The Elementals - Percy Jackson

T W E N T Y O N E

They all stared towards Percy with a look of pure shock, they all looked at Percy who was in the flesh, they thought Percy was dead. Percy turned towards the Elementals who were bombarding him with questions, asking him if he was okay, to the normal person, Percy looked like he had a severe illness, his skin was very pale, he was unlike his usual calm and laid back and easily startled self.

"Uh-I, I." Percy stumbled  out, his voice cracking a little. Then, the one that Percy least wanted to see, the person Percy hoped would never see again, Annabeth ran from the crowd with wide eyes, staring at Percy with wide eyes. The whole demigod crowd was silent, no one, not even the Elementals said a word, the tension in the air was clearly visible, the clear tension in the air was so thick that you could've been crushed by it.

Annabeth slowly approached Percy, extending a hand, the Elementals backed away, watching the interaction with a raised eyebrow, a slight worry in their faces. Every step Annabeth took, Percy took a step back, avoiding Annabeth, the daughter of Athena opened her mouth, speaking.

"Percy, is that you?" Annabeth asked, Percy didn't answer, merely stepping back in shock, the demigod couldn't rely on his voice, he was very frail now, he was fragile as glass. Percy didn't meet anyone's eyes, he couldn't, all of the sudden memories of the past flooded him, all of the betrayals, all of the hurt and pain he received, the immense guilt that was placed upon him, it was all weighing on his shoulders, he felt like he didn't even deserve to look at anyone in the eye.

The voice of Annabeth and all off the campers' words were echoing in his head, all of the hurtful words that were spat towards him all suddenly rushed to him like a jet. The betrayal, everything all suddenly came back, a painful feeling suddenly opening in his chest. Percy shook his head, trying to clear himself of the voices, but they wouldn't stop, their voices kept pummeling Percy in his head, the hurtful words were endless, the last phrase Annabeth said before pushing Percy off a cliff.

"You don't deserve to look at me." Annabeth's voice kept echoing in his head, repeating the same line over, and over, and over again. Percy shook his head, placing both of his hands at his temples, his eyes wide, the voices still present in his mind. Percy kept his hands on the side of his head, shaking it frantically trying to stop the voices, they just kept coming.

"You don't deserve to be in this camp."

"You don't deserve to look at me."

"You don't even deserve to live."

Those words, those sentences, it kept ringing in Percy's head, Percy turned to the ground trying to berid himself of the voices, but it just kept coming.

"Percy, is that really you?" Annabeth said, tears streaming down her face, Percy couldn't take this, Percy couldn't take this. 

"Don't, d-dont come c-closer." Percy said. Yet, despite Percy's warning, Annabeth still walked forward, not minding what Percy said. Annabeth took a step, closer, reaching out a hand to touch Percy's cheek, the demigod instantly bolted, running from the camp, running for, his problems. Percy couldn't take it, everything was happening so fast, everything was passing by in almost an instant. Percy ran and ran and ran, the voices still pummeling his head.

"You're useless."

"You're a good for nothing scumbag."

"I hope you die."

"You don't deserve to live."

"Get out of this camp."

"Just die already."

"Don't even look at me."

Percy shook his head, clearing his mind from the voices, the voices that kept pummeling him with insults, the voices that belonged to his friends and family, the friends and family that he considered his life, everything was crashing down on him in an instant, every memory, every betrayal, every death, everything all came crashing down onto him in a mess. Percy couldn't take it.