I let out a groan as I opened my eyes slowly. I didn't recognize the room I was in-though that may be since it was pitch black. I sat up, and ran my hand along the wall. I giggled when I felt stone. I almost cried. We were back home. Home home. I recognized the stone. It was the stone in the basement of the Big House (long story).
I figured I was right, and I did have a freak accident. I was probably put down here like the other campers after coming from the labrynth. I reached into the pocket of my pants-and froze. I felt the smooth petals of the tiger lily. I quickly reached back, and felt the grass-woven hair tie from Prim. This was real, and I was still here. The stone really could've been any stone. I was just giving myself too fuel for my hope, then had reality run in with a fire extinguisher.
"Help!" I cried out. "Someone!"
The door started to unhinge, and Richmond stared at me.
"You really don't know what being a captive means, do you?" He asked.
"Well, I held up the sky once. I guess that was being a captive of Atlas. I also was technically a captive of Arachne too."
"Ha!" Richmond laughed. "Like I believe that. They're called myths for a reason."
Then he slammed the door. I was silent for a moment, but then my brain automatically formed a plan. Before I could launch it, however, the door opened again. I screamed.
It was Richmond. In a beekeeper costume. He walked toward me with a few sets of handcuffs, and latched them onto posts in the ground I hadn't seen before. I was so in shock that he was able to easily grab my wrists, and slide and tighten the cuffs. I came too when he grabbed my right foot, but I couldn't do much since my left was already tied.
He finished latching everything, then brought them in.
I nearly fainted at the sight of trackerjackets. He unleashed them, and I squeezed my eyes shut. The pain only lasted about a minute. I opened my eyes, which was a mistake. He started playing the scenes from the last Hunger Games.
He seemed to be struggling to find scenes though, since I was Percy's hero that time (finally). It was then I noticed something else.
The world looked...normal. The trackerjacket venom wasn't working! Even if he found something, I wouldn't be affected. I smiled to myself, and formed a plan.
It was then I noticed that Richmond smiled. I saw what he had in mind. The time he jumped in front of me to block the poison knife. I understood what Richmond wanted me to see.
If I had been affected, I would see Percy not as a loyal friend. I would see him as a self-important jerk that wanted to impress me.