The Heart of the Mountain
You open the door into your room and stumble into it so tired that you can barely stand. You see the pillow on the floor, the one you threw just this morning, and start to laugh. It’s a strange high pitched sound too similar to the giggle of a Smiley that you cut it off with a strangled gasp. You can’t believe you were just in Mr. D’s head with all those Smileys and the Frownie. That you spend the day traveling through time. That you are still awake after such a long day.
You manage to make it to your bed before you collapse and crawl in between the covers. Before you can even start to process the day you’ve had, you’re asleep …
… only to be woken by something cold and metallic tapping your forehead. You swat at the annoying thing, but your arm collides with something big and solid. Your eyes fly open to find Grey staring down at you about an inch from your face.
“Aaahhh!” you scream at the metal owl. “When did you get real?”
Grey gives an insulted hoot. “I’ve always been real.”
“Solid,” you mutter. “When did you get a physical body?”
Grey preens his little metallic feathers, his slight weight on your chest shifting as he moves. “Nice, isn’t it? Paul and some of the Hephaestus cabin kids made it for me. I’m more than just a digital presence now.” He rotated his head around to the back just like a real owl to examine his tail feathers.
You put your hands up over your eyes to block out the sight and decide to pretend the owl isn’t here. There’s a whooshing sound as Grey flies away, and you hope that means he’s gone. You have no idea why he’s here, but you suspect it’s nothing good. You’re too tired to wonder too much though.
“Afternoon, demigod!” the owl chirps after a minute. “Time to get up!”
You groan. Apparently, he hadn’t left. “What, Grey? What is it? I’ve only been asleep for like an hour.”
“It’s been ten hours since Phoenix brought you home, demigod. Time to rise and shine! Topher needs to talk to you.”
You roll over and bury your head in your pillow. “Go away, Grey. I need more sleep. Wait, have you been there the whole time, watching me sleep?”
“I don’t think you understand. Topher needs to talk to you right now.”
You peek out from under your pillow. Grey is perched on your desk chair, his head tilted to one side, staring at you.
“Is it important?” you finally ask.
“Would I be bothering you if it wasn’t?” Grey countered.
You sigh, trying to decide if you are going to take Topher’s call.
Do you take it?