The Valdez side-effects

Chapter 14

I stayed in the water until I could see the moon up above me.  I swam up to the surface and back to shore.  I hadn't really gone that far out.  Since I was the daughter of Posiedon, once I got out of the water I was completely dry. 

I walked quietly through the dark camp and back to cabin three.  I opened the door as quietly as possible to not wake Percy and grabbed everything that was important to me.  I took a black backpack and hoped Percy wouldn't mind.  I shove a change of clothes in, pack a bag of ambrosia and two canteens of nectar and took down the small picture of Leo and I and put it in the pocket of the green coat I had put on. 

Trying not to make a sound, I went over to Percy and kissed his forehead before going back out into the cold night.  While I was in the water I had convinced myself to leave after a lot of debate.  I make my way over to cabin nine and creep inside.  I heard soft breathing and a few snores.  Leo is still at his work table, but he is asleep.  The light shines on his face, creating shadows that made him look someway sinister.  If you didn't know him you may have thought he was an evil elf, but I knew him and I knew he was a good demigod.

I drape a blanket I found on the ground on his shoulders and turn off his light.  I give him a quick, light kiss on the cheek then hurry out the door.

By the time I reach the border, I am crying.  "Before you leave," A voice stops me in my tracks.  "You should take this."

I turn back and see Chiron holding out his hand.  In his palm is a small light green, clay bead.  I hesitate before cautiously taking it.  At a closer glance, I see there are two little demigods holding hands, one with a little blue dot in it's outstretched hand and the other holds a little oramge dot.  Fire and water.  Leo and I. 

"I figured you might want this year's bead."  Chiron shrugs. 

"Y-you aren't going to stop me?"  I ask, threading my new bead onto my necklace that holds the trident pendant that turns into my knife and last year's bead that has a trident and a sword crossed, honoring my arrival and Ace's loss. 

Chiron shakes his head. "Do you want me too?" 

I almost do asks him too but shake my head and take a step back.  "Then I won't.  I hope we meet again soon, Leora."

I give him a nod then turn and walk out of the camp.  I don't look back as I run down the hill.  To much pain. 

As soon as I hit the road, I realize I don't have a plan.  So I head up road, the opposite way the camp  an had went when I brought Leo away two weeks ago. I run, barely registering the effort it takes.

When the golden rays of sunshine start to streak the sky, I realize how exhausted I am.  I start to walk and arrive at a greyhound bus stop. 

I heard rumors about this bus stop for demigods who wanted to get away and for the mortals who lived not too far away. 

I walk in and right up to the ticket office.  The man sitting inside looks up at me over his newspaper.  "What can I do for you?" He asks. 

"A one way ticket to New York please."  I say, digging into my bag and pull out the plastic bag of mortal money I had left from home. 

"That will be three hundred dollars." He says as he prints off a ticket. 

I feel my stomach drop.  "I don't have three hundred dollars."  I say. 

The man looks up at me, almost angry.  "Then I can't help you." 

"Wait!" I call but he starts reading his newspaper again.  "You've got to help me!  Please." 

He raises and eyebrow.  "You running away or somethin', kid?"

I look back down the road, towards Camp Half-Blood.  "Sort of,  yeah."

"I can't let a kid run away."  He says and looks back  at his newspaper.  

I sigh and walk to the closest bench and sit down.  For a moment, I almost consider going back.  But I can't.  It wpuld be safer for everyone if I just disappeared...

"Don't look so sad."  A soft voice says.  I look up and see a good looking young man standing above me.  He sits down beside me and drapes an arm over the back if the bench. 

"Um, hello." I say and scoot over.

He laughs.  "That's right!  I forgot to introduce myself." He holds out a hand.  "I'm Apollo." 

I blink a few times, dazed.  "Oh, nice to meet you lord Apollo."  I shake his hand. 

He smiles at me.  "You know this kid?" We look up and see the man from the ticket booth.

Apollo stands up.  "Yeah, she's family."  He is still holding my hand.  Almost.  I hear him think. 

"Can you get her out of my hair then?" The ticket man asks, annoyed.  "Or I could call the cops."  He takes out a cell phone. 

Apollo quickly grabs it and crushes it in his hand.  "Or you couldn't if your cellular telephone was mysteriously destroyed." Apollo grins. 

The ticket man's mouth drops open and Apollo hands him the remains of his cell phone.  I hold back a laugh.  Apollo turns to me. "This way to the sun chariot, Leora." He says.  "And don't forget your bag."