The slow and shrill beeping sounds reached my ears. As well as the scent of bleach and disinfectants hit my sense of smell. Though my sight of blackness continued. My eyes feels like it is glued shut. Opening my eyes were a strength that I couldn't find. So I slipped once more to the oblivious.


It seemed like no time later I became somewhat aware of my surroundings. My eyes still resisted to open and I had no energy to fight it. The beeping bounced off the walls of my brain causing a massive migraine. A dull ache ran all over my body. I couldn't even let out a sound to release some of the anguish I felt. In other words I felt completely miserable.

I have no recollection of why I feel this way, or why I'm a prisoner in my own body. Pondering these thoughts made my head throb more, I felt a familiar calloused hand run through my hair in a soothing way. My mind shifted to the familiar presence, Paul I thought. I slipped once more to the oblivious.


This time waking up is manageable. I could open my eyes again. Though I had to quickly shut them in protest of the blinding sunlight peeking through the cracks of the blinds.

Once I regain my sight once more I took a glance around the room I was held captivated in. All I found was white walls that smelt heavily of bleach and white floors with no specks of dirt to be found. I turn my head to inspect the annoying cause of the terrible beeping sounds. A machine was to my right, which had lines and numbers on it. I've seen that machine so many times on tv. Which lead me to one conclusion; I was in a hospital.

But why am I in a hospital? I racked my brain trying to come up with an answer, but came up with nothing. Being confused as ever, I raised my hand to my face and let it rest there. Once I felt like I had a better grip on my racing thoughts, I let my hand fall back at my side.

I turn my head to the left. And sitting on the chair was my father, he appeared to be sleeping . My brow furrowed, why was my father in San Francisco? Or am I in New York? I couldn't remember if I made the trip to New York. Last thing I remembered was packing for the stay.

More questions racked my throbbing brain. I moved my gaze to the ceiling. I began focusing on the weird sensation I felt once I woke. Everything felt foggy and dizzy at the same time. If I looked at a spot long enough, the spot would move and dance in front of my eyes. Is this what being on drugs feels like? As I ponder that thought, I felt my eyes slipping close in my exhaustion.


I awoke again, but this time my father was awake.

"Percy, buddy, how are you feeling?" He asked, his sea-green eyes were filled with concern and worry. He stood up and leaned over me.

"I - I'm not sure how to put it in words on exactly what I'm feeling… Why am I in the hospital?" I asked hesitantly.

My dad's fingers tensed and he sat back down with a sigh. He began to fidget with the blanket on the hospital bed, "What do you remember?" He asked slowly.

I crinkled my brow in attempt to remember the event that led me here. "I remember packing for the trip. Everything after that is blurry. Are we in New York or in San Francisco?"

"Um, we are in uh San Francisco" He scratched his head, "... you were in a car accident". He eyed me wearily.

Car accident? I don't have any memory of the accident. I furrowed my brow, I would imagine that I would have been able to remember something that significant.

Wait, we're still in San Francisco? Why was my dad in San Francisco? What happened to my mom and Paul.

"Where's mom and Paul? Are they okay? Were they in the accident as well?" I frantically asked, my mind raced through all of the worst possibilities.

Poseidon shifted his gaze towards the wall. He sighed as he clenched his eyes shut. "Percy... buddy... they didn't make it... I'm so sorry"

My whole body froze. I wasn't able to move or give a slight twitch of a finger. I went numb, there was nothing. I felt nothing, there was no grief no sorrow, only nothing.

I could faintly hear my father calling my name. I couldn't respond or give any indication that I heard him. I couldn't shake off the numbness my body had accustomed to. My gaze was permanently fixed on the wall behind him. The wall was plain, no color or pattern, just blank, like me. Maybe that's why the walls have no life to them; hospitals are places where good people die, having life to them is a cruel reminder to the families of what is lost.

I don't recall how long have I been staring at the lifeless wall, or have a memory of falling back to sleep.


I do remember waking up, only this time the feeling of grief and sorrow made itself present.

I sobbed uncontrollably, the pain was so unbearable, it hurt to breathe. My insides feels like it is shattered in multiple pieces. I could hear the machines behind me skyrocket.

"Ssshh, Percy... it's going to be okay. It's going to be alright." Poseidon coaxed.

I rather feel nothing than the pain I'm feeling now. My chest aches and my breathing skipped, and tears wouldn't stop. Memories of them flashed before my eyes, making the pain worse.

"Percy you got to calm down." Nurses and doctors were now all around me making sure I was okay, and frantically asking me questions if I was in any physical pain. I shook my head no.

"Calm down, we're going to have to sedate you again if you don't calm down" one of the nurses said.

Again? When did they sedate me the first time?

I force my breathing down, the machine slowed down simultaneously with my breathing.

One by one the nurses and the doctors left, once they were reassured I wasn't in any danger. My father stood still in the corner of the room unsure of what to do.

My breathing had slowed down significantly, but the tears ran down at a consistent speed. The tears snapped my father into action. He grabbed some tissues on the nightstand and handed them to me.

I quickly wipe them, and blow my nose with it.

"We're going to get through this. I know this is hard, and it will get better in time I promise." Poseidon wiped the rest of the tears off my face.

" You gave me quite a scare last night. Percy. Your body went to shock last night and you were unresponsive. It was very… unreal"

I nodded and stared at my lap. That's when I noticed something was off. A blanket was covering my legs, but you can see only one full limb under the blanket. The other leg disappeared above my knee