Colors ► Jason Grace

prolouge

Darkness.
That's all Lorraine saw.
Darkness, and no sign of light.

Lorraine panted, looking for something to hold onto.

"No!" Lorraine cried. "No, please! Don't leave me here!" She beseeched. Her hands felt all around the dark, frantically trying to maintain her breathing. From what her senses could detect, she was lying down, and the air was thin.

"Where am I?" Lorraine practically screamed. She threw her hands up, running them up and down the small, cramped ceiling of the-
A box! That's what it was! But what kind if box held-
    
Lorraine screamed. She stumbled out of the box and fell face flat into the dirty grass.

Lorraine practically sobbed with joy and kneeled, feeling the grass and dandelions between her fingers, as if she were trying to register if this horror was a reality. Shadows fell over her and she whimpered, cowering away. Her back hit the back of what Lorraine determined was the box, and she pushed her knees up to her chest.

"Please don't hurt me," she said softly.

The blonde haired boy and the dark haired one looked at each other.

"We won't," the blonde one said, putting his arms up.

"I'm Jason, and you are?" He squatted down so he was eye level with her. She held her breath, looking from Jason to the other one.

"How can I trust you?" She asked quietly. A look of concern crossed Jason's face, before being replaced by a look of pity.

"Because you were able to cross the border. Only demigods can do that. I'm also a demigod. I know what you're going through." He explained.

A demi what? Lorraine was even more confused than before. But she was tired. She just wanted to sleep. And find something to eat. Consequently, her stomach rumbled. She blushed. How attractive—
Her mind drew a blank. She was going to say her name, she knew it. But she couldn't bring herself to remember.

"O-okay." Lorraine said, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"No, no, no...shhh, don't cry, don't cry," Jason rambled, now kneeling, he cupped her face and wiped her eyes with the back of his thumb. "C'mon, c'mon, don't cry.. Hey, hey, what's your name? I'm pretty sure you'd know that." He said optimistically. Lorraine mentally scolded herself for crying. A crowd had formed by then, and the other guy with black hair was telling them to give her some space.

"I don't-" Lorraine took a deep breath. "I don't..."

"You don't what?" Jason asked patiently.

"I don't know my name." She said slowly. Jason's face paled.

"Okay, let's get you to Chiron," He stood up, offering his hand. Lorraine had a bunch of questions running through her mind, but she pushed them aside and got up. All the thoughts swirling through her head had taken their toll on her, it was draining her, physically and emotionally.

"Hey, wait," Lorraine turned around, pushing against Jason's hand that was on the small of her back, guiding her.

"What was the box thing? What- I–" Lorraine stopped moving, her face blank.

"Oh no, c'mon, let's just- I don't think-" Jason tried to lead her away, but Lorraine ignored him and crumpled to her knees.

"Woah! Hey, are you okay–"

Black spots danced around her vision, and before Lorraine could respond, she blacked out.

                   ☓ ☓ ☓

The campers all crowded around the scene. Chiron pushed through, sucking in a deep breath when he saw what it was.

"What is it?" Annabeth asked, pushing through the crowd. Once her eyes caught sight on it, she gasped. "Ohmygods, Chiron!"

Chiron sighed. "Yes. I'm well aware of how severe it is."

"It's-it's-"

"It's a coffin." Said Percy. "That means-"

"Someone tried to bury her." Nico said, walking next to the three. "Alive."