©Rick Riordan

©Scarlett Dove

Chapter XXI

There's a Whole World Outside

Nico was in bed again. The walls never changed. The floor never changed. The sheets never changed. The window never changed. Outside did though. It made Nico feel… warm. Fuzzy. Nice.

The snow was falling lightly today, from what he could see in bed. And the window was covered in frost. The only way Nico could see was threw the clear glass in the middle of the window.

Can't see much, though, can you?

Nico shook his head. He pushed the blankets off of his body and sat up. When Nico swung his legs over the edge of the bed the floor was chilled. It was like walking on frost. Nico smiled acutely and stood. He dragged his feet across the wooden boards as he moved towards the window. He liked the feeling on his feet. It made him feel grounded.

Nico stopped in front of the window. He quietly got down on his knees and leaned his arms on the sill. As Nico looked outside he could see fluffy little snowflakes fall from the sky. The wind pushed some of the snow onto the window. Nico watched them stick to the window, and slowly melt. The water from the snow traveled down the window slowly and froze.

Nico smiled and shuffled closer so he could see more. He pulled down the sleeve of his sweater and whipped away the frost so he could see more threw the window. Nico looked down and saw something strange. He saw red. And blue. And green. And tan. And black. Nico stood up, he unlatched the window and pushed it up, letting a blast of snow and north wind blow into the room.

Nico poked his head out of the window. Hundreds of colours similar and different pasted each other below Nico's window. Nico spotted the red thing again. He followed it with his eyes, it also had hair, long, brown, and wavy. It was a woman. Nico felt himself freeze.

A woman. A Stanger. Someone new.

"A person." Nico breathed, completely stunned. He forgot about people. Forgot they existed outside of this house. Nico watched as the woman made her way down the street towards an intersection.

Nico wondered what she did. Was she smart? Does she volunteer? He bet she does. She looks nice. He wonders if she's happy. He hopes she is. Being sad isn't fun.

It really isn't.

Nico sighed as the woman in red disappeared into the city. He hadn't realized he was in a city. Or a few stories up. Maybe he should open his eyes more.

That would be a good idea.

Nico kept his eyes glued to the passing people. They all looked rushed.

They're being productive. They have jobs.

Nico rolled his eyes.

Like anyone would take me anyways.

You don't know that.

I can't answer simple questions. Nico slumped over on the sill and rested his head in his hand.

We all can't be perfect. You know this. And sometimes-

Why are you being nice now? Nico spotted a man in a black coat holding hands with a little girl in a green snowsuit. Nico thinks she might be telling the man a story, she's waving her free hand all over the place. Nico smile softly. He does that too.

Maybe I'm not just a voice, Nico. I didn't change, I don't control anything.

Nico stopped and looked up at his forehead. What?

Hope you liked it! This one was fun to write, a little break from the general depressingness of the plot.

Please review! I like reading them.

Scar