Saving a Hero

CHAPTER 1

I dont know what to do anymore. I've been fighting monsters forever but ever since, Achlys, the goddess of misery, visited me in my sleep, it's been getting worse. I know water energizes me but it even seems hard for me to muster the strength to take showers, I can't go swimming anymore, and I've been wearing my hoodies and jackets like crazy. Annabeth, the smartest demigod I know, hasn't mentioned anything to me. I feel all alone. I feel like I dont matter. Here I am, the Perseus Jackson, sitting in my bathroom, with scars up and down both of my arms and legs. I brought the razor blade closer to my skin, pressing it down, testing my strength. Drawing enought drops of blood to satisfy myself, and then a few more. Slice. I dont matter. Slice. Nobody cares. Slice. Who would care? Why would they care? Slice. Slice. Slice. I felt lightheaded, I think I overdid it, sometimes I just get so wrapped up in my thoughts, my feelings spilling over the brim. I got carried away, enough to feel slightly dizzy. I quickly picked up a shirt and tied it around my arm tight. Getting cut enough times during battle or friendly sword spars teach you enough things about slowing blood flow. I rushed about knocking things out of my medicine cabinet until I found some gauze and tape. Wrapping the gauze around my freshly marked arm and securing it with the tape, I put on a blue hoodie and a smile. Walking out of cabin 3 and over to the pavilion to eat breakfast at my table. Alone.

Tyson was down in Posiden's kingdom helping the other cyclops with weaponry wielding. He's been gone for only a week and should return sometime in the next two upcoming months. So I was the only one in cabin 3 and the only one eating at our table. It would be a lonely, boring next two months. I looked around the pavilion, trying not to wince at the slight tinge of the latest cuts on my arm. I noticed Annabeth reading a book and eating toast. If you could even call it eating. It was sitting on her plate, getting soggier by the second. Clarisse yelling at her siblings, and giving a look that could kill to one of them that yelled back. I noticed the Aphrodite table bickering and telling each other the juiciest gossip, the Apollo table talking amongst themselves and criticizing one of the siblings guitar melodies.

Absentmindedly my eyes traveled over to the Hades table. It was empty as usual. I felt a slight pain in my heart. Nico never ate unless Hazel was there to drag him to the pavilion. A small smile formed on my face as I remembered a particular day when the son of Hades wouldn't come to the pavilion. The image of Hazel giving him a piggy back ride down to their table flashed across my mind.

"Whatcha doing Seaweed Brain? Surely you couldn't be thinking such complex thoughts to not even touch your blue... Chicken noodle soup? Percy,"

Annabeth said in a credulous voice,

"its breakfast, why did you think of chicken noodle soup?"

I looked at my choice of breakfast material and it immediately reminded me of my mom. Whenever I felt sick or even sad, my mom would always make blue chicken noodle soup for me. Even though it was just food coloring, it always made me happy. I took a sip, this time, it did nothing. No comfort from the taste, no feeling of my worries washing away with a simple sip, it gave me none of the feelings that my mom's soup used to. I don't know why it would, she didn't make it, but the fact made my heart hurt. I just felt hollow. I looked up at Annabeth and smiled,

"Just feeling a little homesick, I guess, Wisegirl."

I replied, which wasn't a lie. She nodded and got up, walking towards the forest. I wish I were Annabeth, she had smarts, siblings at camp, and no issues with feeling like nothing or not belonging. I subconsciously got up from the table, scraping some food into the fire for Poseidon, and walked aimlessly around camp.

I ended up walking to the strawberry fields and sitting in the sun. The strawberries gave off the most wonderful smell. I looked around to see who was working. I spotted Will Solace, a son of Apollo, a few Demeter girls who were growing the biggest strawberries I've ever seen, and some other campers who looked like they were just lounging around instead of working. A pool of darkness stepped out of Will's shadow and ruffled his hair. He whipped around and saw the one and only, Nico di Angelo. Will laughed and they both smiled and started talking. I felt a ping of jealously ripple through my body. Wait, jealousy? For who? Nico? Will? Or maybe the fact that they both had someone to talk to and laugh with? Yeah, that's probably it. I hadn't really talked to Nico much lately, I'm fairly certain that he hates me, but I would really appreciate a good conversation with him. I got pulled out of thought by a few taps on my shoulder. I turned around and met onyx eyes. Nico.