Percy’s POV
I had just set foot in the elevator that usually takes us to the world above when the temperature in the mines rose quickly. Too quickly for my liking. There were shouts and yells of…of pain. The sudden salty scent of blood and burned flesh mingles with the smoke. I turned around…to grab hold of Carrow before he went to the others. The boys from the orphanage usually mine in the deeper ones. In the dangerous, unstable one. Too late, though….
One of the older miners, Shrap pulled me into the elevator as soon as he saw me trying to make my way amongst the crowd of the panicked and burned miners. He held on to me, along with a couple other miners. I yelled, I kicked and screamed at them to let me go as the elevator doors shut.. To let me save my friends…
“ It’s no use, kid,” Shrap said. “ Just let them go…it’s probably best for them than living in this world.” I crumpled on the floor of the elevator, which had begun to feel a little too warm, staring at the closed elevator doors, listening to the other miners screaming, pleading. “ Listen to me,” he gripped my shoulders tightly, “ as soon as we reach the surface, get out of here. Quickly. Do you understand me? Get away as far and fast as you can from here. Get your sister and the others out of the orphanage. Darius already told you that, right?” I nodded meekly.
Rays of light seem to flood some of the miners’ face. We had reached the surface and the floor was too hot now. A sign that any time the mines will explode. Shrap released me, patted my back and, to my surprise, hugged me. “ Give my wife my love, will you?” he said, his eyes full of sadness. He is seriously thinking he wouldn’t make it. “ Stay safe…” was his last world as he pushed me out of the elevator, just as the elevator exploded, sending me flying, woods and rubble along.
I could feel blood trickling on my face. I think I might’ve broken some bones. I can’t feel my lower body though. And someone’s hand is to the left of my face; dead looking. The smell of blood and flesh is very strong around me. I wonder if I’ll make it out of this place…just as black spots started to dance in front of my eyes.
“ Percy!” I hear someone yelling my name. Probably Darius, startled at the explosion. “ Percy!” I blacked out.
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I was in the Meadow…so beautiful. The flowers were just blooming in; it was spring. And the birds were singing in harmony. The sound of water rippling was clear in the air. I hear footsteps from behind me. Turned around…
…and my mother was standing right in front of me, smiling, her gray eyes twinkling with sadness. Sad that she didn’t get to see us growing up. Sad that she had left us virtually undefended from the cruelty of the world.
“ Mom?” I said, my hands reaching out to touch her. She nodded, a sad smile on her face. “ We missed you,” I said hoarsely. She caressed my face lightly. But I didn’t feel a thing. Looking back at her hand, I saw that she was made of mist. And that she was already fading into a bright, white light. “ No, please!” I begged her. “ Please, don’t leave us again!” She just smiled that sad smile and was gone in a blink of an eye.
“ No…” I groaned quietly. “ Don’t leave us…”
“ Percy?” I heard someone call me from a distant. “ Percy, please. Wake up. You’ve got to wake up…” the voice pleaded with me. “ Percy, please! Wake up!” My eyes snapped open. There was a sharp intake of breath from the people surrounding me. “ Finally,” the voice, now I realized it to be Addy’s, breathed out in relief.
“ W-wh-where am I?” I managed to croak out. My throat feels painful and dry. And so does the rest of my body; aching and throbbing, though dully. “ What happened?”
