Full Summary (READ IT!):

I was with Percy when the world ended. The water was a deep orange, like a fire burning bright. Our relationship has been built up on the simple moments. But this time, the moment was going to be cut short. The end is not near- it's here. Because today is 12/21/12. I'm not sure how long we have, but I'm gonna make it last. An Apocalypse 2012 threeshot. This is after the events of the Heroes of Olympus series. All events have happened, including the Giant War. Leo, Piper, Jason, Hazel, and Frank, however, are NOT in the story. They are not mentioned, either. All other Greek campers are though. OOC? Yes, quite. Typos? Hmm, yeah...!

Happy Reading!

I'm waking up to ash and dust

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust

I'm breathing in the chemicals

~Radioactive by Imagine Dragons~

I was with Percy when the world ended.

Up until that moment, my life had been perfect. No monsters had tried to kill us that day. Percy was being his normal Seaweed Brain self. The sun shone down on the Long Island Sound, turning the water a deep orange, like a fire burning bright.

Up until that moment, Percy and I were having an amazing day. We were on a date, this time inside of Camp Half-Blood. Even though that little incident between Percy and I on the Argo II had happened so many months ago, Coach Hedge practically breathed down our necks.

Up until that moment, nothing bad had happened… for once. I was beginning to believe that this might I have been the best moment of my life. And I could tell that Percy was thinking the same thing as we held hands and walked along the beach, side by side.

But all great moments have to come to an end. It's just a matter of time and waiting. Not that I was waiting. I would have been happy to let the moment go on for the rest of my life. I simple yet perfect, kind of like Percy and our relationship. It had always been that way, and even though I'm not sure how long we have, I hope it is still like that.

This simple moment was defined by us holding hands and gazing out at the water. We were sitting on the beach with none of the other campers anywhere to be found. They were probably busy finishing their chores and activities, while Percy and I both had free time at the end of the day.

That particular day was December 21st, 2012. Normally, if we had been outside of the camp, it would have been freezing. We'd be wearing jackets at Starbucks, drinking coffee. But with the magical borders of the Camp weather stayed perfect all year long, unless one of the gods got mad at us. Or if Percy and Thalia got in a fight. But then half the camp would be destroyed too, so rain would not be that big of a deal.

I was going to spend Christmas with Percy and his mom and Paul. I didn't want to travel across the country and risk dying just to see my family, all the way out in California. We were to spend two more days at camp before packing up and heading over to their apartment in the city.

"Maybe we could go for a swim," suggested Percy, brushing his thumb over my fingers.

I snorted. "Yeah, that'd be a good way to get hypothermia. Really, Seaweed Brain, sometimes you have the craziest ideas."

"I'd keep you protected," he insisted, running his free hand through his mess of black hair. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"Like I haven't heard that one before." I leaned against Percy's shoulder. "Besides, the idea of doing something like that is completely irrelevant. Neither of us have our swimsuits. It's freezing out in the water, and I don't care if you're a Son of Poseidon or not. Chiron may very well kill us if we did such a thing."

Percy made a face. "Then just take the joy out of my idea. Fine." He groaned. "God Annabeth, quit raining on my parade."

"I'm not, but sometimes you just need someone to tell you what's right and wrong. You're too impulsive."

"So I've been told." He laughed, and my heart melted a little bit inside. Wait, erase that, it sounds way too girly. "The sun seems pretty bright."

I rolled my eyes. "Percy, that may have been one of the stupidest conversation starters I have ever heard. Of course the sun is bright. It is star radiating energy and gases-"

He laughed again. "I don't need a science lesson, trust me on that. But it wasn't a conversation starter. I was being serious. Just look at it. It's not usually that bright, even during the sunset."

I was a beautiful sunset, but now I could see what Percy was seeing. The sun was actually brighter than normal, like someone had set a whole new coat of fire on it. I sighed deeply."I can see your point, but I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe a sun flare."

"Or maybe Apollo just won the lottery," joked Percy, and I chuckled. "That may be," I agreed. Something is Percy's eyes changed. He bent his head down and kissed me. It was sweet. He tasted like salt water and smelled like the ocean air.

I pulled away, smiling. "I think I just won the lottery." He smiled back at me. I kissed him this time, but it was very short. It was more like a peck, but my stomach fluttered nonetheless. I could just kiss him forever and never get tired of it.

Percy pulled away this time. He looked like he was sweating a little bit. "is it just me, or is it getting hotter? I mean, it feels like the summer time all of a sudden. I know it doesn't get that cold here, but it doesn't get this warm either."

It was a little bit toasty, like Arizona at high noon. Suddenly, I really needed a pair of sunglasses, which were in my cabin.

I shrugged. "I think I need my Ray bans. Will you walk back to my cabin with me so I can change and get them?"

"Certainly, m'lady." He stood up, bowed, and offered me his arm. I grinned at him. "Why, thank you, good sir." I locked my arm through his and let him pull me to my feet. I curtsied and kissed his cheek.

We passed by the forest and the edge of the camp. Satyrs were in the strawberry fields. Campers milled all over the place, and I could hear them complaining about the heat too. The Aphrodite girls were fanning themselves and crying about how the heat was ruining their oh so important hair.

Chiron was teaching kids archery and noticed us when we passed by. He raised an eyebrow and swished his tail. "And may I ask where you two have been." He said it lightly, but it wasn't a question.

"Just on the beach," we answered causally as he notched an arrow and sent it flying. It hit straight in the center, but Chiron looked troubled by the outcome. "It was off," he mumbled. "It's never that far off…"

Chiron? Mumbling? Yeah, that was definitely wrong. It wasn't like the old centaur to be like that. Plus, he was paranoid. Percy's eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. "Off? What are you talking about? That's right in the-"

I nudged Percy. It was better to leave things like this as they were. We walked back to my cabin. "I'll meet you back out here in five minutes, okay?"

He nodded. "I'm going to go change into shorts. See you in a few." He left and I walked inside.

I pushed my stuff around. Thankfully, I had actually packed an old orange shirt and some faded jean shorts. I pulled them on and pulled my curly hair back into a ponytail. As I was doing so, my half brother Malcolm walked inside, also sweating, his face red.

It took him a minute to notice me, and he jumped when he did. "What are you doing in here?"

"You mean I'm not allowed to come into my own cabin anymore?"

"No, it's just I expected you to be out with Percy."

"I was with Percy, actually, but we decided to change since it was so hot outside. Do you have any idea why?"

He shrugged. "Not at all, and I hate that."

I rummaged through my stuff some more until I finally found my old scratched up sunglasses. Setting them on top of my head, I contemplated whether or not I should put on my SPF 2000 (in case I ever need to visit Helios) sunscreen. What the heck? I thought, and smeared some on. I shoved it in my pocket. Maybe Percy would need it.

That's when the screams began.

Ear-shattering, horrendous shrieks. They surrounded the cabin and were so loud that I almost slapped my hands over my ears. They sent cold shivers through my body and my teeth rattled. Had monsters attacked us? Had the giants re-risen from the earth? Had the Titans returned to kill us? There were so many possibilities, none of them good.

It took me a fraction of a second to grab my old shield from the Titan War and a bottle of nectar. I made sure I had my knife in hand. Malcolm was doing the same thing. He had a short blade that he always kept under his bed.

He nodded at me. "You ready?"

"Yep." As ready as I'll ever be. Better to not think about it and go on instinct. He kicked open the door and we stood back to back ready to fend off the monsters that would surely attack us. But there were no monsters to speak of.

I was aware of the heat on my skin, and my brother screaming next to me in pain. I guess it was a good thing that I had bothered to put on the sunscreen. Heat licked my skin and smoke choked my lungs.

There were faces all on the ground, clawing at their throats. A few were standing, stumbling around in shock. I was one of them. Tear streamed down their faces but evaporated instantly.

Wait, wasn't it 12/21/12? How could I have been so stupid? I wanted to go back to half an hour ago, and say yes to Percy on the beach. I wanted to go swimming. Why didn't I say yes? Now the end of the world wasn't near. It was here, something that I believed would never happen.

The end of the world had always been just a myth to me. But I should've known better. Weren't all myths real?

And now, the camp and its campers were in flames.

I've been wanting to do this for a while. I started writing it on Thanksgiving. I'll be updating my House of Hades soon, but I'm really busy (five BIG exams and one BIG project that I'm trying to do!) Plus, one of my friends got 9 Golden One Direction Passes, so I might get to go with her to meet them in New York (I hope I can go!)

Remember: This is purely science fiction. None of this is really going to happen on 12/21/12, for you guy who are nervous and take my work WAY too seriously. Pfft, as if I'm Rachel...

Reviews are totally loved!

-BBH