The Return of Leo Valdez (After Blood of Olympus)

41- Leo

Leo awoke to the sound of nervous horse whinnies.

"Leo! Leo! Wake up!" Calypso called frantically.

"What?" Leo said groggily, scratching his head. A thunderous boom echoed across the mountains, Leo sprang from his seat, and nearly knocked into Calypso.

"It's a thunderstorm!" Calypso yelled, hair whipping in her face and mouth. "Do you think Zeus found out about us?"

Leo ran up to the chariot with the horses, they all whinnied with fear. If one of them got struck by lightening, well...that wouldn't be very good.

"Leo!" Calypso hollered again.

"Yeah sunshine?" Leo answered quickly. His fingers twitched as he began hooking the horses up to the chariot.

Another flash of lightening brightened up the sky.

"Do you think Zeus found out about us? Calypso asked again.

"I don't know sunshine!" Leo responded. "But get in the chariot! It's ready to go!"

Leo slapped the side of the contraption and swung himself inside.

Calypso hurried in with some camping supplies and gripped the reins with Leo.

The metal horses took off into the air with nervous and shaky whinnies. Leo could tell they were scared. They didn't move simultaneously, and hesitated before moving forward.

Leo didn't want to risk cracking the whip, it might make things worse.

To add to the challenge, lightening was constantly cracking all around Leo. One cracked right behind the chariot, Leo and Calypso jumped, sending one sleeping bag down the mountain.

Another crashed right next to Calypso, she screamed and knocked into Leo, sending the horses in haywire.

The horses took off at record speeds, bolts and screws flying off them. They ran straight up and then flew straight down.

Suddenly, "NOOOO!" Leo screamed as he watched a bolt of lightening hit the side of the chariot.

"Leo!" Calypso screamed as she tumbled out the side of the chariot.

At the last second, she grabbed the side of the chariot, but couldn't pull herself up. Leo's life flashed before his eyes. What if she fell? What if she still falls? Leo had no time to think about that.

"Calypso! Grab my hand!" Leo said, taking one arm off the reins.

The horses whinnied uncomfortably and jeered to the right.

Leo was nearly knocked over.

"Come on Calypso!" He yelled.

Calypso grunted, trying to summon enough strength to grab his hand.

"I can't Leo! It's too hard!" Calypso yelled.

"No! you have to Calypso!" Leo tried to inch his hand forward, but his arm was too short.

Another shock of lightning hit the other side of the chariot. Calypso screamed as one her hands lost grip. She quickly reached up to Leo and gripped his hand.

"Nice Sunshine!" Leo said. However, he didn't have much arm strength either.

"Can you pull me up Leo?" Calypso yelled.

"Yes," Leo said under his breath. His arm shook madly. He finally sighed. "I don't know if I can!"

The whole chariot shook at another lightening strike. Leo was thrown from his chariot off the sides near Calypso.

The horses whinnied with freedom. They acted like complete madmen.

They zipped around, whinnying like crazy. The took low dips and then shot straight up to the clouds.

It reminded Leo of Phaethon. The son of Helios who died driving the sun chariot. Except, this was no joyride. Well, neither was Phaethon's expedition.

"Leo!" Calypso shrieked.

Before Leo could glance up, he could feel himself falling, and then everything went black.