Waves - A Percy Jackson Tale

CHAPTER TEN: REAL? (P1)

Percy POV:

I was tied to a chair, and I couldn't move, couldn't turn my head, couldn't blink. I was forced to watch as someone, I couldn't tell who, tortured Annabeth. Some kind of magic was keeping me from moving. Annabeth cried out. She wasn't unconscious yet. If only she was, then maybe this guy would stop. Then, suddenly, she screamed and fell beck. She was dead. The torturer turned to me, and he was me. He had My face. I killed her.

I jolted upright. Where was she?! Then I remembered. She wasn't here. Her family had gotten back today. She was at her house, in her bed. I started crying. What if it was real? What if that was one of my true demigod dreams? What if she was dead? I was crying loudly now. My mom came in.

"Did you have a nightmare, honey?"

I nodded. Mom rubbed my back.

"Can you tell me what it was?"

I shook my head. I couldn't talk right now.

"Please? It helps, I promise."

I took a deep breath.

"Annabeth was being tortured, and I had to watch, and I couldn't do anything and then they hurt so her badly that she-she died, and then the guys looked at me and he was me, he looked like me, I KILLED HER,"

"No, you didn't, honey. It was just a dream. It wasn't real."

"But demigod dreams are usually real!"

"Shhh.... Remember Annabeth's nightmare the other night? That wasn't real. Neither was this. I think Tartarus is still affecting you. It's taking your love for her and giving you nightmares about it. I promise Percy. It wasn't real."

I nodded. That made sense. But I couldn't stop crying. I'd just seen her die! I wasn't sure I wanted to go back to sleep.

"Here. Lie down, and I'll stay here until you go back to sleep, okay?"

I took a shaky breath. "Okay,"

"That's it, take some deep breaths. It's okay, it wasn't real."

I rolled over and felt her still rubbing my side. Slowly, I fell asleep, and I didn't dream at all.