𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 •| ⊱ Jason Grace¹

•| ⊱ THREE

[ chapter three: hermia ]

° • ° • °

The storm churned into a miniature hurricane. Funnel clouds snaked toward the skywalk like the tendrils of a monster jellyfish. Kids screamed and ran for the building. The wind snatched away their notebooks, jackets, hats, and backpacks. Hermia and Jason skidded across the slick floor, hands held together tightly. Leo lost his balance and almost toppled over the railing, but Jason grabbed his jacket and pulled him back.

"Thanks, man!" Leo yelled.

"Go, go, go!" said Coach Hedge.

Piper and Dylan were holding the doors open as Jared and the other kids ran inside. Piper's snowboarding jacket was flapping wildly. Much like Mia's hair Piper's dark hair was all in her face. Hermia thought Piper must've been freezing just like she was. But unlike Piper who looked calm and confident-telling the others it would be okay and encouraging them to keep moving. Hermia was freaking out, she had been in a couple storms when she was younger, but back then she always had Demetri to keep her calm.

Hermia, Jason, Leo, and Coach Hedge ran toward them, but it was like running through quicksand. The wind seemed to fight them, pushing them back. The red head even hand to place one of her hands over her eyes so she could see better, but that wasn't much help.

Dylan and Piper pushed one more kid inside, then lost their grip on the doors. They slammed shut, closing off the skywalk. Piper tugged at the handles. Inside, Jared and the rest of the kids pounded on the glass, but the doors seemed to be stuck.

"Dylan, help!" Piper shouted. Dylan just stood there with an idiotic grin as his Cowboy jersey rippled in the wind. It seemed like he was suddenly enjoying the storm.

"Sorry, Piper," Dylan said. "I'm done helping." He flicked his wrist, and Piper flew backward, slamming into the doors and sliding to the skywalk deck.

"Piper!" Leo yelled as he and Jason tried to charge forward, but the wind was against them, and Coach Hedge pushed them back toward Hermia.

"Coach," Jason said, "let me go!"

"Jason, Leo, Hermia, stay behind me," the coach ordered. He didn't have to tell Hermia twice, there was no way she was moving from her spot. "This is my fight. I should've known this one was our monster."

"What?" Leo demanded. A rogue worksheet slapped him in the face, but he swatted it away. "What monster?"

Hermia shook slightly as she wrapped her arms around her jacket. Her mind was running a million miles per hour, she didn't know what the hell they were talking about. In the pit of her stomach she could feel her powers forming and she knew it was because her emotions were all over the place. Hermia was never good at concealing her powers when her emotions got the best of her, at least not like Demetri. Her eyes flickered toward her hands, but she held them tightly to her chest when she noticed them glowing.