Gracie Jackson

~ Part 20 ~

Boy oh boy could my grandma cook. We talked for hours about my dad's life before finding out he was a demigod. I didn't hear these stories often because they weren't the ones all the campers talked about. I wonder what I would've been like if I didn't know I was a demigod? Anyways, the hour struck twelve and we knew we'd better get back to camp. Sally offered to drive us but it was far too late. We caught a cab and headed for Half-Blood Hill. We were almost there when a loud mooo was heard from behind us. My father had faced this beast twice and killed it but I was the only one armed, I tapped my ring and braced myself.

         The Minotaur wasn't as big as you'd imagine, it was bigger. The driver let us out of the cab a mile away from Camp Half-Blood and sped off. I don't know what he saw over the mist but It must not have been good.

    Connor and Jasper looked ready to defend themselves barehand but the Minotaur was fully armed. We'd never be able to defeat it. Connor shot to the sky and struck the beast with lighting but it was like nothing had happened, the Minotaur didn't even flinch. Jasper was next, he pulled panpipes out of his goat fur and started playing, the roots growing around the beast wouldn't hold him. The Minotur got angry and swatted Connor right out of the sky, he flung into the ground so hard that he created a crater. Jasper and I ran towards it and Connor was passed out inside. We must have mutually decided to not fight without actually speaking because we both grabbed one of Connor's arms and started running. We were about halfway to Camp when Jasper passed out too. Playing the panpipes must have taken all of his energy because he was out cold. Just then the MInotaur broke free of its roots. I grabbed one of Connor's arms and one of Jasper's and started to drag them to Camp. There was no way I'd make it, I could barely see the top of the hill. But I could see a figure standing there waiting. No not one but many. Could the whole camp be up there? I got distracted and tripped causing Connor to moan. I cursed under my breath, It wasn't until then that I realized Connor had a huge gash along his side. His shirt was soaked with blood and so was mine. I didn't realize when it started but I was crying, there was just no way I'd have the strength to get both of them up the hill and safely into the camp's borders. I had to. I couldn't let them die on this hill. I pulled harder and went faster, the MInotaur was almost directly behind me, I had no choice. I could see the faces at the top of Half-Blood Hill but could they see us? I let loose a scream and felt a familiar pull in my gut. If they didn't see us before they did now, water was coming from all over and holding Connor and Jasper up I pushed the waves to the top of the hill and started running. I was exhausted and stumbled every so often, allowing the Minotaur to get closer and closer until I could feel it's breath. I ran as fast as I could and I saw Chiron running towards me. He wouldn't make it in time. I tripped completely over a stump and was suddenly in the meaty hands of the Minotaur. I tightened my grip on my dagger and stabbed it in the stomach, praying to all the gods that this would work. While he was distracted with the blade in his stomach I once again controlled the water around me, I don't know how I did it but the water created two fists that were synced with my hands. I punched the air in a swipe and the water punched the bull, causing him to drop me, I jumped onto a strand of water below me and surfed it to the top of the hill. Chiron shot an arrow straight through the bull's heart, killing it and helped me land safely. I was right, every camper was watching me with their mouth open. Then I was fired question after question. I don't know if it was from all the attention or the exhaustion but I passed out.