Solangelo 2

Part 25

NICO

It's quiet, for once. I laugh a little, so unused to such uninterrupted peace. I know I'm dreaming, but it's so nice that I don't mind it.
'Not too bad, is it?' A voice. Quiet, calm. Bianca.
'Bianca?' I ask, stepping towards her. She tilts her head a little, smiles.
'Hi Nico.' She says, she holds out her hands, but I drop to my knees, can't move towards her. She moves forward quickly, kneels down beside me. I clutch at the dress she wears. Sob into the scratchy material.
'I miss you.' I say, as I control myself, 'I know this isn't real. But I miss you.'
'I miss you too.' She says, not even trying to convince me that this is real.
'Why are you here?' I ask, wiping my eyes, staring at her, memorising her.
'Sometimes,' She says, holding my head in her hands, 'your subconscious is kind.'
And then I fall forwards. Come up gasping. And my mind has gone against itself, going where it knows it shouldn't.
Memories and conversations. Percy and I on the assault climbing course, talking in the days after the war. He told me about his fear of drowning.
No, I think. Stop it. Stop it. Wake up.
I jolt awake, only to be hit with the same reality, but worse. Frank is beside Percy, trying to figure out what's wrong. Percy is gasping for breath, clutching at his throat.
'What's wrong with him? Nico, what happened?' Frank asks, seeing that I'm awake.
'Will!' I shout, 'Will!'
He comes running into the room, Annabeth beside him.
'Oh my Gods. Oh my Gods.' Annabeth says as she takes Frank's place beside Percy and tries to perform CPR.
I look to Will, and he knows I did this. He knows why this happened. He stares at me, blankly for a moment, then runs out the room.
'Will!' I say, running after him, only to run into him coming back the other way.
'Take this.' He says, holding the pink pill he made me take a long time ago to help with my nightmares.
'What?' I ask, confused as he pushes the pill into my hands.
'It'll knock you out, but you won't be able to think. This'll stop. Everyone should wake up. They should get better.' He explains, 'it's the only thing I can think of. We need to shut you down until we can figure out how to help you.'
I don't say anything, just stare at him. The last time I took this I slept for days.
'Keep me under until you figure out a way to stop this.' I say, 'I don't want to hurt anyone else.'
'I know.' He says, scared, but sure, 'I know.'
'I love you.' I say, and he kisses me. As soon as he pulls away I take the pill. I move my hand up to his face, trace his skin. Lightly. Everything tilts a little to the left.
Will lifts me as I begin to fall. I black out, completely. There is nothing.