You're Not Getting Away From Me

Halloween Special!! Part 4

We swarmed out of the Big House. In the confusion, Percy and I were separated. I didn't like that. We fought twice as well when we were together. Better strategies, more power, greater chance of winning. Plus, he was comforting in a fight. But we had fought much, much worse than a random group of monsters and the whole camp was here to back each other up. It would be fine.

After two Great Wars, we all fought like a well-oiled machine. No directions were needed. It made me swell with pride. All these kids I grew up with were all now great heroes. It was pretty awesome: groups split off to take certain clusters of monsters. Archers lined up in a good place to fire. Dryads were coming out of the forest to help. Our guardian dragon was scorching monsters like there was no tomorrow. He seemed to be working even harder than usual; he must've felt bad that all the monsters got past him in the first place. Poor thing.

But I still didn't see Percy anywhere. He's not typically hard to spot. Usually, if you can find the whirlwind of water or a bronze sword slashing through the air, leaving drawings in it like firecrackers, you found Percy. But I didn't notice any of that. I was so distracted by my thoughts I didn't take stock of the danger immediately around me. Stupid Annabeth. My battle instincts had dulled from taking a break for school. I should have kept up my practice. Stupid.

I didn't think to duck or roll until it was too late. I also didn't think that maybe this horde of Halloween monsters were something more sinister, with more dangerous monsters. What the Hades is wrong with me?

I felt something heavy and scaly strike my shoulder, hard. I fell down, but quickly recovered my senses. But not quick enough. The same Something put a blade against my throat.

"Kelly," I growled.

"Hello, dear." My least favorite empousai smiled at me with mock sweetness. "Where's your boyfriend to come save you? Or better yet, the crazy Titan with, what was that... a broom?"

I was burning with hatred and pain, but I managed to keep my voice steady. "Well, you haven't noticed yet? They're right behind you." When she whipped around to fight the boys that weren't there, I kicked her off my chest and stood up, putting my dagger against her, completely turning the tables. At first she was too shocked to say anything. I took the moment to take in the battle. The monsters were down to about eighty percent less than when they came. That was good. I didn't see any major injuries or any fallen on our side. Definitely good. Kelly was still in the torn cheerleader uniform from years ago.

I was just about to finish her when she started talking again. "You dumb demigods, always catching on so late." I couldn't kill her now, I thought. I need this information. "You never catch onto our plans. And you wonder why you are so easily defeated."

"Us? Defeated? In case you need a memory refresher, we won the last two wars. You didn't."

"So? What about the old stories? Didn't the heroes always have the most tragic ends?"

I swallowed down the bile that was rising up my esophagus. I was fully aware that demigods didn't typically get "happy ever afters." I was about to respond when I felt someone come and stand beside me.

"Kelly, I thought you were still reforming down in the hell-hole," Percy said, but it wasn't a question. I wanted to cry out in relief that he was here. I had been so worried about him, not being able to find him and all. But I didn't show it. Better for the enemy to think we planned this all out.

Kelly couldn't do much with both of us surrounding her except talk. "You two don't know what's coming for you."

"Maybe not. But guess what? I don't give a crap," Percy answered  coldly. "This one's for Bob." He raised his sword to bring it down on top of Kelly, but before he could, she disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.