The Jacksons (completed): Book 2 - Percy Jackson Fanfiction

~ Chapter Sixteen: ESME

Chapter Sixteen

ESME

I turned round slowly, hands by my side. The hissing was so low I wasn't sure if I hadn't imagined it.

The creature was huge and dark, with skin like slimy black tar. It had two heads that slammed against each other, snapping and snarling. But they made very little noise, just that horrible quiet hissing.

"Something's not right," I muttered. I shut the door of my dormitory and splayed out my fingers towards the monster. "Sorry, matey. Gotta run."

My throat felt tight and sore as I said it. What was going on?

The thing didn't even acknowledge me. Its mouths kept opening and closing. Monsters could occasionally get round the protective barriers of camp. I knew that facility rules required me to fetch Will or another adult in the absence of Leo and Thalia, but I was - something was definitely off.

It should have been trying to kill me, but it wasn't. Why wasn't I grateful? Why did I feel very, very scared?

The hissing continued. I stepped closer, careful not to near the monster. I thought back to the basics Uncle Leo had given me ages ago.

Multiple heads, off-colour...

Hydra!

I yelped. These things could shoot acid with incredible accuracy at a long distance!

It noticed me. Fixed its eyes on me. Glassed-over, dull, empty. The hydra slumped over, a dying breath escaping its two sets of lips.

I coughed and walked closer. Yep, certainly dead. But...

But why could I still hear hissing?

I coughed again. This time for longer. My heart was pounding. My head throbbed. My chest felt small and tight. I felt lightheaded, dizzy.

"Help!" I yelled. Gas - gas! - was spilling into the corridor.

I screamed. Footsteps pounding. I shrieked and yelled. Louder.

"Grab her!" an unfamiliar voice ordered.

Two arms wrapped around me and lifted me off my feet. I kicked as hard as I could but I was weak.

A door burst open somewhere but it sounded distant. My twin brother appeared, looking worried, but not immediately noticing.

"Esme? Esme, it's Ad-" Nero stopped. His eyes widened and suddenly glassed over. In just a minute he refocused, but by then it was too late. The blow to his abdomen was sharp and heavy. He crumpled to his knees. The gas was choking him, too.

His eyes were too large, staring terrified at me. "Es..." he gasped. "Esme... y..."

He coughed. A cough that rang through my head loud and clear. Painfully.

My vision blurred, then darkened. Nero was keeled over. Already unconscious.

My head ached. I closed my eyes.

Time to sleep now.

Time to sleep.

***