Percy Jackson:The Mountain Climbers

Call from Nepal: Annabeth

I sat there, wondering if I would get any news.

Sally and Piper paced around the living, while Athena was at the table, looking at a map that showed Everest. She was looking at it to see if she could locate the guys who were still on the mountain, if there was any news of their current whereabouts. I looked at her and I saw real distress in her eyes, like she suddenly cared for Percy and the others.

Sally looked so agitated. We spent the whole morning and afternoon waiting for a call from Reyna or any of the others at Base Camp. She looked so tired and worn out but she was clearly trying to stay awake - she had drunk several cups of coffee and she was constantly looking at the phone. She was obviously worried out of her mind, knowing that her son was in trouble on the mountain.

Piper was making numerous notes on her notebook, trying to write plans about what we would do next when we heard some news. She was constantly running her hand through her hair and was sighing and groaning when a plan of hers didn't seem right.

"What is taking them so damn long?" Sally fumed as she looked at the phone. "They should've come up with some answers by now! Where's my son?"

"Miss Jackson, you need to calm down," Athena said, raising her hand to placate Sally. "I'm sure your son is alright - they must've run into something that caused them trouble."

"Oh, don't start with me Athena!" Sally snapped. She didn't like Athena one bit. I didn't know why this much? Maybe because Percy was her little boy and that she put her trust and loyalty with Poseidon, just because she was the Sea Gods former flame? Or that she hates Athena for thinking that Percy was not to be trusted just because he's the son of Poseidon? Either way, Sally absolutely hated Athena's guts. "You were the one who said that they were in trouble! You told me that Everest was coming for them and that Zeus wasn't doing anything to help them!"

"Sally, I'm trying to help!" my mother sighed, finally sounding defeated. It wasn't common to see the Wisdom Goddess like this. Normally she had a plan ready, but not this time. 

The phone rang. I instantly answered it, putting it on loud speaker. "Hello?"

"Annabeth," Jason answered, sounding worn out and depressed. 

I was hoping that it was Percy who answered, because it would take the worry that me and Sally were feeling off our shoulders. "Jason, what's happened?"

"We got attacked by Everest," he answered. "Percy, Nico, Aaron and I were making our way down the Icefall. We were maybe four thousand feet above Base Camp, when Everest came at us. Percy fought Everest, giving us time to get out of there. We were badly wounded when Everest blasted us off a ledge of the Icefall, but we managed to get out of there. Aaron and Nico are getting treatment but I denied any."

"What about Percy?" Sally demanded. She was tapping her fingers on the table nervously, waiting g for an answer.

Jason didn't say anything for a moment. "He was fighting Everest near this massive crevice. He wounded the mountain spirit but he got a lot of noticeable injuries as well. Look, we made contact with him but he's in very bad shape."

"Where is he?" I asked, dreading the answer

Jason was very quiet when he said, "He fell into the crevice."

"What?!" I screeched in horror. "He's in a crevice?"

Sally was crying as she covered her mouth with her hands and walked out of the room.

"Percy suffered a leg injury - Everest stabbed him in the lower part of his leg," Jason continued, the details getting worse. "Percy fell to the ground but managed to deflect a blow that was aimed at his back. And then, Percy grabbed Everest and pulled him with him into the chasm. He told me to get the others off the mountain. Annabeth, I didn't want to leave him. I wanted to fly over to him and save him, but he made it clear that there was no time. He fell with Everest into the chasm."

I was shocked. Percy had once again fallen into an inhuman place. What if that crevice led to Tartarus? "He isn't in Tartarus is he?"

"No," the son of Jupiter said, "but he's near a ledge where it does drop into one. He told me he got rid of Everest by throwing him in. Percy has secured himself to the walls of the chasm and is still down there as we speak."

"Where did you last see him?" Athena demanded, standing by map of Everest.

"We were a couple thousand feet above Base Camp. We were maybe an hour away from it if we walked it. He fell into the largest crevice in that area. He said he was a couple hundred feet in the crevice."

"Largest crevice..." Athena muttered, frantically tracing her finger on the map. "Ah! He's in the Void chasm - that's the only crevice of that description that's in that area of the Icefall. According to Hades that thing goes all the way to Tartarus - it sure is deep enough."

Jason was quite. Then he said, "We told Percy to get out of there but he said he wouldn't be able to because he suffered a terrible injury on his leg. He's lost a lot of blood and he reckons that he may have blood poisoning. He is practically saying that he's not strong enough to even move. He broke a vertebra in his back and his arm is broken again."

He then lowered his voice. "He's really scared - he broke down on the radio. He - he didn't want me to tell you, mainly because he didn't want you to know the position he's in. He's freezing all over and is barely moving."

"Then why are you telling me this?" I asked, my eyes beginning to water. Oh Percy...what's happened to you?"

"Because I think he needs to get moving. He said that he would find a way out, but he lost his morale. He took note of his situation and where he is and just gave up. We need you to convince him to move - he'll listen to you Annabeth. I'm sure of it. He doesn't believe us because all we're saying is that he needs to get warm."

He'll listen to me...that part was true at least. But I replayed what he told me - Percy was in no shape to move, that he was really weak and scared. What could I do to convince him?

"Annabeth," Piper said, coming over and sat next to me. "You need to talk to him. He's lost his morale and he needs someone to boost it. Your Seaweed Brain needs you. Talk to him."

That's what made me cry. He needed me...

I spoke into the phone. "Could you put me on to him?"