Invisible ― Jason Grace

x. an unexpected gamble

THEY WALKED DOWN the street, using the food Percy had gotten from Phineas's table to try to lure the red-feathered harpy in. Hazel, Frank, and Camilla had their weapons out as the other harpies fluttered after them, following the smell of food. 

Finally, they found the harpy they were looking for. She was circling above a stretch of parkland that ran for several blocks between rows of old stone buildings. Paths stretched through the park under huge maple and elm trees, past sculptures and playgrounds and shady benches. 

They crossed the street and found a bench to sit on, next to a big bronze sculpture of an elephant. 

"Looks like Hannibal," Hazel said. 

"Except it's Chinese," Frank said. "My grandmother has one of those." He flinched. "I mean, hers isn't twelve feet tall. But she imports stuff from China." 

Hazel nodded. 

"Alright," Percy said, "let's see if we can make friends with the harpy." 

He raised the Thai noodles and fanned the smell upward—spicy peppers and cheesy goodness. The red harpy circled lower. 

"We're not here to hurt you," Camilla called in a soft voice. "We just want to talk. Food for a chance to talk, okay?" 

The harpy streaked down in a flash of red and landed on the elephant statue. She was painfully thin. Her feathery legs were like sticks. Her face would have been pretty except for her sunken cheeks. She moved in jerky birdlike twitches, her coffee-brown eyes darting restlessly, her fingers clawing at her plumage, her earlobes, her shaggy red hair. 

"Cheese," she muttered, looking sideways. "Ella doesn't like cheese." 

Percy hesitated. "Your name is Ella?" 

"Ella. Aella. 'Harpy.' In English. In Latin. Ella doesn't like cheese." She said all that without taking a breath or making eye contact. Her hands snatched at her hair, her burlap sack, the raindrops, whatever moved. 

Quicker than Camilla could blink she lunged, snatched the cinnamon burrito, and appeared atop the elephant again. 

"Gods, she's fast!" Hazel said. 

"And heavily caffeinated," Frank guessed. 

Ella sniffed the burrito. She nibbled at the edge and shuddered from head to foot, cawing like she was dying. "Cinnamon is good," she pronounced. "Good for harpies. Yum." 

She started to eat, but the bigger harpies swooped down. Before any of them could react, they began pummeling Ella with their wings, snatching at the burrito. 

"Nnnnnnooo." Ella tried to hide under her wings as her sisters ganged up on her, scratching with their claws. "N-no," she stuttered. "N-n-no!" 

Camilla's heart lurched. 

"Stop it!" Percy yelled. They ran to help, but it was too late. A big yellow harpy grabbed the burrito and the whole flock scattered, leaving Ella cowering and shivering on top of the elephant.

Camilla gently touched Ella's foot. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Ella poked her head out of her wings. She was still trembling. With her shoulders hunched, Camilla could see the bleeding gash on her back where Phineas had hit her with the weed whacker. 

She picked at her feathers, pulling out tufts of plumage. "S-small Ella," she stuttered angrily. "W-weak Ella. No cinnamon for Ella. Only cheese." 

Frank glared across the street, where the other harpies were sitting in a maple tree, tearing the burrito to shreds. "We'll get you something else," he promised.