▃▃▃ ᴅᴏɴᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴏꜰ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ ꜰᴏᴏʟ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱʜᴇ ɪꜱ ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ʙᴀᴅ-ᴊ ɪʀᴏɴ ᴡᴏʀᴅ
▃▃ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1 ▃▃ In which the only daughter of Persephone sneaks on a quest to see the world for the first time since she's been at camp. The daughter of wisdom...
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𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⭑ ‧₊˚ ⋅ જ⁀➴๋࣭ ⭑๋࣭ ⭑
ꜰᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ 12ᴛʜ , 2001
I stood at the bottom of Half-Blood Hill, shivering in the February chill. Lysander, my only friend, was hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder, ready to leave. Argus was there too, his hundred eyes scanning the surroundings, but I couldn't focus on anything except Lysander.
"I have to go, Elara," he said, his voice rough but kind. "My mom is moving in with her boyfriend, and I need to make sure she's alright."
"No!" I cried, my voice breaking. "You can't leave! Everyone always leaves!" Tears streamed down my cheeks as I balled my fists. Memories of running from something, arriving at Camp Half-Blood with no recollection of my past, and finding solace in Lysander's friendship all flooded my mind. The thought of him leaving was unbearable.
Lysander knelt down, his intense eyes softening as he looked at me. "Elara, it's just until March 20th. I promise I'll be back before you know it."
But I couldn't hear him over the roaring in my ears. My breaths became short and rapid, and I felt the world closing in on me. "I can't breathe,"
I whispered, clutching my chest. My vision blurred, and I felt like I was falling into a dark, endless pit.
"Hey, hey, look at me," Lysander said firmly, placing his strong hands on my shoulders. "Breathe with me, okay? In and out, nice and slow."
I tried to focus on his calm voice, mimicking his slow, deep breaths. Gradually, the tightness in my chest began to ease, and the world stopped spinning. I looked down and noticed a small flower had sprouted at my feet, its delicate petals trembling in the cold.
I tried to focus on his calm voice, mimicking his slow, deep breaths. Gradually, the tightness in my chest began to ease, and the world stopped spinning. I looked down and noticed a small flower had sprouted at my feet, its delicate petals trembling in the breeze. I didn't know where it had come from, but its presence was oddly comforting.
"See? You're okay," Lysander said with a reassuring smile. "I'll be back soon, I promise. And you'll be here, waiting for me, right?"
I nodded, wiping my tears away. I wasn't sure how I'd manage without him, but for now, I took comfort in his promise and the tiny flower that had bloomed in the midst of my panic. I watched as Lysander stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He gave me one last smile before walking towards the car where Argus waited.
As he disappeared from view, I sat back down on the grass, my fingers gently brushing the petals of the flower. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I knew I had to be strong, even when it felt like the world was falling apart. And maybe, just maybe, the flower was a sign that things would be okay.
