dissolving. My name was Percy Jackson. I reached up and took Annabeth's hand.

 

Suddenly I burst out of the river. I collapsed on the sand, and Nico scrambled

back in surprise.

 

"Are you okay?" he stammered. "Your skin. Oh, gods. You're hurt!"

 

My arms were bright red. I felt like every inch of my body had been broiled over

a slow flame.

 

I looked around for Annabeth, though I knew she wasn't here. It had seemed so

real.

 

"I'm fine ... I think." The color of my skin turned back to normal. The pain

subsided. Mrs. O'Leary came up and sniffed me with concern. Apparently I smelled

really interesting.

 

"Do you feel stronger?" Nico asked.

 

Before I could decide what I felt, a voice boomed, "THERE!"

 

An army of the dead marched toward us. A hundred skeletal Roman legionnaires led

the way with shields and spears. Behind them came an equal number of British

redcoats with bayonets fixed. In the middle of the host, Hades himself rode a

black-and-gold chariot pulled by nightmare horses, their eyes and manes