5: I have yet another fantastic dream

"Percy Jackson."

Nothing surrounded me except complete darkness. My name echoed against the walls of my head in a sickening way that made my stomach turn. I hoped to the gods I wasn't going to throw up again.

"Percy Jackson," the unknown voice repeated.

The voice sounded raspy and hollow as if an old man with a very bad cold and a thousand years of constant smoking was speaking through an empty tunnel. The way the mysterious being called out my name sent shivers down my spine. In desperation, I tried to move and realized I was floating in a way so familiar to my bones-as if I was underwater. Except I wasn't surrounded by water at all, at least not the calm, refreshing seawater I was used to. The liquid felt too thick and sickly as it clung onto me.

The voice let out a laugh that sounded almost like a cough. "My water won't respond to you, son of Poseidon. It is too bitter, too full of vengeance."

Suddenly, I realized I was sinking downward as some invisible force pulled me deeper into the abyss. I tried to free myself but ended up just flopping back and forth like a fish out of its fishbowl. With dread, it finally dawned on me that my demigod powers were utterly useless.

"I told you. You should stay still if you don't want to waste your breath."

As if on cue, I gasped for breath only to have icy water crashing into my lungs. The voice coughed out a laugh again.

"Who are you?" I cried but nothing escaped my mouth except for a few bubbles. I swung my arms wildly, trying to swim for the surface, but the gesture seemed to just accelerate my sinking.

"In a way, I am just like you. A hero, a descendant of the sea god, ruined by the curses of Eros." The stranger's every word seemed to send icicles piercing through my lungs.

This is what it means to drown, I thought.

"Oh, you're not actually drowning," the voice answered my unspoken thought. "After all, this is just a dream. But fear not, you will taste the poison of my waters. Soon."

The fact that it was a dream did not stop my lungs from feeling like they were about to burst. I struggled to keep myself conscious. And if this was a dream-one of my worst nightmares, no doubt-then I got a notion that the coughing stranger would not let me blackout until he was done with me anyway.

"You shall betray her. Without your fatal flaw... ah, well perhaps for you, it was a blessing."

Her? My brain seemed to explode as well as my lungs. Who was I going to betray? Annabeth? Thalia?

The man croaked a laugh. "Still loyal to love? Do not worry, young hero... It will all end soon."

And with that, my lungs reached their limit. My body shuddered as if possessed and the dark, corrupted water engulfed me whole.

When I woke, I was still shaking so much that I fell out of my bed. My brain was fuzzy and I felt as if the dark water was still clinging onto me. Thankfully, my lungs were still intact but a strange pain shot through them with every intake of oxygen. I couldn't remember what had happened after Rachel recited the latest prophesy... Had I blacked out? Who had put me in bed?

Usually when I was shaken up by one of my nightmares-which was unfortunately way more often than I would've liked-I would take a stroll down to the beach with Annabeth where we would engage ourselves in conversation with her hand in mine. Her wise, caring words had always worked better than ambrosia and had acted as a healing source that eased all my pains and worries.

But now, I was different. I felt different, like a big bubble of void was slowly consuming my insides. Too much had happened all at once: I knew the ocean I had once loved would no longer be my safe harbor, at least for a while... the sense of drowning had robbed me of the sense of security water provided. And with a twinge of guilt, I knew I also lost the comfort that other people brought me; I no longer wanted to be around anyone, not even my family or my friends. Even Annabeth, the girl I had fallen so hard for not long ago.

What was happening to me? I wondered. And that was the lost thought that crossed my mind before I drifted back to sleep on the cold floor beside my bed, feeling as hollow as the voice in my dream.

Guys, I'm back! It's been like... what years?! I'm so sorry I was away... School got in the way and you know... I feel so irresponsible! I promise to keep up with this series (and the twilight series soon) so I hope you guys can forgive me and keep reading and reviewing! :) As most of you guys noticed, my writing is really rusty but hopefully it'll come back to me lol. As always, feel free to point out mistakes or suggest a plot, etc. 'cause every review counts! And coming soon... What is going to happen to Percy? Is he going to be able to complete his quest and reunite with Annabeth (or someone else?)? Thanks guys~