Cp8

Percy and his group went to find Lilith, our group searched for Cassie, and Jason and his group looked for Nicki.

Frank and Hazel held hands as they walked. It should've been about 12:45, but the sun was late for his very important job: guiding people with it's light so they could find their friends who may or may not have been kidnapped by monsters.

We're never going to find them in time, I thought glumly. We have no idea where they are, and its so dark, I have no doubt I'll run into a pole. Then a thought occurred to me. Why aren't the street lights working? Frank and Hazel continued walking talking and laughing. I slowly pulled out my phone, and turned on the flashlight.

I shined the light at the top of the pole and gasped. The light was shattered, like someone punched it.

"Guys, look." I whispered.

Silence.

"Guys!" I whispered more insistent this time. I tore my eyes from the broken lights to face the lovebirds.

I couldn't see them. My eyes adjusted to the darkness a while ago, but I couldn't see them anywhere.

Where did they go? Panic built up in my throat. "Guys?" I called, a little louder this time. I stopped, silently listening as the wind blew the leaves on the tress around me.

Whatever took them could still be near. I turned the flashlight off, and stuffed the phone back into my pocket. And what if the monsters got everyone? I knew splitting up was a bad idea. Though, sticking together would've attracted more monsters too, I guess. I took a breath, and instead of bravely exhaling I made some sort of whimper. My eyesight was out of the question, so I relied on my other senses.

More silence.

I stomped my foot in frustration. Who am I kidding? This isn't some sort of movie where I jump off a building with an explosion behind me and heroic music playing in the background. I racked my brain to think. How do I find my friends? I snorted, the only thing I was ever good at was attracting trouble.

A Leo-idea popped into my mind. I'd be crazy to follow this plan.

Well, I guess I'm following this plan. What if attracting trouble is what I want?

"Blech! CA-Caw! CA-Caw!" I screeched. I do make a rather impressive impression of a mentally-disabled parrot choking on a carrot, if I do say so myself. "Yo peeps, you forgot me!"

I smiled gratefully as my plan failed. Wouldn't it be crazy if the monsters heard my noise and kidnapped me too? I was just about to think of a different plan, when suddenly, a whoosh in the bushes caught me off my guard.

The figure jumped me just as I turned to find the source of the sound. I hit the ground with a thud. The figure was larger than me, and felt oddly scaley. Before I could decide, a pang of pain hit me on the temple. My vision turned to black.

When I woke up, I was in a backyard. There was a square pool and the left, a hot tub and Jacuzzi next to it. I looked around and saw my feet and hands tied with rope. I struggled to stand. It wasn't my best idea, but it was all I had. After multiple attempts, and falling on my face, I managed to wobble up.

I got a better view of everything. I was on a porch. The porch had plants and vines creeping up the walls. There was a couch set in the middle. I hopped onto and sat down. The morning sun peeked barely from the horizon. On the corner, was Jason and his group with Hazel and Frank, all unconscious.

My eyes skimmed the rest of the porch desperately trying to find something useful, when it landed on three girls tied, with gags in their mouth. I caught my breath. They looked so pale.

I squeezed my hands together, to create space for the rope to fall out, but it was too tight. I squirmed my way to Hazel, trying to find her spatha. I smiled, as I un-sheathed her weapon. I held it together and started sawing the rope off my feet. Then I flipped the around and carefully cut the ropes on my hands.

I got to my feet, and got freed everyone. I shook them, "Guys! Get up! The monsters might come back!" I said. I rushed to my friends to get them to wake up. "Cassie! Lilith, Nicki! Please, get up! Hurry!" I am not going to cry. My friends' eyes fluttered open, shock replacing their confusion.

"We have to get out of here!" I hurried. I stopped. I told them to get the 5 up. Where's Percy, Annabeth and Leo? The question momentarily made my heart skip a beat.

What if the monsters finished them off? I forced the thought out of my head. The 5 wouldn't move. "Ugh! They won't get up!" Nicki groaned. Lilith nudged Piper with her foot.

I thought of finding Percy and his group, but this neighborhood was huge. The sun was giving us light, but not enough. "I need to think, maybe—" A hand clamped over my mouth. Beads of sweat trickled down my neck. Nicki, Cassie and Lilith stared in pure terror of the thing holding me.

"Make a sound, and I will rip you to shreds." It hissed with a crackly voice, that gave me goose bumps.

The thing, a monster most likely, shoved me onto the ground. My eyes widened, as I took in the figure, it was a woman. Scaly skin, whooshes in the bushes, it's voice. The woman had pastel green skin and armor on. Underneath her waist, was two snake trunks. Nicki was right all along.

Facing us, was a blood-thirsty dracaena.

A/N: Sorry I didn't post this sooner, I was busy with schoolwork, I'll upload the next chapter on Friday 10/16/20

P.S.

Lilith, Cassie and Nicole are based on real people!