Chapter Twenty-One
Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO or HoO series by Rick Riodan, nor do I own Star Holder Commander's character Walker. I do own all of the other OCs mentioned.
Adrienne's POV
I was out of stars and was using a butcher knife as a weapon. I really wished I still had my dagger. Keegan was switching back and forth between firing arrows and then getting up closer to the Griffin Vulture and stabbing at it with his dagger. Tristan was trying his best to distract it so Jade and James could sneak away, but it didn't seem interested in him at all.
For that matter, it didn't really pay attention to Keegan and I throwing stuff at it either. It seemed like it was zeroed in on Jade, and Jade only; it could care less about James. I was slightly relieved about that, but I would have preferred it not want to peck out any of our group's eyes or internal organs.
I hear Keegan yelp, and my head snaps in his direction. He was just standing there, looking completely baffled. He shakes his head and starts running over to Tristan, a determined and vengeful look on his face.
My attention goes back to the Vulture though, I couldn't waste time trying to figure out what was wrong with Keegan. I start throwing knives and other sharp kitchen utensils at the thing, in hopes of getting it away from Jade and James.
Nothing seemed to work though, it was absolutely hopeless. This thing just wasn't going to give up, and none of us could get an open shot to chop it's head off or set it on fire or do something that would kill it.
I hear a scream out of nowhere and jump, startled. I turn to where it had come from, and see Tristan and Keegan charging forward towards the thing. But they weren't the ones who had screamed, it was one of the waitresses.
She was standing in the doorway, looking from all the kitchen staff bodies on the floor, to all the clutter and broken glasses and plates, to the thing in front of her. I didn't know what she was seeing, but it obviously wasn't a unicorn with a mane of rainbow colored hair from the look on her face.
She stumbles out of the kitchen and runs to the main dining room where the rest of the staff was. I sigh. She was going to tell everyone else about what was going on back here; we had yet another thing to worry about. Joy.
I look back to James and Jade, trying to concentrate on killing the Vulture. James was hopping back and forth, firing arrows at the thing's face. Most of them missed because it moved so fast, but a couple had lodged itself into its beak.
I hear a sudden commotion to my left and I turn my attention over that way to see what it was. Tristan had launched himself forward, his golden sword raised and glimmering like a ray of sunshine. He was heading straight toward the Griffin Vulture. He must have finally spotted and opening.
It was still only paying attention to Jade, a wrong move on its part. Tristan reaches it, and jumps up, latching onto its foot. It shakes its leg in an attempt to get him off, but does nothing else besides that.
Tristan skillfully scales the thing's body, light and agile on his hands and feet. He reaches its shoulder and heaves himself onto his feet. That's when the Griffin Vulture finally noticed him.
It craned its head to look at Tristan, it's coal black eyes penetrating him like a knife. It opens its mouth and a high pitched screeching comes out, making the three remaining wine glasses that were not shattered, shatter.
Tristan screams as he draws his sword back and chops at the thing's head. The sword goes halfway through its neck, blood spewing everywhere and raining down onto the white tiled floor. Tristan pulls the sword out and swings again, this time completely chopping off the head.
The giant bird flaps its wings two more times, then plummets to the ground. Tristan jumps off just in time so he wasn't crushed, but he landed painfully on his ankle.
He cries out and grabs at it, dropping his bloody sword in the process. "James!" he screams.
James looks up at the sound of his name. "Cut open its stomach!" He was in clear agony by the twisted look on his face.
"But why..?" James asks, confusion painted across his face.
"Just do it!"
James clenches his jaw, hating being told what to do, but he draws his sword and goes over to the dead Griffin Vulture on the ground. He hops up on to it and plunges his sword in just below the throat, then drags it down. The thing practically explodes, blood and gore going all over the place.
The four of us had all hit the floor, covering our heads to protect them from flying pieces of the Vulture. James, on the other hand, had been thrown across the room from the explosion.
When everything that was going to fall had fallen, I got to my feet and bolted to James. He was sprawled on the floor by a wire rack, pots and pans scattered all around him.
"James," I say, kneeling down beside him. He was covered in the thing's blood and bits of feathers and flesh. It made me want to gag.
He groans and squints open his eyes. "What..happened?" he asks, rubbing his head and smearing the blood in the process.
"We'll explain later. By the sound of it, we're going to have more company in a few seconds. We have to get out of here, now," Jade says.
She was right. I could hear panicked voices and footsteps coming closer and closer to the kitchen entrance. I didn't want to be here when they found this bloody mess.
Keegan helps Tristan to his feet, and Jade and I heave James to his. We all search for a back entrance, but surprising enough, there wasn't one.
"Gods, we're screwed," Jade moans.
"No, we just gotta hide until their backs are turned, then we can sneak out." Tristan says.
Everyone finds a sufficient place to hide and no sooner had I hidden behind a big shelf, were people pouring into the kitchen. Leading them was the waitress who had come in earlier.
All of the staff was looking at the scene in horror. All of the bodies and gore were too much for one guy and he stumbled over to the sink and threw up. I felt sorry for him, it was hard seeing it myself, but I didn't want to imagine what it felt like seeing your co-workers, or friends even, lying dead on the floor.
"Psst!"
I look over to see Keegan behind a shelf similar to the one I was behind. He was motioning for me to come out and follow him. I take one last look at the gruesome scene and slide out from behind the shelf.
Together, the five of us quietly sneak out of the kitchen and back onto the street outside.
A/N:
I am so sorry, I really tried to get this up earlier today, but I kept getting distracted, and I also apologize if this chapter was a bit lacking. I just finished it about an hour ago...I told you I got distracted a lot today...
Well, my two days watching the studio last week were okay. Tuesday I wasn't really alone the whole day, but Friday I was. It was actually pretty nice; quite and I was able to listen to my music and just get some stuff done.
And we were supposed to get our hardwood floors refinished today, or at least started on, but the people who were going to do it were double-booked and they forgot to call us. Soo, my dad rescheduled it for the eleventh of next month when my mom and I will be in Texas.
M/A:
"'And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world, mad world'"
Mad World by Gary Jules
(I fucking love this song and everything about it. I heard it when I was watching Donnie Darko and decided to look it up and I just fell in love with it. It's such a sad but beautiful song.)
XOXO,
Mrs-diAngelo25
