Forgotten memories

I dont like ranch, both kinds

As we pressed further into the labyrinth, the old stone tunnels gradually gave way to dirt floors supported by cedar beams, almost like we'd stumbled into a mine—or maybe some long-forgotten storage cavern. Annabeth's brow creased, her steps growing sharper with impatience.

"This isn't right," she muttered, her voice low but tense. "It should still be stone."

We came across a cave where stalactites hung low from the ceiling, dripping water onto the dirt floor. In the center was a rectangular pit that looked ominously like a grave.

Grover shivered, pulling his cloak tighter. "It smells like the Underworld in here."

That's when I noticed a glint near the edge of the pit—a foil wrapper, crumpled and catching the dim light. Percy and I shined our flashlights down, and there it was: a half-chewed cheeseburger floating in brown, carbonated muck.

"Nico," Percy muttered under his breath. "He was summoning the dead again."

Tyson whimpered softly, hugging himself. "Ghosts... ghosts were here. I don't like ghosts."

"We've got to find him," I said, feeling an urgency I couldn't explain. Standing at the edge of the pit, Percy radiated determination. Nico was close—I could feel it—and we couldn't let him wander alone among the dead. Without another word, Percy started running.

"Percy!" Annabeth called, her voice tense.

By the time the rest of us caught up, he was staring up at a shaft of daylight streaming through a metal grate above. We were trapped under what looked like a makeshift steel cage of pipes, but above us, blue sky and trees beckoned.

"Where... are we?" I whispered, squinting at the world above.

Then a shadow passed across the grate, and I looked up to see a cow staring down at me. Except it wasn't just any cow—it was bright red, almost cherry-colored. One hoof tapped the bars tentatively, then it stepped back and mooed.

"It's a cattle guard," Grover explained, sounding exasperated but proud of his knowledge.

"A what?" Percy asked, genuinely confused.

"They put them at the gates of ranches so cows can't wander out. They can't walk on them."

"How do you know that?"

Grover huffed indignantly. "Believe me, if you had hooves, you'd know about cattle guards. They're annoying!"

Percy turned to Annabeth. "Didn't Hera say something about a ranch? We need to check it out. Nico might be there."

Annabeth hesitated for a moment. "All right... but how do we get out?"

Tyson solved the problem with his usual straightforward approach: he hit the cattle guard with both hands. It popped off and flew out of sight with a loud CLANG! and a startled "Moo!" Tyson blushed furiously.

"Sorry, cow!" he called, sheepishly. Then he gave us a boost out of the tunnel.

We emerged onto a ranch. Rolling hills stretched endlessly, dotted with oak trees, cactuses, and scattered boulders. A barbed-wire fence ran along the perimeter, and cherry-colored cows grazed peacefully in the sun.

"Red cattle," Annabeth said, squinting at them. "The cattle of the sun."

"What?" Percy asked, blinking.

"They're sacred to Apollo," I added with a grin.

"Holy cows," Percy muttered. I responded with exaggerated finger guns.

"Exactly," I said, smirking. "But what are they doing—"

"Wait," Christine interrupted, holding up a hand. "Listen."