Chapter 13

Where Are We?

Connor and I started walking around for a while. Luckily the sun was up so we could see that we were in an open field. We walked quite a ways but we didn't seem to be getting closer to anything besides what seemed to be a small forest. The trees were towering over the ground; they were some type of pine tree because there were dried up red needles all over the ground. It smelled so good there, and it reminded me of hiking with my dad and my best friend Mitena, I really missed them. We kept walking through the forest until we found a little stream.

Connor and I were both thirsty and I remembered from all of the hiking with my dad and Mitena that you can usually find a spring by finding out where the water is coldest. I took my shoes of and started walking in the stream, I could feel the water getting colder as I walked upstream, and then I found a little offshoot where there was a bubbling of water coming out of the ground; I had found the spring. I told Connor and since we didn't have any water bottles or anything we drank directly from the spring; it was basically like drinking from a bubbler at school or something.

It was beginning to get later in the day and we still hadn't found much of anything. The sun was setting quickly, but something in the distance appeared to be getting brighter. I saw a large glimmer and it looked like a wheel was spinning. I looked closer and saw three horses in front of it. I realized it was Selene's chariot. I pointed at it and Connor and I started running towards it.

Connor started yelling, "Dad! Hermes! Are you here?"

Connor and I heard a faint moan and we both looked under the tipped-over chariot to see Hermes squished under it. Connor and I lifted it off of him, and then reconnected the horses to the chariot, as they had become disconnected. Connor asked Hermes if he was ok, and Hermes said he was fine.

We sat down and talked about what had happened.

Hermes started talking about what had happened to him in the chariot.

He said, "I could feel the chariot getting lighter and I saw you guys falling out of it, but I couldn't do anything, the wind pushed me into the chariot and the pressure was so strong I couldn't move. Then I felt something lock around my ankles and I realized that there were metal rings around them, and then I really was stuck to the chariot. I tried to control mine and the horses' fall but I couldn't grab onto the reins. Then we started plummeting and we fell down to here. The impact must have broken the rings around my ankles, but the chariot was still on top of me so I couldn't move. I think I've been like this overnight. Thankfully you two got here to help me, or I could've been here for a while. I don't know why I couldn't lift the chariot off me; I am a god after all."

Then Connor and I told him about how we had fallen, I partially turned into a bird, we both got knocked out, and then how we started walking. Connor asked Hermes if we could still use the chariot, as it looked pretty beaten up. Hermes said we'd have to get it fixed up somehow, as the condition it was in wouldn't work for us. So Connor, Hermes, and I each took a horse and we decided to leave the chariot where it was. I wondered how we were going to find it, but Hermes said, since he was the messenger god, that because he had to do so much travelling he had found ways to remember where he had left things, which I thought was pretty cool.

The horses seemed to never get tired as we all jogged and galloped on our horses for a long way. We finally reached a road and I thought I began to recognize where we were. It looked like we were in Wauwatosa, which is a suburb of Milwaukee. I recognized this road because it's the one my best friend, Mitena lives on. I couldn't believe the coincidence of this, how likely is it that we fall not-too-far from where my best friend lives. Another crazy coincidence is that Mitena's mom owns a horse stables, where she teaches people how to ride horses. She may not own any chariots, but I was pretty sure she probably knew someone that did.

I told Connor and Hermes that I recognized where we were, and that I knew where we might be able to get the chariot fixed. I led the way on my horse, and soon enough we had reached the stables which was called "Secret Brooks Stables". I jumped off my horse and ran into the barn, and then into the main office. I quickly saw Mrs. Brooks (Mitena's mom) and told her I needed help.

"Arrow! What are you doing here? Your father told me you had gone on a trip and that you wouldn't be back for a while. Shouldn't you be gone? Does Mitena know you're here."

"Well, uh, my friends Connor, um, Hermes, and I kind of had a mishap with our – chariot. And no, Mitena doesn't know I'm here. At least I don't think she does."

"Wait a second sweetheart did you say Hermes? As in the Greek god? That's a funny name for someone."

You see, Mitena's mom didn't exactly know that I was a demigod, Mitena knew for sure, and I told her I didn't care if she told her mom, but apparently she didn't.

I was about to tell Mrs. Brooks about me when I heard someone calling my name. It was Connor. I had completely forgotten that I ditched them when I ran in to find Mrs. Brooks. I opened the office door and told Connor and Hermes to come in.

I closed the door again and decided to tell Mrs. Brooks about me. I told her about me, my mom, Connor, his dad, and the journey we were on to find Selene. Mrs. Brooks just sat there for a while and then seemed to take it in.

She said, "Well, ok then. I've heard crazier things and I definitely know about crazier things so why don't you just bring your chariot over here and I'm sure I can get someone around here to fix it up." I heard her call for her son, Mikasi, who is Mitena's older brother. He's really good at fixing things up, but I also have a little crush on him. That's a whole other matter though.

Since we were here, I decided I should try to find Mitena. She was usually hanging out with her favorite horse, Rain. She named Rain after the horse in the movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. She and I loved that movie when we were little. I walked through the stables, but I remembered that Connor and Hermes were following me. I decided to tell them to go talk to the stable manager, Ted, as he could probably find something for them to do. I walked to Rain's stall and saw Mitena in there, picking Rain's feet. I was going to try to scare Mitena, but I decided not to as she was holding a horse's hoof up and that might not have been the brightest idea.

I just slowly opened the stall door, took out a curry comb and started brushing Rain. Mitena didn't realize for a while, then she stood up and saw me on the other side of Rain and then shouted, "Arrow!"

That kind of spooked Rain a little bit, and she began to do a little "dance" you could call it. Luckily nothing bad came of it and she calmed down. Mitena decided we should get out of Rain's stall and she opened the stall door and we both went outside of the stall.

"Arrow, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission from the gods or something? I wouldn't think that would mean coming back to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin."

"Actually, I'm still on the mission. Our chariot crashed and amazingly we landed not too far from here. Can you believe that?"

"Wait, you said "our". You're here with other people? You got to ride in a chariot?"

"Yeah, I'm here with a kid from Camp Half-Blood, his name's Connor, and his dad, Hermes. And we didn't take just any chariot, it's a flying chariot that belongs to the titan Selene."

"Ooooo, is Connor cute. And Hermes as in the god, Hermes? And a flying chariot! Your life sounds so cool right now. I wish I could've gone with you, but you know I have to help my mom."

"I mean; I guess he's cute. I haven't really thought about it too much; we've been busy trying to get to the moon. I wish you could've come with me, too."

Mitena and I talked for a while and then I could hear Connor and Hermes voices getting closer. I turned around and saw them talking to Ted. He must've been giving them the tour of the stables or something, because when he got to us he said, "That concludes our journey." Ted's a pretty funny guy, so I quickly said hi to him before he walked away. I then turned to Connor and Hermes and said, "This is my best friend, Mitena. Her mom owns the stables." Connor, Hermes, and Mitena exchanged their hellos while I could feel myself falling asleep. I asked Mitena if we could sleep somewhere and she said that I could sleep in her room and Hermes and Connor could sleep in their guest bedroom as they lived right next to the stables. We walked over to the house and Mitena and I said goodnight to Connor and Hermes and I quickly fell asleep, happy to see my friend again.