Child of Hades {Interactive Story} (PJO/HOO/TOA)

EIGHT: Trouble

Something else went wrong.

The Acheron held the souls that weren't worth individual punishments, sure. They screamed and wailed just like the other prisoners here. It only got worse as we approached.

It was the rhythm of the waves that captivated me at first. The waves hit the barren land it passed through as if the two were at war; harsh, brutal and unforgiving. It was almost hypnotic to watch. In fact, it was. The current pulled souls back and forth, up stream, far away. They grabbed at the air for an escape they could never find. And they screamed.

At first it was just that - pure screaming. But thousands of voices began to isolate themselves into dozens, then several, until I could hear each individual voice crying out at me.

"It's not Simon's fault." Cried one. I furrowed my brows.

"You're mother died!" Laughed another.

Each comment sent a spear through my heart. They couldn't know anything about this. Not damned here for eternity. Yet, they continued with absolute certainty.

"It's you. You're the stronger half-blood. The more powerful scent. You led the monsters right to her!"

They couldn't know.

"Yes we can!" One cackled, bringing me from my disbelief.

"We know because she's drowning with us."

I felt the ground hit my knees, but nothing around me seemed real except the water. The fast, interchanging blue current. The world was a blur. I tried desperately to look at their faces. My mom - no. She wasn't a bad person. She was kind, and did everything out of love for me. She wouldn't end up here.

Before me, images of her flooded through, superimposed upon the waves. My first few sessions with Dr. Clinn. I was in the waiting room, but I remember sneaking past the secretary to the door, to see if they were talking about how insane I was. The sun was pushing through the window of the office, casting shadows under the door. I heard my mom's shaky breath.

"I can't afford this,"

"I know." Dr. Clinn said. "But your daughter needs regular visits. It's important for her mental health that she has a trained professional to talk to."

"I know." My mom paused. "I'll make some calls. Is it okay if the first payment comes a little late? I just...Need to get some jobs in order."

That was around the time my mom's social life disappeared. She made the calls to friends, seeing if they could get her a job at their work - part time if it didn't pay well enough. On Fridays when she'd usually be out with her friends for a 'girls night' at the bar, she spent behind the counter, pouring drinks for customers.

She worked so hard. She gave up so much. For me. And I'd doomed her.

"You let her die. You put her here." A voice called quietly.

"But you can fix it." Whispered another, almost sympathetically.

"Jump in."

"No rest for the wicked."

"Jump in."

"Do it for love."

"Jump in."

I'll admit, I had almost headed their requests. The only thing that shook me out of it was when the world around me shot into focus because I heard Matt yell to my left. It snapped me out of my trance almost immediately, I was suddenly ten feet away from the edge of the roaring river, and the voices of the souls cut away to the unified screaming.