Chapter 2: Dead End

Carrie leaped into the back of the car with Andrew in the driver's seat and Samantha in the passenger's seat. They drove in the direction of the forest that was in front of Carrie's house.

"Stop! It's a dead end in there!" shouted Carrie desperately.

"Too late now!" exclaimed Samantha as they drove into the dark mass of trees. "Come on Andrew! Can you think of anything? Because the Trojans are right behind us!"

Carrie looked back and sure enough the Trojans (or that's what she assumed) were right behind them. They looked normal enough: t-shirts and jeans. They were driving one of those really big cars that can fit like eight people. Carrie wasn't an expert on cars, but she assumed it was some kind of truck. The sun window was open with a guy sticking not only his head and shoulders, but also a gun out.

"Duck!" screamed Carrie, and as they did, a cascade of bullets fired where each of their heads had been just a nanosecond ago.

"Owww!" Andrew was yelling. "He got my arm!" he explained.

Samantha reached over and grabbed the steering wheel.

"Andrew, think of something fast, 'cause I can see the dead end!" she exclaimed.

"Uhhhh… I got it!" he said, relieved.

"Well do it, then!" scolded Carrie impatiently.

Andrew leaned down under Samantha, cradling his arm.

"Anyone got any duct tape?"

"What? Why?" barked Carrie.

"Well, do you?"

"Here."

Andrew took the duct tape and, using one hand, taped the gas pedal down.

"Get out of the car now!" he commanded.

They all jumped out and ran farther into the trees, hearing the two crashes that meant theirs and the Trojans cars had reached the dead end.

"Ouch." said Carrie, somewhat unnecessarily.

"Yup, but now we've got to get back to the house before they wake up. They won't be happy." Samantha said decidedly.

"OK, but after that you tell me what the heck is going on." Carrie said, demandingly.

"I guess." Andrew said. They walked out of the woods and up toward the burned up house.

"Well," said Samantha slowly. "I know we said we'd tell you now, but I don't think we're safe. We need to head somewhere they can't harm us. A temple of some kind. Andrew, is the closest one in Athens.?"

"I believe so. We could head up to the Parthenon. Athena was always kind to Odysseus. Or me. Or past me. Or… whatever."

"To the Parthenon we go." Samantha said decidedly.

"Whoa…The Parthenon? That's in Greece! We're in New York!"

"Yup."