The last Piper chapter, everyone! I like this chapter, it's serious and touches on hopeful things. I wanted this chapter to end with a bang. A new hope. A new light. Other stuff like that. I hope you like!
Chapter 55
Piper
It was another one of those heart-wrenching moments when you just knew you couldn’t surface without being pulled back down. There wasn’t time to even move, no time to even breathe. It was like ice, you could only burn by the bitter cold.
Piper’s door was locked, and she couldn’t get out. Her voice wouldn’t work; all she could do was pound on the door. What had happened? She went to fall asleep, and then she woke up to a loud noise. She found out her door was nailed shut. She tried to pry the nails out with her knife.
What was going on?
As her fist collided with the door again, her knuckle caught on a nail. She huffed out, her breathing making a rough noise since she couldn’t speak. It was like her vocal cords had been snapped.
Shaking like a leaf, pain flaring all over her left hand, she looked down at her hand. Her knuckle was torn and bloody. Both her knuckles were tinged with red.
There was a rough laugh behind her. “Don’t strain yourself.”
She spun around, tensed, ready to fight with all her energy.
There was a woman with a leather jacket and black hair. Her aura seemed familiar. “You don’t recognize me, demigod, because I only talked to Valdez.”
“Nemesis,” Piper breathed, her voice coming to her again.
“You got it right, girl.” Nemesis studied Piper. “You sure seem spunky for a daughter of Aphrodite. You got an attitude and a personality.”
“That’s how most people are,” Piper snapped. “What is this for?” She gestured to her door, which was still nailed shut.
“Give me a few seconds to talk.” Nemesis’s dark eyes scanned the room. “Do you know Gaea is so powerful now that she can overthrow the whole country of the United States, girl?”
“Are you trying to tell me to back down?” Piper could feel her rage bubbling. “I will never give up until I know the world is saved.”
“Don’t you know what Gaea could do?” Nemesis looked over at Piper. “I honestly want to help. Except none of you demigods will budge.”
“You work for Gaea.”
Nemesis shrugged. “Suit yourself, girl. But when Gaea takes over, you should have joined our side.” She was gone in a plume of smoke and supernova-bright light.
The nails were still holding her door shut.
“You could have let me out,” Piper snarled. She looked to her window, which was locked with a heavy-duty lock. She was trapped like a prisoner.
Unless…
She rummaged through her closet. She came back with a baseball bat. Why she had a baseball in her closet, she had no idea.
She swung the baseball bat against her window. The window didn’t shatter. The bat bounced off the glass.
“Whoa!” Piper fell over and lay there panting, her hair flopping into her face. She was seriously on lock-down with no way out.
She curled up on her side and closed her eyes, tapping her fingers on the ground. Her eyes glanced to the window again. It was sunny outside.
Then a chill ran down her back. She had taken a nap and woke up… and it had been raining again when her eyes closed.
She concentrated on closing her eyes. She didn’t know if she was really awake or not.
Eventually the pain faded and she opened her eyes. She was tangled up in her blankets, her knuckles perfectly healed, her door was wide open, and there was no bat lying across her floor.
“Stupid dream,” she muttered, sitting up. Her bare feet touched the floor and she stretched. Her mind was sluggish since she just woke up.
The outside catwalk seemed like the only place she was interested in going to. She walked outside to be greeted by the freezing mist. She had no jacket, only her camp shirt and her shorts. Her hands gripped the guiderail and she looked at the clouds.
“Hey, Pipes.”
“Hey, Leo,” she muttered.
He walked up next to her, his curly black hair all crazy. He watched the clouds like her.
“Can you see anything?” Piper asked. “The clouds are so thick.”
Leo snorted. “The ship is perfect to go, Beauty Queen. This can withstand more than just clouds and rain.”
“You keep flapping your mouth and I’ll punch you.” She sent him an icy glare. “I’m not in the mood to kid around.”
He seemed to notice her wrinkled clothes and her messed up hair. “What’s up with you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?”
“Nemesis sent me a dream. She threatened me that Gaea was strong, so I told her off until she left.” Piper traced her finger on the wet guiderail.
“Dude, you could have died for telling a goddess off.” Leo grinned. “You’re brave beyond belief.”
“I know.” She looked into her knife. “Gods, I just want this war to be over with.”
“Piper, we have more battles and enemies to finish off.” Leo sounded serious. “I know this will be a horrible and hard time. We have to stay together as a team.”
“I get it, Leo.” She sighed. “And I also get that Gaea wants me. I don’t know how or why. I just know she targeted me.”
“You are kind of like the spine to the seven. You keep us standing and alive. You bring peace and love.” Leo smiled warmly. “Even though you’re violent and ruthless, you are like a little sister to me.”
“Can’t I be a big sister?”
“Mmm, no, I like being a big brother.” Leo played with her braid until she smacked his hand away. “I’ve got to go drive this thing again before I get too antsy.” He gave a little salute or wave and he left.
The catwalk was quiet. Piper could hear each puff of air that she exhaled through her lips. Her heart thudded quietly in her chest. Her nose was cold and had a few drops of wetness from the mist on her nose.
She spun around to go inside. The outside was too wet and cold for her taste. It reminded her of Khione, icy and unforgiving.
“Hey!” someone called. “You’ve been out here all along?”
A smile bubbled on her lips, warmth rushing up to where she was cold. “Yeah, I’ve been here only recently.”
Jason grinned. “I know you’ve been asleep. Your hair is wild. And your blankets are all over your floor.”
She blushed. “Very funny, Jason, but I slept fine. The catwalk is freezing, and I just had a talk with Leo.”
“Was he being strange again?” Jason walked over to her.
“You know he was.” She fished a quarter from her pocket and threw it off the edge. It sailed through the air and vanished through the clouds.
“I do know,” Jason agreed. “So, have you had any more dreams about Khione?”
“No,” Piper admitted. “I had a dream about Nemesis, though. She tried to sway me to join Gaea’s team. I just never listen.”
He smiled and ruffled her hair. “Nice. And we’re getting closer to Greece, Annabeth says so. Are you ready?”
“You know it.” Piper took his hand. “I’m ready. Are you going to lead me? You’re a great leader.”
“As long as you follow my lead, then I’ll lead,” he said. He watched her with a serious face. “I’m not the only one who has to lead.”
“All of us have to carry a burden,” she agreed. “I think I’ve carried mine long ago, Jason.”
“Maybe,” he admitted.
She rested against the wall. After her dangerous ordeal in Rome- nearly dying all the time, she could feel that she was different. The way she spoke was different, more serious and sad. Her head was in full gear, wondering what was going to happen now that they were going to their final destination- Greece.
It was the place where her fate would be sealed. She could be punished to certain death or rise victorious from the crazy roller coaster called her life. She could collapse or walk away.
It was a moment to live; it was a moment to die.
She leaned on her toes and put her arms around Jason, feeling secure and small at the same time. Her eyes closed.
The final battle was coming. It was a looming threat, a dark shadow against the bright light of victory since they defeated Gration and Ephialtes.
For right now, she could close her eyes and forget about those things. So she smiled and lifted her head to the cold rain that was falling from the sky.
She loved rain.
End of the Piper chapters, people! THERE IS ONE CHAPTER LEFT! I know, I'm going to cry. It's going to be really sad for me.
Leo: Hey, I'll still visit.
Me: All of you?
Leo: Yeah. Even if Ricky owns us, we can visit you.'
Me: Thanks, Leo.
This chapter is dedicated to jesikandy.
LAST QUESTION OF THE BOOK FOR LAST DEDICATION: List every demigod's mortal parent and what they do and if they are dead or alive.
Thanks for reading! One. Chapter. Left.