The Lost Souls

They Go Snow Boarding With A Pig

The group had arrived on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. The air was cool and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.

Even with the coats that Bianca had pulled out of the shadows, the group was freezing by the time they got to Main Street, which was almost a half mile from the train tracks.

Percy, Thalia and Bianca started to get more jumpy knowing that skeletons would attack.

"Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus stations. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop!" said Grover.

"Yes," Zoe said. "Coffee is good."

"And pastries," Grover said dreamily. "And wax paper."

"You two go get coffee," Bianca offers. "Thalia, Percy and I can check and see if anyone can give us directions."

The group separated and the three walked into the grocery store.

Bianca grabbed five water bottles and threw a ten dollar bill on the counter.

"Better to be safe than sorry," Bianca murmured. "Just in case we have to heal Percy."

The group rejoined and the three demigods glare at their companions as they were handed hot chocolate while Grover and Zoe got coffee.

"We should do the tracking spell," Zoe said. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?"

"Umm," Grover mumbled. "I think so. I just need to-"

He froze.

Thalia, Percy and Bianca turned almost in unison to face a gust of wind, the warm breeze rustled past. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And something else-almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning.

Zoe gasped. "Grover, thy cup."

Grover dropped his cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away-a flock of tiny doves. Percy's rubber rat, that he bought at the store, squeaked and ran away.

Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow.

Instead of trying to wake him up Bianca and Thalia grabbed his arms and they all started walking toward the edge of town.

The group made it to the edge of town before the skeletons arrived.

They pulled out their guns and Bianca stomped her foot on the ground.

A fissure opened up and a group of skeleton warriors came out the bowed to Bianca and then started towards the the other skeletons.

Grover was mumbling as branches snapped.

Then a large boar ran towards them.

The group had gotten into the boar and they had stayed on the giant pig as it ran them into the desert.

They had slid off of it while it had been eating.

Then the group decided to camp for the night.

"I can cloak us in shadows," Bianca proposes. "That way no monsters can kill us in our sleep."

Thalia hands Bianca a book and Bianca smiles.

"What is that," Grover asks.

"Book of American History," Bianca smirks. "Everything after WWII."