Percy Jackson : The Maze Runner

Chapter 24 : New start

Percy's PoV

We appear in my bungalow.

Compassion can be read in the eyes of the goddess.
"I thought it best to bring you here. You will come out when you find the strength."

"Thank you, Nyx."

The goddess smiles at me and then disappears, leaving me alone, more alone than I've ever been.

At the end of my strength, I lie down on my bed.
The last events are replayed in my head, without me being able to believe it.

Slowly, I become aware of one thing.
Annabeth was no more.
And nothing I could do could bring her back.

Never again would I see her face, her smile.
Never again would I smell her perfume.
Never again would I hear her dreams and passions.
Never again would I see Annabeth.

Sinking little by little into sadness, tears streaming down my cheeks, I fall asleep, of a night without dreams, without hopes.

The next day, I wake up, still as despondent as before, if not more so.
I wish I had woken up and realized that it was all just a bad dream.
But it wasn't.
It did happen.
Annabeth died well.

Everything that happened was reality, no matter how hard it was.

Knock, knock, knock.

I walk to the door and open it on Grover's face.

"Hi Grov'."

"Hi, Perce. I'm glad you're home."

We look at each other and I can tell he knows about Annabeth.

Without a word, we hug each other and start crying.

We were a trio.
Grover, Annabeth, and me.
It all began with these two, my first steps into the world of the gods.

And to the end, they were always present.

I pat him on the shoulder and step back.
"We have to go see Chiron."

He looks at me, his eyes bathed in tears and reddened.
"He is waiting for us."

Our journey to the big house was vague.
We didn't exchange a single word, but we patted each other on the back from time to time to prevent ourselves from falling into sadness.

Chiron was waiting for us on the terrace.
His face seemed to have taken years since the last time I had seen him.
I can see in his eyes that he cried, which doesn't surprise me, Annabeth was like his daughter.

He beckons me to sit at the table, where people are waiting for us, already seated.

I sit with Grover at the end of the table and watch the people present.

There were the counselors, and some Gladers.
Notably Newt, Thomas, Minho, Stanislas, and Kilianos.

I nod my head to say hello but remain silent. My throat is too tightly knotted to say anything.

Chiron settles in.
"Good morning to all. If we are gathered here today, it is to discuss the latest events. Tartarus has been defeated and Olympus is safe."

Normally, everyone would have rejoiced at such news, but no one had a heart for joy.

"Percy, will you tell us the facts from the moment we parted?"

I can't talk. I don't want to remember. Saying it would make it real. And I don't want it to be real.

Thomas puts one hand on my shoulder.
"We can tell you instead. He'll finish telling from the moment he was alone."