Our Gifted Class is Whaat?!?-A Percy Jackson Fanfic

Eleven- We drive over the edge-literally

11

We drive over the edge-literally

I thought for a while, trying to get any idea that would allow me to escape without letting Nellie and Grant save me. I needed to get out on my own. It was something I felt obliged to do. I had been saved too many times. This time, I'd save myself. I could do it. I knew I could. I was a daughter of Athena, I could do anything...wait. My hubris was getting the best of me. I had to keep it under control. Don't confide in yourself too much, I told myself. It will be the death of you.

Glancing around the dimly lit cave, looking for anything that would aid me in escape, I gazed longingly at the sun chariot. If I could get my hands on it, our quest would be complete. But my hands were bound to this stupid rock wall. I felt like Prometheus, after he stole fire from the gods and gave it back to humanity. He was bound to a rock too. But my liver wasn't being eaten every day by a hungry eagle sent by Zeus. It felt like it was, though. And Zeus might as well just send his eagle to eat my liver, because I was trapped like a rat. I didn't want to be trapped like this, heck, no one would. Trying to conjure up an escape plan was difficult, even for this child of Athena. I prayed to my mom for advice in this situation. I knew she could help.

"Hey, mom? If you're listening, could you help me with an escape plan? I'm pretty stuck right now, and it would help if you could advise me in this situation. Please?"

Suddenly, there was a voice in my head. It came from inside my head, I knew, because there was no one else in the cave. The voice was that of a woman, smooth and melodic.

"Use the sun! The bindings will melt," the voice told me.

"I have a plan, but how will I carry it out? I need a magnifying glass," I said aloud, after pondering upon the woman's statement. Wait. I had heard this voice before. This chiming voice was that of my mother. Athena had listened to my prayer!

"That won't be a problem. But whatever you do, do not hesitate once you get free. Get the chariot and leave! I sense that Eris will be coming back in a few hours. Move quickly, daughter. Good luck."

"But mother! The glass?" I reminded her.

"I hadn't forgotten about that," Athena said. I could tell that she was smiling as she said it. And she kept true to her word, because just then, a magnifying glass appeared on my lap.

"Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome. Now carry out your plan! Good bye and good luck," my mother said, departing.

After a moment, Athena's sing-song voice was out of my head, but an elaborate plan took its place. I strategically bent over and clamped my teeth around the handle of the tool. Lifting it up, I angled the magnifying glass towards the afternoon sun, in line with my metal bindings. I prayed to Apollo for extra heat from the sun in this case.

The rays of shimmering light focused on the tool in my mouth, and onto the only thing restraining me from escape. My bindings grew warm, warmer, and suddenly, they were burning. Ouch! The burns on my wrist were searing with hot flashes of pain. Please, Apollo. Faster!

Soon enough, the metal had melted off of my singed forearms, and I stretched. I was free! But my burns ached. I opened my backpack and took out the bag of ambrosia. "Only a little, you don't want to disintegrate," Annabeth had said.

I broke off a corner of one of the ambrosia squares and popped it in my mouth. As soon as it hit my tongue, relief flooded through my body, and I immediately felt better. And the ambrosia tasted like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! Everyone who knew me well knew not to touch my Reese's, or they'd lose a limb. I smiled.