AJ Hale & The Olympians: Son of Lightning

Chapter Ten: We Walk Into The Void

               "Thanks!" Dakota yelled to the set of red taillights, driving off into the pitch blackness of night.

It didn't take long until the two red lights were gone, leaving us in nothing by darkness. The road we had been ditched on was a small two-lane road with thick trees on both sides. There were no street lights whatsoever; not even the moon was out to give any light either.

"What now?" I asked.

"Pick a direction and walk," Jasper recommends.

"You're a Satyr; can't you sniff out the way?" Dakota asked.

"Oh!" Jasper shouted. I couldn't see him, but it sounded like he was digging into his backpack. After a few seconds, I heard the sound of him blowing into his harmonica. "Ha!" he started playing a tune that strangely sounded like Someday by Sugar Ray.

Dakota sighed. "Not this again..."

"He's done this before?" I asked.

"I swear, he is the worst Satyr ever!" she stomped her feet.

"The trees are telling me it's this way!" Jasper shouted, running off.

"We can't see your fur for brains! It's pitch black!" Dakota shouted. It went quiet for a few seconds, then she sighed. "He ran off."

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Over here."

I clicked my tongue in frustration. I heard a faint giggle in the dark—not creepy at all.

I swiped my hands out in front of me as I slowly walked forward.

Smack!

"Ouch! Hey, watch it!" Dakota shouted.

"Maybe if you helped me, then you wouldn't get smacked."

"Give me your hand, where is it?"

"Out in front of me, take it."

"Where is the front of you?!"

Smack!

"Ow! Kota!"

"Sorry!"

Smack!

"AJ! That hurt!"

"Sorry."

"OK!" Dakota said in frustration. "Stop moving! Ok, that's the road.... And that's the grass... you sounded like you were over here. Say something."

"I think you're pretty," I said.

"N-not that! What is wrong with you!?" she shouted. I could hear her blush, and I laughed. "Why don't the stupid Mortals put lights here?"

Just then, a car passed us, lighting us up with their bright headlights. Dakota was right in front of my face. Like inches away, our lips were practically touching; they were so close.

We both gasped and backed away. My face was so red hot that I was surprised she couldn't use my blushing as a beacon in the night. We both went quiet. She had stopped moving, probably frozen in fear from the jump scare on my face.

"Kota?"

"Y-yeah?"

Then it hit me. I knew right then that I was the stupidest person on this planet. My fist dug into my pocket, and I flicked my coin into the air. Fate appeared in the darkness above me. I caught it, and the red Celestial Bronze blade lit up enough of the area to see a few feet around us.