Chapter Nine
Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO or HoO series by Rick Riodan.
Kyra's POV
As I pull into the driveway, I get a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I park the car right outside the garage and get out, leaving my backpack in the passenger seat.
I make my way to the front door and just as I'm about to put my key in the lock, I notice that the door's slightly ajar. The weird feeling intensifies, to say the least.
I slowly push open the door, to find the house extremely dark. This was odd because we usually leave a lamp on so we can see when we come in. I flip the light switch and see that the whole house was in shambles.
Pictures that had been hung on the wall were knocked down or smashed; furniture was flipped over and shredded, leaving the stuffing all over the place; papers were scattered all over the floor; the coat closet was emptied, all its contents scattered on the floor. On the walls, there were messages spray painted with red paint.
There was an odd scent in the air too. Almost like a guy's cologne mixed with the musty smell of monsters.
I quickly head into the kitchen, to find it just as torn up as the living room. I feel under the counter by the sink and press the small button hidden under the ledge.
There's a small beep and then a section of the black and white checkered floor slides back, revealing a staircase.
I quickly make my way down the stairs and into the emergency weaponry Nico and I had installed, with the help of Leo, when we had built this house.
As I make my way down the steps, torches mounted on the wall light up with the green flames that the Underworld is known for.
When I finally make it to the bottom, I look around and give a sigh of relief. Nothing had been touched down here. Everything was exactly how we had left it the last time we had been down here.
I quickly grab one of the large tote bags from a drawer and set it on the table in the middle of the room. I go around the room, collecting various weapons.
I grab a bow and two quivers full of arrows, four daggers, a couple of swords, some throwing stars, and some other weapons. I go over to a drawer and open it. I grab the two emergency debit cards and some cash and place everything into the bag.
I zip it up and then start making my way back up the stairs. I know it could have been just a simple break in, but I had a feeling that this wasn't what it was at all. It was the start of something horrible.
"Misses di Angelo. Why are you here so early? Michael doesn't need to be picked up until 2 o'clock." Michael's teacher, Ms. Amy, says.
"Family emergency. I need him now." I say, trying to stay calm.
"Oh, is everything alright?" she asks, concern in her light brown eyes.
"My father has fallen terribly ill. Nico and I are getting the kids together so we can head down to my parents' house in Baltimore and be there with them." I say.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I'll go get him right away." she says, heading into the back where all the kids were.
She comes back a few minutes later, holding Michael's hand. He was smiling and carrying his lunch box in his other hand.
"He probably won't be here for the last few days of kindergarten." I say.
"I totally understand. I hope your father gets well soon." she calls as I walk out the door with Mike.
"Mama, where are we goin'?" Mike asks as I back out of the parking space.
"We're going to safe place." I say.
"Is daddy goin' to be there too?" he asks.
"Yes. We'll see him soon." I say.
"Hey, I was just about to call and tell you I'm about to leave. I'll be at the house in a couple of minutes." Nico says as he answers his phone.
"No!" I say.
"What? Why? What's going on, Ky?" he asks, alarm in his voice.
"Someone broke into the house earlier today. The whole place was torn up." I say.
"Ky, are you sure it wasn't just a regular burglary?" he asks, skeptical.
"Yes, I'm sure. The whole place smelled like monsters. I'm positive that it wasn't just a regular break in. Things were smashed, making it look like whoever did it was looking for something." I say, pacing.
"Kyra, burglars are always looking for something. I mean, they break into houses because they're looking for something to steal." he says. I could tell he wasn't buying it.
"Listen, I know what I'm talking about. I've got Mike and we're at the safe house in Pennsylvania." I say.
"Good gods of Olympus, Kyra! Why did you drive all the way down there? We've got another one in New York. It would've been much closer than driving all the way there." he says.
"Nico, I'm not joking. I wanted to get as far away from home as possible tonight." I say.
He sighs and I can just see him closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.
"Fine. I'll be there in a couple of minutes. Tomorrow though, I'm going back to the house to check it out myself." he says.
"You don't trust me?" I ask.
"No, it's not that. I just want to see it for myself, that's all." he says.
"Fine. I'll see you in a few minutes." I say.
I end the call and go into the second bedroom. Mike was in there, playing with his toys, as happy as he could be.
"Where's daddy?" he asks.
"He'll be here in a few minutes." I say, brushing his black curls out of his eyes.
"Oh, okay." he says, then goes back to his toys.
I watch him for a few more minutes then hear the front door close. I unsheathe one of my daggers and walk out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me.
"Ky?" I hear Nico call.
I sigh and place my dagger back into it's sheathe. I go into the small living room to find Nico hanging up his worn leather jacket on one of the pegs.
"Where's Mike?" he asks.
"In the bedroom, playing with his toys." I say.
"Ah." he says, nodding.
"Nico, I'm scared." I say, sitting down in one of the cushy chairs.
"Why?" he asks.
"The house today—it just was so awful. I could tell that the person or monster who did all that damage was furious when they did it." I say, resting my head in my hands.
"And how's that?" he asks, sitting in the chair next to me.
"The pictures on the walls, they were smashed." I say.
"So?" he asks.
"All the pictures that you and I are in, our faces are scratched out with a black marker." I say.
"Oh." he says.
"And there were words painted on the walls." I say.
"What did they say?" he asks, starting to sound like he believed me about it not being "just a burglary."
"Stuff like 'die bitch' and 'you'll pay for what you did.'" I say.
"Whoa. Who would do that though?" he asks.
"I don't know. And I think that's what scares me the most. I don't know who it is." I say.
"We're going to figure this out. We'll be alright." he says, taking my hand.
"I hope you're right." I say.
A/N:
Ahh, finally getting to the good stuff! I was sooo excited for you guys to read this chapter. I've found that Kyra's chapters are going to be longer than James', at least for a little bit. Like the next chapter is about two and a half pages in the word program I use, and chapter eleven is nearly six pages long. I think they'll eventually equal each other out.
So winter hit like overnight where I am. Yesterday it was in the 50's and today I woke up and it was in the upper 30's. And it's windy and it's starting to snow a little bit, not much at all though, just flurries.
So I've come to the conclusion that Tuesdays and Saturdays are my favorite days of the week. Not because I update, though that does contribute to it since I get to talk to you guys, but just because for some reason they're better.
M/A:
Today's song is Golden by Fall Out Boy. God, that song is so amazing. Patrick Stump's voice is just so beautiful in it, but then, when is it not beautiful?
XOXO,
Mrs-diAngelo25