Poor Little Demigod

Chapter 2

When I woke up, it was still dark outside. According to what Gaea told me, Polybotes was waiting for me right outside camp, near Thalia's tree.

Which means I had to walk across camp, hoping not to be seen. Great.

As I walked in front of the Athena cabin, I couldn't help but think of Annabeth. I was about to disappear for the second time this year, and I couldn't even tell her.

I forced myself to look away and left, knowing it was probably the last time I saw my home.

Gaea spoke the truth. Polybotes was indeed waiting for me, along with two dracaenas. Behind them was a metal box, large enough to fit someone. Oh no. It was for me.

"There you are. I almost had to wait."

The dracaenas came forward, their spear pointed at me. Polybotes smiled coldly. "I think you should give them your sword. They are not very patient."

I took my precious pen out of my pocket and threw it on the ground. I didn't worry much, because that pen always came back to me. Polybotes took it and placed it on... a chain? Was he really going to use it as a necklace?

"That chain was enchanted. That way, we are making sure that it will never come back to you."
Okay, now I was screwed.

Polybotes turned around and opened the box. It was full of mud. I backed away slightly, but he noticed me.

"Now, now, Jackson. Don't tell me you are afraid to get dirty. After all, we have to move you that way. We don't want you or your friends knowing where we are going, now, wouldn't we?"

Having said that, he quickly came towards me and grabbed me by the neck. He dragged me towards the coffin and put my feet in the mud.

Instantly, the mud started covering my entire body, solidifying and trapping me. The mud gained my arms and placed them on my sides, making sure I could fit in the box. As it started covering my head, I closed my mouth shut so that the mud couldn't enter. As it covered me, that mud forced my mouth open. It filled my entire mouth, before filling my throat. There, it transformed itself into stone, choking me. I couldn't even make a sound. My tong was trapped in stone, just like the rest of my mouth. The mud didn't stop there. It filled my nose and my ears, before turning to rock.

I was now completely stuck, but I could still see, as the mud didn't cover my eyes. I could see Polybotes ordering something to the dracaenas. They approached, grabbed my arms and placed me laying in the mud. The last thing I saw before the mud covered my eyes was the lid of the box slowly closing in my face. Then, the mud solidified, keeping my eyes and mouth open.

I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't make a single sound. I couldn't breathe, but yet I was still alive. Gaea was keeping me in a coffin, alive and incapable of dying.