The Sea // pjo

Chapter Eight // We Have a Sleepover On a Ghost Ship

    I basically face-planted when I skidded to a stop on the beach, just a few seconds behind Annabeth and Tyson.

    So much for being a heroic sister coming to the rescue.

    I lay there, face-first in the sand, when Percy denied he screamed for us.

    "But then who..." Annabeth trailed off to my right. "What—?"

    "Just listen," Percy said. "We don't have much time."

    I spat sand out of my mouth as I looked up at my brother and listened to him explain his conversation with Hermes, Luke's dad.

    He basically gave them everything they needed for a quest to save Grover in the yellow duffle bags to my left.

    And I stood finally when I heard the patrol harpies screeching behind us.

    "Percy," Annabeth stated firmly. "We have to do the quest."

    "We'll get expelled, you know," Percy reiterated. "Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."

    "Ditto," I muttered, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

    "So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to," Annabeth argued.

    "Yeah, but you promised Chiron—"

    "I promised I'd keep you from danger. I can only do that by coming with you! Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"

    "I want to go," Tyson interrupted.

    "No!" Annabeth shrieked. She shook her head, "I mean...Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."

    I stood there, not sure what to do.

    And then Percy looked at me as if asking me, and I gave him a wide-eyed look, "What? The god came to you, not me!"

    Percy looked over his shoulder at the cruise ship (our ride), getting further and further away.

    I could tell he didn't want him to come with us, but in the end, he said, "We can't leave him. Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."

    Annabeth looked ready to blow.

    "Percy," Annabeth drew out slowly, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k...a C-y-k..." She stomped her foot like a six-year-old, and I accidentally let out a snicker before I could stop. She glowered at me, and I dramatically took two steps away from her. "You know what I mean!"

    "Tyson can go," Percy insisted, crossing his arms. "if he wants to."

    "Want to!" Tyson cheered.

    Annabeth glared at Percy and me before sighing exasperatingly and said, "All right...How do we get to that ship?"

    "Hermes said our father would help," Percy looked at me hesitantly.

    "Well then, Seaweed Brain? What are you waiting for?"

    Percy turned to me again, and I shrugged, "Go for it, hot shot."

    He gave me a look before stepping into the surf of the beach, "Um, Dad? How's it going?"

    "Percy!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"

    Percy's face turned red, and I threw my hands up, stepped in with him, and then planted my fists on my hips, "Heyo, Daddio, we need your help pronto! We're trying to get to that ship before we get eaten by demon chicken ladies. So can you please just help us?"