, look who's back!

I know, I know, it's been ages since I last updated, blame my author's block mixed with the stupid thing we call school. I decided to let you guys with a chapter I wrote almost 3 months ago!

I hope you enjoy it, and don't come after me with a shovel for the late update.

R&R

-Rachel's POV -

Being back from the dead wasn't the best experience I could have. You see, I wasn't really dead, but kind of. The pain was excruciating and as much as I hate to admit, I wished I could die for the first time. However, I couldn't disappoint them. Not them. I fought the urge to die, and tried to avoid the pain. Finally, I came back. When I opened my eyes, I met Nico cautiously looking at me, with his intense eyes.

"Welcome back Dead Girl." He said, smiling crookedly

"Hello Nico."

"Decided to join our super boring World of the Living?"

"Nico, if something is alive, it's instantly boring for you."

I don't know exactly why I've been having these sudden chills down my spine, or 'visits' from the Oracle spirit, but they are starting to become even more often, and I don't like it.

I've never been blind about any subject, but ever since Apollo started messing my emotions up, things are starting to slip past me, details aren't as clear as they were before, and logic isn't anywhere near me anymore.

"Rachel, what do you mean with 'The Lord of the Sun will help us?'" Percy asked as if he still didn't get the whole point.

"Hello… He will help us. No secrets."

"I thought you said the chariot only drives West. We'll need to get back to East. Opposite of West. That doesn't make sense."

"Apollo might not be the one directly helping. And he took us east once before remember?"

"You mean he could be sending someone else to help us?"

"Lady Artemis owes him a favor."

"What for?" Nico asked as if the idea was completely hilarious. And if you looked at it from a point, it actually was.

"Long story. Unfortunately, you guys miss all the fun during the solstices, and their, hum, family reunions."

"Apollo and Artemis having a family reunion without strangling each other? Definitely something worth staying around."

"Nico, don't say that with a grin on your face."

"Why not Know-It-All?"

"Because it's freaking creepy. And don't call me a Know-It-All!"

"Fine, fine. Don't call me Dead Boy anymore then."

"Deal."

Percy looked about to throw up, he was too quiet for an ADHD demigod, so something clearly was wrong, and I didn't need my sidekick guess to know it was related to me.

His attitude was making me anxious, maybe he was thinking about Annabeth, or maybe he was just tired about this whole quest for Athena. Here between us the goddess was no fan of both of us. And the fact that both of us are in this quest is definitely something interesting.

"Percy… Are you okay?"

"What?"

"I asked if you're okay."

"Sure. Why would you care anyway?"

"Ugh, don't act as if I don't care about you Perseus Jackson."

"I'm fine. Don't worry. Just thinking about something."

"Is it Annabeth? She said she'd call you when she got to San Francisco."

"She called me already."

"So it is about her."

"Not everything revolves around Annabeth, Rachel."

"Sorry. I'm just trying to figure you out."

I kept my mouth shut after that. He tried talking to me again, but I just ignored, and chatted with Nico. After 10 minutes with Nico I started to feel depressed, and he said he might be causing that. So I took my iPod out again, and I'm pretty sure I fell asleep, because when I looked drowsily out of the window, we were somewhere in South Dakota in a small town named McIntosh(trust me, this town exists). Less than 200 (170 is the real number for the 2010 census) residents. Great… Something weird could happen here and no one would know. Don't get me wrong, I think small towns should get more respect from Americans citizens but whenever I watch a horror movie, it always happens a) in a small town or b) other places like college. So they are a little creepy and scary.

We stopped for the night so the bus driver could get some rest and sleep, but I must confess that I was damn worried about staying in that place.

The bus driver showed us a way to a small inn near the bus stop. Most part of the passengers went that way, the rest decided to stay at the bus station.

Along with the others, we decided to wait at the station, believe it or not, the place was giving me goosebumps.

"Rachel," Nico started "do you think it's safe here?"

"Honestly? The place gives me the creeps."

"Still, it's better wait here rather than get killed in a hotel." Percy finishes off.

"Guys, you should see that."

"What Nico?"

And then I saw it, staring at me with pure hate.

CLIFFHANGERRR!

remember, tell me if you liked it :)