MY DREAM • percy jackson

chapter 16

ALORA WAS A VERY TALKATIVE PERSON but when it came to her current position, she didn't speak a word. Her and Percy were sat side by side, knees touching together, as they floated down the tunnel.

Although Alora refused to look at him, pretending that the dim lights around them were peaking her interest, she could feel Percys stare burning into the side of her face.

Alora thought things could not get anymore awkward than this, but to prove her wrong music started to play around them.

What is love?
Baby don't hurt me...
Don't hurt me...
No more.

"What is happening?" Alora asked in utter confusion as she looked around the area to see where it was coming from.

"I feel like I've heard this before." Percy told the brunette, "I think from an orthodontist office maybe?"

"What is an orthodontist?"

Alora, like usual, did not get an answer to her question as lights were projected on the wall. They started to tell a story, Hephaestus story if Alora was right.

"Wait, I know this." Percy continued to study the walls and confirm Aloras thoughts. "It's hephaestus' story."

"Yeah," Alora nodded and looked towards the boy, smiling at him fondly. "It is."

"Rejected by Hera." Percy started to narrate. "Rejected by Aphrodite. My mom told me these stories all the time. I remember this. She said..."

"What?" Alora turned to him as he went silent.

"She said this is what the gods are like to each other." Percy spoke softly. "This is the kind of family they are."

"Why didn't you want to say that?" Alora spoke in confusion, everyone knew the gods were like this so what was wrong with him admitting it? "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

"She was trying to keep me away from you guys." He turned to her and she felt her heart sink slightly. "Maybe she should have been preparing me better."

"Well maybe that was her preparing you." Percy furrowed his eyebrows at her. "So that when the time came, you'd be better than this."

Percy nodded slowly and suddenly the music and coloured lights were cut. The boat went forward slowly until they reached a dip and it sped up at an alarming rate, causing the pair to yell in surprise.

Alora grabbed tightly onto percys arm with one hand, the other on the boat, as they sped through crystallised caves.

They finally came to a normal speed and started to pass a golden statue and a throne that sat directly under it. From the boat they could spot Ares shield being held by the statue.

"There it is." Percy pointed. "Ares shield."

The moment of relief ended shortly when they saw the tunnel in front of them, where the boat would inevitably fall to their death. The pair looked at each other in worry, knowing they only had one option.

"Jump!" Percy yelled, grabbing Alora's hand as they stood up in the boat.

"Perce, I'm not a good swimmer!" Alora yelled as they jumped, being separated in the water.

Alora tried to swim above the water but the current was too rough and pulled her under. Her humongous fear of drowning was becoming a reality and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

She could see Percy underwater and held her hand out towards him, yelling his name, in attempt of being saved but they were too far apart to reach. Percys outstretched hand couldn't reach hers and she thought that this was it. She was a goner.