Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 35 - I get in another shipwreck

Polyphemus looked even worse now than he did before, which was saying something. His face was bruised, his hair looked like it had been through a tornado and his wedding suit was in tatters. Even worse, he carried two massive boulders in each hand.

"You'd think he'd run out of rocks," Percy muttered.

"Swim for it!" Grover yelled.

He turned and dived into the water, which was surprising seeing how much he hated to get wet. It was the goat part of him.

Clarisse grabbed me and dived into the surf after the satyr, me clinging onto the Fleece. To make it easier for Clarisse, I held onto her neck so she could use both arms and legs and tried my best to help by kicking and paddling with one hand, but I was still too weak. I felt more of a dead weight than the Fleece.

We caught up to Grover quickly, who couldn't swim that great with his hooves. I turned back to look for Percy, expecting him to be far ahead seeing as he was son of Poseidon and all and could swim like a seal, only to find him still on the beach, facing off Polyphemus with Tyson by his side.

"Percy's not coming!" I yelled, drawing Clarisse's attention.

She paused in swimming and turned back to see. "Percy!" she yelled, treading water. "Come on!"

He looked at us, but turned back, raising Riptide as Polyphemus charged.

"Keep going," I gasped. "He'll meet us onboard."

Clarisse nodded, looking too tired for words and began swimming again. We were near the ship now, the hull rising above us. Reaching it, Grover caught hold of the ladder first and pulled himself up, having trouble climbing in his hooves. I followed, the Fleece still slung over my shoulders. My weakened body weighed me down, but I managed to climb the whole way, Grover encouraging me from above.

Below, Clarisse was waving at Percy, trying to let him know that we were aboard. I don't think Percy noticed though as he crouched, Polyphemus searching for him. Tyson was creeping up behind the bigger Cyclops then he stopped. I could see that they were talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying from so far away.

Clarisse climbed up the ladder beside me as Polyphemus suddenly spun, surprising me with his speed, and smacked Tyson with a massive olive tree. Percy rushed forward and attacked, but Polyphemus slashed at him with the tree, scratching him.

My heart was in my mouth as I watched them, Tyson sprawled in the sand and Percy dripping blood. I so desperately wanted to help but I was in no condition to fight, even if I could make it back to shore. The Fleece was still healing me, that much I could tell by the warmth seeping into me through it and the way my broken ribs felt all tingly and sore.

Beside me Clarisse was gripping the ship's railing so right that her knuckles were white, her jaw working as she watched the fight tensely. I knew she wanted nothing more than to be down there fighting with Percy and Tyson but there was nothing she could do either.

On the beach Polyphemus swung at Percy with the olive tree again but instead of dodging, Percy grabbed hold of a branch and let the force shoot him high in the air. My heart was in my mouth as he let go of the branch when high in the air and began to fall. He landed both feet first on Polyphemus's eye before springing off.

Even from where I was I could hear the Cyclops below in pain then heard the crunch as Tyson rugby-tackled him to the ground. While he was on the ground, Percy and Tyson turned and ran, diving into the surf.

"Get the ship ready!" I yelled, hobbling over to the steering wheel. I knew that we wouldn't be able to do much without Percy there to control it, but at least we could get it prepared.

Grover raced over to the anchor, but wasn't strong enough to lift it. "Clarisse! Help me!"

The daughter of Ares didn't move, still standing at the railings. Percy and Tyson were shooting towards us, the sons of Poseidon using their water powers to propel them faster. On the beach, Polyphemus was in a rage, completely blinded by Percy's feet.

"Where are you?" he bellowed, throwing rocks around.

I knew that if we didn't reply, we'd be alright. The Cyclops only had his hearing to go by so silence was our best option. Unfortunately, Clarisse didn't get that memo.

"Yeah, Jackson!" she yelled, pumping her fist. "In your face, Cyclops!"

Polyphemus instantly spun in our direction, picking up a boulder. He hurled it our way, but it fell short, throwing up a massive plume of water.

"Clarisse!" I yelled. "Shut up!"

"Yeah, yeah!" she taunted. "You throw like a wimp! Teach you to try marrying me, you idiot!"

"Clarisse!" Percy bellowed from the water. "Shut up!"

Polyphemus launched another boulder our way and unfortunately it was properly aimed this time. I only had time to brace myself against the steering wheel as the boulder slammed into the hull, rocking the ship and sending shockwaves as the wood splintered. The Queen Anne's Revenge groaned and began to lean to one side, water flooding through the massive hole in the hull.

"Jump overboard!" I screamed, remembering all the stories I'd heard about sinking ships. They created a sinkhole as they fall, sucking in everything around them. It had happened in the CSS Birmingham and it was happening again now.

Holding onto the Fleece still, I jumped over the side, hitting the water hard. Grover jumped in right after me, splashing around as he struggled to swim. I didn't see if Clarisse followed us as I was struggling to swim against the pull of the ship. The Fleece weighed me down and although Grover tried to help me, he wasn't the strongest swimmer.

It only became worse as the hull shattered, pieces of timber swirling around us. Some struck us, bruising us worse than we already were. My lungs were starting to strain from lack of air and I was quickly becoming too exhausted.

We would have drowned for sure hadn't the fish horses come to our rescue.

Three hippocampi appeared before us, one coming to me, another to Grover and a third raced way into the wreckage. I grabbed hold of the one closest to me, managing to sit on it like a horse before it took off, racing away from the wreckage of the ship, Grover on another following.

Percy suddenly appeared before us and grabbed hold of the hippocampus I rode. We shot upwards and broke the surface, me gulping air gratefully. Seconds later Grover had popped up and soon after Clarisse and Tyson on the same hippocampus.

On the beach I could hear Polyphemus celebrating. "I did it! I finally sank Nobody!"

I hoped he never finds out that he's wrong.

Percy positioned himself so he was sitting on the hippocampus behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. At the moment I didn't care how close he was as the hippocampi started to race away from the island. My exhaustion started to come over me and I wrapped the Fleece tighter around me.

"Did it," I mumbled. "We . . ." I didn't finish that statement as I slumped forward, falling against the neck of my hippocampus and falling asleep.

There must have been something special about the creature as it was the best sleep I'd had in ages. No dreams at all.