The Girl He Forgot

Alexis

I have to admit, leaving was hard. Only Nico knew this, but I had been with the Argo II the entire time. I left for a day or two at a time, so Gaia didn't suspect anything, and when I came back, everybody forgot. I think Piper had an inkling when I came on a couple of days ago that she had seen me before, but Malta was different and unexpected. Hazel and Piper both fully remembered who I was, and pretty soon, they would remember everything.

I was still processing all the new information at once. The fact that I would never see Calypso again, that my mother might be a goddess, and the fact that I might have to tell everyone everything and risk being abandoned again. Maybe they would think I was evil, a secret spy for Gaia. Maybe they would attack me. Maybe... maybe they would say nothing, and walk away... forever... No. No, I refuse to believe that's a possibility. Maybe they would say I was imagining things, that it was all in my head. That it was a desperate plea for attention, like when I was claimed for the first time.
Hades was decent enough to give me a sign when I was four. I know it seems odd, but I remember that day like it was yesterday.

I was hiding behind a trash can, hiding from Tartarus and Gaia. It was December 22nd. I had no shelter, no food, no clean clothes. I didn't even have a jacket. All I had was an oversized Pink Floyd T-shirt that I wore as a dress. When I wanted to be warm I tucked my arms out of the sleeves and curled up into a ball, pulling the shirt over my legs. There were people that scared me to death, and the person who scared me the most... was my sister.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two backpacks on the ground, unattended. I was so hungry and desperate. I peeked out from behind the trash can to see if there was anyone close by, and I saw two teenagers standing with their backs facing the bags. I suspected it was theirs, but my stomach was rumbling. I hadn't eaten for days. At the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't right, but I couldn't help it. I ran for the bags and frantically started checking for food. I remember seeing some odd things, but I can't remember what they were now. In the bag with all the pins and badges of punk bands, I found a tuna sandwich. I was about to run back to my garbage can, but someone stopped me. I made a mistake. I didn't check to see if they were looking or not. I didn't check if I was making too much noise.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!" yelled a girl's voice. I looked up, terrified. She froze for a second when she saw my face, but quickly turned angry again, "Why are you snooping around in my stuff! Where are your parents?"
"I'm starving," I said, "And my parents don't care about me." The boy next to her was watching. "Thalia, she's just a kid."
"I'm stronger than you think." I warned, "Please, I just need food." Thalia tapped her bracelet twice and it transformed into a shield with a gorgon's head on it. I was used to creepier things, so I didn't even flinch. The boy's eyes widened when I didn't get scared, and I was really confused. Thalia's hands sparked and electricity ran through her whole body. Her shadow slowly covered me and she came closer, and closer. She was really, really mad, and despite having my powers to defend me, I was frightened to my core. I started breathing really hard, and my fears overtook me.

Just then, I saw something glowing over my head. Black light was emitting over me. I looked up and saw the helm of darkness fading away, and I felt more powerful. I felt the shadow's strength and used it as my own. Cracks appeared at my feet and skeleton warriors poured out holding swords and spears and all sorts of weapons. Thalia brought down her spear as electricity surged through all of the skeletons, making them crumble to dust as their weapons fell and got sucked into the ground. I scrambled backwards as Thalia came even closer. She looked down at me with crackling eyes, "Drop the food. And. Go. Home." My face was totally masked with fear. My surge of power dissipated as I dropped the sandwich and ran to the garbage can, climbed in, and shut the lid after me.

That day was the scariest day in my life. I arrived at camp half blood soon after that. I told everyone that I was a child of Hades, and they told me I was delusional. A year later, I heard yelling and screaming and I went out of the Hermes cabin to check what was going on, only to witness Thalia's transformation. Even when she came back, I avoided her because I was still terrified of her. Once, she glimpsed me at the Hermes table in the dining pavilion and her eyes widened, but I just changed my eye colour from black to gold.

I prayed to Hades every night at camp half-blood for ten years, just because he told me who I was at an early age. He left me a little something on my birthday every few years, usually just a note or an old book or something. On my 13th birthday, I got my blanket from an anonymous sender, and on my 15th, all of the things that are in my bag, laid at the foot of my sleeping bag, also from an anonymous gifter. The other kids in the cabin asked a few questions, but I just told them I was confused as well, and went on with my day. I didn't prove to them that I was a child of Hades by showing them the signed notes, I just didn't care that much. Of course, when I found that Nico remembered me, I told him everything, and I shared my burden with him. I was, obviously, ecstatic when I found out he was my brother, but I had to hide it because a) the other campers wouldn't believe me and b) he went missing and I had to find him.

I was walking toward the coast because it always helps me think. I just left the Argo II and I have no idea where Reyna could be, and I doubt she needs my help. I sat on the rocks and started to brainstorm. I wondered if Percy and Annabeth needed my help... Am I worrying too much? I mean, I survived down there even longer, haven't I? And they had Bob and each other to rely on. I should still go down there and visit Damesen. Did I mention who he was? Well, he's a 20 foot tall giant. He's the only peaceful one, and he was banished into the stomach of Tartarus for helping a mortal. Now, he's doomed to fight a drakon every day and cook stew in the same spot for eternity. I often go down there to keep him company and tell him about what he's missed up here on earth.

I stood up and walked toward the flat earth. I got down on my hands and knees and banged on the ground three times, signaling to Tartarus that I wanted to come down. It was a risky way in, but I wanted to come back and he and Gaia thought that I was spying on the demigods, and sabotaging their mission. After a few moments, the world around me melted into darkness. I started falling and falling until all I could hear was the rushing of the wind. The air turned to sulphur, and blisters formed on my bare skin, but quickly disappeared. I fell and fell and fell for what felt like hours until I landed on the rough ground in a kneeling position, right next to the River Cocytus. I noticed something glinting in the corner of my eye. I turned around and saw a celestial bronze dagger. Annabeth's dagger I remembered. She must have lost it in the fall, along with the laptop. I reached into the water and pulled out the knife carefully. I figured I'd give the items back to her when she gets out or when I next see her.

I set off to find the nearest entrance to my bedroom. I marked all of the entrances with the Greek letter π because it was the lower case letter for a number that never ends and never repeats itself, like me (because I'm short). I'd read stories about Daedalus and I wanted to create different entrances to the bedroom like how there are different entrances to the Labyrinth.

I walked for about a mile until I found the engraved rock with the π on it. I laid my hand on it gently and it glowed orange. I pushed it gently and a rectangular section swung open like a doorway. I crawled in. After a few minutes, I emerged from under my desk.

I picked out a simple denim backpack and put in the dagger and the laptop. I really didn't know when I would be able to give this stuff back to Annabeth, but I was sure I would. If only I knew where she was. Her and Percy. I knew deep down Percy didn't mean for me to go so soon, but he still hurt me pretty badly. I looked at my closets, and then at my colourful bag that was still on my desk. I opened the bag and took out the key. I walked up to the last closet and unlocked the door.