Cabin 13

50| What Lies Beyond

Percy's mind was calm, but he knew better than to get any closer to the water. 

One of the stronger waves lapped his bare feet and then there it was, that feeling again, that knowledge that with one flick of his wrist he could drown a blissful Hazel swimming in the water. 

He knew it would be easy too, he would feel her under the water, feeling her struggling and screaming as the waves engulfed her. He would feel her lungs slowly collapse, he would feel the last bit of oxygen and life leave her lips, floating to the surface. All he had to do was command the eager ocean to--

He shook his head, blinking at his already raised arm, instantly jerking it down.

"Even I cannot seem to help you forget the vengeful calling of the waves," Lethe said softly.

 Percy sighed, watching Hazel and Piper enjoy themselves in the cool water.

"Do you remember this water, Son of Poseidon?"

"How could I forget?" he muttered the joke underneath his breath.

Lethe's eyes closed as she took a slow breath, "I seem to remember you taking a swim in my waters."

He nodded, he had once in the Underworld.

"But you do not wish to join your friends?"

"I cannot control my impulses within this water, it clouds my mind."

She dreamily nodded, "But I'm guessing you Demigods are here to pass through my waters to what lies beyond."

He shrugged, "I honestly don't care to remember what brought us here."

"Well, you, Son of Poseidon, may stay as long as you wish but, I don't think your friends will last much longer," she said wistfully. 

He shook his head, "I don't remember any good reason to save them."

She nodded, "Very well," she said, before disappearing. 

He knew very well what Lethe's effect on people was, but he was enjoying the emptiness of his mind and he didn't want to spoil that by trying to fight the fog clouding his memories. 

He snapped his head to the left, he'd heard it, that sound, it whipped in the wind. He knew that laugh, amazingly well, but he couldn't remember from where. 

Percy gritted his teeth, he could either follow that familiar voice back to the memories Lethe was clouding and to wherever he'd heard that laugh. Or he could let the voice fade away in the wind and stay in this inactive bliss.

As he thought he looked out at the two girls swimming in the water, both so perfectly happy. Without realizing what he was doing, the waves sucked down the blonde, tossing her under the surface.

Blinking, he quickly snapped out of it and let her back up. 

She broke to the surface, only pausing to wipe her eyes before continuing to swim around just as happy as she'd been before. 

He sighed. Frowning, he could've sworn he heard someone running up behind him. Turning he saw a smaller teenage boy dressed in all black and a freckled golden boy running towards him. 

When they finally reached him they were both out of breath, but the emo boy managed to gasp, "What the hell are you guys doing?! Having a beach day?!"

Percy wasn't quite sure why the boy was so angry or why he'd been in such a hurry, so he just shrugged, "Don't the waves look inviting?"

He just shook his head, "Percy, what are you talking about?"

The golden boy cocked his head, rubbing the back of his neck, "Um, he looks kinda out of it."

The emo boy's eyes narrowed, "What's going on?"

Percy shrugged again, his voice indifferent, "It's a nice day for a swim."

The boy frowned, looking out towards the ocean, then as if something had clicked, he blinked and took a step back, "There it is—the river to the Netherlands."