GREEK TRAGEDY [PERCY JACKSON A.U] ✓

FOURTEEN: METAPHORICAL STRAIGHTJACKET

Althea woke with a start, tears streaming down her cheeks, and she went to sit up, but found herself tied down.

    "What—" She cut herself off.

    When she looked down at her body, she saw cuffs restraining her wrists and ankles. The chamber was dark, but in the dim light peeking through a doorway on the opposite side of the room, she saw a bare setup, the bed she rested on being the only piece of furniture besides a simple chair next to the bed.

    She let out a scream, wailing for someone to come help her, and prayed this was just another bad dream.

    "Please! Let me go!" Althea cried in anguish. She jerked and fought against the bindings, pushing down the pain in her side as she struggled to get free.

    The telltale sound of hooves against tile coming from the hallway outside the door told her that Chiron was approaching, and she yelled even louder in hopes that he would uncuff her.

    The centaur walked through the door, and she sighed in relief. "Thank gods," She whimpered, voice hoarse from screaming. "You have to let me go!" She begged.

    Chiron pursed his lips and looked at her with an unreadable expression. "I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear." He sound upset and regretful, as if telling her this and hurting her pained him.

    "You aren't in here as punishment, Althea. This is for your own protection." He explained with a frown.

    She furrowed her eyebrows and pulled at the restraints. "What are you even talking about?" Her voice was fractured, and she fought harder to get free.

    He placed a hand on her arm. "Stop, child. Stop resisting. You pose a danger to yourself and others, and until you get better you must be kept in what I unfortunately must call solitary confinement." He said sadly.

    "What did I even do?" She demanded, and she was so frantic that she felt like she was about to have a panic attack.

    "You attacked Henry." He stated simply.

    Althea's jaw dropped, and if her hand was free, she would've slapped it over her mouth to hold back a scream.

    "No, I couldn't—wouldn't have." She cried.

    She couldn't possibly imagine hurting her baby brother. It was her worst nightmare, the scenario she would never let happen.

    Chiron sighed sadly and set a hand on her shoulder in what was meant to be a reassuring gesture. "You were sleepwalking again, child. It was not your fault, but until we find out why you held a knife to Henry's throat, you cannot be around others." He explained, voice kind but stern.

    She shook off his hand. "Please, you have to let me go. This is all a misunderstanding! I'm fine!" She tried reasoning with the centaur.

    He frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Althea. But this is truly for the best. And with your being prophecized to go insane, I fear that this is only the beginning of a long road ahead of you."

    Althea went cold all over, and she stopped pulling at the restraints. "Who told you?" She asked gravely.

    "Percy. He came to me when he left you last night and informed me of the prophecy given to you, and how he worried that it was coming to pass." Chiron explained, still frowning.

    Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Oh." She shifted, trying to get comfortable. "Can I see him, at least?"

    Chiron nodded. "Of course. I'll find him and send him in." He gave her a soft smile, and he carefully maneuvered and turned around, about to leave.