Cole lifts me off the ground and carries me away from the flaming cabin. "Why your cabin?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Maybe they have a grudge against Zeus, but whoever they are could still be here, so we need to go, now."
"What if there is someone trapped in there?" I ask. He shakes his head as if to say do not even think about it. I jump out of his arms and spray the cabin with water. There is a big wave of smoke and then it settles. Ashes rain down from the sky like blackened snow. I slowly approach the broken cabin, kicking away rubble.
I hear a small cry and then a moan.
Patricia lays in the rubble gasping. I run to her and kneel down beside her. There is a thick, wooden column coming out of her abdomen. Blood slips from her lips as she gasps for precious air.
"Cole!" I scream. I place my hand on her darkened face, wiping away the stray ashes. "Patricia, listen to me stay awake. Please, you have to stay awake!" I say. She lifts her hand and places it on my arm.
"Take care of him." She gasps once more and then she is silent. Her hand falls limp on a old map that used to hang on the wall.
"Cole, Percy, anyone, help!" I scream, tears streaming down my face. Behind me, I hear rapid footsteps and faint talking. Paramedics surround Patricia, blocking my view. Some one wraps their arms around me, and I look up to see Percy. I hug my brother tightly and cry, I cry for the loss, cry for Patricia, for everyone else who is lost.
"Where is my sister!" I hear someone scream. I see Jason ad Cole standing to the side. The stretcher walks by with a black cover. Jason falls to his knees, and sobs. Cole looks lost, as if he can't comprehend what just happened. He lifts his eyes, locking them with mine, and they ask the million dollar question. I look away, unable to answer. But that is all the answer he needs. He flies away, so fast I don't even see what direction he went in. I feel fresh tears well in my eyes and I wipe them away, turning away from Percy to find Cole.
"Cole, Cole!" I search the entire camp, then the surrounding woods. He seems to have disappeared. I hear a roar and turn around, only to dodge a big sledge hammer at the last minute. A large Cyclops is standing above me. I scream and pull out my knives, dodging feverishly as the Cyclops swings at me. I jump to avoid being smashed only to get punched into one of the surrounding trees. My gaze goes hazy as I try to focus on the enemy. I hear him grunt, and then his big hammer comes swinging at my head. I close my eyes and block my face, waiting for the blow that never comes.
"Jade," I am lifted up and held close. "What the hell were you thinking?" Cole's eyes are full of worry.
"I wasn't thinking, I was worried about you," I whisper. I place my hand on his cheek. "You're hurt." There is a long gash on his forehead.
"I'm fine, Jade." He says. I feel tears well in my eyes again.
"This is all my fault!" I say into his chest. There are tears rolling down my face now.
"Jade, it is just a cut."
"No, Patricia is." He lets go of me and sits me on a log. "She died because I killed Tyler. So many have died because of me. I'm a monster."
"You can't have known that. Plus not everyone hates you."
"Cole she is dead because of me!" I scream. He steps back, but then grabs my chin and makes me look at him.
"Stop that," he growls, "don't say it again. She is not dead because of you, she is dead because some lunatic blew up the cabin."
"It is my fault they did," I say.
"Jade I don't blame you."
"That isn't enough!" I yell. "It will never be because I blame myself and that will never change!" I collapse, covering my face to suppress my sobs.
Cole wraps his arm around me and pulls me to him. I cry, but I feel water drip on me. I don't realize Cole is crying until I feel his shoulders shake.
"Cole, no, don't." I stand and lead him to the beach house that I built a while ago at the side of camp. I lay down on the sofa and he takes the bed. We drift off, haunted by dreams of the day.