Saving Your Life

Not Again

Hearing your bestie screaming for her life is enough to make you freak out. If you're that kind of person.
And I'm NOT that kind of person.
Charlie probably just fell off of the climbing wall. Or something. I've got this nagging doubt in the back of my mind, because Charlie has perfect balance and would never fall off the climbing wall, but I push it away. Oops, Charlie, I accidentally let you get abducted!
So I keep quiet and go on with my prank, which is by now pretty much busted. Annabeth and Percy have stood up and are looking wildly around for the source of the screaming. That's when Annabeth notices my artwork.
"Uh, Percy? Your hair..."
I know I'm busted, so I stand up and turn myself in.
"Has chewed gum placed carefully in a smiley face in it? Yes it does."
Annabeth's eyes find me up on the roof and her face turns completely red, like someone spilled cherry Kool Aid on her. Or blood. Take your pick.
"Ooh, Ella, you are in SOOO much trouble." She says, and I believe her. But that's when the screaming peaks in volume and we all turn toward the direction it's coming from, the beach. I knew Charlie had been down there this morning but she was with Leo, so I had stayed far, FAR away. But now it looked like she was in trouble. Annabeth and I started toward the beach. Percy just stood there for a second, a dumbfounded look on his face, and then took off after us. As we raced onward (I'm faster that Percy, I'm faster than Percy! Bwa haha!) I heard some muffled yelling that might have come from Leo, a louder yell, "oh no you didn't!" And then a very ominous silence. We've reached the soft sand of the beach now and I stop, taking in the horrifying scene: Leo sprawled on the sand, unconscious, and a huge monster holding Charleston high in the air over the sea. It's so big, it sends huge ripples out almost to meet us where we stand. She's fighting, but her blows aren't doing any good. I look around and see her bow and quiver lying on the sand, discarded, and feel an incredible sinking in my heart. Somehow I know we're not going to win this battle. Annabeth is drawing her dagger, but it's already too late. The monster plunges underwater, leaving nothing but a trail of bubbles in its wake. I scream, "Charlie!" To the empty air but no one replies. We run forward, out of our trance finally, but we can do no good.
Annabeth falls to her knees beside Leo and checks his pulse, but it's only a blur of movement to me with my eyes full of tears. I finally stop, knee deep in the ocean, but Percy dives in and shoots off. My tears mingle with the waves and I stand there forever.