Odyssey

The Cave

"There's no way we're making it back up this," Clarisse said, looking up the large hole they fell down. Near the top, is a dwindling orange light, from their campfire. So high up, it looked like a firefly off in the distance. "Great job, Seaweed Brain!" Clarisse yelled. "You got us trapped down here now we're going to die!"

"Calm down Clarisse," Percy said. "I felt an exit further in, that's why we jumped. If we would of stayed up there, we really would of died. All we got is Annabeth's dagger, I don't see you with a weapon to fight with."

"How could you have known about the well, and the exit further in?!" Clarisse yelled.

"The water told me," Percy said, turning to face the deepening dark cave before them.

"Great..." Clarisse said. "Annabeth, your boyfriend talks to water. He's insane, let's just leave him here, and find our own way out."

"Clarisse, please relax," Annabeth said. "I trust Percy, if he says there's a way out, then there is a way out." Clarisse sighed and kicked a rock into the well.

"The creek runs deeper in, let's go," Percy said, holding his hand out for Annabeth which she takes immediately. Annabeth held her empty hand out for Clarisse.

"No way am I holding your hands again!" Clarisse said.

"Fine, break your neck in the darkness. It'll be quieter," Percy said, walking along the creek, Annabeth behind him.

They didn't get far before Clarisse sighed and took Annabeth's spare hand. Using the water to see, Percy lead them deeper into the pitch black cave, not a single ounce of light for Annabeth or Clarisse. "Percy, how can you see?"

"The water," he said. "If I touch it, it kind of... glows for me, and I can feel it's path in."

"Great..." Clarisse said. "That wasn't helpful at all."

"Annabeth, please let go of her hand," Percy said.

"No!" Clarisse said. "I'll shut it..."

"Scared of the dark?" Percy said with a mocking tone.

"Yes, so just lead us out of here before I kill you!" Clarisse said.

They walked, and walked. Soon Annabeth's and Clarisse's feet were sore and cold from walking in the water the whole time. They started to slow down unwillingly, as Percy kept pulling them along. "Were almost at something," Percy said. "Just a bit further."

They reached a large river. The creek they were walking in, joined into the large river. "Over there." Percy said. Leading them to a bridge across, it wasn't a normal bridge, but more like a very large stone that fell over. On the other side, the floor turned into a smooth glass like stone. Suddenly, braziers burst to life.

One by one, old looking black stone braziers burst into a blue flame, lighting the area up in a blue hue. "The hell is this place?" Clarisse said.

"Weapons!" Percy said, letting go of Annabeth's hand to find some scattered old weapons on the ground. He picked up a old sword near a pile of rocks. When he grabbed the handle and pulled, a skeleton hand was still attached, he accidently pulled out a long dead person, still gripping his weapon. "Let go please," he said as he kicked the boney arm off the sword. He turned back to Annabeth who was watching him, Clarisse looking around nervously still holding her hand. "Here's a spear Clarisse." Percy said, tossing her an old spear. She let go of Annabeth and caught the spear, eyeing it over. "Beth, here," he said softly, giving Annabeth the sword.

"What about you?" she asked, not seeing anything left for Percy.

"I'd feel better if you had a sword," he said softly, making Annabeth's heart hurt from loving him so much.

"Where do we go now?" Clarisse said. "Ride this river out of here?"

Percy walked over, knelt down at the rivers edge and stuck his hand it. "AH!" he yelled, yanking his hand back so hard he nearly knocked over Annabeth who moved behind him. "IT BURNS!" he said, clutching his sizzling hand. Annabeth quickly across the bridge again, cup some water in her hands, and sucked up a mouth full of water. Ran back over to him and dumped the water on his hand, which helped but wasn't enough. So Annabeth pulled his sizzling hand up, and glently and slowly spit the water out like a fountain, washing the stuff off his skin. His tense arm relaxed in her lap.

"The hell was that?!" Clarisse said. "What does it mean when the water hurts you!?"

"I guess..." Percy said panting. "We can't ride the river out of here."

"Percy look," Annabeth nodded to behind him. He slipped his hand from her grasp, and saw two large black stone doors with two pure golden knockers on the front. Percy and Annabeth went over to inspect the knockers. They were identical, twin golden bull's heads, with a golden ring as the knocker going through their noses. Annabeth reached up, grabbed a ring, and knocked once. The large doors shuddered violently, before slowly swinging open. It was a dark hallway that ended in a turn. Attached to a large rock on the floor by the door, was a golden string tied off on it. The string stretched down the hall, and looked to turn to the right. "What is this?" Annabeth said.