Percy Jackson and The Game

The dull drone of Mr. Brunner's lecture on Greek Gods usually lulled Percy Jackson into a trance, his notebook serving as a canvas for trident doodles rather than historical notes. Today was no different, his sea-green eyes glazed over, mind adrift. He barely registered the finality in Mr. Brunner's voice as he closed his book.

"Mr. Jackson."

Percy jolted, surprised to find the teacher's gaze fixed on him. "Ah-yes sir."

"Tell me Mr. Jackson, what is the purpose of us learning about Greek Gods and Goddess?"

Percy fumbled for an answer, glancing at Grover, his best friend, who offered a helpless shrug. "I-ah... don't know sir."

Mr. Brunner sighed, a familiar disappointment in his eyes. "Come now Percy, you must be able to guess, think of some reason."

"It would help us passing this class," Percy mumbled, earning a suppressed chuckle from the class and a thumbs-up from Grover. Mr. Brunner pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, Mr. Jackson, I suppose that would be an answer to the question, not the one I was expecting but nevertheless true."

Percy shrugged, oblivious to the strange tension in the air. "I'm sorry Mr. Brunner, but what's the point of learning about some dead gods anyway? Shouldn't we be learning something else, like, say... balancing a checkbook or something?"

The class laughed again, but Grover was eerily quiet, a flicker of fear in his eyes. Percy, however, was too busy watching Mr. Brunner, who was slowly rolling his wheelchair to the front of the class, a strange intensity in his gaze.