In Which Zachary Sees Blood Upon the Waves<br/><hr/><br/><em>Water.<br/><br/>He was under water.<br/><br/>He started to relax as the cold, comforting waves closed around him and he drew the water into his lungs.  It was wrong though.  Something was terribly wrong.<br/><br/>The water was tinged crimson.  The waves were scarlet and he could hear the faint screams coming from the high above surface.  The screams grew louder as he struggled to swim towards the surface but he couldn't.  Something was holding him fast.<br/><br/>And the water was filled with blood, so much blood, as he twisted and tried to free himself from the grasp of whatever was trying to pull him deeper into the ocean's abysmal blackness.  He looked down and saw it then: a seemingly endless tentacle covered in barbs was snaked around his ankle. cutting deep furrows into his skin.  He opened his mouth to scream, to join the cacophony of terror that was filling his ears but no noise came out.<br/><br/>He was the corpse in the bloodied waves, staining the waters of his father's domain with his divine blood.  He felt his chest burn as some undecipherable words were carved into it by an unseen hand, a twisted, gnarled thing holding a sharpened piece of coral.  His heart fluttered as he died.  Life was fading and then the tentacle pulled him into the depths of the oceanic hell...</em><br/><br/>~~<br/><br/>Zachary woke up screaming.  His body was coated in sweat and he was breathing hard.  He tried to gulp air into his greedy lungs and for the first time in his life, he felt as though he had been drowning.  He closed his panic-stricken eyes and tried to focus, tried to calm down.  Breathing in and out, searching for the tranquility that the waves often brought only reminded him of the horrific nightmares that had plagued his sleep.<br/><br/>He had had dreams before and almost all demi-gods had vivid, often surreal dreams but this was unlike anything he had ever experienced.  His heart still thundering in his chest, Zachary got up and stumbled over to the small fountain that was near the back of his cabin.  Splashing some of the warm water on his face helped to wash the sweat off but brought him little peace of mind.  Only the sight of the ocean would do that.  Dressing hastily, he tossed on a pair of jeans, his boots, and a tank top and grabbed his sword belt as he headed out towards the Sound.<br/><br/>The sun was hardly above the horizon but the camp was in full swing.  The strawberries smelled heavenly and breakfast was just getting served.  But, the faint smell of the salty ocean was what made his blood sing as Zachary crested the path and smelled its scent upon the brisk breeze.  But instead of the sight of his father's waves, he say a hedge of briars and leaves blocking his passage to the Sound.<br/><br/>Something was wrong.  His panic returned and Zachary felt compelled to tear at the leaves, to clear them aside and plunge into the ocean, but in his heart, he knew that there was more to it all.  The path was blocked for a reason and only the most dire circumstances would force them to lock off some part of the camp. Something had happened and it had been terrible.<br/><br/>Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, he turned on his heels and jogged towards the Big House instead of the dining pavilion.  He had a feeling that only Chiron or, Gods forbid, Mr. D might have the answers to his feeling of unconscious dread.<br/><br/>(OOC: A note of sorts - I got the greenlight from Michi before posting the dream, just so you all know.)