Night Out

Two

San Fransisco was, in Frank's opinion, the worst place in America.

There was so much fog, it rolled in huge banks over the hills, shrouding the city so it looked like a graveyard. Frank was used to sunny days, this creepy, cold weather was too much.

Percy's celestial bronze sword cast a dim glow and lit their way as he and Frank walked through the streets. They walked in silence for awhile, until Percy suddenly stopped and turned around.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing to Frank's chest, where Will was strapped.

"It's a baby carrier," Frank said, crossing an arm over Will guardedly. "I couldn't bring him in the stroller."

Percy looked at him like he'd grown a third eye. "Hm. You won't look very intimidating to the monsters with a baby strapped to your chest."

"Monsters!?" Frank gasped exasperatedly.

"Shh!" Percy held his arm out to stop Frank.

"What is it?" Frank whispered harshly. "Jackson if I die so help me -"

A cry echoed through the streets, sending a shiver up Frank's spine. It was eerie, because it wasn't a monster  cry, it was the sound of a baby wailing.

Will started to cry along with the sounds. Frank notched an arrow, careful not to hit his baby as he crouched into a low stance.

Percy lifted his head, than gestured for Frank to follow as he started walking down the silent street.

Then Frank realized something.

San Fransisco was a city. He'd never been before, but he'd been to others, and at night, cars roared across the streets, the nightclubs were open, there had to be a 24/7 McDonalds somewhere around here.

But no, the streets were completely silent, and all the street lights were shut off. Above, the stars blazed in the night sky in a way Frank knew they shouldn't with city light pollution.

The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood on end.

A voice reverberated through the streets. "Daddy?" it said. A dark shroud suddenly covered them. Frank and Percy froze. Will shrieked louder.

"Whose there!" Percy shouted. He raked three fingers across his heart and pushed out, a gesture to ward off evil.

Nothing happened.

"Daddy?" The voice said again. "Daddy, I'm scared!"

The curtain of darkness was suddenly sucked into one point in the middle of the road, and then exploded. Percy and Frank were knocked back. Frank held tight to Will, who now looked too scared to even cry.

He landed on his butt a few feet away. Will was still breathing and looked unhurt. Good. Percy was about a yard away, he too, was already standing.

"Show yourself!" Percy shouted. The voice cried again.

"Daddy?" it blubbered. Percy was knocked back by and invisible force. "Daddy? What did I do?"

Frank stood. He wanted to make a run for it, but he couldn't just abandon Percy.

"Hey! Uh ... You!" he shouted into the gloom.

"Who are you?" the voice wailed. "Daddy! There's a scary man!"

"No, no!" Frank held out his hands. He couldn't fight this with force, so he set down his bow and quiver. "I'm your uncle!" he blurted out, "your uncle Frank!"

"Uncle?"

"Yes, and ... um ... I need you to not hurt your daddy."

The voice sniffed. "Okay."