I hope you enjoy this chappie! Please R&R! Constructive criticism is accepted as well as comments and encouragement.
Chapter 3: I Give a Monster a Manicure
I woke up to a cold bucket of water on my face, I sat up too quickly because I immediately felt like I could throw-up, so I lay down again.
"Hey, what was that for?" I said indignantly.
"You wouldn't wake up." Luke said sheepishly.
"So you dump a bucket of freezing cold water on my face?"
"It worked," said Thalia curtly, "now let's go."
"Now? I just woke up." I said with a whiny voice.
"Yes, now!" said Thalia looking around nervously.
"Oh, so you're afraid." I said.
"No. I…." she said. It was then that I noticed the cuts, burns and bruises on their arms and legs. Thalia noticed me looking and frowned.
"Anyway as you get ready you can tell us how on earth you killed the Echidna." said Thalia. So, about 1hour later I had explained the entire story and had gotten ready.
"Well, it seams that you don't need any training after all." said Luke.
"But I do, I don't know what happened or how I did it." I protested.
"Well, I guess I could try teaching you." he said.
"But not here, we need to leave and go somewhere else." said Thalia firmly and nobody argued with her.
"Where are we going to go?" I asked.
"Well, we should probably bring you to camp half-blood." said Luke.
"Where is that?" I asked.
"It's about one hour from the Hudson River and is disguised as a strawberry field." said Luke.
"The 315-mile long river that flows from North to South through eastern New York." I said.
"Yes, exactly," said Thalia, "now let's go because we have a long trip to make since we are in…"
"California. This will take us forever!" I said with a groan.
"We need to make a plan on how to get there." said Luke.
"I'll get a map from the basement, Thalia there are some snacks in the top cupboard in the kitchen if you want to pack some for the trip, and Luke could you see how much money you have in total to buy plain tickets. I will see if I can find any money as well." I said. Then I went to the basement and found a map of the United States of America. Then I realised that since my father liked airplanes, that he might have a list of where the nearest airports are in the USA and when the flights are. So I quickly ran upstairs to my dad's room and found exactly what I was looking for. Then I went downstairs to the main floor and found Thalia sitting at the kitchen table frowning at Luke.
"What happened?" I asked.
"We only have 150 dollars, how much do you have." she asked.
"Oops, I forgot to check, but I found this." and I showed them the little booklet with the times and everything.
"Okay, it looks like we will have to take a train to Nevada and from Nevada to Colorado we can take a plane. And if we take US Airways it will cost us 133 dollars, the plane leaves the day after tomorrow at 11:50 am and we will arrive at 6:05 in the evening." Thalia said.
"How much does a train ride cost?" asked Luke.
"From here to Colorado it costs about 120 dollars." I said.
"How do you know?" asked Thalia.
"Because my dad goes to Nevada all the time." I responded.
"Fine, but how are we going to get 253 dollars?" she asked.
"I could steal some." said Luke.
"I could look around here before we leave because we probably won't be coming back any time soon." I said.
"Okay, I am going to check around from here to the nearest train station for any monsters." said Thalia.
"And I am going with Thalia to steal some money and help look for monsters." said Luke.
"And I am going to look around for any money lying around here, meet back in 1 and a half hours." I said.
"By." said Thalia.
"See ya." said Luke.
"Bye." I said back and Thalia and Luke left.
When Thalia and Luke had left I went in search of money. The first place I would look would be in my room in my allowance box. See my sister and I both, ever since we were kids, put every penny we found or were given in a shoe box with a tiny slit at the top that would just fit a four-times folded dollar bill and we were never allowed to open it. But now it was an emergency so I went into my dresser and got out some scissors and pried the multi-coloured box open. Then I took out all the bills and coins and counted them. There were thirty-six dollars in coins and seventy-three dollars in bills, so I had one-hundred and nine dollars in all. Not bad. I was about to go into my sister's room to get her money, but then I hesitated. It just didn't seem right to go in her room and take her money without permission, so I went downstairs to wait for Thalia and Luke.
Thalia:The closer Luke and I got to the train station, the more people there were to steal from, but I told Luke not to steal more than five dollars per person because the person might not have a lot of money. Oh ya and when Luke told you that he took money from people all the time he was lying, he only steals in dire times like now. I couldn't help worrying about Annabeth, have any monsters attacked, is she afraid, did she find any money, and most of all, who is her mother.
Anyway, as I watched Luke disappear once again, I started to look around for monsters. It was raining, so I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. I saw a furry building, a train station, and a few condos. Wait, a furry building? I looked back and looked closer at the black furry shape. It seemed to be moving. I turned to look for Luke, but I couldn't see him so I started to walk in the direction that he disappeared. After about ten minutes I decided to just go and investigate alone. I started to walk toward the big black furry shape. I had to turn down a lot of different dark alleys, but I finally arrived about two school bus' distance from the shape. I ducked behind a lone house. Then I tiptoed and looked around the corner. The shape had glowing red eyes, black fur, and was about as big as a tank. It was then that I realised that I was looking at a Hellhound. Holy Zeus. I was just able to think "I'm dead." and then it saw me. It barked so loud I thought I would go deaf. I tried to back up, but then my back hit the wall of the house, I was trapped. I tried to think positive, it wasn't raining much anymore and the sun had started to come out. I tried zapping it with lightning, but that was like throwing sticks at it. I needed help, that was for sure. So I did the first thing that came to my mind. There was a puddle of water in my shadow beside me so I got out of the way so that the sun could shine properly on it. As soon as I did that a mini rainbow appeared. Then my hand went into my pocket and I fished out a gold drachma, money of the gods, and I threw the drachma into the rainbow and prayed "O goddess, accept our offering."
"Show me Luke." I said. All the while the Hellhound was getting closer and closer. I took out my shield, Aegis, and the Hellhound froze at the hideous face of Medusa. That was just enough time for Luke to appear in the rainbow.
"Help?" I said to Luke.
"Thalia! Where are you? Never mind, I'll be there in a few minutes with a little help from my dad." he grimaced like that was the most appalling thing he could and ever would do. Then Luke slashed throw the image and disappeared. Then I guess the face of Medusa didn't look as ugly, because the Hellhound was right in front of me in under 3 seconds. Then it swiped at me with one of its gigantic paws. I deflected the paw off my shield, but the impact caused me to get thrown backwards and hit my head on the house behind me. I blinked a couple of times to get the stars that I was seeing to disappear. When everything came into focus again, all I saw were teeth almost the size of my sword. I used my sword butt to knock one of the teeth out, but I knew that wouldn't do much. I sliced the monster's nose, but that was like giving the monster a paper cut. I took out the mace canister from my pocket and unfolded my spear from it. But unfortunately, the time it took in doing that the monster was reaching out its paw to grab me. I cut one of its nails off but that didn't do any thing other than give the monster a manicure. It grabbed me, but as soon as the giant paw touched my skin it got a shock and it was so surprised that it recoiled enough for me to get a clear shot at its heart with my spear. Then the monster dissolved into nothingness.
I was exhausted. I wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep, but I knew I couldn't. I had a quest to go on. And guess what? Luke chooses then to appear.
"Thalia, where is the monster?" he asked.
"Where were you when I needed you?" I asked.
"Well, my dad wasn't exactly happy with me because I left home. So I told him that it wasn't for me, it was for you. And then he said he wasn't going to help you because you shouldn't have been born, you are one of the big three. Blaa Blaa Blaa." said Luke.
"So how did you find me?" I asked.
"Well then I told him that it was for Annabeth. And he said "ah yes that one, I guess her mother wouldn't be very happy with me if I did not help you with her." So naturally I asked who her mother was. But he said that she wouldn't be very happy with him if told me who her mother was. But at least he gave me the directions." he said.
"Not that it did much good." I muttered.
"Anyway we need to get back to the house. Annabeth is probably starting to worry about us and I don't want her coming out here to look for us alone." I said.
"I just realized something!" said Luke.
"What?" I said.
"Annabeth can't be a daughter of a minor goddess." said Luke.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because my dad almost seemed afraid of the goddess who is Annabeth's mother. And he wouldn't be afraid of a minor goddess." said Luke.
"Well, don't tell Annabeth until we are sure. We don't want to get her hopes up, just to dash them again." I said.
"Okay." said Luke. Then we headed back to Annabeth's house.
Annabeth:
I looked anxiously at the clock. Thalia and Luke were almost twenty minutes late. I told myself not to worry, they were probably on their way back already. But what if something had happened to them? And I was just sitting here on my butt doing absolutely nothing. So I decided that if they weren't here in another fifteen minutes, I would go and look for them…
So how was it? Sorry if it was a bit short. I have to do a speech in English class so updating might take a little longer.
Special thanx to:
alyssandra poseidon's daughter
Prince's-Mayflower
Mythology Girl
SeaweedBrain33
For reviewing! Thanks a lot guys it really means a lot to me!