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chapter ten. ( titan's curse ) ❝ hades's wrath ❞
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We found a old pick-up truck by the side of the junkyard. It was old, rusty, but the engine ignited, and so we got in and drove west down the highway. Thalia was the least shaken out of all of us, and so she took the wheel. Zoë took the front seat, while Percy, Grover and I sat in the back. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep straight away, using the window as my pillow. I turned away from everyone else, hoping that no one saw the tear stains on my cheeks.
I wish I stayed awake.
I was in a place with no light. There was no shadow. No nothing. I was floating in a place all too familiar, the place I have nightmares about. I had returned to the Transition.
"No," I cried before I started to speak. My voice wavered. "No ... no, get me out of here. Get me out of here now!"
Child's laughter echoed. I tried to shut it out, turning away from the sound—there was more darkness, more nothingness. My fingers were shaking; I couldn't stop them. So were my legs, and my arms, everything was shaking. The girls laughter returned, this time closer.
I knew this was Hades torturing me. I hadn't protected Bianca like I had promised to. In fact, I had led her straight to her death. "I'm sorry!" I shouted out, hoping he would hear me. "I'm sorry!"
Sorry wasn't going to bring his daughter back.
The girls laughter was right by my ear now, and it was joined by a burst of laughter from a little boy. I whipped around and saw two young kids running around after each other, playing a game of tag. Their clothes were not from the present day; with coats, cotton dresses and pants. Their olive skin was bright and welcoming in its warm tone compared to the darkness around them. I could tell they were siblings, for both of them had black hair and rich, dark eyes. It was then that I realised that this was Bianca and Nico.
I don't know what they were doing in the Transition, or at this age, but I called their names. They didn't reply. I tried again, but they couldn't hear me. They were in their own world.
Their own little happy world.
And I realised why Hades was showing me this.
I killed this happiness. I killed Bianca, and I killed Nico's childhood too.
I couldn't keep on watching them run around, happy, and so I turned away. I sat down on the wet dark surface—whatever surface it was—that existed in this horror game. I found it hard to breathe and cry at the same time. It was like someone was wrapping their hands around my windpipe and drowning me in water at the same time.
