/Author's Note\
So don't worry, I haven't given up on
Greek Time Turner I just needed a break.
And I like free verse poetry.
so there.
Enjoy!

Slipped from My Grasp

Annabeth:

I looked at his eyes.
Sea green
there is no green
in Tartarus
I will miss him.

I let go.
his hand is sweaty
I slip
he grabs at air
hair
in my face
nothing to see
anyways
just his face
staring down at me
not looking away.

Percy:

How did it ever come to this?
this
is torture
All I ever needed
was ripped
from my arms
ripped
forever gone.

She is falling.
darkness is grabbing
at her arms
angel of night
I might never
see her
again.

No.
I stand up
shaky ground
but
that doesn't matter because
I
am going
after her.

Nico is yelling.
screaming words
but
words will not penetrate
because
only Annabeth
matters now.

Nico:

I can't believe it.
he jumped
Percy jumped
and now he is falling
faster than I shout
and the shadows swallow him too.

Hazel climbs back down.
she looks around and
she knows
she knows from my face
which is caved in
caved like the ground
we need to go.

Jason:

It's my fault.
my fault my fault
not Frank's
he says so
but it is not
his
nothing
like this
could be because of him.

I am left.
left with a statue
stupid, stupid thing
left with five shocked demigods
who are looking
at me.

Look away, then.
I never wanted to lead
not at this cost
no, no
nothing we can do
but go
fly, Leo, fly.

Annabeth:

It is a long way down.
still haven't reached the bottom
whooshing air
screaming in my ears
there is no one
for me to scream to.

I will probably break my neck.
this is
after all
break-neck speed
ah well
Percy is safer.

Percy:

This is not safe.
I don't care
but
for all I know
she has hit
the bottom-
no
don't think like that
it is so dark
she could be right in front of me.

It is so dark.
dark like
the Midnight Zone
deepest part of the sea
almost like
I am drowning
stop
I can breathe
Percy, calm down
I can breathe.

Nico:

I am sitting in his spot.
the head of the table
where Annabeth sits
is
left alone
I didn't want to
sit here
but I came in last
I wish I could just stand.

Leo finished eating first.
he leaves quickly
to work
keep his mind off things,
I bet
I wish I had a job, too.

Jason:

We need repairs.
this ship is messed up
messed up
like me-
like
Percy's brain must have been
. . . but if Piper was falling
would I
have done the same?

I think I would.
but
is it the same
since I can fly,
get us out
like I wish I could have done
for them?

Annabeth:

I need a plan.
something
to keep me busy
while I fall
and safe
when I land.

But what can I plan for?
nobody
has ever been to Tartarus
before
I will be
the first demigod to walk those grounds
if I survive.

Percy:

I am falling fast.
I need to fall faster
still faster
to reach Annabeth
and maybe kiss
or hug
one that might
be our last.

At least we would be together.
and when we die
we will never be apart
never
not if I could help it.

Nico:

We have the statue!
should make people happy
it did
for five seconds
but then the memory
the realization
comes to mind.

They constantly ask me.
not with words
but glances
I respond:
"No."
They're still going
and that fact
keeps us going.

Jason:

I hate seeing everyone so downcast.
it hurts
nobody talks about it
but I can tell
it's all they think about.

It's all I think about.
Occasionally,
Leo jokes
just to get me to smile
it worked
once
this morning
then I remembered.

Annabeth:

The dark surrounds me.
I try to breathe
but
the air is so thick
so warm
so hot
I cough
again and again
never ending
I can't stop.

I hear a shout.
"Annabeth!"
imagination
an echo
a memory
nothing is real anymore
and perfect
does not exist.

Percy:

I know I heard her.
coughing
gasping
choking
I shouted
but
I doubt she heard me
I hope she's alright.

Who am I kidding?
we are falling
into the abyss
stupid me
nobody is alright.

Nico:

I don't know who has it worse.
When I went
through that place
I was alone
alone
very alone
but Annabeth has Percy
gods, he jumped after her
they'll be fine
together.

We stick to the air.
flying is safer
with Jason on board
than the sea
without
a son of Poseidon.

Jason:

What are we supposed to do?
Leo
has almost fixed the ship
then we will move on
physically
not mentally
no-
not yet.

Have they even landed?
how deep
can it possibly go
eventually it would end
in Tartarus
and they will keep going
if they can.

We hope.

Annabeth:

I lost my dagger.
if I land safely
I will have no weapon
weaponless
hatless
and Percy-less
vulnerable
to whatever is down there.

I hate
hate
hate this feeling so much
I can't I can't
I'd moan but
somewhere I know that
if I land soon
I want to take them by surprise
gain a few seconds to run
or fight
so I stay silent.

Percy:

I can't hear her anymore.
I'm agitated
tense
stressed
if I had a light
a flashlight-
Riptide.

I pull out the pen.
uncapped,
it shines
I can see my hands
bloodied
arms scratched
scarred
but no Annabeth.

Nico:

Mostly I stay on the deck.
I'm on hand when
harpies attack
screeching
flapping their wings
it's a good outlet.

Hazel and I fight back to back.
she is getting better
sword swinging
shouting
laughing in relief
when they are gone.

It is good to see her like this.
content
vigorous
her face shining
man, my sister is beautiful
Frank comes out
smiles
smiling for once
it is good to forget.

Jason:

There are choices to make.
east
back to the camps
or west
to Greece
pick one, he says
Do I have to choose?

The camps must work together.
if we want to defeat
Gaea,
that is-
but
Percy and Annabeth
the giants-
I don't know
I'd like to pass this one
someone else
more qualified
they,
not me,
should decide.

Annabeth:

There is a light.
It shines
blinding at first
slowly
my eyes adjust
lightly blue
and tinged silver.

Wait.
I recognize it-
I think
no, it can't be
Nonononono
stupid
no
of course he followed me.

Percy:

The light is nice.
not quite enough
darkness
glares at me
just outside my bubble of light
I hold my sword tightly
even if
it's magic and will return,
I don't know how long it will take
to come back
so I hold it
the way I wish
I could hold Annabeth.

Nico:

It's my shift again.
with Hazel
and Leo
it's almost always
Leo's shift
He doesn't stop working
I stare ahead
up in the crow's nest
"Hard to port!"
boulders flying
Hazel shouts, ducks, safe but-
CRACK!
I fall.

"Nico!"
I'm fine
the mast isn't
crushed into thousands of splinters
a good hundred of which
are sticking out of me
Leo yells
"That's the third time I've replaced
that mast!
You think they grow on trees?"

"Masts are from trees."
Leo grumbles at that
then
aims the cannon
fires
and we fly faster
away from the numina.

Jason:

The days are flying by.
flying faster than us
so painstakingly slow
tedious
dragging
We meet in the mess hall
everyone tired
especially Hazel- she was driving
last night
since she met Hecate,
she
knows the path
or something.

Piper is still upstairs.
with
Coach Hedge
chaperoning the chaperone
while we listen
to Nico.

Annabeth:

He's above me.
Don't know how far
but
close enough
for me to see his light.

I'm worried.
terrified
because
even if
we catch up
what will happen?

There is more light.
red
fiery
from below
I'm falling closer
I can see
but…
this?
I don't want to see.

Percy:

I can see.
and
the farther I fall
the more light
more fire
more
danger.

I look around.
studying
gazing
then I see
blonde hair
falling
she looks up
eyes wide
and cries.

I reach out.
falling vertically
diving
she reaches up for me
hands brush
this time
I don't miss
hug her tight
never let go again.

Nico:

"I communed with the dead last night."
they listen
Frank mentions
his grandma
who respected ancestors
I tell them the plan
House of Hades
but it would be dangerous.

They understood.
there'd be a guy
Clytius
Anti-Hecate
Leo mentioned his dream
but-good news!
Fire is his weakness-
Then
everything came crashing down
on top of me.

Jason:

We were interrupted.
One minute
planning
the next
dwarfs
Argo lurches
Instead of Camp,
the walls display a nose
we share glances
run up the stairs.

Leo yelled.
just enough time to
duck
cover my ears
before they blasted a grenade
the dwarfs grabbed more things
sticky fingers
worse than Mercury's kids
than left.

I ungagged Piper.
"Don't
waste your time on me!
go after
them!"
I peer
over the edge
Leo turns to me
"I need a lift"
still feeling woozy
dizzy
but
here we go
all in a day's work, I guess
it feels so good
just
to be distracted.

The End