(Ella's POV)
Percy, Annie, Grover & I, walked through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City made the night sky yellow behind us, & the smell of the Hudson reeked in our noses.
Grover was shivering & braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled & full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."
I was still in shock. My ribs hurt & my palm burned from the cut. But Annie pulled us along, saying: "Come on! The farther we get, the better."
"All our money was back there," Percy said. "Our food & clothes. Everything."
"Well, maybe if you hadn’t decided to jump into the fight-" She shot back.
"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?" He said cutting her off.
"You didn’t need to protect me, Percy. I would’ve been fine."
"Sliced like bread," Grover put in, "but fine."
"Shut up, goat boy." said Annie.
"Guys! All of you just, shut up okay! I know we're all on edge, but fighting isn't solving our damn problems."
They stared at me in stunned silence at my outburst. I pushed past them but staggered, wincing.
"Are you okay?" Percy asks grabbing my arm to steady me.
"I'm fine." I muttered as I walked on leaving them behind.
After few minutes, Annie fell into step beside me. We walked in silence for a few minutes until I said.
"I'm sorry, I snapped at you guys back there."
"Look, I..." Her voice faltered. "Don't blame yourself. We're the ones who should be sorry, okay? We deserved that. We were acting like kids."
"It's cool. We're a team after all."
The thunderstorm finally let up. The city glow faded, leaving us in total darkness. I couldn’t see anything of Annie her blond hair.
"You've gotten better with that knife," I said.
"You think so?"
"Oh, I know so." I couldn’t see, but I knew she might’ve smiled.
"You know...maybe I should tell you something funny back on the bus.."
Whatever she was gonna say was interrupted by a shrill toot-toot-toot.
"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried.
"Oh! Those were your reed pipes? Dang it! I thought you were torturing an owl..."
Percy & Annie laughed so hard they didn't see where they went & they slammed into the trees with an 'ouch' & 'oof'. I giggled.
"That happens when you make fun of a satyr. Especially in the presence of nature spirits." Grover said.
{~}
After tripping & generally feeling miserable for another mile, we saw light up ahead: the colors of a sign. I could smell fried, greasy, food. We walked until I saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side, a closed-down gas station, & an open business, which was the source of light.
It wasn’t a restaurant. It was that shop that sold garden equipment & stuff like that. The main building was long & low surrounded by statuary. The neon sign was impossible to read, because if there’s anything worse for a dyslexic, it’s cursive neon English.
To me, it looked like: ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM.
"What the heck does that say?" Percy asked.
"I don’t know." Annie & I said.
Grover translates: "Aunty Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium."
I cross the street, towards the smell of food.
"Hey..." Grover warned. Now I never ignore him, but this time I was hungry, so I did.
"The lights are on," Annie said. "Maybe it’s open."
"Snack bar?" Percy said wistfully.
"Snack bar." we agreed.
"Are you three crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird." But we ignored him & went inside.
"Okay, guys. Let's split up & look around. See if you can find anything useful." Annie said.
We split up despite Grover's protests. I was looking, when a panicked lady suddenly came out of nowhere, grabbed my hand & said.
"You have to get out of here. She's coming. She's here. Run. Leave before it's too late."
I don't know what she meant. That's when I heard a hiss & I instinctively shut my eyes.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the daughter of Zeus. The forbidden one, just like your sister...Thalia wasn't it.."
I couldn't open my eyes but I put two & two together. Aunty Em, Aunty M. Medusa! Crap! Then I felt a hard stone hand grip my wrist. The lady beside me had been turned to stone.
"Shut up!" I growled. "You don't know her."
"Oh, dear Eleanor." I flinched when she said my full name, "You know why she died. And what did your father do, hm?" I wanted to move but I couldn't because of the stone lady's grip.
"She was a mistake. Just like you. But, you can change that. You have such a beautiful face & my, my what lovely hair. I once looked just like you. But the cursed grey eyed one turned me into this! All you have to do is open your eyes. I want to see those beautiful blue eyes. Open them."
Her voice was soothing & I was about to open them when I heard a crash. Her footsteps receded. I opened one eye, she was gone.
"Guys! This is Medusa's lair. Be careful!" But I didn't know if they heard me. I try prying my hand out & finally slashed the stone with my sword. My wrist had started to bruise.
I ran back to the main warehouse.
It took me a good 20 minutes to make it. When I did, I saw Percy, Annie & Grover sitting with something plastic wrapped on the table.
"Did someone die? Why the long faces guys?"
Percy saw me first & ran over, practically lunging at me. He hugged me like I'd disappear if he let go.
"Nora! Where have you been?!" Annie asked.
"Just got caught up. But, I'm fine, mom."
She rolls her eyes & crushes me in a hug. "Ow, watch the ribs." She let go with a 'sorry'.
"I knew you'd come back. but they wouldn't listen to me." Grover said. I chuckled.
"Come on guys, we need a plan." Annie said. We nodded & followed her.
If you guys could vote for each chapter u like that'd be great. It would help me stay inspired to complete this story quicker.🙂
Until next time...👋🏻
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Take care my lovely readers.❤
Alice signing off.
XOXO.
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Daughter Of Lightning - Book 1(A Percy Jackson x OC Fanfic)
Fanfiction**CURRENTLY BEING EDITED** Meet Eleanor Grace a girl who looks no less than an angel from heaven - beautiful brown hair, sapphire blue eyes & a perfect smile. She loves to play the guitar, is great at sword fighting, & her archery skills remain unma...
