Forgotten Story

The Minotaur

The sound of crackling thunder woke me up, making me jump off my bed. Outside my room's little window, I could see the storm brewing- the kind of storm that tears off roofs and sends trees in the air. And as far as I could tell- we were in the middle of it.

Racing towards my suitcase, I rushed to put on my converse, pulling on a hoodie but not bothering to change out of my short or oversized t-shirt I had fallen asleep in. By the next thunder clap I was ready for an emergency get-away drive when mom burst through my door, hair in a disheveled bun and still in her pajamas. "Hurricane." She warned shortly before dashing out the door. I held back an arrogant response along the lines of; 'no *duh* Sherlock,' instead choosing to follow mom out the door like a responsible and normal child.

It wasn't normal for Long Island to have storms this early in the summer, let alone a hurricane. The weather didn't agree with logic though. The ocean's dark waters were churning with waves taller and much more destructive than our little cabin, the tide so high that the sand in front our front door was wet and hard like concrete.

Over the roar of the wind, there was a distant bellow- an enraged tortured sound that sent chills down my spine and my hair stand on end. The sound was familiar, sounding exactly like the sounds I heard when something bad happened. The sound that always meant bad news.

Percy came beside me in the living area, shaking and eyes wide. He had heard the scream too, and had mumbled something under his breath along to lines of 'not again.'

'Not again,' what did he mean not again? Dread settled in my stomach as realization rose in my mind. I never did ask what he was expelled for.

Before I could get the guts to ask him about it, there was a much closer noise, sounding like Judge Judy banging her mallet into the sand. Then there was a desperate voice outside our door, banging on it furiously like a mad man.

Percy unlocked the door, and a teen fell into the house, throwing the door closed behind him. He looked about Percy's age- short, and skinny, though he seemed to be well on his way to growing a beard.

His legs.

His legs were furry, with hooves for feet which made them resemble a goat. There were two furry hindquarters though- unlike Sahil's one- but the resemblance was still there.

I stumbled backwards, tripping on the rug and falling to the floor. Goat-man glanced at me, seeming a bit worried but quickly turned back to Percy. "O Zeu kai alloi theoi! It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?" The teen yelled, glancing at mom who had entered the room at some point. She stared down Percy in response, her eyes flashing in a way they never had before. "Percy. You tell me now!" She ordered.

Percy told her everything, rambling with wide eyes practically oozing with fear. The same fear he had back in their room at the apartment and the fear currently tearing my chest to pieces.

My throat closed up, my eyes burning with unshed tears. My lungs seemed unable to get enough air and burned with the effort to breathe. Everything seemed so blurry- am I crying- why can't I hear the thunder anymore? What the hell's happening-

Mom grabs me by the crook of my arm and drags me outside, the wind making our hair fly wildly in the air. We made it to the car, and she wasted no time pushing me into the back seat beside Mr.Goat-man, slamming the door shut behind me. I didn't get the chance to buckle before she had slammed her foot on the gas, making the car lurch forward with a screech.

"What's happening?!" I shouted, gripping onto the car armrest, my knuckles turning white. I got no reply, and mom made a hard turn left, the car screeching in protest. "Step on it!!!" Goat-man yelled, looking out the window with a frown. I followed his gaze.

The rain was pouring hard on the car, making it nearly impossible to see anything. But then there was a flash of lighting, illuminating the road behind us. A huge- thing charged after our camaro, big horns on his head and fur covering every inch of its body. It had a bull-face, and beady red eyes that shone dangerously in the light of the thunder.

I recognized the creature immediately. It was hard not to when your mom told your Greek myths instead of bedtime stories throughout your childhood.

The minotaur was after us. And those speedos didn't look good on him.

There was another hard turn left, and I forced my gaze away from the monster, unable to suppress my shivers. "Mom?! What's happening?!" Percy demanded, also gripping onto the armrest like his life depended on it. Mom glanced at him momentarily before turning back to the road. I glanced at the speedometer.

100 m/h. Good lord mother.

"Listen, there's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you two to safety." She finally answered.

"Safety from what?! Who's after us?!" Percy hollered.

"Oh, nobody much, just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his minions." Mr.Goat-man said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, WHAT?!" I yelled.

"Grover!" Mom yelled at the same time.

I ignored whatever the heck furry-legged man said, digging my fingers into the arm rest. Farmhouses, wooded hills, and advertisement signs faded into a blur as we raced past them. Percy yelled again, the question nearly drowned out by the roaring thunder overhead. However, I heard the reply.

"The summer camp I told you about. The one your father wanted you to go to." Mom's voice was tight as she answered, and I could imagine her pinched brows and wide, panic filled eyes. "The place you didn't want us to go?!" I threw my two-sense into the conversation, frowning at the back of my mom's head. I immediately recoiled at my actions, bile beginning to rise up the back of my throat as mom began to plead.

What was wrong with me? What could possibly be so wrong with me that I couldn't even hold my own tongue? That I snap at the one of the only people who seems to not be out for my blood?

The car made another harsh turn, snapping me out of my thoughts and throwing me into furry-goat man as my hands slipped from the armrest. Whoever was chasing us just narrowly missed our car. A moment of silence passed, only the rain, constant thunder, and my racing heartbeat making any sound. The silence was abruptly broken, the banging sound of metal being crushed, and the feeling of being weightless overtaking my senses. The feeling didn't last for long. We crashed back into the ground, the car rolling a few times in the dirt.

'Not a single scratch.' I distantly thought of Gabe's voice. Well. At Least it's not really a scratch...

Mom's yelling brought me back into reality, and I grumbled out a somewhat comprehensible reply. I dragged myself to the passenger car door, kicking it open. The metal clattered to the ground. "Use the passenger side!" I yelled before climbing out. As soon as my feet touched the ground, my vision blurred and my throat burned with the returned bile.

I threw up.

I was yanked away from the yellow pile of disgustingness and practically dragged away from the car at a fast pace. "Kalia! We've got to move!" Mom yelled over the wind, barely even glancing over her shoulder to look at me. I held my tongue back from snapping at her. I felt my frustration bubble over.

It didn't last long. A thundering roar erupted behind us. I tensed in fear. A tingling sensation like death's long cold fingers ran down my back.

Next came a loud screech like crushing metal. I glanced over my shoulder. The minotaur that ran into our camaro was hunched over the now squashed metal, whipping around its large head and seeming to sniff the air. Then it turned in our direction. It's beady red eyes connected with mine.

Then it charged.