Favorite : Change for the both of us

Chapter 26

The only way to describe the hours that passed is irritating.

You try being an ADHD kid stuck in a body that won't move. At all. You can hear stuff and feel stuff, but your eyes won't open. You can't move; not even your toes will twitch. The most you can manage is the occasional flinch, possibly, or even a tear. Yet as horrible as it is, I can't help but feel relieved that my vision is black. The moon hasn't reappeared and I've not had any nasty flashbacks. Thank god.

Poseidon's been at my side since I entered the hospital, I think. It feels like his hand holding mine, and I often hear his voice. I wouldn't be surprised if he moves into the hospital room that I'm in, just to stay with me. I'd like that; the idea of being alone now is more unbearable than ever.

Time passes slowly when you're unable to move. You don't sleep, because you are sleeping. It's like when you wake up of a morning and you don't open your eyes because you have no reason to so you just lie there half-asleep - aware of what's happening around you, but not responding. As a result, I'm driven to the point of insanity by boredom by the time someone around me speaks.

"Mr Olympia?"

It's that doctor again from, well, it must have been yesterday. The guy who told Poseidon about all my injuries. I have to admit, I was surprised when he read out that really long list. I don't really feel any pain - just a dull ache. It must be because of all the painkillers I've been given.

I feel the hand holding mine (which had gone slack a while ago) twitch and tighten. Poseidon waking up, no doubt. "Yeah?" his tired voice says.

"Your brothers have just arrived with their children," the doctor says. "Would you like me to send them in?"

Zeus and Hades? If I could have, I would have punched my uncles and father yesterday. The painkillers hadn't kicked in completely and I was a bit annoyed because of the pain (which is understandable, right?) and all they were doing was arguing - loudly, might I add. I mean, I know my uncles are naturally grumpy people, but surely they could have had the decency of not making noise when I'd been practically dead a few hours before?

"Sure," Poseidon replies, his voice still sounding a little sleepy. "Send them in,"

A couple of seconds later, I hear people shuffling into the room. Their footsteps are small and quiet, so obviously they're not my uncles. They're my cousins.

"Percy..." I hear Thalia whisper.

"Hi, kids," Poseidon says weakly, his hand stroking my hair.

"He looks..." Nico's voice wavers with uncertainty and fear. "Different. He doesn't look like Percy,"

"No, he doesn't," Poseidon agrees sadly. "You want to come say hi? The doctor said he might be able to hear us,"

I feel a hand touching my ankle cautiously from the end of the bed, and another larger hand carefully holding the hand that Poseidon doesn't have hold of. "Is he going to be alright?" Thalia asks fearfully. She almost doesn't sound like my cousin - usually, Thalia is bright and happy and cocky and annoying. Not terrified.

"Well, he got through the night," Poseidon says. "That's a good sign. He has lot a lot of blood, however, and he will be in a coma for...well, we don't know yet,"

"But he'll wake up, right?" Nico asks.

"...Maybe,"

I can't tell what my cousins are doing. Nico's hand withdraws, like he's scared his touch hurts me. Thalia keeps holding my hand. I hear sniffling, but I can't tell who is it that's crying. Nico, probably.

"Is Annabeth awake?" Poseidon asks after a few minutes of silence.

"No," Thalia says. Her voice is trembling slightly. "She was sedated in the ambulance and it hasn't worn off yet. They think she'll be awake by tomorrow. Athena's with her,"