Percabeth in Goode - Completed

Chapter 20

Percy's POV

"Okay, brains. What do we do?" I ask Annabeth in a hushed tone.

"Well..." Annabeth stops to think for one quick moment. She has a dreaded look on her face. "We, we have to play the game. At least for now. I- I'll think of something." Why is she stuttering? She never stutters.

"Annabeth," I begin, not knowing what else to say. "Don't worry. It's going to be okay. If you say that we have to play the game, then let's play the game. I mean, how hard can it be?" She gives me a doubtful look.

I lean in and kiss her. We separate and I see a video screening at the end of the alley. A puppet with swirly red features appears. "Hello, demigods," the puppet starts. "Let's play a ga-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know about the game! Can we just start playing it now?" I ask stubbornly.

"As you wish."  Annabeth gives me one more kiss and scaly hands wrap around our arms, pulling us away from each other. Annabeth screams.

"Annabeth!" I shout, even though we're still fairly close to one another.

"Let go of me!" she wails. I see green gas wafting from where the masked serpent holds her. Acid.

"Unhand her!" I yell at the reptiles. I can't see their faces or bodies because they're wearing dark cloth. I lay my eyes upon only claws.

I struggle and try to free myself from the lizard's grasp, but fail. "Let go of her!" I look back down to Annabeth's steaming arms and then to her contorted face. Why aren't I being seared with poison? Why only her?

Then, surprisingly, my captor releases me and I spring toward Annabeth, but tentacles wrap around me this time. "What's going on?!" I question.

Once I stop squirming from exaustion, the tentacles free me again. Once more, I lunge at Annabeth, only to be taken back by my first captivator. "What's going on?!" I repeat.

Then a video appears. "That's a good question, Percy Jackson." It's the puppet. "This is round one of our game. You have two options: stay here and watch your Annabeth in pain and agony, or leave."

He says the words so simply, like they mean nothing. Pain and agony. Or leave. "What?" I say, quietly. I look toward Annabeth and at her tortured face. She meets my eyes. She's trying to tell me something. Her look is pleading. She wants me to... leave? Well I'm not. "I'm staying, Annabeth! I'm not leaving you!"

She coughs and shakes her head. Her stormy eyes are still trying to communicate with me, but I can't understand. She shifts her gaze down the alley and back onto the highway. "No..." I whisper. "No."

She chokes and splutters, urgently trying to get the words out. Tears bubble into my eyes. The hands let go of me and I walk away, slowly. "I love you Wisegirl."

She hacks loudly again. "You too, Seaweed Brain." Her voice is weak and barely above a strangled whisper.  I continue my descent down the route, and am about to step out into the real world when a bright flash of light catches my eye.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVEN MY FEELS ARE DYING!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR READING GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAW, WOULD YOU MIND?

SAW: JESSICA DOESN'T OWN PJO, HOO, OR ANY SAW MOVIES! BYE!

ME: HOPE YOUR FEELS DIED!!!!!!! KK, SEE YA LATER!!!!!!!!!!