CHRONOLYMPUS

Chapter IX: We Strategize an IHOP

―ORION―

Water flooded into my lungs, burning them like fire, and my body tried to cough the liquid out without success. And the hands around my throat weren't helping. My fingers clawed furiously at the ones that squeezed my airways to no avail. I was kicking and thrashing, doing anything to free myself, but nothing would work. And then I was beginning to lose consciousness. My vision was fading, my body was beginning to shut down.

I can't! I thought desperately. I can't die! Not here, not now. Mom's in the other room, and if I die, then she'll... she'll... No! I can't die here!

The movements of my arms and legs began to grow sluggish, and my eyes were closing. I couldn't die. I had to save Mom. I had to survive this. I had to save her. But water had almost completely filled my lungs, and I was drowning, dying...

"Mijo! Mijo, wake up!"

My eyes shot open, and I immediately spun the spinning wheel to my left, narrowly dodging the car that I nearly drove into. The car passed by me, and I ignored the driver's colorful insults as I tried to calm myself down.

I turned to my Mom and continued driving. "You okay, Mama?"

"Are you okay, baby? You... you were shouting in your sleep."

I gave out a nervous chuckle. "Really?"

"Yeah. You were saying that you couldn't die, and that you needed to save me."

I shrugged my shoulders as casually as I could, trying to seem composed, as I said, "Huh. That must've been some crazy dream. Too bad I don't remember it."

My fingers tightened their grip on the steering wheel. Damn, I needed to get rid of that tic.

"So anyway, what time is it?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"A quarter to six in the morning. We're going to go get breakfast before we keep going."

"Maybe we shouldn't," I said groggily. "We should just get something from a drive-thru and keep driving. We can't stay in one place for long. We're moving into more populated areas, and if monsters find us, we'll put others in danger."

We were already in New York by that time, which was incredibly great progress, but we still had very long ways to go before we could get to Illinois. And I was determined to get us there.

"But you and Daniel need to rest, even if it's only for a moment."

"We can't!" I protested. "We can't stop, not even for a second, until we get to Springfield! Monsters are everywhere. Gaea needs to gather more energy, but she'll try to kill us as soon as she gets the chance. And who knows when she finds a way to wake us up?! And what if she raises Kronos from the Underworld?!"

"Mijo, calm down," my Mom said soothingly. "We're just going to get food, and we'll be on our way."

"We can't-- I can't!" I shouted desperately. The stress was getting to me. I thought that I had been used to fighting monsters, but they had never come after me this often. I was also protect Daniel, I have to protect Z, I have to protect you! What if you die, Mom?! What am I supposed to do?!"

"Orion!" my mother raised her voice, which she never did. "I'm not going to die."

"You don't know that," I muttered bitterly.

"No, I mean, if my body does die, I won't be dead. I'll still be with you, Orion."

"That's not good enough!" I said stubbornly, shaking my head. I tried to get rid of the thought of my Mom dying, but of course it didn't work. The reality I was living in was too real. "I need to be able to see you right next to me! If you were gone, I wouldn't know what I'd do."