Hyacinths and Halcyons

cHaPtEr SeVeNtEeN: Delia gets Attacked by a Lion (Sophie)

Argus immediately poofed into a powder-y substance. He had clearly died. Being a "monster," he'd probably be back in about a week. But I couldn't worry about that right now.

I had to worry about my survival. There had to have been a monster or something that was behind this.

As soon as I felt okay, I grabbed Delia's bow and tossed it to her. She understood enough to grab it and prepare for a fight.

In the crash, I had lost my dagger. It was probably somewhere in the destroyed car, but I didn't have enough time to find it.

I glanced up. Delia was outside, shooting the monster over and over. She hit her mark every single time, but it didn't affect the monster at all.

That's when I realized what our enemy was.

We were facing the Nemean Lion.

A monster that couldn't be harmed.

"DELIA! IT'S THE NEMIAN LION! YOU CAN'T KILL IT; SHOOT IN ITS MOUTH!" I yelled.

"No shit, Sherlock," she responded. "I know what it- AAAARRGHHHHH!"

Kora screamed. The Nemean Lion had taken a lucky slash at Delia.

She fell.

I had no weapon. Kora was paralyzed with fear.

I had to do something.

But what?

Kora, still screaming, sprinted over to Delia.

"Don't you die, don't die, please don't die," she muttered over and over.

There was one thing to do.

I had to fight the Lion.

I'm hopeless with a bow. I can't hit a target when I'm five feet away.

But it's all I have to work with right now.

I ran over to Delia, snatched her quiver, and stole her bow from the ground beside her.

"Please, Apollo, help me. Just this once," I prayed to the god of archery.

I took a deep breath.

The Lion roared.

With a final gasp, I fired my arrow.

Right into its mouth.

Then it started choking.

"Die." That was Delia's shaky voice, still lined with panic and pain.

At least she was alive. That was all I could say.

The lion let out one last shriek and fell over, dead.

I ran to Delia. She was awake, and aside from the scars on her chest, she was okay.

"What do we do now?" Kora asked.

"I don't know about you guys, but I know what I'm doing. I quit. You guys go on. I am going back to Camp Half-Blood. Where it's safe and I'm not nearly dying all the time. Don't try to stop me, or I'll kill you." That last part was a lie, but they didn't need to know that.

"Sophie... are you sure?" came Delia's panic-stricken voice. Her eyes shut as soon as she spoke, and her breathing slows.

I wavered. Was I sure? What if they died? Would the others at camp make fun of me?

A single glance at Delia's blood-drenched clothes gave me my answer.

"Yes, I'm sure. Don't follow me."

I turned around to the wreck of the car and found my dagger lying on the ground. How it got there, I had no idea. I grabbed it and walked off in the opposite direction.

All I could hear were Kora's cries in the distance as I got further and further away.