Chapter 2 (Annabeth) The Cyclops

What in the world was Percy thinking? Where did he find that Cyclops? I pointed at the Cyclops.

"Where did you find him?"

"He's my friend." Percy replied.

"Is he homeless?" I asked Percy.

"Why can't you just ask him? He can hear you right now."

I looked surprised. As far I knew, Cyclops couldn't form single words, let alone whole sentences. The Cyclops looked down at me.

"I can talk. You are pretty."

I freaked out. "Ah! Gross!"

Percy looked at the Cyclops hands. "Tyson, your hands aren't even burnt."

I scoffed. "I'm surprised that the Laistrygonians even tried to attack you with him around."

Tyson, the cyclops, tried to touch my hair but I smacked his hand away.

Percy looked at me. "Laistry- what?"

I sighed. Had the idiot even considered to open a book on Greek Mythology before? "Laistrygonian giants. Giants of the north."

"English, Wise Girl."

I thought for a moment. "Canadians." I started walking away but Percy grabbed my arm. My cheeks reddened slightly but I didn't tug away. I still haven't gotten used to him touching me. Sure, we kissed and hugged a few times but after nearly a year of not seeing each other, it was still a bit embarrassing.

"Have you had the dreams about Grover?" he asked.

I looked confused. "What dreams about Grover? I thought you had the dreams about camp." Sudden realisation dawned on my face. "Oh." I looked at Tyson.

"What do you mean Oh?" enquired Percy.

The cyclops raised his hand, like answering a question a teacher had just asked. "The Canadians in the Gym called Percy Son of the Sea God."

Percy and I exchanged a look.

Percy answered. "Have you heard the stories of the old Greek Gods? Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Ares?"

Tyson nodded. Percy continued.

"Well, they're alive and they're now in the US. The follow the Western Civilisation. The most powerful countries during different times. The gods sometimes have children. I'm a son of Poseidon. Annabeth is a daughter of Athena."

Tyson nodded again, like a little boy. Well, he technically was a baby Cyclops but I couldn't tell Percy now.

"You believe me?" Percy asked the cyclops.

Tyson replied. "You are the Son of the Sea God?"

"Yeah."

Tyson frowned. Now he looked kind of confused. He opened his mouth to speak but I interrupted him.

"We need to go to camp now. We don't have much time left." I hurried along to a deserted road. I took out my last drachma.

"Uh, New York taxi drivers won't accept that Annabeth." Percy told me. I ignored him and spoke in Ancient Greek. "Anakoche, Harma epitribeios!" That means 'Stop, Chariot of Damnation!" I threw the coin down on the road and it sunk in. Moments later, the cab appeared. It was smoky grey, probably made of smoke. The passenger window rolled down. She took one look at Tyson and screeched.

"Ack. We don't take his kind!" She pointed a skinny finger at Tyson. Percy looked mad. I quickly intervened.

"Three extra drachmas on arrival."

The sister by the window screeched again. "Done! Get in!"

I waited for Percy to go in first. He didn't look to happy but crawled in. Tyson got in next and I squeezed in last. The driver floored the accelerator and we took off for Half-Blood Hill. The third sister to the driver screamed. "Give me the coin Wasp! I want to bite it!" She had the tooth obviously.

Wasp shouted back. "No I won't! You bit it last time, Anger! It's my turn now!"

The middle one screeched. "Brake! Red light! Red light!" Wasp floored the accelerator and we sped on.

"Give me the eye Anger, then I would be able to see!" shouted Wasp.

Percy leaned forward. "Can't you see?"

The driver screamed. "NO!"

The middle one screamed. "NO!"

The one by the shotgun window screamed. "OF COURSE, I CAN!"

Percy looked at me. "They can't see?" What a bright guy. A bright as a busted lightbulb.

I replied. "Of course, they're not. They have an eye."

"Each?"

"No. One eye for the three of them."

Tyson groaned next to me. He looked like he was going to puke. The sisters started to hit each other. They were fighting for real now. Hair was flying everywhere. Finally Anger, who had the advantage of being able to see, pulled the tooth out of Wasp's mouth. Wasp started yelling and Tyson groaned again. Percy looked worried.

I looked at him. "We're going to be fine. The Grey Sisters know what they're doing. They're really very wise."

He didn't look reassured. The sisters butted in. "Yes, we know many things!" grinned Anger.

"Every street in Manhattan! The capital of Nepal!" bragged Wasp.

"The location you seek!" added Tempest.

"Shut it! He hasn't asked yet!" the other two screamed at Tempest. They started fighting again. Suddenly the eye fell out of Anger's eye socket and landed on Percy's lap. Percy spasmed and the eye dropped on to the floor, next to his feet.

"I can't see!" the sisters yelled.

I screamed at Percy. "Give her the eye!"

Wasp wailed. "Give me the eye!"

Percy yelled back. "I'm not picking that up!"

I screamed again. "Just do it!"

"Tell me what location I seek," he hollered at the three sisters, "and then I'll give it back."

The sisters started yelling and screaming at the same time until they spoke together.

"Thirty, thirty-one, seventy-five, twelve!"

I was getting nervous. "Percy give her the eye!"

He ripped a piece of his T-shirt and picked the eye and tossed it into Wasp's lap. She grabbed it and plunked it back into her socket. She slammed the brakes just in time as we arrived at Camp-Half Blood. I opened the door and ran towards the campers. Percy pulled Tyson out and ran after me. The camp was under attack.