GUILT

...

It's been a while since Annabeth died.

I still remember her screams as she fell into The Pit.

And I did nothing.

All I could do was stand there, and watch as she lost her grip.

It's all my fault.

I should have been quicker.
I should have saved her.

But I couldn't.

It was because I was weak.

Too weak to save the love of my life.

...

"ANNABETH!" I screamed as she fell down into Tartarus.

I didn't even notice that she was falling.

"Percy..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault man, you couldn't have stopped her from falling."

They're all talking to me like she's dead.

She isn't dead, right?

She's strong.

She can definitely survive in there.

Right?

...

After the Blood of Olympus...

I felt hollow.

Annabeth...

Leo...

I took a deep breath.

No, they're still alive. They must be. A̶t̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶L̶e̶o̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶.̶ ̶

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up!" I woke up, expecting Annabeth's beautiful stormy grey eyes staring at me.

Nothing.

I sobbed remembering that she fell into Tartarus. And it was all my fault.

I fell back onto my bed. I couldn't have been bothered to eat, or function at all.

I never left my cabin since.

I didn't know what to do anymore.

I shut myself away from the others, not wanting to do anything without Annabeth.

She was my everything.

My life.

My world.

Tears started to make its way down my face.

I wanted her back.

...

A week later...

Somebody knocked on my door.

Instead of opening the door, I clutched my blankets tighter and put them over my head.

I didn't really want to talk to anybody.

Then, the person opened the door.

It was Nico.

"What do you want..." I groaned. I glared at him. "I don't really want to want to talk to anybody right now..."

Nico looked down.

"Percy..." Nico
spoke in a somber voice. "It's about Annabeth. She's... " he took a deep breath.

"IS SHE OKAY?! OH MY GOD, SHE'S ALIVE ISN'T SHE?!" I sat up from my bed. I lit up like a lightbulb. If only I knew...

"Perce..." Nico looked like he had a hard time saying this.

Why?

"She's...

dead."

All of the sudden, the world felt like it was spinning. No... No... NO!

"You're lying..." I breathed. "YOU'RE LYING!" I screamed.

I punched Nico in the face. "Get out." I said quietly.

He looked shocked, and took a moment to recover.

"GET OUT!" I snarled at him and pushed him out of the cabin.

She can't be dead.

No.

He's lying.

He's lying.

And yet something was telling me he was right.