Chapter Four, The Fight with the Minotaur and Loved Ones Leaving
"Damn it the doors stuck!" Grover shouted as he pushed against the door with all his might sighing he started to undo his jeans after taking off his trainers. "What are you doing?" Solerai squeaked staring at her best friend in shock before she turned her head away a bright red blush spreading across her face. "Getting us out of the car!" Grover answered tersely as he relentlessly kicked at the back window with his legs until it caved in glass scattering everywhere. "Come on quick it's getting closer! Rai get out of the car! But watch out for the glass!" Grover shouted panicked.
"Sweetheart you get out of the car, I'm right behind you." Sally said quickly when Solerai turned to face her. Closing her mouth Rai nodded her head and scrabbled out of the car Grover pulling her to her feet so she doesn't cut herself on the glass. Once Sally was out of the car they took off running for the large pine tree situated on top of a large hill in the distance, the monster gaining on them.
"It's still following!" Solerai shrieked in fear as they jumped over a white picket fence that separated the strawberry fields from the road. "We're nearly there just keep running Rai!" Grover shouted to her, but froze when he heard her scream. It seemed as everything was in slow motion as the monster knocked Rai flying into a large tree where she crumbled to the ground barely retaining consciousness. "RAI!" Grover and Sally shouted racing over to their fallen friend and daughter respectively. "Rai are you okay?" Sally asked worriedly as she noticed her daughter had another small cut on her head.
"Y-yea. I'm fine mum." Solerai muttered still slightly dazed her eyes blinking rapidly to clear the fog from her mind.
"Grover look after my daughter I'll keep it busy." Sally instructed him firmly as she picked up a large rock and a branch.
"No! Mum!" Solerai shouted trying to get to her feet which was made difficult my her shaking legs. "Mum come back! Please!" Solerai begged almost close to tears when she saw her mother trying to face of against the monster that was almost three times her size.
"Rai just follow Grover to the gate you'll be safe there. I'll try to hold this thing off for as long..." Sally shouted but her words were cut short by an ear piercing scream from her and her daughter as the monster grabbed her in his large hand. "Put my mum down!" Solerai shouted at the thing but it didn't listen as it just continued to squeeze Sally. "Sol-rai g-go." Sally wheezed before she crushed in the monsters hand leaving nothing but gold dust behind.
"MUM!" Solerai screamed. She was about to run forward but was stopped by Grover pulling her back and into his chest holding her as she cried. "Rai I'm so sorry but we have to run. Get the pen Brunner gave you and click it. Click it now!" Grover ordered as he dragged her out of the way of the monster who went charging straight into a tree where it's horns got stuck. "Do it now Rai!"
Bemused Solerai took the pen out of her jacket pocket and clicked it. She watched in silent awe and confusion as it turned into a long bronze sword with the sign of some sort of trident on it. "Rai watch out!" Grover shouted. Solerai looked up just in time to dive out of the way as the thing charged at her again. She noticed that it now only had one horn left as the other one had broken off. Looking around she noticed that it was wedged into the trunk of the first tree it crashed into.
Dashing over to the tree she pulled with all her might but it was stuck tight, out of the corner of her eye she saw the thing running back towards her and she had an idea. Ignoring Grover's shouts she stayed where she was until the very last moment then she dived out of the way only to land in front of Grover. "Are you out of your mind!" Grover shouted as he pulled his best friend to her feet again. Shaking her head she pointed to the tree she was just standing in front of that was now broken in two from the force of the monster crashing into it, which had also dislodged the horn. Spotting it Solerai pushed Grover's hands off her and ran over to the horn. She'd just managed to pick it up when the monster appeared over the hill again.
Holding the sword in her right hand and the horn in her left Solerai got into her Fencing position. "You shouldn't have killed my mum." She snarled at it. Ignoring the pain in her head, back and left leg she ran at the thing dancing out of the way of its swipes to either knock her of her feet again or catch her, Solerai didn't know or care, all she cared about was killing the thing that had killed her mum.
Seeing her chance as adrenaline raced through her veins she stood her ground as it charged at her again, head bowed ready to kill her with its razor sharp horn. As it came closer she swiped at its face with her sword causing the beast to lift its gigantic head roaring in pain before she stabbed it in the chest with its own horn and her sword turning it to bright golden dust. "Rai!" Grover shouted running over to her, catching her as she felt the adrenaline start to wear off. "Oh gods, you're hurt." He cursed as he spotted the large cut on her side. Looking down Solerai noticed her favourite t-shirt was ruined as her blood crept over the side of her shirt, she hadn't even noticed or felt the thing catch her when it last charged at her. As the last of the adrenaline wore off everything came back in startling clarity that she could not hold the tears back even if she wanted to.
"Shh everything's going to be fine Rai. I promise I'm going to get you help and your going to be perfectly fine I promise. You just have to hold on, please hold on." Grover begged as he pressed his checkered shirt to the wound on her side. Solerai just buried her head into her friend's chest not seeing how it could be okay when her mother had just died in front of her, she had no one left, nowhere else to go what was she supposed to do now. She flinched as the pain coursing through her body multiplied to an unbearable amount causing her to close her eyes as Grover lifted her up into his arms bridle style.
"I'm sorry Rai." Grover apologised when he felt her flinch. "No! Rai don't you close your eyes. Don't you dare close those eyes your going to be fine I promise you just stay awake. Stay awake." Grover begged as he ran as fast as he could for the border and the gate. Solerai tried to keep her eyes open but they seemed to have a mind of their own for no matter how hard she tried they still kept closing, what did it matter really she was so tired all she wanted to do was sleep. To close her eyes forever and not wake up, she felt guilty for leaving Grover but she was so tired of everything that she didn't even fight this time as her eyes slipped closed.
The last thing she heard as the darkness took her was Grover shouting, her muddled brain no longer able to distinguish his words as the fog and the blackness consumed her senses.