artemis ; pjo

Insane

I didn't have any dreams, but I wish I had.

   Everything that I didn't understand consumed my thoughts.

   How my dad knew he was going to die. What Prometheus said. What the whisper had said in my mind. How my dad had come back to life.

   All of these things were a mystery to me. I tried to comprehend it all, but noting seemed to stick. My stomach was tied in knots.

Or at least I thought so, I was asleep. 

   They made no sense no matter how much thought I put into to them. Confusion was the only thing I understood.

Wait, what? That makes no sense.

   I was going insane. All of my logic and common sense was being overruled by crazy and unrealistic thoughts. These mysteries were destroying me from the inside out. If I didn't stop dwelling on them, they would drive me mad.

   I tried to wake myself up, but of course, it didn't work. How perfect. I had no idea on how to wake up. The thoughts kept coming back and that was the only thing I could focus on. I was side tracked and had no complete attention.

   I was drifting into a deeper sleep, and there was no way I would be able to wake up after this. My prayers went to all kinds of gods- Artemis, Hypnos, Hades, and many, many more. I started to shake. It felt like an earthquake. My eyes shot open.

   I looked up and saw a dark figure. As my eyes focused, I realized it was Eric. He covered my mouth before I could scream. I nodded my head and he removed his hand. My eyes scanned my surroundings.

   I was still on Prince. No one else was, except for Eric. We had landed on the bike path.

"I have a lot of questions, but you know what they are. Shoot" I said.

Eric helped me sit up.
"The others were hungry and didn't want to waste all our supplies so the went out to get some. I stayed behind to keep watch. And as for where we are, we're in downtown L.A."

"How'd you know to wake me up?" I asked sitting up.

"I'm no child of Hypnos, but I know quite a lot about dreams. And even more about what they can do to you"

Eric let that hang in the air.

Creepy much? I thought.

Eric broke the silence.
"I could sense your distress and I tried to wake you up. After a while you woke".

"Uh, thanks?"

"You would have gone insane"

"Reassuring" I said. Eric backed away and held his hand out. I stared at it not knowing what to do. He never made contact gestures. Maybe he was stretching.

"Common I'm hungry" he complained. I finally took his hand and he helped me stand up. A wave of cold took me over when I touched him. He was literally ice cold. No lie. Eric quickly pulled away, obviously uncomfortable with touch.

   We left Prince and walked to a café that Eric said that the group went to. Eric leaned away from me the whole time we were walking, trying to make as much distance as possible. I played with my necklace, and I kept thinking about re voice in my head. It seemed so familiar.

As of reading my thoughts, Eric spoke.
"I know you heard whispers. The dead can do that"

I was beyond surprised because Eric never started conversations. I didn't reply. I don't know how to reply. We walked in awkward silence until we got to the café.

   I pushed the door open and spotted them in the corner. MK saw me and waved me over with an enormous grin on her face. I made a beeline for the table as Eric slinked behind me.

"Glad to see you're awake, bed head" MK laughed.

"You're in a good mood" I said.

"It's just so great to have actual food in my system. I'm never eating Goldfish again"

   I sat down next to James who grabbed my hand and squeezed it. He smiled at me and looked at me with those green eyes. I squeezed his hand back. A waitress came over and took my and Eric's order. Gabby began blabbing about something.

   I glanced at the front window. I swear there was someone looking at us, but when I blinked there was no one. We all began talking and goofing off. And for the first time in a while, I felt like I had no stress.

It felt good.