I'll try to make it a weekly update. Love, Luna_Moonlit
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-Ayme-
'Tell me what to do,' I said to my father.
Dad looked up to me, confused. 'What are you talking about?'
'Give me a start, so I can find a cure.'
My father shook his head. 'It's of no use, Ayme.'
I felt the fire burning in my eyes. 'You're kidding me, right?'
I got up not being able to sit still any longer. 'What happened to the guy who never lost the will to continue on going? Even when there wasn't a chance of things turning out for the better?'
Dad looked up to me, his eyes filled with sadness. 'I've not given up, Ayme. I just don't want to risk anyone lives.'
I was practically shouting by now. 'What the Hell, Dad? Why can't you let me go out there and find a way to save you!'
My dad stood up, swaying a bit before he trapped my shoulders with both hands and forced me to look him in the eyes. 'Because I can't let anyone risk their lives to try to find a way to save my life, if I know they will never succeed. I just can't let that happen.'
I swallowed. 'Is that why you don't want me to go out there?'
'If I could find a way to live my life a little longer, just to see you, and your brother, and your mom, I would. I would give anything if I could be with you for just a little while longer. But I will never allow someone to go out there and risk his life if I know there is no solution. Especially the life of my own daughter.'
I hugged my dad, feeling the tears slipping out of my eyes again.
'I'm sorry Dad,' I whispered. ‘I didn’t mean it that way. I just want it to be all right again.’
Dad held me like there was no tomorrow. 'I know, sweetheart. But it’s going to be all right again. I promise.'
-----
It wasn't until after a week that my father had gotten worse. It was hard for him to walk, and Mom was getting suspicious on what was going on. If he continued to get worse on this pace, he wouldn't have much more than a month left.
So maybe you can imagine my surprise when my dad came to talk to me in the middle of the night. I had been asleep for a few hours when I was woken up by somebody. I felt someone stir my shoulder and I opened my eyes to see my dad hovering above.
'Follow me,' he said, walking away slowly.
I threw the covers off my body and shivered as my feet touched the cold floor. I followed my father silently when I noticed we were going to the kitchen. Dad sat down and motioned for me to do the same.
'What's going on?' I asked softly, knowing nobody could hear us but still not wanting to talk that loudly.
'I changed my mind,' Dad said.
I frowned, not knowing what he was talking about. The only thing we had had an argument about was if I could go out and find a cure, but he surely wasn't talking about..
That was exactly what Dad was talking about, I realized.
'How come?' I asked him, curious for his reasoning.
My father shook his head. 'It doesn't matter right now. But you will have to leave as soon as possible.'
I swallowed. Dad was serious about it.
I frowned as he took something out of his pocket and put it down on the table right between us.
'You asked me where to start, so this will probably be the only thing I can offer you.'
I looked at what seemed like a vial, but saw no contents in it.
'Why is it empty?' I asked my dad.
'Will you put the lights on for me?'
I got up and did as he asked me to. I watched the soft light flicker on, and took another look at the vial. It had never been empty, I realized. But because it had been dark when he put it on the table, I couldn't see the contents.
The vial was filled with some sort of black substance, and I had honestly no idea what it was. I sat down again, looking up at my father for answers.
'What's that?'
My father picked it up and held it between his fingers. 'This,' he said, 'is a sample of the poison that Apollo managed to distract from my body.'
I leaned back a little, not wanting to be close to the thing.
'This is the only thing I can give you to begin tour quest with.'
'What do you want me to do with it then?'
Dad laid the vial back on the table again. 'The only thing I can tell you to do is to take this vial, and get it analysed.'
I scrunched my nose. 'Why? I'm pretty sure Apollo or Athena could do a decent job figuring it out.'
Dad shook his head. 'They already tried. My last hope is an old friend of mine.'
My eyebrows rose. 'An old friend?'
Dad nodded. 'I need you to go to the Northern Rocky Mountains. When you get there, you need to find a woman named Eva. She lives in one of the villages up there and is the owner of a little bookshop called Syl's Shop. Eva is an outstanding scientist. If anyone can solve the mystery of a complicated enigma like this serum, it's her.'
I grabbed the vial and put it away in my pocket. I had no desire to be constantly reminded that this poison was the reason for my dad dying.
'You want me to leave right now?' I asked my father.
He shook his head. 'No, that wouldn't be wise. We need to think of a cover story for why you're not around anymore for the upcoming time.'
'What are you thinking off?'
'I have something in mind, but I need to work it out. For now, I suggest you go back to sleep. I don't know what tomorrow will bring.'
'Okay,' I whispered.
'Remember what I said, Ayme?'
I nodded. 'It will be all right again.'
Dad smiled sadly at me. He got up and put a light kiss on my forehead. 'Go to bed sweetheart. We'll talk about it again tomorrow.'
I got up to and we went upstairs together, my father taking more time than he needed before. We splitter ways when I stood in front of my room, Dad walking a little further.
'Dad,' I whispered. He looked up and I swallowed.
'I love you.'
I was afraid he hadn't heard me, but my dad smiled at me and whispered back, 'I love you too. Goodnight.'
I gave him a smile and whispered back, 'Goodnight,' before getting into bed again, falling into a dreamless sleep.
-----
That following night, I was woken up my by father again, and just like last night, we went to the kitchen to talk.
'What cover story have you come up with?' I asked my dad.
Dad shook his head, not explaining any further. 'I can't tell you. All that matters right now is that you leave immediately.'
He led me down to the table, where a few things were stalled upon. My father picked up a dark blue backpack, showing its empty contents. 'Put everything you might need for the upcoming time in here. Spare clothes, bottles of water, mortal money, name it. Anything that will keep you alive when you're on the road.'
I took the bag from him and slung it over my shoulder.
Dad gave me my silver ballpoint pen, putting it in the inside of the bag. 'Just like with mine, it will always return to you.'
I grinned at the prospect of always having a weapon with me. 'You never told me that,' I said.
My father shook his head. 'No. I thought it wouldn't be necessary, but as of right now, it could come in real handy if you know it will return.'
'Thank you,' I said, as I admired the pen. It brought me a lot of good memories. Twenty questions, sword fighting, bonding with my Dad.
And all of that will be gone if you don't find a cure.
The cold washed over me as I realised this wasn't some sort of game. The life of my father depended on my quest, and I had no other choice but to succeed.
'Anything else?' I asked him.
Dad handed me a little dark brown bag with a golden ribbon.
'What's this?' I asked him as I took the bag from him and looked closely in it.
My father smiled and looked at me. 'In there are a few drachma's, in case you ever need to contact me or someone else. You know how it works, don't you?'
I nodded and opened the bag, finding the drachma's glistening softly in the dim kitchen light.
'I'll go get my stuff,' I said turning away from my father.
With me leaving it all felt so.. final. When I had lived here, it was as good as it always had been. My mom and dad were okay, my brother was wonderful, my life was great. But with leaving Camp it all became final, like the real danger was just getting into my life.
I didn't want it. But I had to.
I walked upstairs carefully, trying not to wake my mom and Bennie, and packed the things I believed I needed most. A few t-shirts, a vest, a coat, some dark jeans and my favourite pair of good walking shoes.
I didn't think I needed more than that. I got downstairs again and watched my dad as he sat at the kitchen table. He hadn't noticed me yet and when I looked at him, I could only see the broken man sitting in his place.
At first, I saw the loving look in his eyes, and the way he sat up straight, determined in any way possible.
But if you looked closer, behind the love and his determination, you would see the pain his body felt, and what it did to him mentally.
That's why I had to go out there and find it. Tell me that's not enough reason to risk my life, but there's no way in Hell you could change that.
I walked into the kitchen again and my dad stood up. He embraced me softly and I put my arms around him, my hands leaning on his back. I felt the small stumps through his shirt, a little reminder of what had happened.
Another battle scar, I thought.
'Good luck, sweetheart,' Dad said.
'I'll need it,' I whispered back dryly, knowing I needed everything if I wanted to succeed.
My father pulled back and smiled at me. 'You don't need it, Ayme. If there's anything you don't need, it's luck. Because you have Faith on your side. I have faith in you.'
My eyes started to water because of the things my father had said.
'Thank you,' I whispered. Dad smiled and put a kiss on my forehead.
'Faith will always be on your side,' he whispered.
I smiled and closed my eyes. With those last words in my mind I left the house in the middle of the night, watching my Dad standing in front of the window, watching as I left. I turned around and waved. He replied by doing the exact same thing. I smiled and stood there for a second longer, devouring the sight of him before I took off, not looking back again.
-Ann-
It was late that night, when I couldn't sleep and I was wandering around Camp again. It had become a bad habit, I guess.
If I wasn't able to sleep, I would walk around Camp and simply watch the stars.
But not tonight.
Because after about ten minutes and ending up at the borders of Camp Half-Blood, I saw two people walking towards me. I didn’t think they had seen me, for I had been hiding behind some of the trees.
I watched curiously as they came closer, and was surprised when I saw Ayme and Eve walking there. They passed me without seeing me, and after a second I called out to them.
'Where are you going?'
Ayme jumped a feet in the air, scared by my sudden speaking. 'Bloody Hell, Ann. I didn't know you were out here,' she said as she turned around.
Eve seemed unfazed by me and was just watching me.
'Where are you going?' I asked again.
Ayme and Eve passed a look, and I couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of jealousy rush through my body.
'Just.. you know, going out for a few days..' Ayme tried.
I smirked and walked up to them. 'Should I explain again? I'm an expert at lying skills. I can see right through you. So again..'
I stopped right in front of her. ‘Care to explain to me where you are going?'