The Daughter of Water

Chapter 4-The Daughter of Water

I thought I was dead. Pain racked my whole body. I opened my eyes and saw the dragon-like monster circling me from high above. I tried to sit up but I felt an explosion in my chest. My ribs were broken. I had fallen on my side and unfortunately my arm wasn't there to help with the impact. My breathing became labored and burned as if firewas being shot into my lungs every time I sucked in air. Tears threatened to spill as I sat up to assess the rest of the damage. Bruises were already forming all over my legs and arms, I felt them too. My hip was bruised too, I felt it swelling as I sat there in pain.

I

I had hardly begun any sort of a fight against the creature and I had already received huge injury. I didn't know I could make this. This was much worse then any nightmare. I had never faced a monster of this proportion. Not only that but I was broken, literally, and weaponless. Any anger I tried to form just turned to pain. I was dead. There was no way I could win this fight. So, . . . are we just gonna lay here waiting for death? I asked myself. No I am not, I answered.

I propped myself up with my arms and got into a kneeling position. My throbbing ribs felt like someone was slamming knives into my chest and dragging them through my flesh. Trying to block the pain, I stood with much effort. Holding my side I try walking towards the tunnels on my left. By now I know it has been too long, I could feel the beast's eyes on me and smell the remnants of him but there has been silence for at least a minute. This monster should have killed me the moment I hit the ground and yet it's waiting...or it's being told to wait....but this is a small unimportant matter since every wretched breath I take is making my chest explode. Stumbling I make it to one of the small openings of the tunnels and I go as deep as I can before collapsing. The tunnels are all dirt, the floor, walls and celing covered with it. In specific places there were wooden supports use to keep the tunnels from collapsing. My side hits the ground accidentally when I go down and the pain intensifies. I try to scream because of the pain but I choke on a metallic liquid that fills my throat. Holding my balance, I lean over and spit out a clod of blood. I shudder (which doesn't help with the pain in my ribs). I must keep going.

I heard the beast roar. The ground shook as I felt the monster land. I had to get out of there. Even if the thing couldn't come in, if the thing breathed fire like I assumed it did, then it could easily toast me to a crisp by sticking its head in the tunnel. Using the walls for support I walked as quickly as my ribs would allow into the tunnel. All of the tunnels had second openings and I hoped that it would exit near the path to the water. If I could get there, I think I could live. Maybe.

The dragon thing, roared louder and stuck its head into the tunnel. I saw the exit. I ran for it even as my side burned explosively. I ran and slid outside of the tunnel. Getting my back against the outside of it just in time to see fire burst forth from the opening. My arm and leg nearest to the fire started blistering. It took everything in me not to scream. Tears managed to disobey my command and slip from my eyes. I was sure I was finished. I leaned my head back against the grassy wall. I was such an idiot. I should have stayed and done what Percy said. That pirate, Nereus, played me right into my own death.

The dragon roared again and started making its way over the tunnel. Most of me wanted to just give up and accept it. I was gonna die. But then there was this little voice in me that said: no you're not. That little voice seemed to be enough. Standing-up as fast as I could, bearing the horrible pain all over me, I dashed for the corner of the fort. I knew that there was water on the other side. Maybe, just maybe, it would heal me.

My chest burned like hot irons with every step. Then the dragon saw me and leapt to the air and was soon flying just above me. Air from its powerful wings hit me and I crumpled to the ground, defeated by wind. That was pathetic, I told myself. Suddenly I felt razor sharp claws rap themselves around my torso. I cried out as gravity pulled on my ribs. The dragon had taken me air-born. It started flying towards the beach. I suddenly realized how far away it really was. I would never have made it. Suddenly an idea occurred to me. It was to mad to consider as we continued to gain more and more altitude. But it was the only choice I had. Scrounging around my pockets for an old bobby-pin I had, I grabbed it and started sharpening it against the creatures claws. Working quickly as the beach neared. It was a stupid idea, but it was all I had. In a few seconds we would be above the beach. I went ahead with my plan. The water was seconds away. Sighing in desperation I craned my head and clamped my jaws on its stale skin. With one yank on its skin the dragon yelped. Probably from surprise, and it's claws released me. I fell screaming towards the water. The dragon looked down at me with a look saying: "did that demigod seriously just bite me?"