Memory 5: Holding up the Heavens
"Help me hold it," Annabeth groaned, sinking to her knees under the weight of the sky.
Luke didn't speak for a moment, taking in huge gulps of air and tottering to his feet like a newborn foal. "I knew I could count on you."
He turned away from Annabeth, walking off. "HELP ME!" She begged, her body beginning to fold inward under the pressure.
He didn't even glance back. "Oh, don't worry, your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die."
Annabeth tried to call his name again, but her mouth was clamped shut. Her teeth ground against one another. She was slowly compacting, being crushed into the ground.
She knew she wouldn't last very long. The pain was horrible, a burning, aching, stinging sensation. Even worse, it was coupled by a sense of betrayal.
Luke's left me here to die, she thought. How long had she cared about him? Since the moment they met, since Annabeth was handed his bronze knife, she had admired him. Here was a brave, smart guy who was more than happy to take in a little girl whose own family didn't want her. Luke was her hero.
Before Annabeth had met Percy, she' started seeing Luke as more than a brother or a father figure. He was handsome, charming, and very clever. An amazing swordsman, too. And no matter what, he always had time to spend with his little blonde friend.
But that was what frustrated her the most. Luke had never stopped seeing her as a little kid. To him, she would always be the little girl in flannel pajamas.
Annabeth wanted to scream. Her arms were heavy and numb. Though the pain was hardly noticeable now, she knew her condition was worsening. Her vision was going black. Her whole body quivered, on the verge of collapse. She began hearing strange sounds, a deep, throaty guffaw accompanied by Luke's harsh, sneering laugh. Her mind filled with thoughts that scared her. What if no one ever finds me? What if the Earth and Sky come together again?
What if Luke really has gone over to the Titans?