Sign of the Times

Chronically laughing (hahahahaha???)

Ok, maybe I didn't die, but it felt like it. I could feel the life leaving. I could my life slipping away. I know I said I kind accepted my death, but the feeling was terrifying when I processed what happened. I didn't want to die, I wanted to hold on and live my life. I wanted to be the 16 year old who didn't have to die. 

Part of me wished I just died there so I don't have to feel the life slipping away again. Part of me just wanted to die so I didn't have to feel the sheer panic that death brought me. So, you can imagine the disappointment when I woke up.

The wind was blowing on my face and everything was super bumpy. Huh, I'm going really fast. HOLY SHIT I'M GOING REALLY FAST!

I don't know why my immediate reaction to being on an unsteady thing while going really fast was to thrash around (like that would help?), but it was. 

"Holyshitholyshitholyshitholyshit!" I screamed and, well, thrashed. 

A pair of arms held me tight until I stopped putting my life in more danger. 

"Woah, woah, woah, you're okay," I heard Percy reassure from behind me and Thalia grabbed my hands from in front of me. 

"What the shit happened?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer. Percy loosened his grasp around my waist a bit, the movement suddenly making me more aware of where his hands were. Ew, why am I blushing????? Hahahaha why am I blushing??? Hahahaha? Why is my stomach feel like there are butterflies?? hahahaha? Someone? Help???

"You kinda fainted," Thalia said, giving my hand a squeeze. 

"Oh my gods, that is actually like so embarrassing," I groan. My face is bright red. 

"You got shot," Bianca said. "That's not embarrassing." Zoe nodded her head. 

"We re-bandaged your leg and gave you some more nectar and ambrosia. You should be all set soon." Thalia squeezes her hand reassuringly and I gave her a grateful smile. I looked at my thigh and frowned.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked quietly in my ear.

"Oh, just peachy," I replied looking back at him, but quickly turned my head back around when I realized how close our faces were. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? 

"Alright, what are we even on right now?" I said, snapping myself out of this weird thing I'm in. 

I look at the animal we are on and I can't make out what it is in the weird lighting of the sunset. All I can tell is that it is not comfortable to ride on. My ass hurts more that my bullet wound. That was a lie. My leg hurts like a bitch.

"The boar," Zoe answered. I wish I was confused how that  could happen, but I don't think anything could shock me anymore. 

The boar came to a sudden stop at a creek and we all decided to get off now while the boar was getting a quick sip of water. Percy and Thalia helped me down off of the boar and I tried putting some weight on my leg. It felt less painful than when it first happened, but was still a solid 8.37 on the pain scale. 

We all watched as the boar ripped up a few cacti, munched down, took another sip of water, then galloped (do boars gallop?) off into the sunset. Well, actually in the opposite direction, but saying into the sunset makes things more dramatic. 

"Guess he likes the mountains better than the dessert," Bianca says. Oh, hey, it's Bianca. My sister. Who I can't tell is my sister. Because that would be bad. Hahahaha. My life is great. 

"Can you walk?" Thalia asked, seeing my wince at the pressure when I tried taking another step.

"Yeah," I lied. I tried another step because I thought lying and gaslighting even myself would work, but it didn't. Shocker. As I was falling to the ground because my silly little leg couldn't support my silly little weight, Percy caught me so I wouldn't actually finish the fall.