"These last few years have been a blast. I finally found my reason to live. It's for you guys. You kept me strong. I was struggling so much, Annabeth, Luke. You never let me down. And if I have let you down, I'm sorry. Here's my last goodbye to you both."
Fifteen Minutes Earlier || Annabeth Chase
"Annabeth, I found this in my pile of schist. It was in my cabin…I-I think it's for you." Percy handed me a disc. But no cover was on it, no sign saying—"Hi Percy, you can give this to Annabeth urgently!" But then I turned the disc to the other side and Percy knew me well enough to know that I was in deep thought, so he left me alone, standing on Half Blood Hill to wonder.
On the other side, the words written in sharpie showed that Percy was right—this was for me. But not only me. Luke needed to see this, too.
"Thalia's Last Goodbye," it read.
"Are you sure you want to hear it alone, Annabeth?"
"Yes please, Chiron." I nodded, acting bold and walked into the Big House. Usually demigods didn't watch video clips and such, but this was an exception. I placed the CD into the media player and I hear the words play. They float around me, haunting me. And that's I know my dearest friend, Luke Castellan will be listening, too.
"I honestly don't know if I will die or not. Either way, I want you to hear this." I could literally see her shrug. Oh, Thalia. "Annabeth, kiddo, I love you. Know that. You're like the sister I never had." Hesitation. Obviously, when Thalia was recording this, we hadn't known of Jason yet. And I knew that she wanted to keep it that way.
"Annabeth, you are so strong and wise and smart and just….everything. I want you to stay that way, alright? Don't turn into some crazy woman like my mother. Don't." I listened closely, sitting in this empty room. I could feel Thalia's threat—-her eyes on me. Her scary, electrifying blue eyes. I nodded, even though she couldn't see my understanding.
"And Annabeth, you are so beautiful. I've always been jealous. Even though you're only seven." Thalia chuckled to herself. "I know I sound like a mother or something, but I gotta say this: Don't end up with a man who doesn't deserve you. I mean—I know it Annabeth, don't try to hide it—Luke is great, he really is." she sighed. "But I don't think he's yours."
Thalia hesitated, it was obvious she was unsure of how to put her feelins into words. As for me, I was close to crying. Thalia was telling me all this—in her 12-year-old-voice—telling me about love and adventure. And so much more, it felt. And now I was missing her and what we had with Luke, it was hard for me to keep it in.
"And I'm not saying he's mine, either. I guess. Annabeth, I don't know. she confessed. "Maybe I need time to sort out my feelings."
But she didn't have that time and that why I started to cry.
Percy and Chiron were waiting outside for me. When I came out into sobs, I fell into Seaweed Brain and he held me tight. As I held this embrace, I thought about Thalia's wise words about finding who is mine. And I finally had him—he was here. He was holding me. He and his warm, comforting chest. It was Seaweed Brain, not Luke.
I decided I couldn't do this on my own. Chiron stared straight into my grey eyes and nodded. So, I had to go back. I had to listen to Thalia. But this, a shoulder to cry on.
Percy pressed play and put his arms around me. Thalia spoke and I shut my eyes peacefully.
"Sorry, kiddo. I'm sorry you had to hear it, but I had to tell you." she sighed sadly. "Annabeth, if I die in this adventure, along with the stress of haunted memories of my family…I want you to stay there with my body. Until my last breath is taken and I am gone. Swear it on the lake sticks, kiddo. Or whatever G-Man said." Thalia laughed shortly.
And that's exactly what I did the day she was gone—the haunted day I arrived here. I held her hand and closed her eyes once the monster had disappeared and it was like that for a long time. Luke was there, too. He was holding your hand, too, Thalia.
I remember the very last thing you said. Last words. The last time I saw you alive.
You screamed "For Olympus!" and you saved us. For Olympus, that'll forever be in my head, Thals.
I silently send Thalia messages in my head. Some sort of sign to let her know I know. Some sort of sign to tell her she isn't alone.
Fifteen Minutes Later || Luke Castellan
I am Luke Castellan. I am a ghost. Dead. Gone Nothing.
I walk in the shadows of people I love and people I hate. I sit down in the dark in regret and bitterness. I swim in the water to wash everything out—my fears, my thoughts, even my tears. But nobody can see me. Perhaps it's better that way.
I'm in my happy place—Camp Half Blood. I see a small glimmering rainbow. It is for me. An iris message. For me. Strange.
When it senses that I have received it (after throwing in some drachmas), it shows nothing. I can only hear this audio iris message. And it is Thalia's voice—that voice I haven't heard since death. I reach out to touch the rainbow, but nothing happens so I just shut my sorry face and I listen.
"I've told Annabeth, Luke. She is not yours. I know it and I think you do, too. Or do you? I don't. Maybe I don't even know, either."
I shook my head in regret and Thalia sighed and kept talking.
"Luke, I may not seem sure of what we had, but I am." she paused and I shut my eyes tight. "I love you, Luke."
Her words stuck to me like glue. I felt pain, guilt, doubt, relief, love. And I know then that I could not go back, for I was as dead as a ghost and she was alive and unloved. "I love you too," I whispered back.
"—I know it may seem silly for a twelve year old, but trust me, Luke, I do. I know I do. You probably do or don't feel the same way, I just need you to know." she sighed. "I probably always will."
I bit my lip to stop from crying, but it did not work. Tears fall. And that's when I left my happy place.
"I'm sorry for leaving you." Thalia finally said.
I punched the Iris Message.
I was in the Underworld. I was next to Bianca Di Angelo, daughter of Hades. I told her about Thalia's message. Bianca listened, nodding, understanding. She licked her lips. "I think it's good you know now, I guess." she finally said.
"Yes," I agreed. "But I can't do anything about it! She's a huntress and I'm nothing." I looked down hopelessly. "I'm sure there was a whole lot more to her message, but I was so angry, Bianca, I didn't listen. I couldn't. And now I'm hopeless."
"I know how you feel, Luke." I felt her hand gently touch mine. It was the first sign of friendship I had in a while. I remember her brother, Nico Di Angelo.
And now I realize that that is how ghosts are supposed to feel. For we are nothing and out loved ones are everything.
It was the end of the message. "For Olympus," Thalia whispered, and then she was gone, just with a proper goodbye.