Chapter 10 (Annabeth) The CSS Birmingham

Tyson wanted to hold my hand. I gave in because he kind of saved our lives against the Hydra. The reason that he wanted to hold my hand was because of the dead Confederate soldiers. They were the zombie crew aboard Clarisse's ship. The CSS Birmingham was pretty large. Clarisse told us it was a gift from her dad, Ares. She told us what happened at camp after we left.

"Tantalus expelled you for eternity. You won't be able to go back." She smirked at us and told us about Mr D threats if we came back. We told her about Adrian and Luke. Her face paled when we told her Adrian was being possessed by Kronos.

"Is that even possible?"

I nodded sadly. "He wasn't himself. His eyes were golden."

Percy cut in. "Luke was threating Annabeth to join him. He told Annabeth that Thalia would join him if she were alive."

Clarisse shook her head. "I wasn't at camp when Thalia died. However, I don't think she would join the Titan army. She is a daughter of Zeus and Zeus is a grumpy god. Still, Zeus is one of the big three."

Percy looked around. "Are you the only one aboard that's alive? What about your two partners? Tantalus said you could take two people with you."

Clarisse mumbled. "I- I left them at camp."

Percy snorted. "Your own cabinmates won't even go with you."

"Shut it, Prissy."

I cut in. "Tantalus is using you Clarisse. He wants to see the camp destroyed. He wants the Titans to win. He wants revenge on the gods. Let us help you."

Clarisse stood up. "I don't need your help. You'll just take my glory. I don't care what the Oracle said."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "What did the Oracle say?"

"I'm not telling you." She walked away.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Partly because zombies kept moaning and groaning. I got up and walked above deck. Percy and Clarisse were already there. Percy was gesturing wildly at the sea. I walked over to hear what they were saying.

"Are you crazy? We'll all die!" Percy yelled over the storm. Clarisse yelled back.

"Only way! Go through Sea of Monsters." She pointed at a whirlpool in the distance and a big cliff. "Through Charybdis and Scylla."

I joined in. "What about the path Jason and the Argonauts took? The Clashing Rocks?"

Clarisse shook her head. "My cannons won't be able to blast the rocks apart but they can." She turned to the captain. "Set course for Charybdis."

"Why Charybdis? Why not Scylla? Don't the stories say that Scylla pick sailors of the ship? We can get everyone to go below deck and we can all pass through safely." Intervened Percy.

"It won't work. Scylla will just pick up the whole ship."

"Prepare the cannons!" the captain ordered. The zombie crew rushed about and loaded the cannons. We were getting nearer to the whirlpool. We waited for the moment. We were all tense and nervous. Then Charybdis appeared and that was the end of the calm. The next few minutes was absolute chaos. I didn't even know what was going on. All I knew was that I was knocked down by a wave and moments later Percy grabbed me by the arm and hauled me away from the ship. The ship exploded under the strain of Charybdis. We fell into the water and I blacked out.