UnKnown [Book 1]

I Can't Do What?

I think this is my favorite chapter up to this point.

Quote of the Chapter:

"You drool when you sleep."

~Annabeth Chase in The Lightning Thief

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Chapter 13: I Can't Do What?

Luke

Luke woke up without opening his eyes. He knew he was now slumped down onto the bed, which he remembered was not the position he had been in earlier. He was also very aware of the fact that someone was snuggled up next to him with his arm around them. Opening his eyes, Luke saw Bryn asleep, and from her slow, steady breathing, she was in a deep sleep. She looked calm and peaceful, a sharp contrast from how she is when she's awake. She was always tense and serious when she was awake. Luke wanted to get to know the Bryn that wasn't serious and tense. He wanted to know the one behind all that.

Her arms were pulled up taut to her chest, her fists curled. Her head rested on his shoulder. Some hair fell across her face, and Luke gingerly moved it out of the way. Bryn didn't even stir.

Luke realized something else as he stared at Bryn. She looked young. She looked vulnerable. And it got Luke thinking. Had she always been like she is now? He guessed not. He had a sneaking suspicion that something had happened to her before she went to camp that made her the way she is now.

Not being able to keep his eyes open any longer, Luke went back to bed.

When Luke woke back up, Bryn was gone. It was still dark in the room but there was enough light from the moon shining in that he could see the outlines of the furniture. His first thought was where had Bryn gone? Looking around, his eyes narrowed in on the barely open sliding glass door. Slowly getting up, he made his way over there, in the process using his shin as a device to find things in his way. Sure enough, when Luke looked out, Bryn was sitting on the couch outside. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and resting against the arm of the chair. Luke opened the door and her head whipped around to face him.

"Hi," she said softly. "Did I wake you?"

"No," he replied, shutting the door. "I woke up on my own. I just realized you weren't there. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing," she answered a little too quickly. "The waters were getting so rough it woke me up and I haven't been able to fall back asleep. It makes me nervous."

"Why?"

"I don't belong in open waters. I belong on land or in the sky."

"You heard Poseidon though. He said he'd protect us."

"Yeah, but only for a few days. Not forever," she pointed out. "I'm terrified that the ship will sink and that I'll drown and go down with it. I know how to swim but knowing my luck, I'd be as deep inside the ship as possible and escape would be impossible and I'd drown."

"Look, if something were to happen to this ship, I would come get you. I wouldn't let you drown; I wouldn't leave this ship without you," Luke promised. When Bryn didn't respond, he asked, "You don't trust me, do you?"

"I don't trust many people. I trust Derek, you, and Silena. That's it. Don't ask why I trust you, I don't know. All I know is I do."

"Keep it that way. I won't let you down. Not after what you're going through just to help me get my parents back," Luke assured.