Lost in Time (Forgotten Daughter part 3)

Fresh Wounds

Pain surged through her leg as she put too much weight on it. Ali collapsed against the wall of the tunnel, breathing hard through clenched teeth. She squeezed her thigh. As she blinked back tears, she slid and turned so her back was against the cold stone wall. Carefully, she lowered herself to the ground, her right leg sticking straight out. She pulled at the knot in the fabric tied around her leg with shaking fingers.

Blood rushed back into her numb limb. The fresh circulation triggered a slow ooze of crimson blood from her spiraling lacerations. The warm fluid soaked her already saturated pants.

She took long deep breaths to help ease her pain. "Hey mom. Now would be a really good time to prove that you're not a complete jerk." She waited for a silent moment before leaning her head against the hard wall and sighing. "That's what I thought." Heaving a long breath, she grabbed the bloody strip of fabric and jerked the knot tight around her leg. She braced her arms against the wall, balanced herself on her left foot, and pushed herself to her feet, flinching as she moved her injured leg. She used the wall for support as she hobbled down the passage.
                                 *   *   *
Ali limped down the corridor, pain jolting her leg with every step. Finally, she had to stop, pressing her aching back against the wall and breathing heavily. She grimaced as she unraveled the cloth strip from her leg and let the blood flow. Her pants were stiff with dried blood. Inhaling deeply, she tried to bend her leg, flinching from the pain that rushed through her limb.

The sound of dripping water echoed through the tunnel. It was cold and damp. The shadows surrounded her, interrupted by torches mounted in sconces on the wall.

She closed her eyes. She hadn't slept for days. The exhaustion was threatening to take over and shut her down, but she couldn't let that happen. She had to get to camp. She had to warn them.

Suddenly, a voice like a ghost echoed down the corridor. It sounded like someone crying. The sobs bounced off the walls, seeming to grow stronger instead of weaker as they traveled down the tunnel.

Steeling herself, Ali half walked half hopped towards the sound. She paused every few feet to rest her leg and catch her breath.

Finally, she rounded the corner and froze when she saw the source of the crying. "Annabeth?" Her voice was hoarse and crackly from lack of use and the dry air.

The daughter of Athena slowly looked up, her eyes scanning the tunnel until her gaze settled on Aliana. She gasped and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "Ali?" She pushed herself to her feet and rushed over, throwing her arms around her long lost friend. "Oh my gods." She squeezed Ali so tight she could hardly breathe. "We thought you were dead."

Ali leaned into the embrace, returning the hug. "I can't believe it's you." She pulled back, still holding Annabeth's shoulders. "What are you doing down here?"

Annabeth blinked back her tears. "I'm on a quest. I need to find Daedalus - the one who built the Labyrinth - before Luke does."

"No." Ali took a cautious step back. "He's trying to learn how to navigate it."

Annabeth nodded.

"Who else is on the quest?" Ali asked. "Chiron wouldn't let you go alone."

Annabeth looked down. "We split up. Grover and Tyson went to look for Pan when Grover sensed his presence." She took a deep breath. "Percy and I ended up in Mount St. Helens." Her voice broke.

Ali felt tears springing to her eyes. "Annabeth, why were you crying? Where's Percy?"

Annabeth couldn't meet her gaze. "He stayed behind so I could get away." She choked back a sob. "There was an explosion."

Ali felt the wind rush out of her lungs. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "No." He couldn't be gone. He couldn't be... Ali wouldn't finish the thought. "No." She shook her head. "It can't..." she collapsed into Annabeth's arms.

The two girls stood in the dark tunnel, trying and failing to comfort each other.
* * *
Annabeth helped Ali down the tunnel. Her leg was infected and she couldn't put any weight on it. The deep cuts ran almost to the bone and she'd gotten quite a bit of dirt in the wounds while she was trying to stop the bleeding.

She cringed and keeled over. "Stop." She hissed through clenched teeth.

Annabeth carefully seated her on the ground against the wall. "Are you okay?"

Ali breathed out shakily. "Not really."

Annabeth plopped down beside her. "Me neither." She sighed, picking up a small pebble and tossing it at the wall. "Ali... do you... know how long you've been down here?"

Ali leaned her head back against the cold bricks. "About a week maybe." She chuckled. "Keeping track of time down here isn't easy."

Annabeth nodded. "How long were you with Luke before he threw you down here?"

"Umm..." Ali chewed her bottom lip. "A day or two. It's hard to tell since I spent part of it unconscious, but no more than a few days."

Annabeth was fighting tears, blinking hard to keep them from rolling down her cheeks.

"Annabeth." Ali stared intently at her. "What's wrong? What do you know?"

Annabeth opened her mouth to speak once, twice, three times before she made a sound. "Ali... you..." She turned away. "You've been down here for six months."

A/N
Hey all!
The chapter's a little shorter today, but I love a good cliffhanger and sort of love torturing you so... tada!!
Anyway, yesterday I had to deliver pizzas for a fundraiser I did for a trip I'm taking this summer, so I didn't get the chance to post.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I appreciate the support.
-Cheshire