Percy Jackson: Trouble In The Land Beyond The Gods

"Coach Hedge!"

Piper's POV

I rushed to Jason's side, skidding against the wet surface of the deck. The world seemed to spin as I looked down at him, there was so much blood.

I couldn't see very much through the river of crimson that coated his arm - it was a startling sight, blood flecked with dots of violent green. There was only one logical explanation for his predicament: he was poisoned. The deadly substance spiked up his arm, you could see traces of a jade hue snaking up from the gash that slithered across his arm.

"Help!" I desperately shouted to Percy, his eyes widened as sprinted over to me and knelt down next to Jason. Jason screamed.

Percy and I lurched back in shock. "Hold him down!" Percy yelled over to me, I could barely hear his voice from the roaring in my ears.

I sat on Jason's legs and grabbed his good hand, squeezing it comfortingly. He impulsively squeezed back, though probably unaware of his actions in his delirious state - and thankfully oblivious of what we were doing.

By Jason's arm, Percy threw down his weird enchanted necklace, pulling out a nurse's needle through the floor, he immediately jabbed it into Jason's wound, extracting some of the green substance with his blood floating around inside of it.

He pulled the needle out and dropped a splatter of the poison onto the deck. It greedily burned through. Percy gasped in shock, his eyes widening and mouth falling agape in an almost comical manner - if it weren't for the situation at hand, I might have laughed.

Then Percy did the most horrifying act of dumb bravery I had ever seen, he plunged his hand onto the stream of blood and Jason's arm. I gagged, Jason screamed harder.

Percy eventually pulled out his hand, the poison hovered an inch above his open palm. With his other hand, he rummaged around the enchanted necklace and after a few moments he pulled out a glass vial, uncorking it and pouring the deadly looking poison into it.

We both sighed in relief.

I looked down at Jason, getting off his legs. Jason had fortunately stopped screaming some point after Percy had pulled out the poison but he occasionally groaned softly as the aftershocks of the pain echoed through his body. I leant over the puddle of blood and lightly kissed his forehead.

"Where do you guys keep the cleaning supplies?" Percy asked me, "I assume you don't want to have a massive puddle of blood here forever."

"Same place as last time, Percy." I quietly told him, staring down at Jason's motionless body.

"I think Jason's going to need some stitches, Piper."

"Well, get him down into the infirmary then."

"I'm not qualified to give people stitches."

"You gave that monster stitches." I spat at Percy.

He glared at me, "She's not a monster, she's a mythical beast," He rubbed his arm. "And I didn't actually give Maiscill stitches so get Hedge to do it."

He span on his heel and strode off - I assumed he was getting the cleaning supplies. I scowled at my feet, burning holes into their soles.

"Coach Hedge!" I shouted across the deck, "Jason needs stitches!"

The old satyr lumbered over to me, a first aid kit in his hand. Behind him I could see the others, sneaking glances at Jason but not crowding him, lightly chatting as they cleaned up the ship. I couldn't see Leo but I assumed he'd be in the engine room.

I walked away from Jason slowly, being reassured by Coach Hedge that Jason was - and would be - fine. I leant tiredly against the mast, my chest rising and falling at an uneven pace as tears found their way out; it was just too much - too much to take, too much too handle.

Emotions were strong in my godly bloodline, all those descended from my mother had to deal with this problem - caring could be a curse, and a terrible one at that.

I simply hung my head as the tears wrecked through my body.