Lillianna and the Sand (1)

15: Jake

         "Jake wake up! It's your turn to steer!" Zizi said. "Alright fine!" I replied. I got up and started fastening the harness while Zizi fell asleep. Lily should be coming back soon. I finished fastening the harness and changed as I leapt into the cold water.
         As much as I thought this was a good idea when I thought of it, it really isn't. Pulling the boat for hours is exhausting. All I do is pull, eat, and sleep. I barely eat though because I need my time to sleep.
         I'm pretty sure today is December 20th which means only two more days until the winter solstice. Well actually today is basically over and the 22nd is actually the day of the solstice so really only one more day.
         It's dark out and I can only see the sand above me. It's been a few hours I think. It's time to wake up Zizi I'm exhausted. Suddenly it got even darker, if that's possible. It must be Lillianna. A few seconds later Lily was standing on the boat. "Jake get out of the water!" She commanded sounding annoyed. So of course I was already coming on the boat before she finished.
        I changed back as fast as I could and ran towards Lily pulling her into an embrace. "Are you ok Blood Boy?" She asked. "Yeah, I just missed you Ocean Girl." I replied blushing, thank the gods it was dark. "So do you like my idea?" I asked. "No I don't! You could've gotten seriously hurt!" She responded. "Ok! I'm sorry!" I replied. "Sorry isn't good enough!" She fake retorted and turned. "Please! I'm sorry Ocean Girl!" I repeated putting a hand to my heart. "Alright fine, Blood Boy." She finished and turned around and I winked.
       "Ok but actually don't do that anymore." She added. "Alright Ocean Girl." I responded. "So what's going to happen to Zizi?" I asked. "He doesn't really know, but there is 3 things that could happen." She replied. "What?" I asked. "Her soul could disappear from existence. Her soul could be kept in a vast area such as the stars which happens to a few huntresses. Or she could go down to the Underworld like normal." She continued. "Oh." Was all I could say. "Well let's hope I don't disappear from existence." Zizi interrupted. "You're awake!" I said. "Yeah I woke up when Lily appeared just pretended to be asleep." She explained.
       We all just stood there in an awkward silence. I noticed the boat going off course. "Who's steering?" I asked. Lily's face panicked but she looked over and saw we hadn't drifted to much and she sighed in relief. "I am now." She replied. "Ok who's taking first watch?" She asked. "I will." I responded. "No you're not you've been awake for hours pulling the boat, I will." Lily replied. "You've been awake the whole day in the Underworld, I will." I argued. "No you're both not. I will I just woke up." Zizi interrupted.
       Lily and I wanted to argue but just nodded. "Honestly, you two argue like an old married couple!" She added. I blushed and I hoped Lily didn't see. Zizi eyed me and looked over at Lily and she did the same thing to her. We both glared at her. "What! Do you want me to play matchmaker or something." She almost yelled. Again I blushed. "Zizi what the Hades! I don't like Jake!" She yelled and I looked over at her and she was blushing too. She doesn't like me?
       "Yeah! I don't like Lily either!" I chimed in. Zizi just glared at me and Lily's face dimmed. I'm so confused does she like me or not? "Whatever, you two can sleep now." Zizi said. Lily walked off and I started to do the same but Zizi grabbed me by the shoulder. "Since I'm going to die and all just promise me you'll get together." She said and I nodded walking off.
        Why did I nod? How am I supposed to fulfill that promise? I kept thinking about this till I drifted to sleep. All of my dreams have been stupid. First, everyone in the world walked in their hands. Next, everyone had one of everything (body parts like eye, arm, leg, toe, and etc.). Last, no one had to eat but everyone was starving. The scene shifted to Camp Jupiter when I was smaller, about 7 I think. It was my second year here. Nadia had just arrived a month ago.
        The fourth cohort was going to New Rome. I had just dropped off my spear at the entrance to the city. Nadia and I were the only ones in this cohort. It was Nadia's first time here. I showed her around and all she seemed to talk about is how much she didn't like having Venus as her mother. "No one takes me serious as a fighter." She complained. "Hey, war games are coming up. Do you want some extra training so we can kick but?" I asked. "Yeah!" She replied.
        If I asked the Praetor Georgia she would always give me extra training. She's about double my age (15) and she just became Praetor a few months ago. We had been close before she became the new Praetor. She's become a bit meaner now but she still tries to help me as much as she can.
        The scene changed to later when we were training. "Come on Nads! Get up!" I yelled. "I can't! My leg is bleeding badly!" She grimaced. "Here pour some nectar on it!" Georgia interrupted throwing her a bottle of nectar. She winced as the nectar went on her gash but it closed in a few seconds. "Thanks!" She said and Georgia nodded. Georgia was having us spar.
       After about two and half hours Nadia was becoming amazing. I tried to jab my spear at her but her dagger cut my arm. I yelped as I dropped my spear. Before I knew it I was against the wall with her dagger to my throat. I tried to kick her legs but she stepped on my feet. "Alright enough!" Georgia yelled and Nadia got off me. "Nice work! You guys should be ready for war games tomorrow." Georgia said and walked off before I could say goodbye.
       "Want to go again?" I asked. "Sure!" She replied. This time she was down on the floor with my spear above her heart. "Ok you win. Now help me up!" Nadia said. The next time we both had our weapons at each other's throats. The time after that she was  behind me with her dagger across my throat. The last time Nadia was against the wall with my spear against her gut.
       My dream ended and I woke up. Zizi was asleep and Lily was steering with her powers but she fiddling with Riptide. She then took out a piece of paper and uncapped Riptide. At first it turned into a sword but she put the cap to the hilt and it turned into a pen. She started writing but stopped and crumpled the paper and threw it up in the air and zapped it. She did this again and again. I just sat there watching confused.
      She finally looked over in my direction and yelped. "Gods you scared me!" She exclaimed. Her expression changed into one of worry. "How long have you been watching?" She asked. "A few minutes." I replied. "Why didn't you say anything?" She asked. "I don't know." I answered truthfully.
     "What were you doing?" I asked. "Relieving stress." She replied. "By writing something and zapping it?" I asked. "Yeah just write down what's bothering you and zap it." She said making gestures. "Can I try?" I asked. "Yeah but what are you going to zap it with?" She asked. "My spear it has lightning." I replied. She nodded and handed me some paper and Riptide while I grabbed my spear.
      I wrote down something, crumpled the paper, threw it on the air, and zapped it with my spear. I did feel a bit better. I wrote down Lily and did the same thing over and over again. "Why are you writing the same thing down every time?" She asked. "You saw what I was writing?" I asked worried. "No but your hand is making the same motion. Answer my question." She replied. "I'm trying to make it go away." I replied. "Oh, well can I have my stuff back you've had it for a few minutes?" She asked and I nodded handing her stuff back.
      Instead of waiting I just took unimportant things from the boat and zapped them thinking Lily. No matter how much stuff I destroyed nothing happened I felt the same. I saw Lily watching me worried. "Jake what are so worked up about?" She asked. "Nothing!" I yelled. "You know what I know why this isn't working I need some actual monsters to fight!" I yelled. "DAD! IF YOU WOULD BE KIND ENOUGH I WOULD LIKE A MONSTER ATTACK!" I screamed at the sky. "JAKE! What the Hades! Why would you do that?" She yelled at me. "Don't worry I'll deal with it!" I snapped.
      Then a bunch of monsters appeared. I started zapping, slashing, stabbing, and throwing my spear. "DIE!" I kept yelling going into a frenzy. I slowed down killing them slowly and then speeding up again.