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Percy XIII

"Still, I shouldn't be nervous about the water!" he argued. "I've been around it my entire life! Other than Camp Half-Blood, my favorite place to go to was the beach in Montauk."

"You can't help what you're afraid of." Thalia told him. "You'll overcome this, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so." Percy said, still frowning. I better get over this quick. I don't have time to be scared.

He couldn't drown. But he also suspected that if he didn't control the fear, it might start controlling him.

Percy winced.

I was trying not to think of that but now that he mentioned it... Annabeth squeezed his hand. She tried to put on a brave face for him.

"That can't be possible." she said as confidently as she could. "Your body was made to breathe underwater. Remember when you first tried? You didn't have to do anything, you just breathed naturally."

"But what about my other powers?" Percy said. "What if this fear of suffocation turns into something more? What if it makes me afraid to use water?"

"It won't get to that point." Annabeth swore. "I'll help you before it gets any worse."

Percy rested his head in a hand. He still looked uncertain, but he didn't say anything.

The other demigods shifted uncomfortably.

"This isn't as fun as I thought it would be." Connor muttered to Travis.

"No kidding." he said with a sigh. "I hope things get a little better."

He thought about his friend Thalia, who was scared of heights even though she was the daughter of the sky god. Her brother, Jason, could fly by summoning the winds. Thalia couldn't, maybe because she was too afraid to try. If Percy started to believe he could drown...

"Don't compare your situation to mine." Thalia said gently. "You've always had a special connection with your powers."

That's what makes this so dumb. Percy thought.

The muskeg pressed against his chest. His lungs wanted to burst.

Poseidon winced.

A few demigods grimaced.

When am I finally going to wake up? he thought impatiently. If I know it's a dream, why haven't I woken myself up yet?

Just when he couldn't hold his breath any longer, the dream changed.

Percy and a few others sighed in relief.

Finally. I was starting to think it'd never be over.

He stood in a vast gloomy space like an underground parking garage...Freestanding braziers cast a dim red glow over the floor.

The readers exchanged confused looks.

...hanging from the ceiling were pulley systems, sandbags, and rows of dark theater lights. Piled around the chamber, wooden crates were labeled PROPS, WEAPONS, and COSTUMES. One read: ASSORTED ROCKET LAUNCHERS.

Will frowned. 

"Where exactly is he?" the boy asked to no one in particular.

Then he saw the giant...

The readers tensed.

or at least Percy guessed that he was a giant. 

"Is it a giant or not?" Clarisse said.