Memories (Percy Jackson)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

         I was bored.  Half of the time, I had no idea what the hell Annabeth was talking about, so I just sat in the corner of the pavilion, examining my nails like some superficial girl.

  “Now, the next topic we’re going to cover is..”  Annabeth trailed off as she searched in his teacher’s guide to Greek mythology for the next topic to cover.

 I’m almost positive she doesn’t need it, seeing she’s brilliant, but I guess there had to be an order in which you talk about different things.  

 “Huh.  Would you look at that.  Calypso’s Island.”  She looked back at me.  “Would you like to help me?” She asked. 

 I knew she didn’t actually need my help for anything, but I think she wanted to give me some credit for figuring out the prophecy’s meaning after being here for about 3 days. 

 “Sure.” 

 I shuffled up next to Annabeth in front of the 30 12 and 13 year olds staring up at us.  They all looked pretty shy, like they didn’t know if they should be here or not. 

 “Take it away.”  Annabeth backed up and let me speak. 

“Calypso’s Island, is um, called Ogygia.”  I scanned the crowd as I talked.  “She had Odysseus there for seven years, and then Hermes came, taking him away from her.  Calypso was in love with Odysseus, as she is with every man who is sent to her island.”  I gulped, trying not to say anything about what Percy had told me. 

“And, um,  once somebody finds Ogygia, and if they happen to leave, they can never find Ogygia again.” 

Annabeth touched my arm.  I looked back at her.  She was looking at me in a calculating manner, with her eyebrows furrowed and a confused look in her eyes.  “How did you know that?  That wouldn’t be in any books.” 

I shrugged.  Stay calm, Cyrena. Don’t squeal on Percy.  “Really?  Because I’m pretty sure I got it our of some book I read.” 

Annabeth didn’t buy it, and I could tell.  But she let go of my hand.  I turned back to the group of kids in front of me.  They stared blankly at me, like I had two heads. It was silent for a few seconds. 

“So.. yeah.”  I concluded. 

They clapped slowly, like I was some old presenter at their school that sucked and nobody really wanted to clap, but they did. 

“Okay!”  Annabeth clapped her hands.  “Time for your next activity!” 

It was sort of amazing how fast the all stood up and got out.  Annabeth and I left right after, walking down to the arena because Annabeth ‘needed some practice’.  i sat down on the closest haystack, almost wishing i was back home for a second. 

Then I realized-this was my home now.  I had nowhere else to live, unless good old Dad let me live in the Underworld with him.  Doubt it.  I probably wouldn’t want to live there anyway.  Annabeth stabbed and slashed with her knife.  The blade was bronze, just like Percy’s sword. 

“That’s a pretty nice knife you’ve got there,”  I called.  “Leo told me I get a weapon.  Are they all like that?” 

Annabeth looked at her blade lovingly, like she was friends with it.  “Well, I don’t know if you want the backstory on this blade, but I would say this one’s one of the best.  But I’ve had it since I was 7, then lost it in Tartarus,”  She said, shivering on the last word.  “But somehow, when I was fighting a monster like a month ago, my knife was strapped to his side.  I was so happy I could’ve cried.” 

“Wow.  You and that knife have been through alot together.” 

Annabeth smiled and strapped her knife to her waist.  “Got that right.  C’mon.  Let’s go get you a weapon.” 

I wound up in a huge room filled with all different kinds of pointy dangers-knifes, swords, spears, and about a dozen other different kinds of weapons that I couldn’t even name, but could probably kill me in like, half a second. 

“See anything that catches your eye?” 

I scanned the place, but nothing really popped out at me right away.  “Go in closer if you want,”  Annabeth suggested.  I nodded.  I carefully tiptoed my way into the trap of pointy things, knowing something was bound to stab me sooner or later. 

I would stop, scan, then keep moving.  Eventually, I spotting something sticking out from a pile of swords in the corner of my eye.  “What’s this?”  I asked Annabeth as I picked up the glittering black object. 

It looked like one of those compact mirror things that girls carry around sometimes at my school.  I remembered one time this girl dropped hers and she literally started crying. “Open it up.” 

I opened up the compact, expecting to see myself looking at my own reflection.  Instead, I found myself staring in bewilderment as the compact spiraled out in my hand and turned into a black knife. 

I looked at Annabeth, like, did you know about this? And I’m pretty sure she did, because she didn’t look surprised. 

Needless to say, I really wanted it.  Who doesn’t want a really awesome, deadly, girly compact mirror? 

“By the look on your face, I assume you want this one?”  I grinned and nodded. 

Annabeth smiled.  “The quickest fighters have knives.”  She said absentmindedly. 

“Who told you that?” 

“Oh, my friend.  A while ago.”  I guess being mysterious and not providing a name was her style. 

We slowly made our way out of the dangerous room.  Upon coming out, I noticed someone I didn’t think I would see out and about.  It was Leo, and he was milling around absentmindedly, kicking the rocks that lined the walkway in front of the cabins. 

I told Annabeth I would catch up with her later, and slipped my new compact into my back pocket.  I ran up to Leo, walking along side him. 

“So.. Are you okay?”  I asked cautiously. 

He nodded, not looking me in the eye.  He stared down at his shoes, which were black ratty workers boots.  I’m pretty sure I could see his toes through the numerous holes in the toes.  

“Do you want to hang out later?  I just got a new weapon, it’s pretty cool, it starts out as a com-” 

“-maybe another time.”  He cut me off. 

He finally looked at me, and he just looked flat out sad.  Like, absolutely miserable.  I wondered if I was the one who did that to him. 

“Sure.  Maybe after this whole quest thing is over we could-” 

“-Listen, I have to go. I’ll see you later.”  He left, walking towards the forges. 

He didn’t even crack one smile. Not one.  It made me nervous.  I was left standing there, watching him walk away, wondering what I had done wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry about the stlry moving so slwoly.  I just dont want it moving way too fast, so i wont have time to write it, ja feel?

Vote, Comment, Tell your friends!

Thank you!:)