The House of Hades- Slow Updates

Chapter 3: Annabeth

A/N So, here is chapter numero tres! Hurricane Sandy is still bashing my house, and it sounds like a bunch of ghosts are whirling around outside and screaming their heads off. Spooky!  If I do say so myself, it is rather unnerving.  However, I shan’t let that deter me from bringing you another chapter!  This one is going to be Annabeth.  

As always, I hope you like it. Read on!

Chapter 3:

Annabeth

                Annabeth never knew that she could be so sore.  After resting for about an hour, they had begun walking, which was painful.  They hobbled along, but the scenery never changed.   Honestly, everything was throbbing with pain.  Even Percy being his usual idiotic self was not improving her mood.  He was humming some dumb song, and it was really starting to annoy her.  “What song is that? Cut it out!” she snapped.  Percy looked at her innocently and stopped his humming.   Oh gods, Annabeth thought, I shouldn’t have snapped…   but I can’t help it!  This place is driving me insane.  It wasn’t the silence that was bothering her; it was the lack of sound.  Since they were in Tartarus, it seemed only right that the walls should be echoing with the wails and screams of monsters.   But instead, the whole place was silent, like it was holding its breath.   Only Percy’s humming pierced the unnerving stillness.  “What song is it anyways?” Annabeth ventured, hoping Percy wouldn’t be mad at her.

                Percy looked at her with that lopsided grin that made her heart do a little tap dance every time. “Oh, nothing.” he said.

                “Tell me! Please?” Annabeth pleaded, using her puppy dog eyes that she knew he couldn’t resist.

                “But you’re gonna hit me if I tell you!” Percy replied whiningly.

                “I promise I won’t.”

                “Ok… It’s Highway to Hell by AC/DC”.  Percy looked at her warily, as though she might break her oath.  Annabeth started to say something, then changed her mind and laughed, albeit a little hysterically, at the whole hilariousness of it.  Of course he would be singing that while they were stuck in Tartarus!  She laughed and laughed, feeling her terror disappear.  But her happiness was cut short by a low growl somewhere to her left.  Immediately she was on guard, knife out and ears straining.  Percy had noticed it too and Riptide was glowing in his hands.  “Stay by me.” he whispered to her.  Annabeth nodded and pressed just a little closer to him.  The growl came again, closer this time, and to their right.  They swung in that direction, weapons at the ready.   Suddenly a huge hellhound bounded out of the darkness, taking them by surprise.  It was the biggest hellhound either of them had seen.  It even made Mrs. O’Leary look like a cute little puppy.  The monster pounced on them.  The duo slashed, stabbed, and generally tried to cause injury to the thing, but to no avail.  Their beaten down bodies could simply not keep up with the huge beast.  Percy caused a distraction while Annabeth rolled to its flank and slashed a wide cut in its side.  The monster howled in pain and disintegrated.  Almost immediately the dust started solidifying again.  Percy grabbed Annabeth’s hand and together they took off, running as far away as they could.  Finally they stopped, gasping for breath.  Annabeth dropped to the ground, utterly worn out.  Her ankle was one huge ball of white hot pain.  Tears dripped out of her eyes.  Percy was holding his ribs, his eyes shut tight.  When he saw she was crying, he stumbled over to where she was leaning against a rock.  Percy gathered Annabeth in his arms, letting her sob into his chest.  He whispered to her, telling her it was going to be all right. 

“It’s not going to be allright! We are in Tartarus.  Monsters can’t die, and we can.  We are inured and alone and without food.  How is everything going to be allright?”

“Because—“ Percy’s reply got cut off by a scream and a roar as two monsters charged out of the gloom.  They attacked the two demigods separately, using their injuries against them.  It was a short battle.  Annabeth saw Percy get slashed across the chest and then get knocked out.  The monster raised his spear above his head and drove it down.  Annabeth desperately intercepted it with her knife, saving him.  However, a heavy object knocked her in the head and she blacked out as well, dropping to the ground like a brick.

                Annabeth woke with chains holding her to a rock.  Naturally.   “Percy…” she groaned. Getting no reply, Annabeth became alarmed.  “Percy?” she called louder.  Something moved in the shadows.  A Cyclops stepped out.

“Good. You are awake.  I will alert our host immediately.” The Cyclops had a deep, growling voice.  It was nothing like Tyson’s sweet voice.   He turned and left.    Annabeth tugged on the chains viciously, but to no avail. They were brand new.  Seriously? How do you even get brand new chains in Tartarus?  Annabeth pushed these thoughts out of her head and tried to find a logical solution to her problem, but thoughts of Percy kept invading her mind.  Where was he? She didn’t have to wait for long to find out.  About 10 minutes later the Cyclops came back, dragging her boyfriend’s unconscious body behind him.  He unceremoniously dumped Percy next to her.   She tried to reach out to him but was restricted by the chains.  The Cyclops left again and returned with a cart pulled by two hellhounds.  He roughly plopped Annabeth and Percy on the cart.  Percy woke up, disoriented. 

“Heeyah!” the Cyclops yelled, and the hellhound started to pull them towards a tunnel.  The roars that had been occupying the background suddenly got louder.  There was a blinding light at the end of the tunnel.  Percy leaned over and kissed her right before they exited the tunnel.   They were pulled into a huge arena, a million monsters screaming for blood.  Their blood.  Annabeth had never been so scared in her life.  Two other Cyclops dragged them out of the cart and attached their chains to giant pillars.  Defenseless, the two only looked on, terrified, as three monsters entered the arena, armed to the teeth.  They advanced.  Annabeth and Percy desperately tried to pull free and the monsters raised their weapons and charged.

A/N   Can anybody say Star Wars reference?!?  And I’m so sorry it took me so long to update!  Things have been crazy what with x-c sectionals practice and 7, that’s right, 7 tests this week.  But, sectionals is tomorrow, (wish me luck!!!) and then I have a whole week and a half before indoor track starts that I can update nonstop!  The next chapter will be Leo, and things will heat up in his love life.  But I need a name for a girl, one with lots of spunk.  Please, leave me any suggestions in the comments and if I choose your name, you may just get a dedication.  So yeah, thanks for all the reads and please vote!  See ya guys soon!

Stay Foolish J