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the bridge to olympus was dissolving.
we stepped out of the elevator onto the white marble walkway, and immediately cracks appeared at our feet.
"jump!" grover said, which was easy for him since he's part mountain goat.
he sprang to the next slab of stone while ours tilted sickeningly.
"gods, i hate heights!" thalia yelled. she held annabeth and they jumped to the next one. percy a second after them.
but i couldn't make it. the pain in my shoulder was worse than ever, and with my fear of falling, it was just too much for me.
i stumbled and without thinking yelled, "percy!"
percy caught my hand as the pavement crumbled. i tried to summon some form of energy to lift me higher, but it was too exhausting. my feet dangled over the edge and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. my hand slipped from his grasp, until he was only holding me from my fingers.
suddenly, percy's grip tightened on my hand as he pulled me up. i lay shivering in his arms.
then i realized his arms were around me.
i tensed up and muttered, "thanks."
"uh, duh," percy responded.
i didn't ask what that meant.
"keep moving!" grover tugged percy's shoulder.
we untangled ourselves and sprinted across the skybridge as more stones disintegrated and fell into oblivion. we made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed.
i looked back at the elevator, which was now completely out of reach — a polished set of metal doors hanging in space, attached to nothing, six hundred stories above manhattan.
