Percy Jackson's Sister

Take a Deep Breath, Just Without Oxegyn

             Zombie soldiers were frantically running around, trying to steady the ship. They were trying to pull us in reverse but the whirlpool was much too strong. The boat could never get out of there.

       One of the undead came bursting out of a door, half in flames, running towards Clarisse. "Boiler room overwhelming, ma'am! She's going to blow!"

      "What?" I shouted frantically.

      "Relax, kelp head," Clarisse yelled over the chaos. She turned to the zombie. "Just get down there and fix it!"

       "Can't!" the sailor yelled. "We're vaporizing in the heat."

        Clarisse punched the side of the casemate. "All I need is a few more minutes! Just enough to get in range!"

       "We're going in too fast," the captain said. "Prepare yourself for death."

      I wasn't sure how to prepare for death but I held on tighter to the ship's railing.

      "No!" Tyson bellowed. "I can fix it."

      Clarisse stared at him in disbelief. "You?"

       "He's a Cyclops," Annabeth said. "He's immune to fire. And he knows mechanics."          

       "Go!" yelled Clarisse.

      "No!" Percy and I yelled at the same time. Whether we liked it or not, that was our family we were risking.

      "Tyson," I tried reasoning with him. "I'll go with you, I know mechanics too!"

     I wasn't lying, I truly did know how to fix the ship, but I knew his answer before he gave it. He shook his head grimly.

     "No, sister. Too hot, you are too cold."

     "Tyson, it's too dangerous," Percy chimed in. Neither of us wanted to see him go.

      He patted Percy's hand which rested on Tyson's arm, restricting him from leaving.

    "Only way brother," Tyson yanked Percy's hand off. "I will fix it. Be right back."

    He said it with such determination, I almost believed him. At least, I wanted to.

    We watched as he ran towards the smoking room. Percy unconsciously moved forward. I grabbed his hand.

     He looked at me and I shook my head, silently conveying a message he already knew, but did not want to accept. You can't.

    His eyes shifted to something beyond me and I turned around. We could now see Charybdis.

      It was a disgusting view of slimy lips and huge sharp teeth about the size of sailboats. The strangest thing was that her teeth seemed to have braces, though it served no purpose. The jagged rocks were crookedly spread throughout the sea, in a loose circle.

     I watched as everything was sucked into the void, fearing we were next.

     "Lady Clarisse!" A soldier shouted, the captain. "Starboard and forward guns are in range."

    "Fire!" Clarisse commanded.

     Three shots were fired, one after the other. The first two seemed to hit absolutely nothing, I really didn't understand what shooting at a black hole in the ocean would do, but no time to question war methods. The third hit the thing's braces and ricocheted back, taking down the Ares flag. I smiled, finding that slightly amusing.

     "Again!" Clarisse yelled, angrier than before.

    They repeated the process, but we made no progress. It was hopeless.

    Suddenly the ship stopped shaking violently and it settled into a reassuring hum. We all looked at each other in shock.

    "Tyson did it!" Annabeth exclaimed. "He fixed the ship!"

     The sailors took that as their cue to back away from the whirlpool of death.

     "Wait!" Clarisse ordered. "We need to stay close!"

    "We'll die!" Percy yelled back. "We have to move away!"

    No matter how right Percy was, the confederates would listen to one master only. Clarisse.

     The ship struggled against the suction, violently shaking. I hadn't realized I was still holding on to Percy's hand but I immediately let go and hung on to the ship for dear life.

    I had never been the type to seek affection, but I couldn't lie, Percy's mere presence brought me comfort. I felt connected to him, of course, he was my brother, but he was also someone I had just met. Yet still, I trusted him with my life and I found myself slightly more at ease when I was with him.

     Suddenly, the ocean stopped pulling us in. Charybdis had closed her mouth and the sea's were no longer fighting to swallow us alive. The waters were calm. Our peace lasted about two seconds.

    Just as suddenly as it had started pulling us in, it was now pushing us out. Charybdis was now spitting out all the water. Well, spitting was an understatement, it was more like a power wash.

     We were thrown backwards in a wave about the size of a skyscraper. Percy had concentration on his face but I knew we didn't stand a chance. The water here was determined to kill us.

    A sailor came out, his whole body smoking. "The engine is about to blow!"

     We couldn't do anything but wait to see if we'd die from capsizing or by explosion.

    "Where's Tyson?" Percy yelled.

    "Still down there!" The undead soldier answered. "Holding it together somehow, though I don't know for how much longer!"

    "We have to abandon ship!" The captain said.

     "No!" Clarisse refused.

     "We have no choice, m'lady! The hull is already cracking apart! She can't-"

     We never found out what the ship couldn't do, the captain's sentence was cut short. A brown blur shot from the sky and snatched up the captain and a few of his soldiers.

     "Scylla!" Annabeth yelled.

      "Everyone get below!" Percy ordered, uncapping his sword. I followed his lead and drew my weapon.

     "We can't!" Clarisse drew her own sword. "Below deck is in flames."

     "Lifeboats!" Annabeth said. "Quick!"

     "They'll never get clear of the cliffs," Clarisse said. "We'll all be eaten."

      "We have to try. Percy, the thermos."

      "I can't leave Tyson!"

      "We have to get the boats ready!"

      So much was happening in such little time I was beginning to slip away. Annabeth noticed and yelled at me, even though she was right next to me.

     "Cassidy, don't!" Her voice sounded terrified, which made me feel guilty. The guilt brought me back.

    "Get to the other boat!" Percy threw the thermos at Annabeth. "I'll get Tyson!"

     "No!" I argued. "You'll die!"

     "So will he if I dont try!"

      He ran towards the boiler room but only made it about two feet. He was immediately snatched up and I watched in horror as Annabeth pulled me on to the life boat.

     Before I could make it in, the ship exploded. A deafening silence filled my ears as I was blasted into the air. For a second, I thought this was the end. But then I hit the water, hard.

     I struggled for air, I tried swimming up but my body felt numb. Finally, I couldn't take it, I inhaled deeply, preparing to live my final moments.