Annabeth Chase and the Lightning Thief

Chapter 18 - I bore the boys to death

On the second day, I saw one of my favourite buildings. I had to twist my neck so I could see the Gateway Arch out of the train window as we pulled into St Louis. It loomed over us, causing me to feel the usual surge of amazement and inspiration I always got when I see such amazing architecture.

"I want to do that," I sighed to myself.

"What?" Percy asked, overhearing.

"Build something like that. You ever seen the Parthenon, Percy?"

"Only in pictures."

"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."

Percy started laughing. "You? An architect?"

I blushed with embarrassment. I didn't like people making fun of my dreams.

"Yes, an architect," I snapped. "Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."

Percy's face closed up and and he looked away, staring into the Mississippi as we passed it. I immediately felt guilty. It wasn't his fault that his father was Poseidon. He didn't ask to be a demigod.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "That was mean."

"Can't we work together a little?" Percy pleaded, widening his eyes so he looked like a cute baby seal. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever co-operate?"

I hesitated. I had to think about that one. There were so many myths of Athena and Poseidon against each other that it was hard to remember any that they worked together in.

"I guess . . . the chariot," I said tentatively. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

"Then we can cooperate, too. Right?"

I bit my lip. Despite myself, I found that I wanted to. Percy didn't seem like a bad guy. He was brave and although he didn't act like it, he was still pretty smart.

"I suppose so," I answered.

The train stopped and the loudspeaker announced that we had a three-hour delay until we can continue on to Denver. I decided to use the most of the time we had.

"Come on, goat boy," I said as Grover woke sleepily. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?" he mumbled in confusion, shaking his head so he was fully awake.

"The Gateway Arch," I told him. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"

Percy and Grover looked at each other. I could tell that neither wanted to, but they also didn't want to leave me. We were a team now.

"As long as there's a snack bar without monsters," Grover said eventually.

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It didn't take long to reach the Arch. It was only a mile from the train station and once we reached the underground museum, I was in heaven. I darted from artifact to artifact, reading everything I could on how the Arch was constructed. It was fascinating, especially seeing how little machinery and tools they had to use back then.

The boys were less enthusiastic, strolling along behind me and munching on food. They muttered to each other but I was too preoccupied to notice what they were talking about.

I was reading about the construction equipment available to the workers when Percy interrupted me.

"Guys," he said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"

I looked up and saw how agitated he was, fiddling with his hands and darting looks around at everything. ADHD with sugar wasn't a good mix.

"Yeah," I said, just to amuse him.

"Well, Hade -"

"We're in a public place," Grover interrupted suddenly, looking at Percy meaningfully. "You mean, our friend downstairs?"

"Um, right," Percy said, looking more nervous. "Our friend way downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness," I said, feeling insulted that he was comparing my cap to Hades'. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting."

"He was there?"

I nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus - the darkest day of the year. But his helmet is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, if what I've heard is true . . ."

"It allows him to become darkness," Grover continued. "He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"

"But then . . . how do we know he's not here right now?"

Grover and I grimaced at each other.

"We don't," Grover answered.

"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better," Percy said sarcastically. "Got any blue jelly beans left?"

We kept moving through the museum until we got to the elevator that would take us to the top of the Arch. Percy looked more nervous than ever, but I managed to get him on.

We ended up with a fat lady and her Chihuahua. It glared at us, particularly Grover. It sniffed suspiciously at his legs and yapped angrily. He moved discreetly away, putting Percy and I between him and the dog.

The fat lady was watching us closely, her beady eyes glinting with a strange light.

"No parents?" She asked us.

I jumped in before Percy could tell another ridiculous story.

"They're below. Scared of heights."

"Oh, the poor darlings," the woman sighed, although she didn't sound very sorry.

The Chihuahua was growling at us now, trying to get at Grover. It probably smelt the goat side of him.

"Now, now, sonny," that fat lady chided. "Behave."

"Sonny," Percy commented. "Is that his name?"

She smiled at him. "No."

Percy looked confused but he let it drop. We stepped out of the elevator in relief and the view took my breath away. You could see practically the whole city, although the windows were annoying to look out of.

"I would have made them bigger," I said, studying them critically. "Then you could take in more of the view. And the floor should be see-through. Wouldn't it be amazing to look down and see the whole city spread out underneath you?"

The boys weren't listening, but I didn't mind. I kept rattling on about the changes I would have made and how it was amazing how it was even done in the first place. I wanted to stay up there for a lot longer, but then the ranger told us that the observation deck would be closing soon. We had to go.

Percy looked relived. He steered Grover and I towards the elevator and piled us in. He went to climb in with us, then realised that the elevator was full.

"Next car, sir," the ranger told him.

I felt alarm rush through me. We couldn't leave him alone. He'd probably be killed in seconds.

"We'll get out," I said, moving to step back only the observation deck. "We'll wait with you."

"Naw, it's okay," he said. "I'll see you guys at the bottom."

Grover looked as nervous as I felt. But we let the doors shut and I felt myself hoping that everything would be alright. It was only for a few minutes. Nothing could go wrong.

I had no idea how wrong I was.