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The nightmare had ended. Andy was grateful for being alive. She was even thankful for the pieces of herself that managed to remain intact. But the tears still welled in her eyes. She was exhausted, the adrenalin was wearing off, and she had yet to see her brother, Trinity or Mason since the chaos vanished. Gods damn Mason for not staying put. She'd kill that stubborn ox when he shows back up if he isn't already dead. Still, deep down, she prayed that he'd show up and save her one last time.
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, stilling herself to find the strength to get up. Somewhere not far off she heard a gasp and the strange sporadic sound of something getting closer. Andy's eyes snapped open, startled, when Iliana dropped on the ground beside her. "Andy? Is there anything I can get you? I am not well versed in handling injuries, but I want to help."
Andy slowly, and sorely, sat up. "You should be helping yourself and your friend," she replied, nodding towards Nelly. "I'm just tired." While she didn't wish anyone at camp any ill will, she still harbored some sourness toward the daughter of Hermes. She was fully aware her private life was no secret, but hearing someone gossip about it still rubbed her the wrong way.
Luckily, Rae's arrival sidetracked the conversation so Andy didn't have to think of an excuse to refuse help. Ok, that's a lie. She had some injuries that definitely needed addressing, but her focus was on getting to the arena to get everyone what they needed, and finding her friends.
Rae knelt down on the ground beside her. "Andy? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just having a small mental breakdown," Andy answered with a halfhearted chuckle. "Normal things." She was thankful for an excuse to put back up her sarcastic facade. Now wasn't the time to be feeling sorry for herself. She could cry about it later.
"Stupid question, I know. None of us are okay, but at least we are alive." That was the truth of it. Rae smiled as she stood up and offered Andy a hand. "Up, up, Wonder Woman."
Andy nodded her head, before taking Rae's proffered hand and got to her feet, if a bit wobbly. "Thanks," she muttered softly.
Before Rae wandered off toward to take a seat in the stands, she looked back over her shoulder at Andy. "Thanks for the armor, by the way. Good looking out!"
The brunette smiled weakly and nodded her head. "No problem."
At that point campers had started flooding into the colosseum, some sat in the stands, others congregated in small groups, or even laid defeated and exhausted on the ground. With a deep breath and all the focus she could muster, Andy waved her hands at the center of the arena. Over a dozen tents flickered into existence around the perimeter like an old TV coming to life. Each structure had canvas walls and curtain doors that could be closed for privacy. Inside every tent was a pair of cots with a fresh pair of pajamas resting on the pillow, and a stocked first aid cart.
Her gaze drifted over to Iliana and Nelly, whom still remained on the ground. Andy didn't have it in her to help them to their feet, if anything she'd just fall back over under their weight. With the last ounce of power she had in her, she waved her hand at the girls. They levitated off the ground, floated into the first tent and were set gently upon the cots.
Andy's legs felt like jello, drained of whatever energy she had left. Her hand reached out and braced herself against the first thing she could find, which happened to be Nick's shoulder. She blinked a few times before realizing who it was and what she did. "Sorry," she mumbled as she wiped away the blood that began to fall from her nose. "Just give me a moment," she pleaded under her breath for only him to hear.
Once the dizziness had subsided, Andy released her hold on Nick's shoulder with an apologetic smile. "Thanks." She gave his arm a gentle pat, then slowly made her way along the line of tents. Her eyes searched the crowd as she walked, but there still was no sight of Daniel, Trinity or Mason. She continued past several empty tents before finally entering one before she passed out in front of everyone. She'd just have to hope that they would show up, or at least try to get some rest before running out to find them.
Her legs buckled as she lowered herself onto the cot, her muscles unable to support her weight any longer. Finally alone, she let her gaze fall to her left arm. She stared at the blood stained bandages for a long moment, scared to see the state of her arm beneath them. With clenched teeth, she slowly and carefully began unwinding the cloth and peeling it away from her skin. Now that she had the time to look at the wound properly, she counted herself lucky that she still had use of her left hand. Everything below the elbow looked as though it was shoved through a meat grinder.
There was a part of her that wanted to ask for help, but the more stubborn, hard headed, part of her wanted to address it before Mason showed up and chastised her. Andy took a rag from the cart and put in her mouth to bite down on. Then, before she could talk herself out of it, she popped the cap of a bottle of peroxide, and dumped its contents over her tattered arm. The intense stinging made her jaw clench tight as she groaned into the rag.
The nightmare had ended. Andy was grateful for being alive. She was even thankful for the pieces of herself that managed to remain intact. But the tears still welled in her eyes. She was exhausted, the adrenalin was wearing off, and she had yet to see her brother, Trinity or Mason since the chaos vanished. Gods damn Mason for not staying put. She'd kill that stubborn ox when he shows back up if he isn't already dead. Still, deep down, she prayed that he'd show up and save her one last time.
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, stilling herself to find the strength to get up. Somewhere not far off she heard a gasp and the strange sporadic sound of something getting closer. Andy's eyes snapped open, startled, when Iliana dropped on the ground beside her. "Andy? Is there anything I can get you? I am not well versed in handling injuries, but I want to help."
Andy slowly, and sorely, sat up. "You should be helping yourself and your friend," she replied, nodding towards Nelly. "I'm just tired." While she didn't wish anyone at camp any ill will, she still harbored some sourness toward the daughter of Hermes. She was fully aware her private life was no secret, but hearing someone gossip about it still rubbed her the wrong way.
Luckily, Rae's arrival sidetracked the conversation so Andy didn't have to think of an excuse to refuse help. Ok, that's a lie. She had some injuries that definitely needed addressing, but her focus was on getting to the arena to get everyone what they needed, and finding her friends.
Rae knelt down on the ground beside her. "Andy? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just having a small mental breakdown," Andy answered with a halfhearted chuckle. "Normal things." She was thankful for an excuse to put back up her sarcastic facade. Now wasn't the time to be feeling sorry for herself. She could cry about it later.
"Stupid question, I know. None of us are okay, but at least we are alive." That was the truth of it. Rae smiled as she stood up and offered Andy a hand. "Up, up, Wonder Woman."
Andy nodded her head, before taking Rae's proffered hand and got to her feet, if a bit wobbly. "Thanks," she muttered softly.
Before Rae wandered off toward to take a seat in the stands, she looked back over her shoulder at Andy. "Thanks for the armor, by the way. Good looking out!"
The brunette smiled weakly and nodded her head. "No problem."
At that point campers had started flooding into the colosseum, some sat in the stands, others congregated in small groups, or even laid defeated and exhausted on the ground. With a deep breath and all the focus she could muster, Andy waved her hands at the center of the arena. Over a dozen tents flickered into existence around the perimeter like an old TV coming to life. Each structure had canvas walls and curtain doors that could be closed for privacy. Inside every tent was a pair of cots with a fresh pair of pajamas resting on the pillow, and a stocked first aid cart.
Her gaze drifted over to Iliana and Nelly, whom still remained on the ground. Andy didn't have it in her to help them to their feet, if anything she'd just fall back over under their weight. With the last ounce of power she had in her, she waved her hand at the girls. They levitated off the ground, floated into the first tent and were set gently upon the cots.
Andy's legs felt like jello, drained of whatever energy she had left. Her hand reached out and braced herself against the first thing she could find, which happened to be Nick's shoulder. She blinked a few times before realizing who it was and what she did. "Sorry," she mumbled as she wiped away the blood that began to fall from her nose. "Just give me a moment," she pleaded under her breath for only him to hear.
Once the dizziness had subsided, Andy released her hold on Nick's shoulder with an apologetic smile. "Thanks." She gave his arm a gentle pat, then slowly made her way along the line of tents. Her eyes searched the crowd as she walked, but there still was no sight of Daniel, Trinity or Mason. She continued past several empty tents before finally entering one before she passed out in front of everyone. She'd just have to hope that they would show up, or at least try to get some rest before running out to find them.
Her legs buckled as she lowered herself onto the cot, her muscles unable to support her weight any longer. Finally alone, she let her gaze fall to her left arm. She stared at the blood stained bandages for a long moment, scared to see the state of her arm beneath them. With clenched teeth, she slowly and carefully began unwinding the cloth and peeling it away from her skin. Now that she had the time to look at the wound properly, she counted herself lucky that she still had use of her left hand. Everything below the elbow looked as though it was shoved through a meat grinder.
There was a part of her that wanted to ask for help, but the more stubborn, hard headed, part of her wanted to address it before Mason showed up and chastised her. Andy took a rag from the cart and put in her mouth to bite down on. Then, before she could talk herself out of it, she popped the cap of a bottle of peroxide, and dumped its contents over her tattered arm. The intense stinging made her jaw clench tight as she groaned into the rag.