Ella Jackson- Apollos legacy

6

8 days before the solstice.
We survived a furie, we survived a Minotaur, now what?
What could happen in 8 days?
Well, Me and Percy could survive anything now..

What I said about the bus we took and then later found the creepy Furie lady, I take all of that back and make it times 10 - because now, all of us are on a train to Los Angeles. And let me tell you, traveling by train is the way to go!

What the only thing annoying about a long train ride? Brothers.
Percy and Grover talked and ate sweets constantly. Annabeth looked at them, then out the window and over again until the only sentences she would say is how annoying the boys are. And I agreed.
On this train too, we had to sleep on it. And there were only 2 beds in the cabin.
Although Percy and Annabeth seemed to not really like each other, it seemed they were better. I could see it by the way Percy looked at her. They way he smiled and looked at her after a joke he made, and how when she figured the plan out like Athena, 5 times ahead, his eyes almost glowed.
I'm so glad I'm not their age. I don't want to think of boys like that... or girls... i don't know..

When we all woke up, which wasn't to hard to do since we were so uncomfortable, we all sat in the food cabin at a table and decided to talk about the plan since we now only have so much time left before maybe Zeus electrocutes us.

All was good-We had candy, we had almost the whole cabin to ourselves.. until a woman with a super annoying barking dog came in the cabin and sat across from us.
I like dogs! Love them actually, but I couldn't see this one's face from the carrier it was in and all it would do is growl or bark. And the woman did nothing! I bet if the dog pooped she still wouldn't do anything but if someone said "hey! Your dog is annoying!" Then she would call it her baby and she or he could do no wrong since it was a "puppy".
This was all the reasons my mom didn't want a dog. She said they were a lot of work and had to be taken care of all the time, and she would rather take care of us than a dog. I think she was scared what Gabe would do to the dog too. But I also think she didn't want to pick up poop or get too attached and call an animal her baby and for other people to say she's not teaching the dog good manners like sometimes people told her about me and Percy..

Then when we all were finally talking about important stuff as Annabeth called it, a police came up to our table.
"Ticket, please."
Annabeth gave him the ticket while we were silent for the first time in a while.
"You kids are in cabin 17B?"
He gestures us to our cabin and to walk with him.
When we get there, our cabin is a mess and the window is broken.
"Wait! You think we did this??" Percy says quickly.
"We were in the food cabin like the whole time! Also why would we break the glass to OUR cabin??"
The police looked at us and decided we were mini thieves and liars.
Annabeth asked if he was arresting us.

We now sat back in another cabin with another cop making sure we don't leave. At least the woman and her stupid dog were gone.

I spoke too soon. The woman and her dog in her purse carrier came to our cabin and said she wanted to speak with us. Of course the cop let her. She said she was the one who witnessed it happen. The window breaking and heard  "children's voices" after the crashing.

She came and sat down by Percy and me.
"You poor dears! This must be so scary for you! I'm a mom so I understand it's scary when your parents aren't around.." she smiled at all of us and almost memorized our facial features.
Then she asked the cop to give her a minute with us to give us a "mom speech". And the cop agreed?!

Then she changed. Her dog was growling and her face dropped. She started looking more serious. I looked at Annabeth who was now studying her. I then realized we didn't have our weapons. Which I'm sure Annabeth already figured out.

"Well, listen lady, i don't know who you are but I think I know what you are. We've come across monsters like you and we've sent them packing." Percy said in a scary non sarcastic way.
"Of course the monsters were like me!" She chimed. "They were my children."
"Mother of monsters.." Grover said piecing together what she said.
"Echidna." Annabeth stated.
The lady smiled. "And this my dears, is a family story. I wanted to protect against demigods like you. So I brought my pup here to help."
Her smile was scary. Percy and me were scared and it was like she could sense it. Annabeth touched Percy's leg and then her pocket. I wanted to know her plan.
"You should run now." Echidna smiled as her "dog" now growled and was starting to unzip the carrier.

A huge tail got Percy in the chest just before Annabeth got Percy's sword pen and stabbed the tail. We all ran. 
The police went after us too, but now they even stopped when pounding and crushing was happening along the train doors.
We got out of the train and were all speaking at once. I was almost yelling at Percy while Grover and Annabeth were trying to figure out what just happened. Percy then stopped walking.
"Percy? You okay?" I asked while stopping now too.
"Are you hurt? Did it get you?" Annabeth now said worriedly.
"Why? Do you think it's poisonous?" Percy exclaimed.

While we were getting away and the dog monster stopped chasing us for a bit, Percy looked sicker by the moment. We all tried to figure out how to help him, we got water bottles out of a vending machine, got him into a fountain of water, make him drink water, and almost anything with water since it helped last time when Poseidon claimed him at Catch the flag.
Then we heard another growl. It was closer now.

Annabeth had another idea.
"If we go to a place that was for the gods built by people, it should be safe from Echidna and her ... pet. And I think I know just the place."

We walked to the Gateway Arch.

As we thought we would be safe up above rather than down stairs, we headed for the top in an evaluator.
I held onto Percy's hand the entire time. Half of me was wet, but I had my brother by me. I was worried beyond words. I couldn't lose my mom and my brother. So Annabeth better be right.
As we got up there, Percy needed Grover's help to walk. We could hear the monsters stomping steps and Echidna's stupid "Don't worry dears! It will be over soon!" Like in a horror film.
As we were almost out and safe away, we got to the other side of the arch.   Percy told us to go ahead of him. He squeezed my hand and pushed me into Annabeth and Grover. He quickly swiped the sword from Annabeth and locked the door behind him with us inside. I banged on the wall.
I could hear all the sheathing of the sword, the claws and roars of the monster. I was angry at Percy. I could have helped him! Why would he think he was saving me from harm by leaving me and doing it himself??
Grover had to pull me away from the door and down the stairs.
I cried.
As we got down from the Arch, all I could do was look up. The arch was so tall. It was like a skyscraper. And I left my brother up there in it with a monster. It was like I couldn't breathe. My legs were shaky. My chest hurt. I thought I was dying. Grover hugged me and sat down on the pavement.
"He will be okay, Ella. He will be okay."
He said while I cried into him. It was like he was saying it to help me but also himself. I'm sure he didn't want to lose his best friend too.. but no matter what Grover felt, I could feel it 100 times harder.

While I was sinking down in the ground, Annabeth screamed. Me and Grover stood up immediately and all of us looked up. There was a hole in the arch. And it looked like someone was hanging out of it. And it had to have been Percy. A huge hand/paw kept brushing along Percy to make him slip. I screamed Percy's name over and over. It was like my mom's sacrifice all over again. The tears rushed down my face and then everything stopped. My ears were ringing. He was falling.

Then, like magic, the water pulled Percy up into a wave and pulled him underwater instead of him hitting the ground. Me, Annabeth and Grover ran to the fence of the water and called Percy's name.

About 10 minutes after and we all felt defeated, a sound of splashing hit the pavement.
Percy.
I ran as fast as I could without even knowing I was running. I didn't even see his face but hugged him so tight. He hugged me back really tight too.
"You scared me. Never do that again." I said while still crying a little.
"I scared me too." Percy laughed quietly.
After I let go and looked up at him, Annabeth came and hugged him too. We all stood for a moment until I smiled at Percy and then he hugged her back.

"Onto the next part then? I mean what could happen next, right??" Percy said while smiling wide.