Forgotten Paradise by Average Canadian

Chapter 5: Dancing in Magic

Athena had wanted to know what she was writing about that night. The little brown leather journal was slammed shut when her mother came in, obviously prompting questions. Annabeth had refused to show her, scared that she might get angry that she told someone their secret. Their deadly secret that Annabeth had promised faithfully never to tell.

Why she told Percy? Well maybe she felt in debt to him because of his honesty to her.

But what was done, was done.

It was inevitable that her mom would read what was in her journal sooner or later. No matter where she hid it in the house, as soon as she went to sleep her mother would find it. So right after dinner that night Annabeth went down to the closing fish markets. She scanned past the little huts until she saw a familiar face. A person who fluently spoke English. One of the only English speakers.

"I need two waterproof plastic bags. A big one and one medium one" she told Joe while standing on her tiptoes to see over the counter. Joe chuckled at her and passed over the things.

"Hopefully not for mischief young one."

"Don't worry, it's just to protect something."

Quick as she could she buried herself in the jungle. Ignoring the songs of the twilight birds and the sounds of monkeys bedding down for the night.Under a large teak tree she found a hollow nestled in the roots. The dark gnarly roots parted and swiveled like an uneven door frame. It was small and dark inside but dry and warm. Maybe a shrew home at one time.

Scraping out a bit more soil to make room was her next course of action. She shoveled and pushed until her nails were rimmed with caked dirt and the bottom of the hole was hard packed. Finally Annabeth pulled out her brown leather bound journal and tucked it into the smaller blue tinge plastic bag, she zipped it up and sucked as much air out as she could like a vacuum.

Carefully she put it in her green plastic bucket before encasing the bucket in the larger plastic bag.She stuffed it as deep under the tree as possible and added some dry leaves to be thorough. Uprooting a flattish boulder that stood a few feet away she blocked the hollow.

Annabeth rubbed her grubby hands on her knees satisfied with her work. She washed her hands off at the beach and had just enough time to watch the sunset before turning for home.

-{:oOo:}-

Percy was standing in the same posture the next morning. Looking over the Ocean with his feet just barely skimming the waves. This time he hadn't bothered to conceal Ole Daisy on the other side of the Island seeing as the Old dingy was pulled up onto the beach beside him. It was a perfect scene really. The white flat clouds skimming the horizon, the sapphire waves curling and crashing like liquid glass onto the white sand. Quietly Annabeth pulled out her purple glossy sticker covered camera and turned it on. Focusing it was harder to do but Annabeth had learned how to use it. She took a picture and beamed at her results before she slid the camera back in her jean pocket.

Stealthily she prodded up behind him, her footfalls being concealed in the wet sand and crashing waves. With a shout of attack she tackled Percy on the back and brought him down into the water, thoroughly soaking their clothes. Percy twisted around and grabbed Annabeth's arm and pushed her back into the water again. They tussled and wrestled in a wet splashing war of fun. Percy reigning victorious in the end.The tired duo lay out onto the beach absorbing in the heat from the warm sand and burning sun.

Annabeth lay her shirt and shorts out to dry in the sun leaving her in her swimsuit.As she seated herself beside Percy, he pulled a piece of saggy green brown seaweed out of his ear.

Annabeth chortled "Well no wonder you make so many stupid comments. Your head is full seaweed. Seaweed Brain."

"Seaweed Brain?"