The Power Within Her

Waking Nightmare

Andromeda

Once I had truly woken up, I was outside, resting in a rocking chair with a blanket wrapped around me, gazing out into a beautiful meadow that was scented with strawberries and an ocean mist. All that was great, but my tongue felt like a scorpion had used my mouth as a nest, and all my teeth hurt.
On the table next to me, I saw a tall glass of what looked like apple juice with a purple straw and a paper parasol. I reached out to grab it, only to notice the wrap around my arm. I glanced at it before reaching over with my other hand to hold the drink just to drop it accidentally.
"Careful, now." A blonde guy said as he caught the cup and brought the straw to my lips. I looked up into his blue eyes before slowly parting my chapped lips and wrapping them around the straw. It tasted like a chocolate lava cake that my dad used to make me for my birthday every year. "You've been out for two days; what do you remember?" The boy asked.
"Two days?" I asked as he nodded. "There was a giant cow thing, and I... oh my gosh!" I exclaimed as I shot up out of the chair just to collapse into the guy's arms. My face heated up like an oven, but I couldn't care less. "That boy, and Grover! Are they ok?" I said as he picked me up, like a princess, and carefully placed me back into the chair.
"Easy now, you're still weak. The boys are fine. Percy woke up this morning, and Grover woke up yesterday." He explained as he kneeled down and brushed a curl away from my eyes. I blushed heavily as I turned my face away, bashfully.
I never knew a guy could make me feel like this; then again, I've never really given one a chance before. I thought as he scooped me into his arms.
"What are you doing?" I squeaked.
"Chiron and Mr. D want to meet you." He chuckled. "My name is Luke, by the way." He smiled down at me.
"I'm Andromeda, but everyone calls me Anne," I mumbled.
"Oh, I know." He said as he carried me towards the opposite end of the big blue farmhouse where four people were sitting.
"Grover!" I exclaimed. I could hardly hold back my excitement to see my best friend. Their heads all snapped up towards me as my face burned, and I tried to hide.
"Andromeda! You're ok!" He bubbled as tears came to his eyes. Luke gently put me down as Grover came crashing into me. My knees still weren't strong enough to hold me up, so we crashed into the floor as I laughed and hugged him tightly.
"I was so worried! I thought you got hurt!" I hugged him tighter before we let go, and Luke pulled me back to my feet. I tried to take a step, and my knees gave out. Thankfully, I had four people grab onto me and help me over to a chair.
"You must be Percy... are you alright?" I asked the other boy that I tried to save two nights ago.
"Yeah, I'm ok. Thanks for saving me." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"No problem." I smiled softly before facing the other two people at the table. "Mr. Brunner!" I bubbled as he laughed.
"Nice to see you again, Ms. Raine." He said as I cringed at my last name. "Annabeth? Luke?" He called as Luke, and a blonde girl walked over to us.
"Percy, this is Annabeth, the young lady who nursed you back to health, and Andromeda, I believe you have already met Luke?"
"Yes, I have." I blushed lightly as Annabeth glared at me. He must be her boyfriend or something, well, there goes my feelings for him. I thought as I looked back at the table. Throughout the conversation, I zoned in and out of focus, especially when I saw a butterfly. I didn't even notice when Grover and Mr. D walked into the big house.
When Chiron stepped out of his wheelchair, he revealed the body of a beautiful white stallion. My jaw dropped, and I debated on asking him if I could touch it. I decided not to. It would be if he asked if he could feel my stomach; that would be pervy and weird.
I followed Percy and Chiron on the tour and tried desperately not to fall on my face; thankfully, Percy noticed that and offered me his arm. He was a few inches taller than me, so it was easier to hold onto him than when I had to carry him. As we passed people, they stopped and stared at us.
"Chiron, why are people staring at us?" I asked.
"Reasons I am not allowed to tell you yet." He answered curtly before moving on to see Annabeth. She glared at me.
"Percy, you'll be staying in Cabin 11 with Luke," Chiron said after we finished our tour.
"What about Andromeda?" He asked.
"She'll be ok, but we need to talk, come along, dear." He continued as my knees gave out, and Chiron picked me up and put me on his back. I held back a scream as he galloped away, and I almost fell off... on another note, he was incredibly soft.
"What's going on?" I asked as he helped me off his back and knocked on the door only for Mr. D to answer it, and we walked in to sit in a comfortable chair that was an outrageous purple color. I like purple, but this was just... wow.
"So, Andromeda, do you know both your parents?" Chiron asked.
"Yes, but they... uh, they died in a car crash when I was 6." I decided to be honest, but they looked at each other like they knew something I didn't.
"Andromeda, what we're about to tell you, needs to stay in this room, understand?" Chiron said nervously, scuffing his hooves on the wooden flooring.
"Ok... what's wrong?" I asked as fear settled low and uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach.
"You were in the car, correct?" Mr. D asked as I nodded. "For some reason, the Gods took pity on you and saved your life. In doing so, they gave you some of their powers. You will never be claimed, but you are technically a child of all the Gods. You are the one and only princess of the Gods; that's the title they gave you." He finished as my jaw and stomach dropped. A chill ran up my spine as I bolted out of the big house and towards the beach, with Chiron and Mr. D calling after me.
I was broken. I never understood how I had lived. I told myself for years that it was a mistake, and none of us were in that accident.
They were dead. My parents are actually dead. I should have died with them. I thought as I collapsed onto the sand with a sharp scream.
"It can't be true... it can't be real." I sobbed as a hand landed on my back and rubbed lightly, trying to soothe me. I zipped around and just wrapped my arms around the person as I continued to cry.
It's my fault they're gone. I cried until I slowly fell asleep in the arms of a person I had never looked at.