Yay! A new update.
Okay, this chapter is insane. Just saying. I had SO much fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy it, too. This is kindof a makeup for the slight boringness of the previous chapter.
I hope you guys like it :)
My butt and thighs were screaming in pain. I had been sitting on Blackjack, without a saddle, I might add, for hours straight. The sun was nearly setting before we landed.
We had left the forest behind us and soared over several small towns on the outskirts of the trees before landing so I could get some food. I found out that we were somewhere near the border of Colorado and Utah. When I spotted a town with a chain restaurant, I told him to land as fast as he could. I was tired of granola bars.
We nearly gave some pigeons a heart attack when Blackjack not-so-gracefully landed behind a fast-food restaurant. I almost fell on my face when I managed to swing my stiff leg over his back to get off. Pigeons squawked indignantly as I accidentally kicked a box of french fries down the street.
I caught my balance and then patted his neck sympathetically.
"I'm sorry you've been working so hard. Let me see if I can get you some apple slices, okay?"
He snorted, looking annoyed.
"Hey, the sugar cubes are all smashed, so you'll have to make do," I told him.
I stretched out my legs and when I decided I could look semi-normal when walking, I strode inside the restaurant, pulling out a wad of cash from my pocket.
I took a quick glance around the restaurant for anything suspicious, but everything looked okay to me. My stomach growled when it smelled the hot fries and hamburgers, distracting me from checking out the scene.
I wound my way through the chairs and got in line at the register. There were several people ahead of me, and the line was moving painfully slow. I took my place behind a woman wearing a snakeskin belt with a matching purse and pumps.
She turned around when I stood behind her and gave me a grimace of a smile. I smiled tentatively back at her. She was wearing massive designer sunglasses that were heavily tinted so I couldn't see her eyes.
I tore my gaze away from the sunglasses and started reading what was on the menu. The line moved forward, so there was one person ahead of me and the snake-lady. I decided to buy a large cheeseburger with a matching fries and drink, and I pulled out my money, fingering through it to pull out the total.
"I'm so hungry," the snake-lady said. I looked at her, not sure if she was talking to me or not. She was. And she was still smiling in a crazed way.
"Um, uh-huh," I muttered.
"Next!" the guy at the register called.
The woman slid forward.
"What can I get for you?" he asked her.
"Yes, I would like a medium drink, and a kids meal," she said.
The guy did a double take and looked around her, seeing if she had any kids that he couldn't see.
"I'm sorry, the kids meal is for twelve and under," he said.
I saw her body tense up. She leaned forward onto the counter and slid her sunglasses down her nose. I couldn't see anything, but the cashier sure did.
"Are you sure about that?" she asked sweetly.
He flushed pale and staggered backwards.
"U-um, I'll get that for you," he stammered.
"Thanks," she said, a smile in her voice. She pushed the sunglasses up and stepped aside, allowing me to order. The guy looked at me fearfully.
"Could I have a large cheeseburger, fries, and drink?" I said.
I could see him relax and he punched it into the computer. "Right away," he said, his voice still trembling.
I handed him the money and then walked over to a table, waiting for my food. The snake-lady sat down at a table near mine.
I sat there, and a slight fear started ebbing at me. This lady was not normal. I felt like I knew who she was, but I couldn't place it at all. I felt my hand go unconsciously to my hip where my dagger was sheathed, and I tapped my fingers against it.
"Number 55!" a man called. "Medium drink and a kids meal."
The woman slid her chair back and walked over to her tray, snakeskin heels clicking on the tile. When she walked back to her table, I could see drool dripping from her lips.
Okay, that was not normal at all. I was about to leave the building when the man called my order. I quickly ran over to the counter and grabbed my food. I dumped the tray, my instincts definitely screaming at me to get out of there. I was halfway to the door when I heard an earsplitting shriek.
I whipped around, my fries flying out of their container. I shoved the cheeseburger into my backpack, pulling out my knife faster that I had ever done before.
"WHAT?" the snake-lady screamed. "What is this abomination!" She brandished her miniature hamburger in the air, ketchup on her face. "This is..." she gagged. "Cow's meat! You said it was a KID'S meal! This is not child's flesh!" She let out an inhumane roar and her legs slowly morphed together, the snakeskin on her belt and shoes sliding up her legs to give her a snake's body starting at her waist. Her hair grew scraggly and her nails elongated into claws. Her face stretched out and I could see razor-sharp teeth in her mouth.
The two men behind the counter screamed and ducked behind it as she threw her table at them, fries flying in every direction. She turned to face me, drool clearly on her face.
"You..." she hissed. "You look good enough to eat!"
She lunged at me, her snake tail whipping around. I leapt out of the way and she crashed into a table, knocking her glasses aside.
She whipped around to face me.
She had no eyes, just empty eye sockets. I almost gagged myself, but I held my knife in front of me.
"You're a gorgon!" I shouted.
She screamed in anger. "Do not compare me to those hideous beasts, daughter of Athena! I am the Lamia!"
Her story flashed in my mind. Once a beautiful queen, she was forced to eat her own children, and became a child-eating monster with the ability to take out her eyes. Apparently, she now had a snake tail. Why Zeus allowed her to take out her eyes, I don't know.
She leapt at me again, and I whipped out my hat, smashed it on my head and jumped out of the way just in time. She crashed into the condiments table.
She staggered, or slithered, to her feet, uh-tail, and inhaled deeply.
"Just because I don't see you, demigod, doesn't mean I can't smell you." How she could see me was beyond me.
She slowly moved towards me. I took in a deep breath.
Now or never, I thought. I flung my dagger straight at her. Once it left contact of my hand, it rippled into view and hit her square in the chest. She was flung back from the force of the dagger and shrieked as she burst into yellow dust.
I stood there, breathing heavily, and pulled off my hat. I walked over and picked up my knife, brushing off the dust. I put it in my sheath.
The dust suddenly started to swirl together. I fell backwards in shock, slipping in mustard as she started to reform.
Once her mouth came together, she started to cackle. "Clever idea, demigod, but I'm afraid that won't work. My patron has brought me back from the dead, and I intend to stay that way!" The dust rippled into her shape and she became solid.
I was stunned.
"I see the shock on your face," she laughed. "You cannot defeat me!"
She extended her claws and lunged. I couldn't get my dagger out fast enough. She knocked into me and we tumbled over chairs. She pinned my hands to my sides. Her tail curled over my legs so I wouldn't kick her off.
"You were a worthy opponent, but not good enough," she tsked. "Prepare to die!" She opened her mouth, and I felt like the black pits that were her eyes were the last things I would see.
Percy, I thought. I love you.
I closed my eyes.
I suddenly heard her shriek and I felt her weight get thrown off of me. I sat up quickly, pulling out my knife and looked around and blinked in shock.
Blackjack had stampeded into the demolished restaurant and had kicked her off of me. I saw her fall backwards and scream as his hooves came down and crushed her skull. She exploded into dust a second time and I ran forward, kicking around the dust. Blackjack used his wings to create wind and spread it around. For good measure, I grabbed my soda (which had somehow managed to remain untouched) and dumped it over her remains. She wasn't going to come back for a long time.
Blackjack snorted at the dust and then looked at me.
I rushed forward and hugged his neck.
"Thank you," I whispered. "I thought I was going to die."
He whinnied softly.
"I almost forgot," I said, moving back. I vaulted over the counter and opened a fridge where they kept packaged apple slices. The men were nowhere in sight. They had managed to escape.
I walked back over to him and tore open the package, holding out a slice.
"Here," I said, a grin on my face.
Whoa! Was that intense or what?
Sorry if you thought it was graphic that Blackjack's hooves smashed her head in. I kinda felt like it was necessary, though. :/
Wow. My heart is still beating from writing that chapter. Whenever I write, I always get really into it.
Gee whiz.
Let me know what you think by dropping me a review! I'd really 'preciate it :)
I'll see all ya'll next chapitre!
OKAY BYE.