2. Blessing
I woke abruptly in a cold sweat. Sitting up, I looked around my small dreary bedroom. Everything was still and right where it was supposed to be. Sighing, I stretched and got out of bed. I glanced at my clock; it was 7:30 A.M. This has been happening off and on since my dad died five years ago, the same nightmare always waking me up at exactly 7:30.
In the nightmare there were three old ladies. One had a spinner and was constantly making threads, another one took the threads and measured it, and then the last one would cut the sting with shears. When I came in they would continue working, but they slowly would turn their heads to stare at me and whisper, "Times running out." "You must hurry!" "Only you have the power to defeat death!" And then they would get up and begin to creep towards me. I would always try to run, try to escape, but every time at the end of the dream Hades appeared in front of me and grabbed me by the throat like he did to my dad and whisper in my ear, "Help me!" Then I'd wake up.
I walked out of my room and into the kitchen, for I was starving. A warm, sweet, delicious aroma filled the air, and my eyes darted around the kitchen, trying to see where it was coming from.
"Hello dear," a motherly voice said. I looked around trying to find the source of the sound and saw a beautiful woman with beautifully pale skin and warm eyes sitting at the kitchen table. Lying on the table in front of her was a buffet of my favorite foods, blue chocolate chip cookies, candy, soda, enchiladas, etc. My empty stomach grumbled and my mouth watered at the sight of the food.
"Come on dear! Go ahead, take a seat. You look starving!" She laughed as I rushed to a chair, instantly picking up a warm, blue chocolate chip cookie. "You're just like your father! Blue chocolate chip cookies! Humph. Well, I hope you enjoy them anyhow. My name is Hera. What's your name dear?"
"Zoe," I mumbled, spewing chunks of the delicious cookie from my mouth. I blushed at my manners and quickly wiped up the small mess.
"Zoe…" Hera said thoughtfully, not even noticing me frantically wiping up pieces of chewed up cookie. Her brows furrowed and she examined my face as if searching for answers, "Your name means life in Ancient Greek… Did you know this? That must mean… Oh! Zoe where is your mother and father? Get them quick! We need to go! You're in terrible danger!"
I jumped up quickly, something telling me to listen to her, and dashed to my mom's room.
"Mom!" I cried as I burst into her room. "Mom! Get up quick! Hurry!"
"What?" she grumbled as she slowly got out of bed. "What is it? Can it wait another hour?"
"No!" I shouted at her as I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the kitchen.
"Ouch Zoe! Couldn't you be a tad gentler?" She asked rubbing her arm where I had grabbed her. She stretched and looked crossly at me. "What is it already?"
"Hello Annabeth!" Hera exclaimed. "Where is Percy?"
"Hera!" My mom exclaimed staring at the stranger sitting at her kitchen table. Then a look came on her face, and I couldn't tell if it was disgust or if she was just still tired. My mom's face fell as she looked down at her toes and whispered, "I don't know where Percy went. I've searched and searched but I never found him. He disappeared 5 years ago."
"Hades killed Daddy," I said softly. "I was there."
Mom snapped her head up to where I sat, and you could see the pain in her eyes. Even Hera looked shaken. Hera turned towards me and gripped my arms in a firm, but urgent grip. "Tell us what happened! Quickly, but don't leave any detail out. Even the littlest information can be crucial."
After Hera let go, I told them exactly what happened that terrible day 5 years ago, and when I was finished Mom was crying and Hera looked very concerned. "This is worse than I thought! You're wrong about one tiny detail though. Your dad isn't really dead, but he is being held prisoner by Hades, which is bad since Hades has never liked your Dad. I believe Hades is hoping to get you to help him, with what I don't yet know. All I know is that we need to get to Camp Half-Blood. And fast!"
My mom looked up at Hera, distrust evident on her face, "Why should we trust anything you say? And even if we did how would she get in? She isn't a half-blood!"
"Oh, but she is much more! But of course you're right. She still wouldn't be able to get in. But I shall give her a special blessing, one I haven't given to anyone other than my own children, and only my favorites. This blessing will give her everything she will need to survive, or at least I hope. Now come here darling," Hera waved her delicate hand towards me and I walked hesitantly towards her.
"What's Camp Half-Blood?" I asked glancing at my mother who was frozen with shock at Hera's words, "What blessing?"
"You will know all of that later, child. We need to focus on what's happening now. Now you must do exactly as I say, anything even a little bit different will instantly result in your death. Do you understand?" She scanned my face, as if having second thoughts on what she was about to do.
"Yes. Yes, ma'am." I swallowed hard, preparing myself for whatever Hera was about to do. I really didn't want to die now.
Hera put her hands on my cheeks. My head began tingling and pictures of infants popped in my mind. I saw different lives, from birth to death, the feelings, and the sensations. With each life I saw there were different memories, some were pleasant while others made me cry. I saw the flaws and the perfection of each person which popped in my head; I saw everything.
"Repeat after me. From birth to death each life I will attempt to save." Hera's whisper was vaguely heard among the rush of images.
"From birth to death each life I will attempt to save," I repeated quietly.
"I swear on the River Styx that the power of life will be used wisely."
"I swear on the River Styx that the power of life will be used wisely."
"As a child of Hera I will protect, not conquer." A buzzing feeling began to swim down my body as she said this.
"As a child of Hera I will protect, not conquer."
"Each life I see their secrets shall be kept safe."
"Each life I see their secrets shall be kept safe." I felt like I was floating, and the images rushed faster in my mind.
"I will only punish those who deserve it the most."
"I will only punish those who deserve it the most." I was almost sure I was spinning, and the racing images now glowed faintly.
"A child of life, that's who I am forever more."
"A child of life, that's who I am forever more." Then the images began to increase their speed until they became a blur in my mind, and I began to spin so fast I was sure I would throw up.
Suddenly I stopped spinning and I fell out of the air hard against the ground. The images began fading until they were gone. Relieved to be away from the spinning and the pictures I sat up to see where I was.
"Zoe!" Mom cried rushing to me. She sat down beside me and cradled me gently in her arms.
Then I passed out.