV on mute. We has started a show while eating but nobody wants to watch that now.

" Alright, Mom. Why are we actually here? You wanted to say something earlier"

"I guess I should go in" Kel made to stand up but I stopped him

" Stay. You're like family now and I'm sure Mom doesn't mind. Right, Mom?" I looked over at her

" You can stay Kelvin" The issue must be really serious, Mom doesn't call Kel by his full name anymore.

"Ok, Mom. We're all ears"

" It's about your dad" I inched forward in my seat. Mom's never talked about him before. Everytime I asked, she always stonewalls me. Avoids the question and changes the topic. Why is she bringing him up now?

She took a deep breath and started "So, I'm sure you must be surprised by the fact that I mentioned him because I don't do that" I nodded, not daring to talk lest she changes her mind. " Well, I have to now. You know how you love being in the water and being around water makes you calm and peaceful? It's because of your dad"

" So, wait, you're trying to say my Dad is Aquaman?"

Mom chuckled, " of course not. Aquaman is a fictional character"

" I beg to differ, he's very real, thank you" This is from Kel.

" So, if he's not Aquaman, how does he relate to me liking water?" Is the man an Avatar or something? Maybe he's a water bender?

" That's because your dad is Poseidon. He's the Greek god of the sea and other water bodies" My mind is reeling. Thanks to Kel, I knew all about Greek gods, so I know Poseidon is the god of the sea, earthquakes and some other stuff. So he's basically a water bender.

" Ms T, what you're trying to say is, Poseidon, as in the brother of Zeus and Hades, that Poseidon, is Millie's father?" Kel spoke up from where he sat, it's appreciated because I'm not sure I can ask questions the questions I want to ask right now.

" Yes, Kel, he is" Mom confirmed

"Ha! Told you the gods are real, Mil" Trust Kel to bring that up now.

" But Mom, he's like a zillion multiplied by a billion years old. He's ancient!!" Really, Millie, that's the first think you can say? Wow, what a genius.

" Gods can take younger forms for themselves, honey. He might the ancient as you say, but he doesn't look it" It still doesn't make sense.

" So, how does that relate to us being in Greece? You said he's why we're here"

" Well, because you're a demigod, like a child between a—"

"I know who a demigod is, Mom. Go on"

" Ok. Demigods are always targeted by monsters as soon as they turn 12. But your father gave me special protection for you that'd last you until you turn 17" she pointed to the necklace I've worn around since forever. The pendant is a small shell, which I guess makes sense now, now that I know who my father is. " However, the protection is worn out now, and I've brought you here so you can meet him and he will claim you officially"

" Hell no, I'm not meeting a man who abandoned us for years, Mom. Not even once did he say hello or show up for a birthday or something and now you just want me to accept him and move on like a big happy family?. Also, Mom, I'm not sure if you've heard the stories, but he is really promiscuous, not as much as his brother, Zeus, but he really is. You think he'll remember you or even me at that? You think he'd want us? No Mom, we're not doing this" I want to walk out of the room, but that'd be rude and I've never been rude to my mom.

" Honey, I understand your concerns, but I assure you, it's all fine. I've communicated with him when we arrived. He really wants to meet us.. you. And all those stories might be true, but he still remembers us. That's all that matters. Why don't you just give him a chance. Please?"

" You should go, Mil, meet him and if you still don't want to have anything to do with him, let your mom know, I'm sure she will get you out of there and that will be the last you'll hear of it. Right, Ms T? " Kel chipped in

" Yes, what Kel said is what I'd do. Just give him a trial"

I relented " Fine, I'll do it. When?"

" Tomorrow, honey. Thank you" Mom pulled me into a hug.

" Yeah sure. I'll be going to bed now, I'm really tired and the news you just dropped needs some thinking about"

" I understand sweetheart, good night"

As I lay in bed, I thought about how cool it will be to be a demigod. Also about the fact that I'm really excited that I'll be meeting my dad, no matter what front I had put up. I guess I miss having a father figure in my life. Though, it's kind of hard to miss what you never had. I drifted up go sleep soon after.

•~~~~~~~~~~•

The sun was shining through the window when I woke up. It felt like something was amiss though. It was too quiet. I checked my bedstand, and picked up my phone. 9am. Too quiet for 9am. Mom is usually up by this time. I also noticed something when I checked the time. My phone doesn't have any bars. Weird.

I took a shower and went to knock on my mom's door. Once. Twice. Three times. No answer. I twisted the handle and the door opened. Mom isn't in her bed. On the nightstand, I found a note. When I read the note, I panicked and ran to Kel's room

" Kel! Kelvin!" I shook him awake

" What?" He replied me sleepily

" I think something's happened to mom, something is wrong" This woke him up completely.

" What do you mean?" He sat up on his bed. I showed him the note I found in mom's room. He looked at me and muttered "no no no no" repeatedly.

The note read, RUN! GO TO THE BEACH! YOU'RE NOT SAFE HERE!

Almost as if reading the note again spurred me to action, I pulled Kel towards the door, took the room card and opened the door. I looked through the corridor, no one was about. We quickly ran to the elevators, and pressed the ground floor.

" Ok, Kel, this is what's going to happen. We'll ask the lady at the reception for the directions to the beach and we'll leave and go look for Dad.. Poseidon as mom instructed"

" How do we know this is not a trap?"

" Do we have any other options right now?" We both looked up as the elevator dinged to show we've gotten to the first floor. " Remember, don't look scared or anything"

" I should be telling you that. You look like you're about to piss your pants" Kel retorted.

We walked up to the reception desk. The receptionist looks exactly like she did yesterday. Almost as if she didn't move a bit." Hi, ma'am, can you give us the directions to the beach please, my friend and I want to visit"

" I'm sorry kids" Kids? Tsk. What's she talking about? She's literarily almost our age. " I can't let you out of here, neither can I show you the way"

" Huh, excuse me? Why?" Kel asked from behind me.

She laughed and slowly began to change right in front of my very eyes. She grew about two times taller, sprouted wings from her back, with claws showing in her hands (I knew those red nails were bad news and wait are those fangs?)

I looked around me, the place was changing too, it has grown darker and hotter. The name plate has rewritten the words to show SHADE = HADES, and if my memory serves me, Hades is...

The monster before me crackled "Because you're in HELL!".