Audaces Fortuna Iuvat • J.Grace

IV.

          Within minutes the storm above churned into a miniature hurricane. Funnel clouds snaked towards the skywalk like the tendrils of a monster jellyfish. It was a given that kids screamed and ran for the building. The wind snatched away their notebooks, jackets, hats, and backpacks all the while Jason skidded across the slick floor. Leo had lost his balance and almost toppled over the railing, but Jason grabbed his jacket and pulled him back. Though, if it wasn’t for Alecia grasping onto the blonde’s hand, both males would have toppled over.

“Thanks, guys!” Leo yelled.

“Go, go, go!” said Coach Hedge. Piper and Dylan were holding the doors open, herding the other kids inside. Piper’s snowboarding jacket was flapping wildly and her dark hair was being thrown in her face. She had to be freezing, but she looked calm and confident - telling the others it would be okay, encouraging them to keep moving.

Jason, Leo, Alecia, and Coach Hedge ran towards them, but their efforts were almost futile as it felt like they were running through quicksand. It was as if the wind was fighting against them, pushing them back. Dylan and Piper pushed one more kid inside before the wind even overpowered their grips on the doors. They slammed shut, closing off the skywalk. Piper's tugs at the handles were fruitless and the kids pounding on the door from the inside didn’t help in the least; the doors were stuck.

“Dylan, help!” Piper shouted, but the boy just stood there, an idiotic grin painted over his face, his Cowboys jersey rippling in the wind like he was suddenly enjoying the storm.

“Sorry, Piper,” he said. “I’m done helping.” With a flick of his wrist, Piper was flung backward, slamming into the doors and sliding to the skywalk deck.

“Piper!” Alecia called out in worry, attempting to charge forward, but the wind was against her, and Coach Hedge pushed her back. “Coach, let me go!” She demanded.

“Alecia, Jason, Leo, stay behind me,” the coach ordered. “This is my fight. I should’ve known that was our monster.”

“What?” Leo yelled. A rogue worksheet slapped him in the face, but he swatted it away. “What monster?”

“I refuse to let you fight on your own as I sit to the side,” Alecia called out, struggling to make her way up to the Coach’s side. Pure determination took over her features.

“Stay back!” He told her right before his cap blew off. Sticking above his curly hair sat two bumps - like the knots cartoon characters get when they’re bonked on the head. Coach Hedge lifted his baseball bat - but it wasn’t a regular bat anymore, but a crudely shaped tree-branch club, with twigs and leaves still attached.

Dylan gave him that psycho happy smile. “Oh, come on, Coach. Let the girl attack me! After all, you’re getting too old for this. Isn’t that why they retired you to this stupid school? I’ve been on your team the entire season, and you didn’t even know. You’re losing your nose, grandpa.”

The coach made an angry sound like an animal bleating. “That’s it, cupcake. You’re going down.”

“You think you can protect four half-bloods at once, old man?” Dylan laughed. “Good luck.” Dylan pointed at Leo, and a funnel cloud materialized around him. Leo flew off the sidewalk like he’d been tossed. Somehow he managed to twist in midair, and slammed sideways into the canyon wall. He skidded, clawing furiously for any handhold. Finally he grabbed a thin ledge about fifty feet below the skywalk and hung there by his fingertips.

“Help!” he yelled up to them. “Rope, please? Bungee cord? Something?”

Coach Hedge cursed and tossed Jason his club. “I don’t know who you are, kids, but I hope you’re good. Keep that thing busy” - he stabbed a thumb at Dylan - “while I get Leo.”