a story as endless as the ocean . pjo / allie jackson

1.3 caribbean post cards

1.3 The Caribbean Death Island that I Expected Doesn't Look Quite So... Death-y

When you think "monster island," you think jagged rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the Island of the Sirens. Right?

Well, Polyphemus' island was nothing like that. I mean, okay, it had a rope bridge across a chasm, which was not a good sign. You might as well put up a billboard that said, SOMETHING EVIL LIVES HERE. But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. As we sailed toward the shore, Luke breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," he said, his voice almost reverent.

I nodded. I couldn't see the Fleece yet, but I could feel its power. I could believe it would heal anything. Even Thalia's poisoned tree.

"If we take it away, will the island die?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't think so. It should fade. Go back to what it would normally be, whatever that is."

I felt a little guilty about ruining this paradise, (which wasn't good because that just piled on top of the guilt I already felt after Circe's Island), but I reminded myself we had no choice. Camp Half-Blood was in trouble. And Tyson... Tyson would still be with us if it wasn't for this quest. The least I could do was make sure that his sacrifice wasn't in vain.

In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge. I mean they were like the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was the massive oak tree I'd seen in my dreams. Something gold glittered in its branches.

"This is too easy," I said, suspicion oozing from me. "We just hike up there and take it? No way, nothing's ever that simple."

Luke's eyes narrowed. He looked as wary as I felt. "Didn't the Cyclops say something about a pet in your dream?"

That was when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.

Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.

A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones. I felt bile rise in my throat at the horrifying sight.

Luke and I exchanged looks.

"They're like piranhas," he grimaced, looking ill.

"Piranhas with wool. How will we—"

"Angel!" Luke gasped abruptly, grabbing my arm. "Look."

He pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground... the other lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham.

We decided that there was no way we could get past the man-eating sheep. Luke wanted to fly over and grab the Fleece, but in the end, I convinced him that something would go wrong. The sheep would smell him. Another guardian would appear. Something. And if that happened, I'd be too far away to help. And if he tried carrying me with him, it would just take away one of his hands and he'd probably need both. No, we had to figure out another plan.

Besides all of that, our first job was to find Grover and whoever had come ashore in that lifeboat— assuming they'd gotten past the sheep. I was too nervous to say what I was secretly hoping... that Tyson might still be alive.

We moored the Queen Anne's Revenge on the backside of the island where the cliffs rose straight up a good two hundred feet. I figured the ship was less likely to be seen there. The cliffs looked climbable, barely— about as difficult as the lava wall back at camp. At least it was free of sheep. I hoped that Polyphemus didn't keep carnivorous mountain goats too.