What If Three Days Meant Forever?

Will POV

I found myself sitting in a pitch black room with a single light swinging above me.

"Hello?!" I called out hoping maybe someone would help me. "Is anyone here!?" I could hear nothing except for my own voice echoing off of the walls that I couldn't see or maybe they just weren't there at all.

"Will..." A hoarse voice said off to my left. I whipped around as another swinging light flicked on, this time, hanging above the cowering form of Alex Montgomery. "Will... please... save me..." There was a javelin still pierced in her gut and her face was pale and sweaty.

I carefully made my way over and crouched to her level on the floor. "Alex? Come on, I have to get you out of here." I muttered as I gripped gently onto her elbows and tried to ease her to her feet.

"No!" She bellowed, her face constricting in pain as she did. "Can't you see? You did this to me. Not a child of Mars or Ares. You. You are the reason I'm gone. Haven't you done enough yet?"

I backed away from her, feeling as though I myself had been run through. I opened my mouth to try and speak, try to deny her words but I just clamped it shut again and shook my head.

"Will..." I whirled around to face the voice that was now coming from behind me. I felt warm tears begin to well in my eyes as another swinging light came on.

"Ch-Charlie! Silena!" I gasped, excitement obvious in my voice. I ran over to them, only to be met with a grease covered hand propped in front of my face.

"Look what you've done to us, Will." Beckendorf said and suddenly, the arm propped in front of him broke off and crawled away on the floor and I felt a scream claw it's way from my throat and into the open air. His right leg then broke with a sickening snap and he leaned against Silena for support.

"You couldn't save us. Why should we hug you for that?" Silena said with disgust. The skin on her face began to melt right off the bone with speckles of green drakon poison now visible in the whites of her eyes.

"Guys, there was n-nothing I could really do! I was nowhere near you, Charlie and- and Silena, I couldn't have-"

"Will." Another voice hummed from behind me and I turned around in exasperation to see the bloodied and battered form of Leo Valdez standing dejectedly under a swinging light. "Come on, man. Not cool."

"But-"

"Will..." And then it was many voices, all in sync coming from all around the room. A bigger light came on and I could see everyone. Campers in orange t shirts were suddenly stepping forward, trapping me in a circle of guilt. When one stepped out of the crowd, I felt bile rise in the back of my throat, but I quickly swallowed it back down.

Autumn Hex from Hecate Cabin.

She still had the claw sticking out of her forehead, the blood looking as fresh as when it first happened during the Titan War.

"Remember us, Will," she began, "You couldn't save any of us. Remind me again how you became head doctor?" She said with a cackle.

I realized with a start she was right. I couldn't save any of these people, so why was I the head medic? Anyone of my siblings could do a much better job, I'm sure. "I- I tried to save you-" I muttered out in a lazy defense, but they all cut me off.

"You just weren't good enough!" I felt myself sink to the floor and tuck my head down into my knees as they began to chant.

"YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT. YOU COULDN'T SAVE ME. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

For a moment, I thought I was screaming but the sound couldn't have been coming from me. No, instead it felt like just a small tickle to the back of my skull.

***

I wake up with a start, sweat trailing down my back and my eyes surely bloodshot.

Images from the dream come flooding into my mind and I feel tears begin to well in my eyes. I sniffle before biting them back.

No.

I can't cry.

I won't.

Crying isn't going to solve anything. All that will come out of it is the fact that I'll probably never stop. I place my face in my sweaty palms and breathe in a shaky breath. "You're okay." I whisper to myself.

I gingerly lay back down and stare up at the top bunk, breathing in the scent of clean linen and dried sage, hoping it will make me forget.

***

I wake up feeling refreshed, the horrendous dream pushed to the back of my mind. I stretch out my arms and decide to go over to Cabin Thirteen to give Nico a little visit.

I slip on a camp shirt and a pair of khakis before heading over. I don't bother to knock on the door, but instead push it open and find Nico and Monique lying on the floor.

"Nico? Monique? What the heck happened here?" I ask, watching Nico's nose scrunch up adorably in confusion.

"We, uh, has a pillow fight." You don't say I think as I look around at the mess. Things are knocked off the shelves and the drawers are pushed open. I noticed a book lying open on his bed, the covers pushed over it.

"Okay?" I say, questioning what it could've been about.

"Yeah..." Nico replies groggily.

Silence.

Nothing can be heard except for the faint breathing of Monique who is fast asleep.

"Do you want to go take a walk on the beach?" I say, hopeful to break the silence. "Exercise will probably help with-"

"Sure." He replies as he ushers me out of the cabin so he could get dressed.

I stand there on the porch for a while, having a burst of annoyance and pride when people stare and whisper from across the lawn in different cabins. Let them stare, I think. Let them see you and your amazing boyfriend together. As if to prove my point, Nico walks out wearing a black t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans.

I offer my hand which he gladly accepts and we make our way to the beach. As we go, I can't help but notice this look on his face. Somewhere between a smile and being really deep in thought.

I brush it off until the smile he was wearing drops and he slightly hesitates on our walk.

I poke at his cheek lightly. "Why are you frowning?"

"Was I?" He asks. I scrunch my eyebrows at that. What was he thinking of so hard? I squeeze his hand and bump him a little to which he smiles.

He'll tell me when he's ready.