Catching Water (Discontinued, rewrite in progress)

The Underworld

Bethany’s POV

            As we approach the shore of the underworld, an enormous black sand beach, I feel my courage leave me. I really am scared.

            Charon leaves us to dwell on our own, and we walk until we find the entrance. There’s an ATTENDANT ON DUTY line and an EZ DEATH line for those who don’t wish to be judged. And standing on guard in between the lines is an enormous three headed dog.

            “Cerberus.” Annabeth whispers behind me. The dog growls.

            “Um....” Grover starts. “He says that if we don’t clear off in ten seconds he’ll attack us.

            “Great. What do we do now?” Percy asks.

            “Leave it to me.” Annabeth says. She   pulls out a large rubber ball. We watch amused while Annabeth plays fetch with Cerberus. Finally, we can go through. But we have another problem as we walk through the metal detectors.

"Magic detected!" Sirens blare. We run. I can feel myself panicing. 

We find a rotten hollow tree and hide inside it as gaunt faced ghouls pass by us.

We walk for a while, the distant obsidian towers of Hades in the distance.

Grover's POV

LURCH!

My shoes all of a sudden do a revolting thing. They flap into a cave, where a chasm the size of a city block awaits. Luckily, the others are just behind me. They manage to grab a hold on me.

The shoes fly of, disappearing into the depths of the pit. We all straiten up, panting.

"That pit....." Annabeth says. "That's Tartarus." We all exchange dark looks as we hear faint whispering around us. We take out our weapons and run.

Finally, we make it to the home of Hades. Bethany is trembling in the bright angelic light of ocean wave.

Percy's POV

Bethany casts me a frightened look before we all put away our weapons. The doors swing open, and we step in. I put an arm on Bethany's shoulder and she nods slightly as we go over the threshold.

I step in front of all of them.

Bethany's POV

I don't really pay attention to what Percy and Hades are saying. To be honest, I am terrified and completely perplexed. Not until Percy opens his backpack do I come to my senses. Something is buzzing. The master bolt.

A lightning bolt of realization comes to me. The backpack had been given to us by Ares.

"I know you came here to barter for your mother." Hades says. "Give me the Helm of Darkness and she shall be spared."

I can tell Percy is thinking really hard. We know we don't have the helm. We're told to get out the pearls.

"I'll come back for you, mom." Percy whispers. A skeleton army attacks us, and we stomp on the pearls. The effect is immediate. We are enveloped by four giant bubbles, and are lifted through to the ocean and into Santa Monica Bay. In the distance, we can see Los Angeles burning.

"Come on! We need to get the bolt to Zeus, and we don't have much time!" Then, from exhaustive efforts and stress, I pass out.

---

I awaken at the sound of an engine, and I am in extreme discomfort.

I sit up.

"Thank goodness Bethany!" Annabeth says, giving me a hug. I realize we're in an airplane. That explains my discomfort. 

We land, and I immediately feel better. 

"Alright. Grover, Annabeth, get to camp and tell the whole story to Chiron. Bethany and I are going to return the bolt." Percy explains.

We walk into the lobby, and approach a guard.

"Excuse me? Could you tell us how to get to the 600th floor?" Percy asks.

The guard looks at us strangely. "Zeus doesn't meet with any old Raggamuffin off the street."

Percy shows him the master bolt, and the guard consents to allow us on the elevator.

My hands are sweaty as we walk up Mount Olympus to Zeus's palace.

We enter the throne room, in which the thrones are arranged quite like the cabins at Camp Half-Blood. Only the two at the end are occupied. Zeus, and.... Dad.