THE WAY I LOVED YOU - the lost hero

four

The weather was rather appropriate for the circumstances, Leo noticed. The strong winds from earlier had turned into a mini-hurricane, which he only realized as he walked away from Anastasia.

He had made his way over to Jason, who was done speaking with Coach Hedge, when a particularly strong gust of wind hit him. He lost his balance, almost falling over the railing if Jason hadn't caught him.

"Thanks, man," he yelled.

"Go, go, go!" Coach Hedge was yelling to students.

As Leo turned back to the museum, he found Piper and Dylan holding the doors open for the other students, who all were inside. Leo, Jason, and Coach Hedge all tried to run to the door, with Anastasia not far behind them, but it was as if the wind was fighting against them and winning.

Dylan and Piper were able to push one more kid inside before they lost their grip on the doors, which swung shut with a loud "thud!"

Leo glanced behind him to find Anastasia had caught up with the rest of the group. He noticed the distressed look on her face, quickly deciding go turn his attention elsewhere.

Piper tugged on the door handles, and the kids from the inside attempted to push the door open, but it didn't move.

"Dylan, help!"

Instead of doing anything, Dylan just stood there with a giant shit-eating grin, his Cowboys jersey rippling in the wind, along with his hair.

"Sorry, Piper," he said, "I'm done helping."

He flicked his wrist, and somehow it sent Piper flying backward. She slammed into the doors, sliding to the skywalk deck.

"Piper!" Jason attempted to charge forward, but Coach Hedge pushed him back, "Coach! Let me go!"

"Jason, Leo, Anastasia, stay behind me," Coach Hedge ordered, "This is my fight. I should've known that was our monster."

"What?" Leo demanded, at the same time Anastasia let out a very loud "huh?"

A worksheet slapped Leo across the face, earning a snicker from the redhead girl, but he ignored her and swatted it away, "What monster?"

It was at that moment that Coach Hedge's cap blew off in the wind, and the three students were able to see the... were those horns sticking out of his hair?

He also lifted his baseball bat, which had somehow turned itself into a rather ugly tree-branch club, with leaves and twigs still attached.

Instead of looking worried, Dylan smiled, "Oh, come on, Coach. Let the boy attack me! After all, you're getting too old for this. Isn't that why they retired you to this stupid school? I've been on your team the entire season, and you didn't even know. You're losing your nose, grandpa."

An angry noise came out of the coach's mouth that sounded almost like an animal bleating, "That's it, cupcake. You're going down."

Dylan laughed, amused, "You think you can protect four half-bloods at once, old man? Good luck."

Dylan pointed a finger at Leo, and all he could see was a giant cloud forming around him before he was lifted up and thrown off the skydeck.

     Nat couldn't believe what she had just seen.

As much as she disliked Leo, nothing would ever cause her to throw him off the Grand Canyon.

She could hear him yell from below, "Help! Rope, please? Bungee cord? Something?"

Coach Hedge let out a long string of curses, and tossed Jason his tree branch club, "I don't know who you are, kid, but I hope you're good."