Percy and Annabeth-Their future

Stone Heart

June. Crickets chirping, sun shining, life perfect. I sat on our lawn and watched as the kids ran through the sprinkler. Life seemed effortless. The sun was low in the sky, and I was next to the best man in the world. 

"This is pretty great, huh?" I remarked, looking into Percy's calming eyes. He smiled, pulling me in towards him. 

"As long as I have you and the kids, everything is great." Over the years, Percy had become wiser, smarter, more grounded. While all of that was great, I still favored the funny, easy-going, obtuse guy I knew from middle school. Thank the gods he hadn't lost that. 

The sun began to dip beneath the ocean, and it got colder once again. I felt Percy put his jacket over my shoulders. It was almost 10 o'clock at night, and I was anxious to go inside. After about five minutes of bargaining with the kids, I got them into bed, tucked in, safe and sound. 

Percy and I got in bed and I fell asleep with my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. I had easy dreams about life, but everything was light, with nothing disturbing my peace. It was all wrong. There was always a catch. Always. 

I jolted up in bed, and my eyes flashed open. I heard sounds, and realized Percy was gone, and so was Riptide. Something was wrong. Then I heard the growl. 

I threw on a jacket and ran out to the hallway, where Percy stood cornered by Medusa. He looked down at the ground, but she urged him to raise his head and look into her eyes. Sophia was behind him, instructing the kids not to look. I caught her eye, and she slid me her dagger. But the noise was loud, and the Gorgon heard it. She turned to face me, full of hate. I looked away, but still glanced at her from the corner of my eye, just missing her own. 

Percy raised his eyebrows at me and laughed. Medusa had completely forgotten him. She was so fixated on dissing me that Percy was able to chop her head off. Right there.

He wiped his hands together and grinned. 

"Job finished." The kids laughed and laughed, until of course, we lost sight of one of them. Sophia went over, and tried to pick up Medusa's head. But she looked the wrong way. She looked right into Medusa's eyes. 

At first, nothing happened. It just seemed like Sophia was invulnerable. But them, inch by inch, I watched my daughter turn to stone. Lena's little hand held Sophia's, but got stuck when that too turned to stone. I screamed. Percy hid Taylor and Luke's prying eyes. Rion just stood, shocked. Then Percy said to run. 

We picked up Sophia and Lena, Taylor and Luke trailing behind with a confused Rion. Percy hustled everyone into the car. Everything seemed fake, almost dreamlike. 

Lena cried, and each tear fell like shattered glass on her once perfect face. She hadn't been scarred as bad as Sophia. Now she was. And I knew that if Sophia died, holding her hand, she'd want to be buried with her stone sister.

We drove deep into the night, time racing. I knew what we needed, but it would be a huge risk. But I would risk anything for my child. 

I looked back at her, silvery and stiff. I looked at Rion's eyes, which were now scarred too. 

"I'm sorry," I whisipered. Lena and Rion were 8. They would remember this. Sophia was only 10. 10 is too young to die. 

I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, we had reached out destination. New York sat in the distance, glimmering in the darkness. I drew my attention back to Percy. Tears streamed down both his and Lena's faces as he picked up my lifeless child. His lifeless child. Her lifeless sister. I ran up the hill, yelling at the others to stay in the car. Percy laid her down and I ripped the Golden Fleece from Thalia's Tree. I put it over Sophia, praying to every god I could think of. Tears poured out of my eyes as I looked at Sophia's perfect face, so full of laughter and smiles and youth. But all it looked like now was a shrouded cadaver. And that I just couldn't bear. I turned away, crying to myself. It was selfish, I admit, but I needed it. I couldn't be strong. I just couldn't.

Nothing happened for a long time. Eventually, we found out that the Fleece was doing Sophia no good. Percy tried to heal her with water. Nothing. I prayed and prayed, but still, nothing. I stood up, placing Sophia's body under the tree. Percy stood and led me away, trying to dry my tears. But Selena wouldn't give up. She laid her head down on Sophia's heart and listened and cried. And the tears streamed down her face and onto the Earth. Except one, which fell astray, onto Sophia's stone  heart. I was preparing myself for getting Lena out of there, knowing the only way. When something amazing happened. Little silver streaks started circling Sophia, moving faster and faster and faster until- everything stopped. A small streak went into Sophia's heart. Then I watched her, inch by inch, turn back to normal. The human inside the stone coffin appeared. And a small breath escaped her pink, chapped lips. I knew she was saved.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys!! Sorry I haven't been doing a good job posting-- I had standerdized tests last week, and this week is my school play!! Our last show is tonight, and I'm excited but not really, if you know what I mean. I can't believe it's already April!! I mean, where did March go?? And yesterday was my first day wearing a dress to school in 2014!! I'm always in such a good mood when I wear a dress for the first time. 

It was so wierd on the bus home today!! So, I always sit with my two friends, but they get off before me. So i was sitting by myself, perfectly happy, until these guys on my bus came and sat next to me and were all like, "Wanna take a selfie?" !! It was sooo creepy!! If you knew them you'd get it :( 

Anyway, I'm so happy to be writing again!! How have you all been?? Also, I want to thank you all so much. I've gotten the most positive feedback from you all, and it's just been so nice. And yesterday, @ipekberil1357 said that they wanted to translate my story into Turkish!!! How cool is that? 

What would you guys think if I made all these chapters into a real book? I was just thinking about it, and I think it would be pretty cool!!

 Question of the Chapter: 

Do you think I should make this into a book?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO and happy spring!!

~PercyAnnabeth20owl