Chapter Four: Zillah Tangos with a Snake
We ran several blocks back to the Met. I don't know if it was anxiety building up in my stomach, or perhaps it was anticipation, but it almost felt like someone was watching us from a distance.
I've had that feeling before, but normally it was while I was taking a test or at a swim meet. Somehow this was different. It was similar to what I felt the night my grandparents died. Don't dwell, I told myself. Dwelling on things I can't change will just make things worse. I'll lose focus and get someone will get hurt. Concentrate! My senses opened up. I took in everything that was in my direct and peripheral vision.
The noise got louder as we got closer to Central Park. I could only imagine that we were running into a battle. I began to wonder why we hadn't thought of getting weapons earlier.
As we rounded the corner and jogged up to the Met, a blinding white light filled the sky behind the museum. I shielded my eyes and continued to move in the direction I was heading. The winds started to pick up and storm clouds gathered in the same direction. Trent and I were able to climb the steps of the building without a problem, but mom and Zillah were being forced backwards.
Luckily, the winds died down, and mom and Zillah were able to join us. Zillah gave us a strange look as if she were trying to decide if we were good freaks or bad freaks.
As I entered the building I allowed my vision to adjust to the change in light. I scanned the lobby to make sure it was as we left it.
About a dozen sleeping tourist scattered across the floor.
Check.
Security keys on the central desk.
Check.
A pile of coats on the ground.
Check.
A huge serpent with rows of razor sharp teeth on the balcony.
Che... Ah!
"Scatter!" Zillah cried out. She pulled off her hair clip and unfastened it. The barrette turned into a silver long sword.
The serpent turned its gaze on Zillah and hissed. It lunged off the balcony and straight at her. Zillah jumped up just in time and landed on the monster's back. She plunged her sword downwards. The monster swayed its head back and forth trying to throw her off but in the process she held onto the blade causing it to rip a huge hole in the back of the monster's neck.
Zillah flew off the monster and slid across the floor colliding into the desk that lead into the Greek and Roman section. Her sword clang to the floor as the monster disintegrated into a yellow sulfur powder.
"Zillah!" My heart leaped into my throat. I sprinted over to her.
She turned over, squeezing her eyes closed, and muttered, "I'm okay, I just need a second."
Trent picked up her sword and brought it over to her. "How did you do that?" He handed it to her after I had taken her arm to help her stand.
I looked over at my mother. She was chewing on her lip. Her eyes were clouded over as if she were reevaluating a battle strategy.
"I found that with my mom's personal stuff from the hospital... she... she planned on giving it to me when I was older... but she died before that could happen." She took the sword and folded it together. It turned into a lily shaped tarnished silver barrette.
"I'm sorry about your mom..." I whispered, wishing I knew what else to say.
"Forget it, we have bigger problems."
Trent turned back toward the door; the sounds of battle were getting closer. "I don't think we have much time before they are right on top of us."
"Right!" Zillah tilted her head as if someone was talking into her ear again. She turned and jogged into the Greek and Roman wing. It must have been the closest section of the museum to house weapons.
"Shouldn't we find some sabers? I remember seeing some sweet fencing swords on our tour." I suggested as I followed her.
"All we need is right in here." Zillah turned toward my mother and studied her carefully. It was like she felt like she was holding back information. Or perhaps she blamed her for having us come back here when obviously we were closer to the fighting then we were before.
Toward the Egyptian wing, a loud crash erupted. It sounded like a whole lot of rocks collapsing in on itself.
"That can't be good!" My brows knitted together.
Trent ran over to one of the cases, "We'll never get inside these things, and I don't think the security guards' keys will work to open them..."
"Miss Glew, what should we do?" Zillah asked with a wildness in her eyes that was similar to a caged animal.
Mom didn't have time to respond. Trent pulled a spear off of one of the displays and hurled it at a case that was full of daggers and swords; it caused the glass to shatter into a million pieces. The point of the spear sank into the matting that held up the swords. The lights faded all around us and turned red. I quickly covered my ears as the blazing sound of sirens rung bouncing off the marble statues and columns.
Mom pulled out her Benjamin Franklin glasses from her pocket and placed them on her face. I've never seen her use them for anything other than reading before. She carefully examined the swords and daggers. "Trent take this one." She shouted over the siren as she held it away from her. My brother jogged over and took it from her hand.
"Thanks." He did a practice lunge and sliced the sword through the air. "This will work."
"Meredith, take this one." Mom handed me a short sword with a leather handle. It appeared to be covered in blood in the red light.
"Zillah, do you want another weapon?"
"I'll take a couple of daggers and stick them into my belt and pack. You never know when they might come in handy."
Mom nodded and followed suit. She picked out a long sword and several daggers. We each tucked one in our belt, and put one in our pockets and packs.
"Let's get out of here." Mom shouted over the siren. We jogged out of Greek and Roman wing and into the lobby. If this were an ordinary day, this place would have been in lock down and surrounded by cops.
Outside, the commotion fell silent.
"REEEET!" Echoed off the buildings.
In the sky above us a pig the size of an armored car flew irregular pattern past us. It had bubble gum pink wings with a Greek armored clad soldier hanging from a rope on one of them.
A beautiful black Pegasus trailed behind it. It circled around the soldier as if it were trying to move into position to catch him.
"Whoa... This is just like the dream I had last week." Trent stood in awe staring at the scene.
Mom flinched hearing Trent's comment, shook her head and said, "We need to get out of the city." The army in the park sounded as if it had passed us and was heading south towards downtown. "We're going to cut across the park and head toward the Lincoln Tunnel. Keep your eyes open, stick to the shadows."
It was easier said than done. We couldn't go more than twenty feet before we were spotted by a couple of snake women. My palms felt sweaty as the thought of fighting that thing gripped my stomach. I wanted to pretend to ask for directions and hope that they forgot that just about everyone in the city was asleep.
My impulsive brother shouted, "en garde!" He charged the first snake woman taking her by surprise. The rest of us followed suit. Trent and I used our fencing moves to take out one and mom and Zillah used their skills against the other. They were yellow sulfur dust in minutes.
That wasn't the end of it. We fought our way across Central Park. When we thought we were done with one type of monster, another would show up. Luckily, they seemed like stragglers. They were the weaklings, the old, and the very young of their kind. If we had encountered a large group of monsters at their prime, we would have been toast.
We should have cut across the park by going straight through the woods, but we didn't want to get lost. So, we took the 79th Street Transverse up toward Belvedere Castle.
Apparently we had gotten in the way of a giant stalking its prey. It hurled a boulder the size of a bowling ball at my brother's head. Zillah threw herself on top of him as the boulder whizzed past her flaming red hair.
He must have had a pile of boulder hidden behind the tree he was using as a shield. One after another they whizzed past our heads. We were just a little bit faster than he was, but at the same time there was no way of getting away from him.
