Broken Together [Perlypso] - Completed {Book 1 of 2}

II-Aimless

Percy

I walked until nightfall until I was too tired to go any farther. I climbed a tree to a strong limb and tied myself to the top, and attempted to fall asleep. Down below, a small camp fire burned and crackled.

Finally, I fell asleep to the crickets and the leaves crunching.

More nightmares of Annabeth came, like a kaleidoscope before me. I awoke with a start, and heaved a sigh. Time to get going.

I traveled all day through the woods, a change of scenery. When I emerged on a highway, I followed the road in one direction.

After a week of following roads, I reached New York City- sleep deprived, hungry, and dirty. I walked to my mothers apartment.

"Percy, oh my gosh," my mother said, as she embraced me. "Where have you been?"

"I'm leaving, mom," I said. "Annabeth and I broke up. I just need some time alone."

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'm going to get a boat," I said. "And sail." I showed her a compass, a gift from Leo before I left.

"It doesn't point North," my mom objected.

"It points to my strongest desire," I said.

"Do you know what that is?" She asked.

I bit my lip. "I don't know what I want."

"If you can't tell yourself, how can some compass?" My mom asked.

"It's magic, what could possibly go wrong," I managed a smile for her. "I just came to see you before I left."

My mother let me shower, fed me, and let me spend the night. She then packed me bags, and I left the next morning.

I arrived at the harbor, and breathed in the sea air, before buying a small fishing boat with the money I had, and setting sail.

While on the sea, days and days passed. I couldn't help but let my mind wonder to the aurai encounter, and to Calypso. Now I understood how she felt when I left, and my heart broke for her. How hopeless she must feel, to live an eternity of heartbreak.

Ω Ω Ω

I awoke with a start as my boat hit dry land. I caught my breath, and opened my eyes, wheezing. My vision was fuzzy. I didn't know how long I had been out since the last sea monster attack. It was all I could do to manage to hold the ship together, so my exhaustion alone was enough to knock me out cold, not to mention the huge gash on my shoulder from being thrown into part of the rigging. When it had happened, adrenaline had allowed me to rip off my sleeves and tie them together to stop the bleeding, but now they were covered in dried blood. I could tell underneath that the wound didn't look good. I tried to move my wrist and felt the jabbing pain of a broken bone. "Ow, ow," I winced. I steadied my breathing, my body wrought with pain. My lungs and ribs were sore from where I'd been thrown into the deck, my shoulder still trickling blood. I looked around, my vision still fuzzy. A son of Poseidon, surviving Tartarus and dying of a sea monster attack.

How funny. My ankle was sprained, my wrist and ribs were broke (and so was my heart), I had a gaping wound on my shoulder, and my head ached from being smashed on the deck- mixed with the exhaustion, it wasn't a good combination.

My eyes searched the deck for my backpack, but I didn't see a sign of it.

Dammit! It must have gotten knocked overboard in the attack!

I heaved a sigh and collapsed as my vision went dark.

Ω Ω Ω

"You're not in good shape," said a voice. "I need to get you off this ship."

My eyes shot open, and I found my vision yet again blurry. I looked around, blinking furiously. Where was I? I had to get out of here. I attempted to sit up.

"No! Stop!" Said the voice urgently. It was soothing, and strangely familiar. "I don't want you hurt. You can't walk. Let me get some nectar."

"The water," I croaked. "The water, it'll heal... it'll..."

I couldn't manage the last words. My vision began to clear, and I made out the form of a girl. Her hair hung to one side in a lose braid. She caught her breath. "Water..." she muttered. She attempted to lift me, and I tried my best at supporting my weight, but I went limp, and collapsed in the girls arms. The girl was surprisingly strong, however, as if she worked for a living, and could manage more than I thought. Just like Annabeth, I thought, and shook my head to dismiss the thoughts, but not soon enough to stop a tear from running down my face. The girl hefted me up, and I stumbled a few steps.

"Just throw me," I croaked, my voice weaker than ever.

"Are you crazy?" The woman asked, and stumbled a few more steps before leaning on the sides of the ship.

"Don't flip my boat!" I said with all the voice I could muster.

"Right, you're on the brink of death and... wait." The woman said before studying me. I blinked, and my eyes slowly adjusted and focused more on her. I raised my eyebrows, unsure if I was dreaming or hallucinating. In my dazed state, I collapsed again, and blackness overtook me.

When I awoke again, I was laying on a beach. I sat up. I looked at my shoulder, and saw my wraps were gone, and the wound was partially closed. I still couldn't move any of my broken bones. I wasn't sure if water could heal those as fast as cuts and bruises, or even if it could heal them at all. I looked around. The sands were white, and humongous palm trees loomed over luscious plants and a beautiful garden entrance was off to the side. Wait.

Suddenly, realization dawned on me. This must have been what Annabeth felt like when all the dots connected. I winced. Annabeth. I never meant to bring her up, but I always did. Suddenly, a girl carrying a basket emerged from the garden entrance. When she saw me awake, she raised her eyebrows, and lurched forward full speed.

I sat up, aching, and met her with a hug. When we pulled away, she stared into my eyes. "I didn't know it was you. I hardly recognized you. What happened?"

I took a deep breath.

"Calypso," I managed.