Memories (Percy Jackson)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Typically, I didn’t land on my own feet.  I toppled over Percy, causing him to fall, creating a domino effect for us five.  By the time it got back around to me, three out of four were annoyed with me, officially. Percy just smiled and laughed and helped me back up.  

“So, uh, do we know where we are right  now?”   Leo asked as he brushed the mud off of himself.  

We had landed in a huge pit of the stuff, absolutely filled.  “I don’t know. Percy, did you bring that shield like I told you to-”

  “Guys,”  Nico said.  “I don’t want to interrupt, but we have bigger problems than a stupid shield.”  

It didn’t take me long to figure out what he was talking about.  The moistness of the mud kept creeping up my legs.  I looked down to discover that the earth that was originally on the soles of my feet was now up to my shins.  

Leo cussed.  “Now what?” He through his hands up in the air, exasperated, as the mud went up to his knees.  

“We need to get out of here.  Like, now.”  Annabeth piped up.  

“Sure thing.”  Percy agreed, then tried to pull himself out of the mud.  The more he moved, the deeper he went.  He began to sweat.  I could see his pupils dilate from where I was slowly sinking to death.  He began to thrash. 

“No, no, no.”  He muttered. “Not again.  This won’t happen to me again.”  He seemed to be hyperventilating. 

“Percy, you need to calm down.”  He whipped around to look at Annabeth, who held her hands up.  “You’re okay.”  

He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths attempting to calm his nerves.  Meanwhile, the mud was up to my waist.  There has to be something that could help me get out of this.  

Over the pit, Some metal rods poked over the edge from what was seemingly a sound structure teetering on the edge of the hole.  

“Leo, got any rope in that toolbelt?”  He looked at me weird, but he began reaching into the toolbelt to grab some.  Annabeth figured out what I was doing.  

“Brilliant.  Leo, throw that rope onto the pole there.”  She managed to break her arm free to point at what she was talking about.  

“I can try. Stand back ladies-or should I say sink back?”  

I rolled my eyes.  Leo reeled up and threw the rope as hard as he could.   It landed on the pole alright, but we had no way of getting up there.  

I would ask Percy to help, but he was still recovering from his major freak out. Annabeth spoke to Nico.  

“Hey Nico? Do you think you could summon a skeleton or two to secure that?”  Nico nodded, his eyes focused on the pole.