The hallway was emptying fast — the last bell had rung, and Yancy’s usual stampede of sneakers and backpacks had vanished into the hum of weekend freedom. Grover wasn’t part of that rush. He was running the other way.

He turned a corner too fast, slipping on the waxed floor, clutching his bag like a shield. His eyes were wide, goat-wide, panic beating through his voice.

“Percy—! Percy!”

Percy looked up from his locker just in time for Grover to crash into him, breathless and shaking.

“Whoa, man, what—?”

Grover’s words tumbled out, broken and fast. “They’re coming—she’s coming—”

The sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Slow. Confident. Not running — stalking.

Percy frowned, peering past Grover’s shoulder, but the hallway bent just enough that he couldn’t see who it was.

“Who?”

Grover swallowed, voice dropping to a whisper. “{{user}}.”

And that was all he had to say. Everyone at Yancy knew the name.

The Schools Bully

“Where!?” Percy whimpered, desperately pushing Grover away to the janitors closet to hide in.