Chapter 2

Now, here I'm standing, open-mouthed, at the scene in front of me. I mean seriously, so would you!

As I stood in the doorway I watched a weird animal/human thing running around bleating. Yah I said it. Bleating. Like a donkey.

For a second I thought I was high or something. But that wasn't even the weird part. It was when a dog burst out of the janitor closet in the room, growling.

I really shouldn't say dog. More like a giant, naked polar bear that looked like a rat mutant, and had two heads. Could this day be any weirder?

Anyways back to the scene, I still stood there gaping when a ball of fur and the musty smell of barn animal hit me and sent me flying into a wooden bench.

"GRAWWWWRRRR" screeched that weird rat thing.

If the hoof of that barn animal hadn't gone inside my mouth I probably would've screamed. Very womanly of me, I know.

I snapped to my senses and stood up slowly trying to take in everything that just happened. Then I did the only thing I could do. I ran.

I sprinted straight into the girl's bathroom and sat on top of a toilet. I sat there for about five minutes when I heard a clopping sound against the linoleum. I sat there frozen for what seemed forev-

Suddenly, a voice above me whispered, "Are you alright Key. I don't know if I am. I think I actually threw up some hay in my mouth." It started to bleat again. Like a drunk donkey…

I slowly looked up completely scared out of my whit's to see a skinny teenager with whiskers on his chin and wearing some weird beanie. He was apparently in the next stall standing on a toilet and leaning over.

"Who. The. Hell. Are. You?" I said slowly trying not to scream.

"I don't mean to correct you but it's actually, who the HADES are you." He replied, "Oh, and I'm Peter."

"Hades? Who, what… Wait a second. You have fur. I swear." I said cautiously.

"Oh yes, I'm a satyr."

"Like a donkey?"

"BAHHHH! No you imbecile! A goat! Didn't you study Greek mythology in 6th grade?" Peter bleated.

"Imbecile? Are you Greek or something?" I said weakly.

"Bahhh. That's not important. What we need to worry about now is Orthus!"

"That rat thing."

"To be exact, a monster. He followed your scent to this school and so did I."

"My scent? B..but how did you know what classroom? And what about all those kids." I shrieked," Did he eat them!"

"Oh gods, no! They all ran out of the school screaming BEAR because of the mist." He told me.

"We don't have bears in San Jose. And what's mist?" I stuttered

"Mortals will believe anything! Except the truth of course. That's why the mist takes care of us." He huffed.

"You make it sound like I'm not normal." I whispered.

He looked me in the eye and answered," Because you're not. You are a half-blood!"

Before I could answer, the sound of wood cracking bit into the stale air of the bathroom.

"GRARRRRWW!"

Peter winced,"Orthus just announced he's hungry and feels like having half-blood for breakfast."

"We have to get out of here!" I yelled over the crashing sounds.

"No duh!" Peter screamed.

I stood up and tried unlocking the door with my fumbling fingers. The door swung open and I stood there face to face with razor sharp teeth. I took a breath and felt adrenaline pulsing through my veins.

Orthus sniffed the air with his snot-covered snout and turned his head. I had no choice but to look straight at the giant's eye. It wasn't a normal eye though. It had a gray film over it and I could faintly see the pupil dancing around, searching for prey. He was blind.

That's my only chance I thought. I slowly ducked and turned to crouch against the tile walls trying not to make a sound. As I slid I connected eyes with Peter as he motioned his hand toward the broken door. Quickly, we slipped through the jagged hole and ran for our lives.

Literally.