Luke
Sunday January 4
11:26 AM
Thump. Thump. Thump. The rhythm of the small rubber ball was the only sound in the airy cabin. Thump. Thump. Thump. The huge statue of Zeus stared at me with stony eyes. Thump. Thump. Thump. I smiled without humor at my own joke and threw the ball again. Thump. Thump. Thump.
I had been in this cabin for days, since Thalia had dumped me in here for safekeeping. I guess she figured most campers wouldn't come snooping in this cabin. So far she was right. I hadn't seen anyone since she stopped by yesterday afternoon. Thump. Thump. THUMP! The force of my last throw sent the ball careening out of one of the high, arching windows that filled this place.
Damn. I frowned, but didn't care enough to go looking for it. Preferring to keep my spot on the floor. I hadn't moved in close to 12 hours and I wasn't about to break that record for a stupid red ball.
Maybe I wouldn't move ever again. Thalia and I wouldn't tell Percy or Annabeth or Chiron and this would just be my life.
Wouldn't be a long one at least. Eventually Zeus would wonder who was in his cabin and he certainly would not be happy to find me in here.
Although I still didn't know why; Thalia had refused to tell me anything about who I was or what I had done to be treated like such a criminal. I felt like I belonged here though, in this camp, with Thalia by my side.
The door slammed, breaking me from my reverie, and Thalia strode into the room glaring at me venomously, wearing her silver Hunters shirt, torn jeans and combat boots. Her electric blue eyes were outlined with too much black eyeliner.
"We are telling Percy and Annabeth and we are doing it now," she said shortly and turned back around immediately, to bring Percy and Annabeth I presumed.
The name Percy brought back little memory, but hearing Annabeth hit me like a truck. I felt as though I had been sucker punched straight in the stomach and I felt hot shame and regret and sadness and loneliness, like I had betrayed someone I was intrinsically protective of.
And I still couldn't remember what I had done.
I got up and began to pace across the floor as I waited for her to return, nerves unsettling my stomach.
"Why are we here, Thalia, I don't think I should come inside," A familiar voice came from outside, sending my mind reeling and my stomach clenching. Flying shoes, scorpion venom, golden fleece, cruise ship, knife, darkness, Percy flashed through my mind leaving me winded and tired and like I had swallowed steel wool.
"I don't think you'll be the problem here," she almost sounded like she was joking
I cursed and stood, wheeling around to face the door as it opened to reveal Thalia and a tall boy with black hair and green eyes, who stopped and stared at me like I had risen from the dead.
Maybe I had.
The color drained from his face and his hand flew to the pen in his pocket and suddenly it grew to a vibrantly glowing gold sword and my hand itched for one of my own.
"Put that away!" Thalia stepped between us and rolled her eyes, "My gods, Percy! Do you want my dad to know you're in here?"
"That's – that's – you're dead!" he said, sounding strangled.
I spread my arms, wanting to needle him a bit, and smirked "Clearly not,"
"You need to tell me what's going on here," Percy wiped his hand over his mouth and glanced between me and Thalia, "because this- this is going to kill Annabeth."
My smirk withered. Annabeth. The name conjured images of blond and small and knife and afraid.
I looked Percy in the eye, willing him to see that I was telling the truth. "I don't know who I am or how I got here," I said earnestly, "I swear it,"
Percy took an aggressive step forward. "Swear it on the River Styx." He demanded.
I swallowed, somehow knowing that I wouldn't be able to lie. "I swear it on the River Styx," I repeated, tasting the power of those words.
Percy suddenly looked weary and he toed a chair around so he could sit down. He wiped an arm across he brow and looked at Thalia. "What do I do? Do I tell her and break her heart, or lie to her? Either way I don't think she'll forgive me."
Thalia just shook her head.
"Ohay," he said "Okay. He can't stay here. We have to take him," he paused, then he seemed to get an idea. "We'll put him in the Big House until we figure out what to do with him! Dionysus is in Vegas for gods know how long and Rachel is at art school. He can go in the attic!"
