My heart was pounding so hard I could feel its rhythm in my feet, my eyes were cloudy, and
my head was light, there was no getting myself out this time. This was the end.
I shot upright in my bed, sweat dripping down my face, in a complete daze.
“PERCY”… My heartrate was reaching dangerous speeds as I shot out of my room and
down the hall, I flung open the ajar door and stumbled in, bending over onto my knees as I
looked around the room.
Percy’s bed was empty, the sheets looked as if they’d been thrown back. His dresser was in
pieces, wood scattered around the floor of the room, his trophies were now shards of
shimmering glass. I tried hard to deny it, but I knew exactly where Percy had gone, I knew
this was going to happen. GOD, why am I SO STUPID?
I scanned the floor for shoes, but I couldn’t waste any time looking, so when I didn’t see any
infront of me, I just ran out the door.
I blindly made my way down to the end of our street, scraping my feet on the uneven road
and falling into parked cars. I could hear him over the roar of the sea, he was there.
I stood there for a second, taking in the reality of the situation, shaking, but too full of
adrenaline to feel the pain.
His arms dropped by his side and he let go of his sword, letting it fall into the sand and
disappear. His eyes focused, “Mum?”. Tears swelled around my eyeline, anguish filled me to
the point where I could physically feel the heartache, I could really feel it this time.
He started running towards me, awaiting the safety of my embrace when his sword started to
glow again, it flung into the air almost like it was awaiting his next move. He gave me a look I
will never be able to shake before he turned to accompany his sword. He dived to avoid the
attack of the oncoming monster while I screamed in terror, there was so much I could have
done in the moment, but instead I just stood there with my hands over my mouth in shock.
He flipped over the knife-like tail that had been hurled towards him and counteracted with a
deep cut to the monster’s leg. It was smart, now all it could do was attempt to drag itself in
the direction of him, and it was working. I had never seen him like this before, it’s almost like
he was a whole nother person, though it didn’t take me long to realise he was exactly like his
father.
Percy had been able to use his sword to injure it just enough to catch his breath, but this
monster was different, its leg grew back even bigger than before, it was powerful and
terrifying.
“Mum, move!”,
I stammered backwards into the sand, immobilised with fear.
“MUM”.
I shut my eyes and braced my body, my ears started to ring, blocking out everything around
me. I awaited the attack but nothing happened. I couldn’t feel anything but my preexisting
pain, had the monster missed me?
It went quiet, the stir of the ocean was the only sound I could hear; waves building up and
crashing down.
The shock hit me like a wall, my heart felt as if it was being tugged down towards the fiery
depths of the earth.
I ran to Percy like I was being forcefully pulled with a rope, finding myself instantly by his
side.
I couldn’t look for longer than a second. “Oh my god” I said shakily as I looked up. My only
thoughts were simple, but just as unbearable; He’s going to die.
“Mum,”
“You’re going to be okay, it’s okay. I’ll find someone”
“No, mum. It’s okay”. His eyes looked at me softly, willing me to calm down, but I could feel
his pain through every breath he took.
“No, no, I’m going to find someone”.
“mu-”,
“HELP! SOMEONE HELP”
“Mum, it’s okay”,
“HELP, PLEASE. ANYONE!”
“Mum, please”..
At this point I was sobbing. I was helpless, he was helpless.
“S-SOMEONE HELP… FOR GOD’S SAKE”
“Mum.” He took another shaky deep breath, “stop”.
I exhaled deeply, I felt so incredibly horrible. He was so calm and so patient with me.
Why was I like this?
“I’m so sorry, this is all my fault”. I bit the inside of my lip to try and stop it from quivering.
He looked at me softly, “Don’t apologise”.
I couldn’t take it, he was so pure and gentle and perfect and brave. He was everything I
wasn’t. I loved him like a lifeline, that’s not something that’s so easy to let go of.
“Oh Percy. I love you so much”
I rested him gently into my arms. I took a deep breath, then ripped off a part of my shirt,
scrunched it up, and pressed it tightly against his blood drenched wound.
Every sound the ocean made in the past couple minutes had racked my nerves, the crash of
the waves alerted every one of my senses, knocking me right back to reality.
Though at that moment, we both just listened to the waves. Staring out at the deep blue
expanse, watching as the waves built up, and crashed back down.
For a moment there was peace within the chaos, a brief moment of serenity.
Percy’s breaths were now few and far between, like hollow wisps of air, flowing in and out of
his tired lungs.
Those last final moments, while Percy was still holding on to the fine string of life, down to
the finest details, have been solidified into the forefront of my mind, playing like a constant,
heartstopping flashback. Haunting my conscience, but bringing me comfort as I lay awake in
the shattered, dwindling remains of my once vibrant world.
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