The Lost Goddess

Chapter 71-Protection

She huffs her name, her name overshadowing me with her pride and confidence "and since I answered your questions, could you answer mine? Or should I just scream for the police?" She asks, mocking that she was tougher and had the upper hand "NO!" I yell at first, seeming to surprise her, I regain my countenance "I mean, no, I'm in a hurry and in trouble" I admit "hurry or in trouble" she narrows her eyes at me "both" I answer truthfully, she was about to speak. But her eyes leave mine and look over my shoulder, only to widen "bathroom!" She exclaims, making me cringe and show questioning "what?" I ask, looking at her like she was crazy "get behind me now!" She demands, I didn't know what it was about her or why I listened, but I obey and slip into the bathroom, my ears being all I could rely on, the clattering of bones coming outside the boy's bathroom seconds after I slip in, the noise making me grip Riptide tighter, I was just about to burst open the door when I heard Rachel firing her questions at the skeletons. "Oh my god, it's about time some professional guards come! Did you see that kid?! He tried killing me! With a sword! What kind of guard lets in this sword swinging maniac inside a national landmark? I mean, come on! Do your kids right! He went towards the turbines, on the side to try and hide or whatever, maybe he fell" she rambles slightly, the bones clatter and clank excitedly, before their sound disappears down the hall, away from us. Rachel peaks her head in, cocering her eyes "you can come out now, coast is clear" she tells me, I chuckle at her and get out of the bathroom, that's when I see her, her face was grey with fear and her forehead was beating with sweat, her eyes frantically looking around, showing the nightmares that were now waiting for her tonight, I show pity to the girl "Thanks, I owe you one Rachel" I thank deeply, she looks around and moves her head closer, lowering her volume. "What were those things? They looked like..." She got lost for her words "skeletons" I answer and finish for her, she pales to that and looks down the hall where she foolishly lead them away "do yourself a favor and try to forget everything you saw, the skeletons, my sword and me, forget you ever saw me" I tell her, she cracks a small smile "even how you tried to kill me?" She jokes slightly, making my small smile appear "that too" I go along with the joke, her playing eyes staring into my own. "But who are you?" She asks so softly "I'm Percy-" I got cut off by the awakening sound of bones from the skeletons "gotta go!" I exclaim, leaving her confused as I dash to the nearest exit, only to hear her voice once again "what kind of name is Percy-I gotta go?!" She exclaims, making my smile widen slightly at her joking, running outside, my eyes spot a familiar group sitting st some tables, laughing as if the skeletons behind me were nothing, my eyes read the sign, seeing it was the snack bar, finally!, My brain yells. I run over, my breath stolen from me, taken out of me from forms of huffs "we need to leave, now!" I exclaim as I get to their table "but we just got out burritos!" Thalia whines "no, look!" Zoe exclaims, shooting up from her seat, springing into action, we look around and find the skeleton army surrouding our every possible exit, moving in closer, readying for the kill "the elevator!" Grover yells, we all dash for it, only to have some more warriors block us, turning back around, we saw as they came in waves, terror written on our faces. I see Grover's face lighten up, showing he got an idea "food fight!" He exclaims, throwing his guacamole grande in the nearest skeleton face, soon, there was an epic food fight, the perfect distraction for the skeleton army, once we saw they were completely busy, we ran downstairs, running all the way outside, our faces greeted by the warm sun "what now?" Grover asks, no one dared to answer for no one had any, we just ran across the street to a pavilion with winged bronze statues that stood tall and proud. A mighty mountain holding their backs, but the mountain and the statues just cut off another exit for us, and now, the skeleton army was closing in, surrounding us entirely with no way out "4 against 11, and they can't die" Zoe mutters softly as if this were the end "it's been nice adventuring with you guys" Grover's voice trembles, something caught the corner of my eye, something shining in the sun "woah, their toes are really shiny" I say as my full attention goes to the statues. "Percy! Now is not the time!" Thalia both scolds and exclaims angrily, I couldn't help it, my eyes were drawn to their toes, my eyes see something carved into the mighty statues, servers for good luck, the blessings of Zeus, I read, my eyes stare up at the statues, the words of the tour guide coming to my head, there is always a way for those cleaver enough to find it, my eyes go to Thalia "Thalia, pray to your dad" I tell her, she looks at me as if I had gone completely mad "why? He never answers" shs tells me. "JUST DO IT! Just ask for help or something" I snap, the skeletons raise their guns "no! He won't answer me! He never will!" She starts to choke "this time will be different!" I yell "who says?" She snaps with tears in her eyes "Athena, I think" I tell her, she sighs before closing her eyes softly, whispering a soft prayer, I do the same, praying that it was Athena on the elevator, nothing happens once we finish, we raise our weapons to defend ourselves, the skeletons open fire, but the bullets were blocked, a giant wing giving us protection.