Chapter 7 (Annabeth) The Furies

Argus drove.

"Not a single monster yet." Remarked Percy.

I gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk about monsters, seaweed brain."

He stared at me. "Why do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you."

He snorted. "Yeah, as if."

sighed. "Look it's not us actually. It's our parents. One time my mum caught your dad, Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is very rude and disrespectful. Another time, my mum and your dad competed to be the patron god of Athens. Poseidon created some stupid saltwater spring as his gift. Athena created the olive tree. The people liked hers better, so Athens is named after Athena."

"They must love olives."

"You're really stupid. Forget it."

"Did she invent pizza as well?"

"Forget it, alright?"

It started to rain. Argus dropped us off at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side. We waited for a bus in the wet, cold rain. The bus arrived shortly after. We stumbled aboard and made our way to the very back. We were talking when suddenly I saw something that just proved our luck was rubbish. The Kindly Ones. The Furies. All three of them. I put my hand onto Percy's knee. "Percy."

He looked up and started. "I thought you said that they would be gone for a lifetime."

"That's if you're lucky. You're definitely not."

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel and it went dark. The only source of light was the running lights down the aisle. A Fury got up. "I need to use the restroom." The other two Furies echoed her. I had a sudden thought and gave Percy my Yankees hat.

"Take it and go down the aisle. They want you."

"But what about you guys?"

"We'll be fine." Said Grover. "Go now!"

Percy put on the cap and vanished. The Furies advanced on us. "Where is it? Where did you take it?" they hissed. They drew their flaming whips. I drew my dagger. Grover took out a tin can. I didn't think that Percy would save us. The bus suddenly spun and flew across the road into a forest and crashed into the trees. He took off the cap and raised his sword.

A Fury crawled towards him. "You have offended the Gods, Perseus Jackson. You will die."

"I liked you better as a maths teacher." Percy replied. The other Furies hissed. One lashed her whip at Percy and I vaulted onto her back. We scuffled for a while and we managed to shove one down the aisle. Thunder shook the bus.

"Get out!" I screamed at the others. We rushed outside just before a lightning bolt struck the bus, destroying it completely.

"Run!" I said.

"Our bags!" interrupted Grover.

"No matter." I yelled. "We have to get out of here!"

Percy lead the way as we sprinted into the woods. Behind us we could hear the angry cry of the Furies. Ahead of us, nothing but darkness.