Through Annabeth's Mind: Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief (Annabeth's POV)

14) My Dream Comes True

Hey readers! Since we took quite long to publish this chapter, we made sure it would be a long one, or at least longer than the others. We hope you enjoy it!! 

We finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. We stowed our backpacks. I felt uneasy and anxious so I took out my Yankees cap and held it nervously in my hand. I had a queasy sensation in my gut, then I realized it was because this looked so familiar, as if I had been on this bus before. That's when, with a jolt, I remembered my dream. It was the same bus, only that there were....

"Percy," I whisper-shouted and clamped my hand on his knee. My eyes widened with panic.

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, like pitch-black pits of darkness. My heart skipped a beat. I scrunched down in my seat. Behind her came two more of her buddies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat.

The Kindly Ones. All three of them. This was bad. Really, really bad.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves. How did I not realize earlier? I was so frustrated. How did I not remember before? We could have gotten off the bus. Now it was too late.

We pulled out of the station, and headed through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long," Percy said, trying to keep his voice from quivering and miserably failing. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," I answered. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," I told him. I started planning a way out. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" I suggested, getting a bit nervous.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel. Oh no, that's when they would attack.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said doubtfully. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," I reminded him. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

I thought about it. I mean, Percy did have a point (something that rarely ever happens).

"Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof...?"

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain. I shivered. Percy probably felt it, since it was his turn to press his hand on my knee... for reassurance. Or maybe it was because he needed it for himself.

One of the Furies got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus, "I need to use the restroom."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third sister.

They all started coming down the aisle. Our time was up.

In the dim light, I saw Percy looking at me, his eyes pleading for help, all of the color from his face gone. I probably looked the same.... That's when I got an idea.