Chapter 29
Percy awakened groggily in a stark white room. His jaw hurt like heck and he could feel bruising all over his body. His arm was folded underneath him and had lost blood flow making it hurt painfully. He groaned. Using his other arm to push himself up, he looked around. Nausea hit him as he raised his head. While ignoring his feelings he looked at the thick glass door that was in front of him. His head pounded as he saw a guard through the glass. The room he was in was flooded with bright florescent lights that illuminated the white floors and walls all around him. His black clothes had been taken away leaving a flimsy hospital gown that tied in the back. The ground was freezing and his gown did nothing to keep the cold out.
He looked at his bare legs and saw that they were covered in purple blotches.
Seems they were really careful with me when they kidnaped me, Percy thought irritated. Unfortunately his being knocked out had done nothing to help his sleepless body. He felt even more tired than he had when Lorem got him up.
His mind swam, Lorem. She was the stones. It seemed so impossible, but the impossible was Percy's business.
After moving his arm he settled back onto the floor, too weak to do anything else. Sleep would come he knew. Despite his fear, he let his eyes drift shut and he began to sleep.
He opened his eyes and he was in the middle of a large lake. The lake had red water and the sand was red. On the bank of the lake was Lorem. Her white hair glowed against the red sky. She was saying something. She was shouting. Her voice must have been lost in the wind. Her eyes seemed to stop shining, even from far away he could tell that her eyes were turning to a rusty color. Percy still couldn't hear her. He began swimming for her. But the water was like molasses. The bright white hair of hers was falling out. Percy's eyes focused on her like a camera zooming in. he watched as her youthful skin became covered in wrinkles. The light began to fade from her eyes. She fell on the ground and seemed to be shaking.
The faster that he tried to swim the slower he was. Percy was so tired. He wanted to give up. His body seemed to respond. He began having trouble breathing. His limbs were suddenly very stiff. He was thirsty. So thirsty.
He couldn't remember what he had been looking at.
His eyes were closing. He was falling. Falling.
He jumped with a start at the falling sensation. But as he did so he felt the sting of the straps biting into his wrists, ankles, and torso. His heart rate sky rocketed and he twisted his head in panic trying to see.
"No, No, No," Percy said aloud. His eyes were wide. The bright lights stung his eyes. Then he heard the terroristic laugh at his side. He turned to see her, Annabeth. Her gray eyes looking down at him with such hatred and loathing. In her hand a scythe that shone in the lights. Her beautiful face full of glee as she thought about his suffering. "Annabeth," Percy begged wetting his lips, he was so thirsty, "Please." She looked into his eyes.
"You left me alone," she said and leaned down so that they were almost nose to nose, "you left me alone again," if it wasn't for the hate in her eyes he would have thought she would kiss him.
"You know I didn't want to," Percy tried to say. Then he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, the hot mess of blood began spreading.
"You see," Annabeth was whispering now, "it doesn't matter now," Percy could feel the blood spilling onto the cold metal table, "You think that you are something because you won battles. But really you lose." She drove the knife in farther and Percy began to gag, black dots danced before his eyes, "Because you will never stay long enough for someone to love you." Blood began clogging is throat. Percy coughed and red splattered everywhere, but she wasn't done.
"Believe me, I know. Because if one thing is for sure Perseus Jackson," she said the next part in a rumble that resembled the crash of thunder that made his body quake, "I don't love you."
Percy could feel the blade puncture something important. It hurt. It hurt so much.
But the pain in his abdomen was not the pain. It was something in his chest. His chest, why did it hurt so badly? It felt like lightning had burned through his chest, searing all of the muscles and burning his left lung away. Blood choked him as he felt it clog his esophagus.
As he looked up into the stormy gray eyes of his beloved, in the reflection of her eyes he could see his eyes lose their light. He felt himself lose everything.
Percy Jackson had lost.
**************************
Annabeth rubbed at her eyes. It felt like she had been crying for years. Effie had come into the Ladies room and found her. When she had, the woman had almost feinted at the sight of her "Tilian Silk dress," wrinkled on the floor. Makayla had been there the entire time and explained the situation to Effie so that Annabeth didn't have to speak. Even though Makayla knew almost nothing about what had really happened, it meant worlds to Annabeth that she would help a perfect stranger.
"Well there is no way I am letting her go back out there like that," Effie said motioning to Annabeth's ruined makeup. Makayla smiled lovingly at Annabeth.
"It's not that bad," Makayla tried to say.
"Not bad? Not Bad?" Effie just about choked, "she looks like a disaster!" Annabeth almost cracked a smile at Effie's outburst. Almost.
The two women jumped into a deep conversation about how best to mend the situation. Annabeth leaned her head back against the wall. She hardly cared. She knew that there were so many unwept tears yet. But she had to play the part, she had to get back to Finnick.
Effie finally called in a professional makeup artist, where from Annabeth didn't know, she assumed that Effie had one on standby at all times in case of a lipstick malfunction.
Within twenty minutes Annabeth was back on her feet, makeup redone (If not better), her dress wrinkle free, and her eyes dry. For now.
"Well she really is a stunner," Effie told Makayla who nodded as they stared into the mirror of the dressing room where Annabeth twirled for them. She felt like Katniss when she was on the stage with Caesar.
"Thank you both," Annabeth said with her best smile before hugging them.
"Now," Effie said after letting her go, "You take a minute to gather yourself and then I will wait outside to escort you back to Finnick." Without another word the ladies left.
Annabeth looked into the mirror and held back the tears. She prayed that the party was almost over. She controlled her breathing and forced a smile. After she deemed her countenance acceptable she walked out of the door. Effie, like she had said, was waiting for her.
She could make it. All she had to do was stay calm and make pleasant, meaningless conversation for a few more hours than they could go home.
The party hadn't missed her. All of the on goings had continued without her. Everyone's conversations overlapped in the extravagant building that had no business being a private home. Effie chatted aimlessly to her about the games. She told her about Katniss and how well she was doing so far. Annabeth received a pain deep in her heart.
Katniss got her love, Annabeth thought bitterly, why didn't I?
Annabeth worked to stop tears from beginning again. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, she would not let the feelings in.
After what seemed an eternity of her traveling through the sea of well-dressed Capitol citizens she finally spied Finnick's golden head through the crowd.
Her stomach twisted, why was her stomach acting that way?
His green eyes glanced at the crowd and found her. The handsome smile that was on his face from a light hearted joke suddenly melted upon seeing her. Annabeth suppressed a frown from forming on her face as they walked up to the group of people that Finnick was talking with.
"Olympia," Finnick said, his smile back but more forced then before, "there are some people who want to meet you." In front of her was the man named Luke that had spoken to her before and then she turned to see-
"Olympia," said a voice that ripped open her heart. It was all that Annabeth could do not to turn around and run. Her blood turned icy as he continued speaking, "My name is President Snow, you have probably heard of me," he held out a hand for her to shake. It took all of her will power to smile and shake his hand.
"Yes," she squeaked. He held onto her hand as he leaned in and whispered loud enough for the rest of the group to hear.
"I have been informed again and again this evening about a beautiful snow flake," he said with a smile, but his eyes were dark with contemplation, taking in her every feature.
He couldn't know, she looked completely different, there was no way that he could have recognized her, she told herself.
"I am flattered that you dressed in my honor." Snow said, a sickly feeling crept into her chest, the man who was responsible for killing her love was standing before her and still breathing. If she didn't get away from him soon he would not be breathing much longer. He finally let her go.
Annabeth practically stumbled as she pressed herself against the safety of Finnick's side. He put an arm around her protectively. If it had been any other time she would have squirmed from his grip. But now, his strong arm was welcome under the terrifying gaze of Snow. It repulsed her that she had in fact honored him. The word burned through her tongue.
"You already met Luke," Finnick said motioning to Luke whose eyes had not left her since she had walked up. Finnick's grip on her tightened. She smiled at him and tried to mean it, but under Snow's gaze, she could not.
"Miss Olympia," Snow said, forcing her to look at him, "Will you do me the pleasure of a dance?" music had started somewhere in one of the main rooms down the hall. An ice cube formed where her heart should have been. Finnick was just about to decline for her when Luke butted in.
"Only if I get the next one," Luke said. Annabeth couldn't stop looking at Snow. He couldn't know, could he?
Before she could do anything, say anything, or even breathe Snow had taken her free arm and was guiding her out the door and down the hall to where the music came from.
Her arm was stiff in Snow's sickly hot arm. She wanted so badly to kick off her heels and run. But what she wished more then to run was to jam the incredibly high heel of her shoe into his succulent neck. Annabeth gasped softly at her morbid thoughts. Snow pulled her arm closer to his side.
Soon they were in the middle of the large ball room. The celling was easily fifty feet high and the ground was covered in perfect wooden floors. The walls and ceiling were made with astounding gothic architecture and glowing chandeliers that Annabeth would have gawked at if she hadn't been in the arms of a murderer.
One of his thick hands was on her back and his other was entwined with hers. Both making it hard to breathe. She thought she would throw up. The next song began and they moved along with the waltz. Snow said nothing as he studied her. She could feel her heart beat in her throat and she prayed he couldn't feel it though her dress. She looked over Snow's shoulder at the crowd around the dancers and saw Finnick who watched them with keen eyes, waiting for any sign of danger in case he was needed. She knew that Percy would have done that. Her heart twisted. She couldn't cry, he would know. Annabeth swallowed her sob.
"You know," Snow said finally, "the dress really does suit your eyes," she looked up into his eyes, "Annabeth."
The world shattered.
He knew! Her whole body screamed. She could envision a cell all around her and Percy's broken body next to her. She shivered.
"For someone in hiding, a party is probably not the wisest choice don't you think?" Snow said, his hand at her back had brought her closer to him and his hand squeezed hers tightly. The fact that he had used the word wise made her squirm.
How dare a mortal say that to a daughter of wisdom? She thought. Sudden fear breached her. Annabeth wasn't in control. Why was she saying these things? What was wrong with her?
"What do you want?" she asked, determined to keep her voice from shaking. Snow laughed as if she had said a joke.
"Well my dear girl, I want exactly what I wanted from you before, information."
"I-"Annabeth began but he stopped her.
"I will come for you tomorrow," Snow said like a death sentence. Annabeth couldn't believe that he wouldn't take her at that moment, then she realized why. He leaned against her and whispered into her ear, "And if you think of running, I will kill him." she knew that he meant Finnick. Annabeth would never live with herself if she was the cause of his death.
Annabeth had stopped dancing. She knew that her end was near.
"Smile dear," he said to her, "I think we will have the beginning of a lovely relationship."
***********************
Percy opened his eyes and he was under water the red water. He looked around frantically and saw his mangled flesh. It looked like it had after Kim had done her worst. He forced himself to look away. Percy wondered why the water wasn't healing him. His blood clouded around his body. Percy knew why the water was red.
He looked up at the sun that shone through the water.
"I don't love you,"
Annabeth's words echoed in his head. Percy's heart shattered. She didn't love him. He had left her, he could never come back. He had left her.
He had left her.
The dream changed.
He was standing in a dark office that offered a beautiful view of the darkened city that he was in. a women was sitting in a high backed chair behind her desk. The woman pushed a red button on a silver device and it glowed with an unusual rhythm. He couldn't see her face or anything other than the glow from the windows and the device.
"He has been captured," said the woman with fear in her voice. There was a scraping of metal that came through the device before a voice answered.
"Good," the voice seemed almost robotic, "Find out who he is. This Percy Jackson is a threat to all of our plans. The more we know then the more easily we can locate the stones."
"Yes master," the woman said, "what do we do with him after we know everything?"
"Kill him," the voice said.
"Of course master," the woman said. The scraping of metal returned and then the glow stopped.
Percy's vision tunneled.
He guessed that it didn't matter if Annabeth loved him or not. He would be dead in the morning. But somehow it did.
It mattered because she mattered.
Even if she hate him, she still mattered.
Then dream went dark.
**************************
Author's Note:
Greetings
I dedicate this chapter to: kayla2254