A Light In The Dark

A Light In The Dark Part Twenty-One

The atmosphere in Percy's living room was light and filled with laughter as his friends gathered around the board game spread across the coffee table. Grover was animatedly explaining the rules of the game while Annabeth rolled her eyes with a teasing smile, clearly unimpressed by Grover's over-the-top enthusiasm.

Percy sat propped up against the cushions of the couch, a pillow supporting his back, his wheelchair parked nearby. As they set up the game, he felt a familiar sensation start to creep in—a lightheadedness that felt like a wave rolling over him. He brushed it off, hoping it was just a fleeting moment, but deep down, he knew better.

"Ready, Percy?" Grover called, excitement lighting up his eyes.

"Yea, let's do dis!" Percy replied, forcing a grin, even as he felt the dizziness intensifying.

As the game began, he noticed his friends occasionally glancing at him, their playful banter masking their concern. He had been open about his struggles, but it still hurt to see their worried expressions even in the moments of fun.

A few minutes into the game, he felt the dizziness wash over him, stronger this time. He tried to shake it off, but he could sense something different about it. He'd never noticed it happening before he was fully aware, but this time, the fog in his mind seemed to thicken, and his vision began to blur, the colors of the game board swirling together.

"Percy?" Annabeth's voice broke through the haze, her tone shifting from playful to concerned. "You good?"

His eyes glazed over, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. "Yea, jus'—"

But before he could finish his sentence, the world around him began to fade. His vision slipped away into nothingness, an unsettling sensation creeping in as the edges of his perception blurred into darkness. Panic threatened to rise, but he clamped down on it, focusing instead on counting, a method he had unconsciously adopted to keep himself grounded.

"One... two... tree..." he slurred under his breath, even as he felt his heart racing.

His friends noticed the change almost immediately, their playful banter quieting down. Percy could hear them whispering to each other, their voices a mix of concern and fear. The counting became his anchor as minutes ticked by. The sounds around him became muffled, his friends' voices blending into a distant echo.

"Percy!" he heard Annabeth call, panic lacing her tone. "Stay with us, okay? Just breathe!"

He focused on her voice, letting it pull him back from the void. He could feel their eyes on him, could sense their anxiety as they watched him. With each passing moment, the dizziness wrapped tighter around him, and he felt a tremor ripple through his body. He wanted to reassure them, to tell them he was okay, but the words refused to form, tangled in the fog of his mind.

"Percy!" Grover's voice cut through, frantic now. "Hey, look at me!"

He forced himself to concentrate, to latch onto their voices. He could sense the time stretching longer than before, the dizziness anchoring him in a strange limbo.

"Five minutes... six minutes..." he counted silently, the seconds feeling like hours.

"Someone get Adam!" Annabeth shouted, urgency bleeding into her voice.

Percy felt a tremor shake through him, and he clenched his fists, trying to regain control. The world remained dark and silent, and he could feel the panic rising again. Just as he reached for it, the feeling of fear slipped away, and he focused on the warmth of his friends' presence.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the dizziness began to ebb. Light slowly seeped back into his vision, blurring at first, then gradually sharpening until he was met with the concerned faces of his friends. Their expressions were tight, fear mingling with relief.

"Percy!" Annabeth said, her voice softening as she reached for his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Y-ah," he murmured, his voice shaky. "Jus' a little diz-zy."

"You've been out for a while this time," Nico said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It was almost an hour and a half."

Percy's heart sank at the realization. "I-I'm s-sorry. I d-didn't m-mean t-to freak y-you out," he whispered, guilt creeping in.

"Don't apologize," Grover said quickly, shaking his head. "You didn't do anything wrong. We're just glad you're back."

Adam rushed into the room, a worried expression etched on his face. "What happened?"

Percy felt his heart race at the sight of his caretaker. "Jus'... an-other diz-zy spell."

Adam's gaze flickered between Percy and his friends. "Okay. Let's get you settled back in your wheelchair for a bit, just to be safe."

With the help of his friends, Percy maneuvered himself back into his wheelchair, the familiar weight of the seat offering some comfort. They all gathered around him, their camaraderie a reassuring presence in the face of uncertainty.

"We're here for you, Percy," Annabeth said, her voice firm. "No matter what."

As he looked at their concerned yet determined faces, Percy felt a mix of gratitude and anxiety wash over him. The road ahead was uncertain, filled with challenges he couldn't predict, but with his friends by his side, he knew he wouldn't face it alone. Together, they could navigate whatever came next, even as the shadows of the unknown loomed closer.