Run | TMR X PJO [ Editing ]

Five | Group B

Chapter five, in which Annabeth makes some very bad choices.

Annabeth was pretty sure being a Runner wasn't the first thing that she would volunteer for. It wasn't that she had to sprint around all day, or that she might die at any moment—that she could deal with. But that stupid Keeper was a pain. No, she couldn't go off on her own. No, she couldn't stop to map everything. No, that vine did not have a secret camera. Kathy had sort of a point. But Annabeth couldn't help that she was so hyper-active, even more than some of the younger Gladers. It was tiring, jogging around the Maze, following the Keeper, who insisted she stay with her for a week as part of her 'training.' Take a left here, chop a vine, then take a few sharp turns.

Every couple hours or so they would stop for water. The cool liquid felt like a bit of heaven. Then it was back to running. For a girl who told Annabeth not to waste water by talking, she sure was a hypocrite. She rambled on and on about what an honor it was to be a Runner and how she became Keeper.

She finally had enough. "Would you shut up?"

Kathy whirled around. "Did you just—"

She was cut off by the crunch of her jaw as Annabeth landed a punch. "I said, shut up."

"We'll see who shuts up when the Grievers find you," she hissed and took off without her.

The first thing Annabeth did was weigh her options. Did she have what it took to make it back to the Glade on her own? Most likely, yes. And did she need that bloody Keeper yapping her hole off? No. So Annabeth liked her chances against whatever was out there. Maybe she would even figure out the Maze and get them all out of there. Or maybe she would die a horrible death and her body would rot away, lost forever. She shrugged and started to jog back the way they came. It wasn't so hard, really. She just followed the trail of ivy that Kathy cut off. Follow the trail of breadcrumbs, Annabeth laughed to herself. She ran about a mile or two and stopped for water.

Around the corner was a Griever. It was shuffling around, as if searching for something. Kathy didn't tell her it was part robot. It was rather fascinating, the way it moved and the aura of it itself. The problem was it was right where Annabeth needed to go. Making a run for it meant certain death. Climbing the vines seemed like a good choice, but they didn't grow past where the Griever was. There was no option but to hope that it would go away.

Obviously hoping wasn't good enough. The Griever was getting closer and closer. And closer. Click, clack. Annabeth pulled out her knife. In the shadow of the walls of the Maze, it cast an eerie glow. It was ten feet away, nine, eight. Five feet. Annabeth charged.

The Griever raised a spiked arm and brought it down upon Annabeth. Adrenaline surged, and she jumped aside. She ran to the side of it, stabbed the base of an arm, and sprang back. It roared, more annoyed than hurt. Another spiky arm crashed down, missing only by inches. By now Annabeth was regretting running off. She scrambled to her feet. If she ran for it now, she might just have enough time.

Annabeth took off, causing the Griever to look around in confusion. With an inhuman cry, it followed her. A turn here and there. Several times it nearly caught up to her. Every once in a while it would climb up on the wall and launch itself at her. It was late afternoon. The sun would set soon, and that would mean Annabeth was surely dead. Perhaps it got lucky. Maybe she slowed down. But somehow it ended up in front of her, snarling. She lashed out with her puny-looking knife. The Griever looked unperturbed. It poked a metal arm at her, almost experimentally. She hacked it away. Slowly, it pressed her until she backed into a dead end. There was nothing she could do. By now, the Griever knew it had her. Cat and mouse, Annabeth thought.

She got pinned to the wall. Her shirt had caught up in one of its arms. The Griever hissed and slowly advanced. Annabeth thought frantically. My name is Annabeth. Annabeth what? I don't remember my last name. I don't remember anything. Wait, I remember Percy. Percy with his sea-green eyes. I should be dead at any second now.

There was a scream. Maybe it was her, maybe she was already leaving her body and she would be seeing her dead body any second. And another scream. It wasn't her. It was the Griever. Two spears were buried deep into its slimy body. With a final cry, it fell over, dead.

"What just happened?" She shakily pulled the arm off her. Her knees shook as she stumbled over the dead body. She could see the Glade, it was right around the corner. But the doors.... they were starting to rumble. Only a hundred feet left. So close..... but Annabeth wasn't going to make it.

The world spun. A flash of red. A slightly familiar voice. More red, and swirls of color.

"Get up, Annie. I can't carry you all the way if you don't carry some of your shuck weight." Kathy! That red headed demon came back for her. She couldn't believe it! Of all people! Annabeth groaned and tried to walk on her own, only to be caught again by Kathy. "Nevermind. Almost...." They both finally stumbled into the Glade, right before the door closed.

"Holy klunk," Annabeth groaned. She was down on her knees. Some of the other girls grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up. She had no sense of direction, so it was impossible to tell where they were leading her. Kathy trailed behind them.

—

She felt sheets. Cool sheets. And a jumble of voices. A pair of beautiful sea green eyes. Maybe she imagined them, but they were there, at least in her mind. Several times someone called her voice.

"Annie. Annie! Wake up!"

Her eyes fluttered open. Kathy sat at the foot of the bed, her arms crossed. "Wha—"

"You've been knocked out for a day," she snapped. "Harriet! She's awake." And with that, she huffed and stormed out.

Gingerly, Annabeth propped herself up on the bed. Everything felt sore, and one of her arms was bandaged. She was in the Homestead, although she hadn't seen the room before. Harriet walked in, frowning. Without a word, she began to pace back and forth. It made Annabeth uneasy.

"Mind telling me what happened out there?"

Annabeth flinched. "I-I don't remember. Kathy left me... and I ran off.... something..."

Crossly, the leader scowled. "Save it for the Council."