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chapter twenty-five
( sea of monsters )
❝ too close to home! ❞
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CLAIRE WAS SCARED. They were lost in Virginia, nowhere to go. Just recently they had been attacked by some monsters at the ice cream shop after Luke had stolen some money to each get them something for Annabeth's birthday. Now they had run to the coast, having lost the monsters about fifteen miles back—or more so Thalia turned them to dust—and now they were trying to hide amongst the trees and muddy ground.
Luke and Thalia has built a camouflaged shelter for them to spend the night. They had tones of these around Florida and Virginia, stacked with supplies if they ever were to return. Each place they went, they made a new one and stayed there for a short while before they had to leave once more.
Claire and Annabeth helped when they could, gathering little sticks (well, Claire did, Annabeth had a rather natural gift in intelligence even for her age and new that small sticks weren't going to help so instead she came back with leaves) for Luke and Thalia. They were pretty experienced at this, so much that they created the shelter before sundown and spent dinner inside eating some Chinese Luke had also stolen from the deliverer.
Claire had been the first to go to bed. Having a full belly always made her sleepy, and she dozed off next to Annabeth, curled up with her little ball of light to keep her warm.
But she had a nightmare.
Luke told her that having nightmares was apart of being a demigod. They warned you of the future and guide you towards what your meant to do. But Claire didn't understand how hers warned her or guided her, all she saw were golden eyes. But it was the most scariest thing. She didn't know how golden eyes could be as scary as they were, but they made her stomach clench so hard and her lungs ached and she was sure her heart was about to throw up from her mouth.
She woke up with a small scream, where someone quickly placed their hand over her mouth to muffle it. Claire stared up into the warm blue eyes of Luke and felt herself calm down.
Claire felt tears in her eyes, and Luke let out a small sigh. When he knew that she wouldn't scream again, he pulled away his hand and helped her sit up.
"Don't cry," he told her when he notice the tears that began to slip down her rosy cheeks. "Claire, come on, you're fine, don't cry."
She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that that would stop her crying, but it wasn't any use.
She heard Luke sigh again, and the shifting of leaves and sticks followed. She felt his presence beside her, and carefully, Claire opened her eyes.
"What happened?" He asked her gently. Claire knew he understood that she had a nightmare, so he wasn't asking in general—he was asking what happened in her dream.
She pulled her knees to her chest and shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about it."
"Sometimes, talking about it makes it easier."
Claire looked him straight in the eye. "You don't talk about your dreams. Not even to Thalia."
Luke's jaw clenched. His blue eyes narrowed at the entrance to their hideout. He seemed to be contradicting something. His shoulders tensed and his brows furrowed. Claire realises she probably shouldn't have said what she did—but as a six-year-old, she didn't have much wisdom. Not compared to Annabeth.
"I see a cyclops," he told her, rather sharply. "A cyclops with the biggest eye I've ever seen staring down at me, ready to kill me. And everyone else—and I can't do anything." Luke pressed his palms against the lids of his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Claire wanted to do something. To make him feel better. But she was scared—but so was he. So was everyone. Claire did the only thing she knew, something her mother do when she was upset. Claire shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around Luke, holding him tight.
"A-tisket, a-tasket, a green and yellow basket..." she began to sing and immediately, Luke's gaze softened. "I wrote a letter to my love, and on the way I dropped it..."
*
LIFE AT SEA WAS DRAMATIC. Which makes sense—Percy had to get his dramatics somewhere. Either way, I didn't like it. We travelled through the seas with Hermes gift of the four winds, billowing behind us—faster than any motor. I hated the sea in general, it made me sick and I always felt as if I was going to go overboard. When I wasn't asleep, I gripped the side of the boat with my eyes shut tight, trying to concentrate on anything but the waves that crashed against the rubber raft. When I woke back up, I just missed Percy and Annabeth calling Chiron. I don't know why I've been dreaming about Luke recently. Perhaps it was because recently, he always seemed to be on my mind—all for the worst reasons, and my subconscious was wishing for the simpler days when Luke was my friend—the one person in the world that I could trust more than anyone, even Annabeth.
Maybe it was grief. I was mourning the Luke I used to know. The Luke I was holding onto, desperately reaching for the fourteen-year-old boy that found me in a dark alley all those years ago, hoping to save—I couldn't save him. He died. He fell down, slipping away from my fingers and into the darkness he always had inside. I failed him.
I failed all of us.
I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. Not in front of Percy and Annabeth—especially Percy. I can't be weak—not when Percy's seen that weak side of me so many times, where he had to step forward and drag me back to reality. I can't let that happen again. I'm a demigod. A hero—
At least, I thought I was.
I raised my head from where it rested against my duffel bag to the sea in front of us. Relief filled my chest when I saw a long stretch of beach lined with high-rise hotels.
"That's Virginia Beach!" Annabeth exclaimed as we approached. "Oh my gods, how did the Princess Andromeda travel so fast? That's like—"
"Five hundred and thirty nautical miles," Percy said immediately, I frowned.
"How did you know that?" I asked him, and he, Annabeth and Tyson all jumped, not realising I had woken.
Staring at me, Percy muttered, "I—I'm not sure."
Annabeth thought for a moment, "Percy, what's our position?"
Without a beat, Percy answered, "Thirty-six degrees, forty-four minutes north, seventy-six degrees, two minutes west—whoa—" he shook his head. "How did I know that?"
"Probably 'cause of your dad," I tilted my head in thought. "I mean ... we're at sea, it's his terrain, you're most likely a lot more connected to the ocean at this point ... which I guess means you can pinpoint our bearings perfectly." I shrugged. "Not bad, Aquaman."
Percy frowned, not looking exactly happy by his nickname, but before he could protest, Tyson tapped him on the shoulder. "Other boat is coming."
I glanced over my shoulder to see a coastguard vessel getting closer, it's lights flashing.
"We can't let them catch us," said Percy. "They'll ask too many questions."
"Keep going into Chesapeake Bay," Annabeth said. "I know a place we can hide."
My eyes shot to Annabeth's, and her grey ones met mine. She was taking us to one of our old hideouts—the exact one where I had my dream. I felt my heart rising up into my throat, but I swallowed it back down, focusing my gaze on the shore line of Virginia. I haven't been back here since we left it all those years ago, but I forced myself to wear a brave face as Percy loosened the Flask cap a little more, and a fresh burst of wind sent us rocketing around the northern tip of Virginia Beach into Chesapeake Bay. Even with the coastguard falling behind us, we didn't slow down until the shores of the bay narrowed down and we entered the mouth of a river.
"There," Annabeth pointed to the left, "Past that sandbar."
Veering into a swampy area choked to the brim with marsh grass, I found myself taking long, deep breaths, gripping the sides of the boat even tighter as Percy beached the lifeboat at the foot of a giant cypress.
As soon as we got off the boat, Annabeth's hand latched onto mine. It seemed she was just as nervous and scared as I was. Vine-covered trees towered over our heads, and insects chirred around us in small swarms. The air was hot and humid, so much that steam curled off the river.
"Come on," Annabeth's voice shook slightly. "It's just down the bank."
"What is?" Percy asked.
"Just follow," I told him, gripping Annabeth's hand tighter as she grabbed our duffel bags. She passed me mine, leaving Percy to grab his and Tyson's with a disgruntled look. "We'd better cover the boat," I then said. "Don't want to draw attention, you know ..."
After burying the lifeboat with branches, Annabeth and I led Percy and Tyson down the bank, leaving footprints behind us in red mud I made Percy mess up as he walked so no one could follow us.
I remember it was here, at this place, I had my dream about the Yellow Eye Man. It was a weird dream that I still remember because for some reason, it had terrified little me so much. I didn't see anything but those eyes, and the maniac laugh that seemed to vibrate from the ground, shaking the stone underneath my feet. I never had that dream ever since, and the factor that I had a dream about having that dream made me relive all the fear I had as a child.
I didn't like it.
After a muddy five minutes, we arrived at a patch of brambles. Annabeth moved aside a woven circle of branches, and we were here: A camouflage shelter. The inside was big enough for four (even with Tyson as the fourth), for we built it to be big enough to sleep in and live in for a few weeks before we had to go. The walls were woven from plants. Stacked in the corner were sleeping bags, blankets, with a ice chest and a kerosene lamp. In the other corner were bronze javelin tips, a quiver full of arrows, an extra sword and a box of ambrosia. I felt an ache in my heart ... it looked exactly like we had left it.
"A half-blood hideout," Percy looked to Annabeth in awe. "You made this?"
"Thalia, Claire and I," Annabeth said quietly. "And Luke."
I pushed past Annabeth to go inside, running my hands along the sides. They were rough against my fingertips, and I wanted to hold the walls, pulling them close to my heart. These small places, wherever they are, were my home before Camp Half-Blood. Thalia, Annabeth and Luke were my home.
Luke.
"So ..." Percy came up beside me, looking a bit uncomfortable. "You don't think Luke will look for us here?"
"I hope not," I said rather shortly. "We have a dozen safe houses like this. Let's hope Luke doesn't remember where they are. Or care."
I found my old spot in the shelter, right by the blankets, and I sat down. I threw my duffel bag down beside me, looking to my side at the weapons. Thalia's old spear ... Luke's spare sword ... that bow and arrows. That was Thalia's bow and quiver—she taught me how to shoot my first arrow with that.
I saw Percy and Annabeth share a glance. I knew they were having a silent conversation, and soon. Annabeth dropped her duffel bag next to me before saying, "I'm going to find some new stuff for this roof, it's a bit old."
And she walked away. The way she walked, I knew she was upset. Just as much as I was—if not even more. But I knew that Annabeth liked to be by herself. She would come back when she was ready to talk, and we'd sit together in our spot and sadly reminisce on the days that seemed so much more simple. The thought that being on the run, getting attacked by monsters every other day because our parents didn't want us was simpler than now made me want to laugh bitterly.
Percy glanced over his shoulder at Annabeth leaving, a little confused. "Is ... is she okay?"
I arched a brow, "What do you think, Water-Boy?"
He scratched his nose, "Right. Um ..." he looked to the cyclops who was minding his own business, absolutely awed by the plant roof above them. "Tyson? Would you mind scouting around outside? Like, look for a wilderness convenience store or something?"
Tyson furrowed his brows in confusion, "Convenience store?"
"Yeah, for snacks. Powdered doughnuts or something. Just don't go too far."
"Powdered doughnuts," Tyson said earnestly. "I will look for powdered doughnuts in the wilderness." He headed outside, calling. "Here, doughnuts!"
Once he was gone, Percy sat down opposite me, and I looked to my duffel bag, playing with the zipper. "Hey, I'm sorry about, you know, seeing Luke."
I shrugged. "It's whatever. I mean, it's not your fault."
He noticed the tone of my voice, and he frowned. "It's not your fault, either." When I just shrugged again, he leaned forward. "Hey, Claire," his voice was gentle. It made me look up. It reminded me so much of Luke. The way he said my name whenever I got scared, or was upset, except ... except it was different. In a way I couldn't exactly pin-point. "It's not your fault."
I knew he wasn't just talking about bumping into Luke. It was like he knew exactly what I was thinking, and it scared me. Percy just knew. He knew that I wasn't a hero, he knew that I couldn't save Luke, or that I couldn't bring him back ... he knew the real me, weak and a coward. Someone who was afraid ... who as soon as I saw who Luke really was, I broke. I shattered like china.
So, I quickly shifted. I sat up straight, completely erasing the body language I had before. I was changing the subject, and he knew. "Luke let us go too easily," I told him. Percy didn't seem happy that I was pushing him away, but he just nodded along, agreeing with me. "He was talking about us 'taking the bait'. I think that was about us."
"The Fleece is the bait? Or Grover?"
I thought about it for a second, "I dunno. Maybe he wants the Fleece for himself ... or hoping we'll do the work for him and then he can just steal it ... I just ... I can't believe he poisoned Thalia to do it."
"What did he mean," Percy asked, "that Thalia would've been on his side?"
Immediately, I shook my head. "He's wrong. Thalia would never..."
"You don't sound so sure."
I glared at him. "Thalia got angry at her dad sometimes, so do you. Would you turn against Olympus because of that?"
"No."
"Then neither would she. Luke's wrong." Percy reminded me of Thalia. He was strong, opinionated, and a natural leader. They were so alike that it was kind of scary, and if she was alive, she and Percy would either hate each other's guts, or be best friends. So, if he wouldn't turn ... I just hope that means Thalia wouldn't either.
Percy fell quiet, but by the look on his face I knew he wanted to ask more. "What ... what did Luke mean when he said you were going to die?"
I knew I paled. I looked to my hands. "It's nothing."
"Claire—"
"Luke's just trying to manipulate me," I said a lot stranger this time, wanting this conversation to end. "He's being manipulated. He's lying. I'm not going to die."
"Claire—"
"Just leave it!" I snapped at him. He swallowed hard. "I'm not going to die, Percy. Can't you just leave it at that?"
He wasn't standing down though. Percy's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. Stubborn ass... "Of course I'm not going to leave it at that—I saw how you reacted! He said you were burning up inside—!"
I was glad when Annabeth and Tyson reappeared, and Percy immediately shut up. It was easy to tell we had a small fight, for we were both flustered and red. But that didn't matter anymore, by the look on Annabeth's face, they were in deep trouble. Tyson, however, grinned at them and showed them his box of Monster Doughnuts. "I got powdered doughnuts!"
"Where did you get that?" I asked. "We're in the wilderness—"
"Guys, come on," Annabeth sounded urgent, and Percy and I wasted no time in following her out the door. Tyson wined about wanting to have a doughnut, but in the end, he left them in the shelter and followed us outside.
*
"THIS SHOULDN'T BE HERE, IT'S WRONG," Annabeth said as the four of us hid behind a tree, staring at the doughnut shop in the middle of the woods. It was weird; brand new with bright lights shining through the windows and a freshly-gravelled car park with a road leading off into the forest, but there was nothing else around and there were no cars parked. But there was an employee reading a magazine behind the cash register, all alone. In the middle of the woods.
On the sore's awing, MONSTER DOUGHNUT stood out in huge black letters that even a demigod with dyslexia could read. A cartoon ogre was taking a bite out of the O in MONSTER. While it smelt good, I didn't trust it. The last time we went to a random place that gave us food in the middle of nowhere, we nearly got turned into stone.
"What?" Percy frowned. "It's a doughnut shop."
"Shhh!"
"Why are we whispering? Tyson went in and bought a dozen. Nothing happened to him."
"He's a monster."
"Aw, c'mon, Annabeth. Monster Doughnut doesn't mean monsters! It's a chain. We've got them in New York."
I frowned at him, "A doughnut shop that mysteriously popped up in the middle of the woods immediately after you told Tyson to go get doughnuts? It's a bit weird, don't you think?"
"It could be a nest," added Annabeth.
Tyson whimpered. He had been ever since he had to let his doughnuts go back at the shelter, and now he crouched with us, his bright big eye watering and his bottom lip trembling. I doubt he understood what Annabeth and I were saying, but our tone was definitely making him nervous.
"A nest for what?" asked Percy.
"Haven't you ever wondered how franchise stores pop up so fast?" she said. "One day there's nothing and then the next day—boom! There's a new burger place or a coffee shop or whatever? First a single store, then two, then four—exact replicas spreading across the country?"
"Um, no. Never thought about it."
"What Annabeth is saying," I gave him a look, he rolled his eyes. "Is that chain stuff acts like a chain—continuously linking and linking around the country, but are all connected to the original. But, because they multiply so fast, their locations end up being magically linked to the life force of a monster."
"I'm still not getting it."
I let out an exasperated sigh, "Of course, you wouldn't. When does Percy Jackson ever get anything I'm saying?"
"I don't know this stuff as much as you do!"
"Well, you would if you actually paid attention to half the things we say—"
"I will if you speak actual English."
"I am!"
"Guys!" Annabeth gave a harsh whisper that made them fall silent straight away. We looked at her expectantly, only to freeze at her fearful look. "No—sudden—moves." We didn't move, both watching her with wide, terrified eyes. What was happening? "Very slowly, turn around..."
I then heard it: a scraping noise—the sound of something dragging it's belly across the leaves. Percy and I turned around, and I had to hold in a scream. It was a Hydra. The size of a rhino with at least seven, long and fierce heads with great big, sharp fangs dripping in green acid. Its claws left huge marks in the grass, dragging dangerously among the leaves. Underneath head, the Hydra wore a plastic bib that read: I'M A MONSTER DOUGHNUT KID!
Percy took out his ballpoint pen, but Annabeth locked eyes with him with a silent message: Not yet.
She was right. A lot of monsters had a blind spot, which could mean this Hydra might just slither right pass us. If Percy uncapped his sword now, we would definitely be spotted by the bronze glow of Riptide.
So we waited.
The Hydra was only a metre or so away. It sniffed the ground and the trees—and then I saw it. Two of its heads were ripping apart a yellow duffel bag. It had already been to our campsite, which meant it had our scent. We were screwed.
I tried to slow my racing heart, hoping that the creature couldn't smell fear. I couldn't stop staring at it's heads—diamond-shaped like a snakes and their teeth ... they were so sharp! Tyson was trembling. He stepped back and accidentally snapped a twig. Instantly, all seven heads turned towards us and hissed.
We were caught.
"Scatter!" Annabeth shouted. She dived to the right.
I grabbed Percy and pulled him to the left. The both of us rolled away from the beast, and one of it's heads spat an arch of green acid that shot past our shoulders and splashed against an elm. The trunk smoked and began to melt—it toppled straight towards Tyson, who was still yet to move. Percy—without thinking—left my side, and I called out his name, reaching for his shirt, but he was too fast. Percy sprinted, ducking under his arm and tackling Tyson out of the way just as the Hydra lunched and the tree crashed on top of two of its heads.
I rolled out of the way again, pulling off my necklace and flipping into the air. I reached back and grabbed my first arrow as the quiver materialised on my back; an explosive, before firing it right at the beast as one of its heads looked my way. It exploded right in its eyes, and the Hydra screamed in rage, thrashing its head back and forth.
On the other side, Percy uncapped his sword, and the gleam of the blade and the Hydra forgot about its pain, whipping towards it with all its heads, baring its teeth. One of the heads snapped at him, and without thinking, Percy swung his sword.
"No!" Annabeth and I shouted.
Too late. He had sliced the head clean off. The head fell to the grass, turning it brown as it dried out into a shrivelled fig-looking thing. In a matter of seconds, the neck he head beheaded split into two, each of which grew a full-sized head. Now, we were fighting an eight-headed Hydra.
"Are you an idiot?!" I screamed at him. "Didn't you ever watch Hercules?!"
"I'm sorry!" Percy shouted back sarcastically as he dodged a spray of acid. "I'm sorry that in the time we've been looking for Grover and running from Luke, I was unable to watch a Disney movie!"
I glared back at him. I threw my hand out, it which he shrieked and turned away, holding his hands up to avoid getting blast. But I just closed my hand into a fist and pulled. Percy shouted again as a rope of light wrapped around his ankles and dragged him along the ground, narrowly missing another spray of acid from the Hydra. "How do we kill it?" He shouted at Annabeth, glancing at where she surveyed the situation with her knife in her hand.
"Fire!" she answered. "We have to have fire!"
Annabeth moved in on my left, and tried to distract one of the heads, parrying its teeth with her knife. But another of the heads swung sideways like a club and knocked her into the muck.
"No hitting my friends!" Tyson shouted, charging in. He jumped in front of Annabeth before the Hydra could reach her, and as she stood up, he started to smash at the monster heads with his fists so fast it was almost comical. But he couldn't keep up for long.
We kept on inching backwards, dodging acid and snapping heads without cutting them off. But we were only postponing the inevitable. Eventually, we would make a mistake, and we were dead.
Then, Annabeth frowned. "What was that noise?"
So focused on the Hydra, I hadn't noticed the sound of a chug-chug-chug coming from behind us.
"Steam engine," said Tyson.
"What?" Percy ducked as the Hydra sprayed acid over his head.
From the river behind us, a familiar, rough female voice shouted, "There! Prepare the thirty-two-pounder!"
I knew who it was immediately, and I never thought I would be more relieved to see Clarisse. On a great big, old, war steam boat, the daughter of Ares lead an army of dead confederates, closing into battle.
"They're too close, m'lady!" one of her soldiers shouted.
"Damn the heroes!" she shouted. "Full steam ahead!"
"Aye, m'lady."
I seemed to be the only one that knew what was happening, and I shouted to the others, "Hit the dirt!" and we dived to the ground. The whole earth seemed to shake at the ear-piercing BOOM! echoed. There was a flash of light, a column of smoke and the Hydra exploded, showing us with green slime that vaporised as soon as it hit.
"Ew!" I shouted.
"Steamship!" yelled Tyson.
I looked over my shoulder, glaring at Clarisse who stood in full Greek armour, her army of soldiers behind her on her war steamship. She stood over us proudly with her arms crossed. "Losers," she sneered. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."
*
g e m ' s w e i r d t h o u g h t s:
I'm sorry about taking away the moment between Percy and Annabeth but I really wanted that moment for Claire and Percy specifically. It's been too long since real, knitty-gritty Claire x Percy action. But I'll make up for it go having a moment between Annabeth and Claire next chapter!! Hope you enjoyed this one and I'll see you next time.
Also, let me know: what's your favourite part of this book so far, and what are your predictions for the future of Claire and Percy and their story? I would love to know!!