The Never Ending Rain

Chapter Five


Sitting in the cave, staring at her blue crystal ball, Eric grew silent. He had just watched his beloved spider fall to the hands of Poseidon's guards, along with the destruction of the blue orb. Tears filled his eyes as he balled up his first shaking.

Sitting down beside her brother, Elise pulled him close as he laid his head on her shoulder. Sniffing, he wrapped his arms around her.

"She was my favorite…." Eric said between sniffs.

"I know," Else said, rubbing his back. "But what we are doing is dangerous, and she is one of many casualties to come.

Eric nodded, sighing loudly.

"I want to hurt them more than ever!" Eric yelled.

"There is nothing wrong with that," Elisa said, looking deep into his eyes. "You have more spiders, don't you?"

"Of course, I have hundred of thousands,"

"Then why not let them all roam free? It should make for a delightful show," Elise said, followed with a smile.

A smile spread across Eric's lips as he pulled out his blue orb. Gazing at it, his eyes flickered and the blue orb glowed. Turning back to Elise, he gave her a big hug.

"You know, sis, that is a wonderful idea."

Trudging through the mud in the pouring rain, Annabeth and Grover Struggled to keep their hoods up as the wind pushed them back. Grabbing a hold of each other, they continued following the path Chiron laid out for them on the map. They would stop from time to time to take a break. Ignoring the rain smacking them in the face they remained focus as they continued on for the need to find Percy.

Looking up from the last bout of wind and rain, Grover stopped. He blinked to be sure, but there it was: a cabin that wasn't too far from them. He tapped Annabeth's shoulder. And pointed. Looking towards where Grover was pointing, she noticed the cabin. She recalled that was the spot Chiron circled on the map. The moment she spotted the makeshift pier, she knew they were in the right place.

Turning towards the cabin, the two made their way over there. As they grew closer, they noticed the lights were on, along with a figure standing in the doorway. Annabeth spirits perked up, thinking it was Percy, but I dashed them when a smiling woman with long black hair greeted them.

The woman step aside as Annabeth and Grover walked in. "Welcome, my name is Yolanda Valinda. The bathroom is over there." Yolanda said, pointing to the door to her left.

Annabeth and Grover nodded and headed in that direction. Grover waited outside the door, letting Annabeth go first.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the both of you," Yolanda said, walking toward the kitchen.

"Uh…. likewise," Grover said, confused.

A few hours later, Annabeth emerged from the bathroom in dry clothes with her hair in a ponytail. She looked at Grover.

"She has some clothes in there for you too,"

Grover smiled as Annabeth walked over to the couch. While Grover went into the bathroom.

Sitting down on the nice soft couch, a sigh left Annabeth's lips. For her legs thanked her. Yolanda sat a cup of tea down in front of her before walking over and sitting in the chair.

"Thank you," Annabeth said before taking a sip.

Her eyes widen for she knew the taste right away. She looked back at Yolanda, who smiled.

"What else do you know about us?" Annabeth asked, curious.

"I know your name is Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and that's Grover Percy's protector. I even know your favorite tea is jasmine, for it always calms you." Yolanda replied.

Annabeth smiled as she took a few more sips before setting the cup back down.

"Then you know why we're here," Grover said, sitting down beside Annabeth on the couch.

"Yes, I am sorry to say Percy is not here. I sent him, Nautica and Mave to a town that's not a town."

Annabeth and Grover looked at one another, then back at Yolanda, who tilted her head.

"Yes, it's confusing, but I knew they needed to go there."

"Okay, so what is it, if it's not a town?" Annabeth asked.

Yolanda tilted her head from left and right as she remembered what she saw in the spider's mind. From Eric and Elise along with the cave that Percy mention. Closing her eyes, she focused as the images in her mind grew clear. She could see a town below a mountain encased in a large spider web.

Yolanda's body jerk as she looked back to Annabeth and Grover, whose eyes held concern and along with confusion.

"When is a town not a town… when it's a vast spider web." Yolanda replied. "I sent them there because of the mountain."

"That's where Poseidon is, right?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes, but they have to get through the town first." Yolanda said.

"Okay, let's give them a hand," Grover said.

With everyone in agreement, the three of them headed toward the door, grabbing their rain coats, slipping on their boots, and grabbing their weapons as they left the cabin. They were off to help the others because if Yolanda was right, they would need all the help they could get.

Elsewhere walking down, a dirty debris ridden street where barren trees lined the way with a nasty odor filling the air, Percy and Nautica noses wrinkled in disgust while Mave ignored it. As they continued walking, they noticed the buildings with vines, busted out windows and rotten doors.

Any cars that were left on the street were empty, with their tires ripped off and the body hollow. There were no seats or even a steering wheel inside.

Percy moved toward the sidewalk only to change his mind when dead vines and branches littered over them, only with it being cracked and distorted.

They stopped when a rattling noise reached their ears, only for a dog to jump out of the window of one of the old buildings. The dirty pup had a piece of meat hanging out of his mouth. The dog stared at them for a moment before running off further down the street.

"This place is in rough shape," Nautica said, still looking around.

"Maybe not," Mave said, pointing to a blue and white wooden building in new condition with the name Spider's Web across the top of the door in big red letters.

Percy's eyes narrowed as he spotted the dog from before sitting at the foot of the door to this place. The three took a step back as the door opened, revealing an older man with a full glass of beer in one hand smiling as he scratched the dog behind the ears with his other.

"Welcome friends!" the man said, followed by a huge smile spread across his lips.

"The town is in pretty awful shape. I am surprised to see another person here, or even a building intact," Percy said to the man.

"True, there was an accident here that left half of to town in ruin. But as you can see, my bar and the buildings down from here are in much better shape," the man said, pointing down from his bar.

Their eyes followed his finger. He wasn't lying. From clean sidewalks and streets and cars completely intact, they even noticed a few people walking behind the man headed into the bar. As the buildings were free of vines and all had a fresh coast of pain on them.

"My name is Wallace and welcome to my bar. Why don't you come in? You all must be tired."

"Yeah, we are. It felt like we've been walking for hours." Nautica exclaimed.

Wallace stepped aside as Nautica moved toward the bar. Mave placed a hand on her shoulder. While even she would like to sit down and relax, she looked over to Percy, whose eyes remained fixed on Wallace.

Like walking into a spider's web

Percy couldn't forget what Yolanda said as he stared at Wallace. This bar was called Spider's Web. That wasn't a coincidence. Shaking his head, Percy couldn't bring himself to go inside.

Deep down, he knew something wasn't right. How can half the town be present while the other half is like a wasteland? And that smell from before. While it was strong as they were walking through the town, it was unbearable now.

Staring at Wallace, Mave glance over at Percy, her eyes narrowed the moment she noticed his aura flicker. Her eyes went back to Wallace only for the dog to bark and Wallace's cheerful demeanor to fade. More people in the bar walked out and stood behind him with stern looks on their faces.

Glancing down the street, Percy noticed a thick fog he hadn't seen before. It was behind a large blue house that almost took up the whole block. It didn't take long for the others to notice that something wasn't right.

Nautica's eyes remained on Wallace and the people behind him. Mave tapped Percy's shoulder. He turned around as Wallace hissed along with others. The three of them backed away slowly, unsheathing their weapons as the hissing continued. Soon, their bodies jerked violently as spider legs broke through the skin. Within moments Wallace, those one behind him and even the dog, completely morphed into water spiders.

With their back up against each other, Percy, Nautica and Mave grip their weapons tightly as more spiders poured out of the cars, buildings and sewers.

"Well, looks like we are not getting a break," Nautica said.

"Nope," Percy said.

"Look alive everyone, here they come!" Mave shouted.