Chapter 2

"ANYA!" Tamsin yelled as she threw the door open and jumped into the room, quickly followed by Ruby and I. Anya was backing against a wall of the classroom, her eyes opened wide in terror. Advancing on her was the teacher but she looked a hell of a lot different. She had the body and head of a lioness, a snake for a tail and a fire-breathing goat head coming from its back.

"Holy… goat?" I yelled over the noise of the lioness' roars, the snakes' furious hissing and the roar of flames emanating from the goat's mouth.

"That is one messed up creature!" Ruby yelled. I would have laughed if I hadn't have been so terrified. I had no idea what to do. That… thing would surely kill me if I went too near it. But what about Anya? I've never been the best at thinking up things to do, that's more Tamsin's thing. But she couldn't help us now. As soon as Tamsin had seen the monster, she had crumpled into a heap on the floor. Ruby had run to her side and I had just stood frozen to the spot like an idiot. I don't think I had ever been so scared, not even when I had to bring a school report home saying that I had blown up the Art department at my previous school. Um… it's a long story. Come to think of it, I can't really remember it that well. The memories trickle away as I try to remember what happened, but it's like trying to keep water in my hand. Anyway back to the story. Where was I? Oh yeah, so Anya dived under the desk to her right and scrambled towards the door. The monster came after her, sending chairs and tables flying. As I heard Anya screaming in terror, dodging a jet of flames from the goat's mouth, it was as if someone flicked a switch on inside my head. I leapt in front of Anya, in between. "What the hell are you doing?" my mind screamed at me, "have you gone completely nuts?" but I told my mind to shut up and let my instincts do the talking. I dodged flames, spits of venom from the snake and the lioness' sharp teeth. How was I doing this? Suddenly the creature bounded towards Ruby and Tamsin.

"NO!" I yelled, jumping in front of it and punching the monster as hard as I could in the face. The monster froze and then disintegrated into the ground.

"Oh my gods!" a voice said from the door of the classroom. I whirled around, ready to attack again.

"Easy!" said a guy with untidy brown hair, "I'm not a Chimera, at least I don't think so." He looked over at his back. "I don't see a goat's head, do you Hilary?" He said grinning and beckoning a girl over who was standing in the doorway.

"That was amazing!" she said to me, staring at me in awe.

"Um thanks… Hilary." I muttered, trying not to stare at her legs.

She laughed, "It's ok, I'm a satyr." she motioned towards her legs which were covered in fur and had hooves.

"You can get girl satyrs?" Anya said.

"Yep!" Hilary said, smiling at Anya.

"Awesome!"

"Yeah, so awesome!" said Ruby.

"I hate to interrupt this fascinating discussion," said the guy sarcastically, "But we really should be going before anyone finds this mess."

"Ok Lucas, come on guys!" Hilary said. Lucas and Hilary led us out of the half-destroyed classroom. A teacher came down the corridor as we walked down it. She screamed as she saw me, with an open wound on my arm, Hilary and the rest.

"Run!" Lucas yelled and we all charged down the corridor as fast as we could, Tamsin being supported by Ruby and Hilary.

As we reached the playground, there was a silver chariot in the middle of it, led by 4 white winged horses. Lucas winked at me as we all clambered on, "Special present from Artemis," he said, lifting the reins and the horses' galloped forward, gathering speed. We were heading straight towards the Art department. Oh no not again!

Anya screamed as we sped towards the very solid looking brick wall.

"Come on! Come ON!" Lucas yelled at the horses.

Suddenly we were up in the air, soaring above the trees and buildings.

"Next stop, Camp Half Blood!" Hilary called happily.

"Where?" Tamsin, Ruby, Anya and I said in unison.