I sat in the middle of a room, a blindfold covering my eyes. My hands were tied behind my back. My feet were tied to the chair. I heard my sister cry out as they yanked her off the chair behind me.

My blindfold was pulled off as they put Ellie in front of me.

She was crying. Both of us were covered in scars and scabs and bruises. I think my right arm was broken."

Ellie," I consoled, trying to push down my own fear. "We'll be fine. It's okay."

My younger sister shook her head. Her voice was still babyish when she spoke, but I didn't judge her. She was still only six.

"How can you say that? We're the only ones even alive. One of us is going to die today. I know it."

I shuddered. She was right. I wished I could be the one to die, just so she didn't have to suffer. But I knew that wasn't how it worked. By killing me, she would be miserable and terrified.

But she would be the one to die. I was too powerful, and He wanted to know what I could do. I was scared, I could admit that. I was only ten. "I love you, Ellie. Don't forget that, okay?"

She nodded, tears still running silently down her face. There was no afterlife anymore. This was it. I had to say good bye.

A Cyclops much bigger than my uncle Tyson came up behind Ellie, sword in hand. "I love you, Τζένιφερ," She whispered.

I nodded. The Cyclops pushed the sword out of her gut as I looked away, then the world went blank.

I sat up gasping. I hated nightmares, even if they weren't prophetic anymore. Now they were memories. The most frightening, too.

I looked up at the sky. When I was three Mom and Dad had taught me all of the constellations. Now, with both the stars and my parents gone, it was only a bittersweet memory.

From my spot high up in a scorched pine tree I could see the ruined earth spread out behind me. Mountains rose up around what I could see, rivers running dry like snakes.

I wanted to scream, to cry out, to see how far my voice would echo. I wanted to laugh, to run, and not be terrified for my life. I wanted to live.

But instead I had to cower. I had to be afraid. I had to be a trapped mouse fighting for freedom.

A bird flew overhead. It looked yellow with brown spots. I shuddered as I caught sight of it's sharp beak. I don't do well with sky animals. (There's got to be a better way to put that)

As I saw the sun break free from it's prison of red clouds I stuffed my thin blanket into my backpack along with twigs I had gathered the night before. Grabbing a bruised apple I hopped down from the tree, careful not to hurt my right arm.

Starting towards the east, I figured I was somewhere near the Indiana/Ohio border. My goal was Camp Half-Blood. I had started out near California, and I had already checked Camp Jupiter.

That was where I had found most of my clothes. Even a pair of shoes- black boots that fit perfectly -and some food.

Then, as I took my first step on the rocky dirt, a voice called out.

"Wait!"