Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 14 - A god packs our bags

When you have an invisibility cap, it isn't that hard to sneak out. Like seriously, all I have to do is put it on and bam! I'm out of there. Except it doesn't work so well if the thing you're trying to hide from can smell you.

I'd spent a restless night in the Cabin Six, unable to fall asleep for some reason. My thoughts whirled through my mind, giving me no peace. I couldn't get the quest out of my mind. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Clarisse was capable to take the quest, and succeed, but I still felt that something was wrong. I felt like I had to be on the quest, that I was meant to be apart of it. Maybe it was my hubris talking, or maybe I just didn't want to risk putting Thalia and the camp's lives in someone else's hands.

Somehow I knew that Percy felt the same. I'd known him long enough to know that he hated not being able to help, being kept out of the action. It wasn't because he was arrogant and he believed he could do anything, or because he was a child of the Big Three, but because he cared. He genuinely cared about others and wanted to protect them.

I needed to talk to him, see how he felt about that. And the only to do that was to sneak out under curfew. The smallest punishment for being caught was being used as target practice for Demeter kids, who couldn't shoot straight even if they weren't dreaming about plants. The most severe punishment was being eaten by the harpies. So either way, my cap came in handy for getting out of trouble.

For some strange reason, I had a feeling that I wouldn't be seeing my cabin again for awhile. I didn't know why I felt that way, but I'd learnt to trust my instincts by now. In case I was right, I left a note for Malcom, telling him that he was to take my spot in my absence and not to worry about me. If I did return, then I could scrunch up the note without anyone seeing. But if I didn't, then it was merely a safety precaution.

The night was clear and starry when I finally stepped out of my cabin. I could see all the star constellations and the moon was so bright that I could see details almost as clearly as if it were day. But I didn't have time to worry about that as I hurried to Cabin Three.

I was crossing over to the male gods line of cabins when a figure appeared at the end of U-shaped row. I immediately panicked and went to find a place to hide, only to remember that I was invisible. So I stood and watched as the figure came closer, until I recognized it was Clarisse.

She looked pale, her face sweaty with a look of horror on it. She stumbled as she walked, not even seeing where she was walking. I watched, anxious, as she tripped her way into Cabin Five, practically collapsing against the door as she went in. Whatever the Oracle had told her, it wasn't good.

I didn't have time to worry about that as I made my way to Cabin Three and pressed my ear against the door. I could hear quiet sobbing coming from inside, making me frown. That wasn't like Percy at all.

"Percy," I hissed, knocking tentatively on the door. "Are you in there?"

The crying stopped immediately. I heard something like a bed creaking followed by a heavy thud. My heart started to clench as the floorboards groaned under the footsteps that approached the door.

I was practically paralysed as the door opened and Tyson stood before me, wiping tears from his big brown eye. He looked confused as he looked around, searching for me

"A prank," he muttered sadly, fresh tears seeping out of his eye. "A prank on Tyson. No one loves Tyson."

He went to shut the door and I gained movement again. I leapt forward and grabbed the door, pulling off my cap as I did so. Tyson shrieked on seeing me appear like that, and I felt my stomach twist in fear on hearing him.

"Witch!" he yelled, trying to close the door, but I had my foot in the way.

"Where's Percy?" I hissed as loud as I dared, worried that all the noise would alert the harpies.