The Valdez side-effects

Chapter 8

I don't think Chiron thought I was serious.  He came back a few hours later when the sky turned purple and little streaks of orange and pink streaked it.  "You're still here."  He says, impressed. 

"I said I was going to be." I snap. 

I hear Chiron walk away again and I rub my bare arms for a little but of warmth.  Despite the cold, I feel my eyelids start to droop with exhaustion.  I shut my eyes and I dip off into sleep. 

Leo's forehead is pressed up against the van's window.  He looks out into the misty air.  The van us completely silent.  Most have fallen asleep, trying to get as much rest as they can, knowing the though journey waits for them.  The others are just thinking.  

I am conscious and I can see and hear them, but it dosen't work the other way around, this is my dream after all.  I slip into the seat next to Leo and try to lean up against him, but I slip right through him, as if I was a ghost.  

He shifts as he sees something out the window.  He reaches back and shakes Frank,  who was snoring, awake.  "There's something out there." 

Frank snaps to attetion.  "What is it?"

Leo dosen't have the chance to answer.  The van is sent flying into the air.  Everyone wakes up, Hazel screams a little. 

The van hits the road a few feet away and skids along on it's side.  Once it stops Leo quickly unbuckles his seatbelt and wrenches the door open.  As soon as he gets it open, a large hand reaches in and grabs him.  Leo is pulled out of the van and thrown into a giant mesh bag. 

I wake up screaming.   I stand up abruptly and a blanket falls off my shoulders.   Nico looks up at me, wide eyed.  "What?" He asks standing up as well. 

"They've been ambushed.  I don't explain any further before taking of down half-blood hill.   This time Chiron isn't there to stop me.  I hear Nico run down after me.  As soon as my feet hit the road, I see a black dot flying down from the sky.  A few seconds later, a beautiful black Pegasus lands in front of me. 

My master needs help.  He says pacing nervously.   Since Poseidon is also the god of horses, I'm not surprised to be able to understand him.  "I know. Can you give us a ride?" 

The Pegasus seems nervous by Nico's presence.  Alright,  it's for my master. 

I climb onto his back and help Nico up.  The Pegasus takes of as soon as we are both holding on.  We soar above the highway and after less than fifteen minutes, we reach the smoking reck of tha camp van.  It took the  an hours to get here, but by pegasus it only took us a matter of minutes. 

I jump off the pegasus before he touches the ground and ignore the pain shooting through my legs.  I climd the van so I can look into it. 

My heart sinks into my stomach when I see it's empty.  I crawl in and carefully pick my way through the inside.  "See anything?" Nico calls. 

I see the corner of a peice of paper sticking out from between the back seat and the window.   I gently pull it out and nearly loose it. 

It's a picture of Leo and I.  We sit in the sand, barefoot and holding hands.  Our smiles are nearly identical, only Leo's is a bit widder.  My head rests on his shoulder and his head rests on top of mine.  I remember taking this picture just last week. 

I look up at Nico who looks just as devastated as me.  He holds a hand out to me and I grab it. He helps me climb up.  I keep the picture in my hand. 

"We need to go tell Chiron. Now." I say. 

We run back to our black pegasus and he takes off quickly.