Find my Seaweed Brain...

May 1st

Everything went black...

The first thing I remember was a loud crash, followed by a whispered curse. You probably won't be surprised to hear that the voice didn't exactly sound human. Another voice hushed it and a light began to creep through the door, fingers of light estranged from the dark, empty room. I closed my eyes before the light invaded the room in a sudden surge, and I could smell the stench of whatever stood with its head poking into the room. The door slowly screeched close and, once I heard the lock click, I opened my eyes again.

The stench of wet dog lingered in the room as something began to speak again in the now identifiable accent of sorts.

"She could have heard you. The boss would have skimmed us alive if she'd escaped on our watch." It squealed. Telekhines. Although from the sound of it, they weren't the leaders of this kidnapping.

'The lizard figure' I thought to myself and, as though a dam had been smashed releasing my memories of what felt like only a few hours ago, everything hit me at once.

My hand flew to my stomach subconsciously. I felt myself... worried? For the cluster of cells I carried in there.

No. Not for them. I need them to save Percy.

And then came the guilt. I remembered my actions from that night. How I'd ran when things had got tough. But that's what I always do I guess. I run away. I ran from my father when I was 7, I ran from the Cyclops that almost killed Thalia, I ran from camp when I was 12, I even ran from my feelings for Percy. I guess, in a way, I'm even running from this cluster of gods forsaken cells in some futile hope to outrun the prophecy.

I looked back on everyone that had gotten hurt when I ran. Sally. My dad. Thalia. Grover. Percy many a time. Chiron...

...my cluster of cells might be game this time.

As hard as I fought it, a tear came to my eyes. By the time it had trickled to the bottom of my cheek, an avalanche had followed, and every sob I had to choke back I felt closer and closer to getting myself caught. Hades I hate pregnancy hormones.

I looked down at my leg which was caked in dry blood and patched back together in a worse state than New York City potholes. No nectar drip or anything. Some hospitality towards captives. Slowly I began to compartmentalise my thoughts and as the mental anguish dissipated it was slowly replaced by the aching pain of my leg. They'd healed it enough that I wouldn't die of infection or blood loss but not too much that I could run on it. I could probably hobble to a phone box before it became overwhelming but there's nothing I could do without my change or knife. I was tied up over and over by rope that stung like metal and looked like it was made from some kind of snake shedding.

No way out.

I scanned the room for drachmas next. I might not have been able to escape but maybe someone could come save me. Nothing lay in sight which was strange, normally snake dens are filled with golden "treasure" as though they think they're Smaug from the Hobbit or something. No help was coming.

I took a deep breath and a pain shot up from my belly. "Great." I thought, "just when things look bad they get worse". I was gonna have to resort to prayer, not that my mother would answer since she's 'disowned' me. I guess that leaves Aphrodite willing to help me, who knows what she'd do to see me and Percy with a child. I closed my eyes and with all the energy I could muster I suppressed my entire nature and prayed to Aphrodite to send me help and save me.

The very next moment the snake like figure slammed the door open flooding the room with light. My eyes squeezed themselves shut, my ankle throbbed and pain shot through me from bottom to top. It didn't exactly leave much room for fear but somehow I pushed everything aside and instead I found myself facing... blind rage.