To Fall
"Hurry!" It was automatic, in fact so automatic that I barely heard my own voice. I checked my watch repeatedly - five minutes was over! - and resentfully glared at the cliff.
Never once did Theresa take her eyes off the road before her. "I'm hurrying!" she yelled back, a trace of annoyance tinging her usually calm voice.
I knew that the car was ripping up the road, going at speeds that I wouldn't like to think about at this moment, and we were riding up this precarious cliff (a shortcut to the State Park). But still, I wished I was the one driving. It wasn't that Theresa didn't let me; it was more because of the fact I didn't have a driver's license. Not that I even had time to get one. Even if Theresa was driving at the fastest speed she could manage, I hated not being in control. It irked me all the time - not being able to change the outcome if the outcome needed changing. But right now, I had worse things to think about. My friends, one cliff, and one mad, crazed god.
Where were my plans when I needed them?
I silently berated myself for going sailing. If I hadn't, I would have been in the dorm. I would have been planning away, and I possibly would have made something worthwhile with my time. And when any random god - more likely Hermes - called, I would have been there, ready to go with the team. But the truth was, I hadn't been. I hadn't been there with the team, ready to lead them on.
I had to stop myself from digging myself a hole and drowning myself in it. No, the main focus right now was to get to the State Park, strangle Cronus and save my friends. I had supposedly learnt to accept myself, but it seemed old habits die hard. Anyway, I pushed the annoying, self-degrading thoughts out of my mind and concentrated on constructing plans.
We were reaching the top of the cliff soon, in 3, 2, 1...
Before 1 approached, Theresa and I were out of the car. We didn't even need to open the car doors, for the roof of the car wasn't up, and we just readily hopped out.
To my relief, I saw my friends. Sure, they were panting and tired and Cronus was hovering above them with his scythes, but at least they were still there and alive. No one looked injured, as far as I could tell from a hundred metres or so away. I vaguely heard Theresa's car beep from its locking, but I didn't turn around.
"Nice of you to join us, Jay," Cronus cackled menacingly. The sycthes were in his hands, raised and ready to strike.
Theresa pulled out her nunchucks, and I grabbed my gravitational blade. We were ready for battle.
Archie was grasping his whip, with he flung out at Cronus with the accuracy he always had. I noticed for a fact that his aim had improved tremendously, and that I wasn't supposed to be sizing up their skill at a time like this.
The whip lashed out, and Cronus dodged. Although I had long realised whip-lashing was pretty much futile, just like sword-plunging, nunchuck-swinging and laser-shooting was, I charged at Cronus with my sword.
Cronus was a god, and he could easily recover any injury sustained. I remembered the time Archie had cut off one of his ears, and it just grew back. It was pretty disgusting and discouraging. Still, it helped give us something to do, or distract him with, or to slowly lower his defenses with.
He dodged again, swung his scythe at me and I ducked. He barely missed me, and I saw the blade eerily go by on top of my head as I looked up. I plunged my sword outwards, but he had already retreated.
Odie was currently typing away on his computer. For what reason, though, I didn't know. At the moment, I was busy trying to hold my own.
Herry, on the other hand, was charging towards Cronus. Cronus, who was looking in my direction, was blur enough to miss it. And as a result, he slammed into a tree. Cronus groaned, and, angry, he retaliated. The last I saw of Herry was him disappearing into a bush.
A tall, willowy woman stood by in a corner. She was tall, elegant and beautiful. She, I guessed, was Mnemosyne. I couldn't read her expression, because it was blank.
Atlanta, I suddenly noticed, was edging towards Mnemosyne with Neil. A plan to save the goddess, maybe?
Unfortunately, Cronus noticed that too. With a simple wave of his hand, he sent a bolt of crackling fire in their direction. Atlanta and Neil both fell, not gravely wounded, but it must have hurt.
Archie had gone over to help Atlanta, and Theresa likewise with Neil. With Herry still slowly clambering out of the bush, and Cronus gazing around, eyes roving to find a suitable target, I immediately knew what the answer would be. I mean, it was between Odie and I, and who did Cronus detest more?
There was no question about it - me.
Cronus started advancing in my direction. I backed away slowly. I was biding my time. When you're facing an insane but powerful god, it isn't advisable not to have a plan. I wasn't scared of Cronus, but I was busy trying to formulate a plan. My brain probably wasn't on my side today, for it refused to cough out any workable or brilliant, saving-grace plans. I was being forced to the edge of the cliff, slowly but surely, and time was running out. This wasn't any bit pleasant, and I suddenly wished that my friends would just come over and save me. Like, now.
My feet found the edge of the cliff. I gulped and decided to avoid looking down. I didn't need to have any more problematic fears.
Cronus swung his scythe at me, and I met it with my sword. But in a moment of folly, my hand slipped, and the sword dropped from my hand. To make matters worse, it bounced away, in the direction of Archie, before clattering to the ground. Not helpful. So here I was, defenceless, at the edge of a cliff and facing up against Cronus.
I briefly wondered which would be better - dying by Cronus' hand, or dying from a fall. Neither sounded appealing, and I brought my attention back to reality.
Then two very bad things happened almost simultaneously. First, Cronus readied himself to strike me, and Theresa rushed over with her nunchcks for an attempt at help. Cronus saw it, sidestepped it, and Theresa ended up falling onto me. I thought the situation could still be salvaged, for some magical reason I had caught Theresa and managed to avoid falling off the cliff with her.
Then, the second very bad thing happened. Odie suddenly shouted out, "I just checked here in the State Park information, and it says that the edges of the cliffs are unstable, so whatever you do, don't go there!"
Apparently he hadn't noticed where Theresa and I were. Maybe he was trying to find out geographical objects that we could make use of or something. But right now, I didn't think what he just said was helpful anymore.
Thanks, Odie, you have great timing - NOT.
The rocks were crumbling under my feet; I could feel them. Then they gave way. The only footing support I had had literally vanished into thin air, which was not good. Not good at all. Theresa let out a bloodcurdling scream, and so did I.
Then we both fell off the cliff.
I was going to die.
No, correction: Theresa and I were going to die together.
The last thought I had as we both plunged down the cliff filled me with impeding dread. I could still see Cronus staring down at us with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Sure, he'd finished me off - and Theresa too at that. I could also see the rest of the team rushing to the cliff edge. They all looked startled, horrified, disbelieving, wide-eyed at the same time, and I heard Atlanta call our names briefly in a ear-piercing manner as we both fell. I felt regret surging through me - it was all too surreal! I wasn't supposed to be dying here! There was a prophecy - a prophecy for us to fulfill.
Was it going to be all over, just like that?
Just a couple of minutes ago, I was sailing with the love of my life. And now, here I was, sailing off a cliff and ready to die and go to the Elysian Fields.
I could barely concentrate on anything. My mind was numbed with regret, disappointment. I had failed the team. I had failed the gods. I had failed the world!
No chance of survival. No sword to drive deep into the cliff wall and save myself. It was all gone.
I swallowed hard. The effects of falling from a great height were stunning. The sky was just high above me, a drifting, pure blue. I stretched out my hand as though I could catch something. The sky seemed so tauntingly near, yet unreachable.
The pressure rung harshly in my ears. It was so painfully piercing that I shut my eyes and winced. I could still move my body, but I felt somewhat weightless (of course in actuality I was not). It was, as said, unreal. I moved my legs slowly but all I felt around me was emptiness and air. It was frightening. Maybe this was what scared Archie when it came to water. He didn't know how to swim, and you could kick desperately, yet feel nothing but the irksome, chilling feeling of coldness and unending depth around you that you couldn't escape from. This was what it felt like.
We continued to fall. I saw the forest nearing us - or rather, us nearing the forest.
The tall pine trees beckoned to us, and we in no way could refuse gravity. The calming forest was ever so peaceful and a lush, calming green. Leaves blocked out all sight of the real ground, and the trees towered high, reaching out for the sunlight.
We were almost at the green. This was it. It was over.
I vaguely heard an evil cry of laughter overhead and loathed it. My heart reached a split-second rush of blinding pain and conflicting emotions.
Then there was a sharp crack. Too numbed to understand, I finally realised my head had hit something sharp - possibly a branch. I tried to scream, but nothing would come out.
It was a fizz of light and spots that danced around my eyes, messing up my already blurry vision. Then the lights went off abruptly, everything went dark and I was submerged into a world of black.
Pain.
The world spun around me as I cracked open one eye. Elegant trees, old and weathered with age, seemed to stretch up to the sky, blocking out traces of the azure blue that had once been. I was right beside the aged trunk, bark peeling off. It was so very tall and there was something about it that was graceful...
I blinked. What in the world was I doing here in the first place, amidst all the quieting nature?
Suddenly, it struck me. I remembered.
The first thought that had jumped into my mind screamed, "Theresa!" It was a silent scream; nevertheless it made me scramble to my feet urgently, with some remnant of dizziness.
I stumbled a little, and quickly grasped ahold of a tree trunk to steady myself. The grass green everywhere was disorientating, and I looked around, desperation starting to take its hold on me. Yet I still could not find Theresa among the leaves and plants.
I traipsed further, walking slowly. Finally, I spotted her - or rather, her beautiful, amber hair was the first thing I saw. It stood out from all the harlequin-coloured surroundings. Forgetting about all the dull ache in my body and the dull throbbing in my head, I hastily reached her and kneeled down.
Theresa lay seemingly lifeless, still, unmoving. My blood ran cold in my body, and I gasped. No, this couldn't be!
"Theresa! Theresa!" I screamed, but I didn't dare to touch her. I didn't want to find out whether she was still alive or not; I was too afraid. If she was injured, it would be best not to move her.
I swallowed hard, seeing no response, and looked above at the sky. How had I even survived? I recalled the thick forrage of trees that blanketed the ground, and I realised that by a long shot I could have landed on oh-so-many branches, hence breaking my fall greatly. In addition, the grass was thick and soft, which could have played a part too. And this luck I had, I came to understand with fear, might not have been with Theresa.
I briefly saw a slight stain of red that lay around her head and knew instantly what it was. Blood. She must have hit her head hard somewhere, but I didn't care about finding out.
"Theresa!" I shouted again, clouded by that sense of looming uselessness.
Then, a miracle happened. She stirred briefly, and I saw the look of confusion slide onto her face the minute she opened her eyes. She groaned and touched her head lightly with a wince.
I almost cried with relief there and then. Leaning over her, I gently kissed the top of her head. "You're - you're going to be okay, I promise," I assured her as much as I could.
This was serious, and I would need to get her to Chiron as soon as possible. Hopefully, the others were already searching for them in the forest - I had no idea how long we had spent here, lying unconscious. If they weren't here, I would have to carry her back, and I was beginning to feel the bruises that lined almost every part of me.
What she said next, though, was something that stunned me so greatly, it took my breath away. I felt the sounds of nature bellowing in my ear, replaying the echoes of what she had uttered. Too frightened, I initially thought she was kidding, but that expression on her face sent the world crashing down around me.
She looked at me blankly, and with a trembling voice, she questioned...
"Who are you?"
