𝐹𝑢𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑒 ~ 𝑝.𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛

018

[oscars that fly, bad apologies, and old smelly men]

Melvina thought Grover was a strange little thing, and his ideas often made her want to throw him out of a window. But he was just crazy enough to think of the maddest plans that are sure to get the demigods killed. Or save their sucky lives.

"BURRITO FIGHT!" He yelled and flung his guacamole grande at the nearest skeleton.

Much to Melvina's amazement, Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. She wasn't sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burrito baskets, and buckets of chips and soda's at each other, shrieking and screaming.

The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.

In the chaos, Thalia and Melvina tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then the kids raced downstairs, guacamole grandes whizzing past their heads.

"What now?" Grover asked as they burst outside.

No one answered. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. They ran across the street to the plaza with the winged bronze statues, but that just put their backs to the mountain.

The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around us. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two had burritos lodged in their ribcages. They all drew their batons and advanced.

"Five agaisnt eleven," Zoe murmured. "And they cannot die."

Melvina scoffed and ripped off her bracelets, turning them into blades. "Well, I can't either."

"Woah," Percy said. "Their toes are really bright."

"Percy!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time."

"Thalia!" Percy said. "Pray to your dad."

She glared at him, "He never answers."

"Just this once," he pleaded. "Ask for help, I think . . . I think the statues can give us some good luck."

Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifteen meters away. Ten meters.

"Do it!" Melvina yelled.

"No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me!"

"This time is different!" Percy said.

"Who says?"

Percy hesitated, "Athena, I think."

Thalia scowled like he'd just said something utterly unforgivable.

"Try it!" Grover pleaded.

Thalia closed her eyes. Her lips moved in silent prayer. Nothing happened. The skeletons closed in, and Melvina raised my knives. Thalia raised her shield. Zoe pushed Grover behind her and raised her arrow at the skeleton's head.

A shadow fell over the children. Melvina thought maybe it was the shadow of death. Then she realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze and all five baton-wielders were swept away.

The other skeletons opened fire, and in the blink of an eye, Percy had thrown himself over Melvina, with his bulletproof cloak covering them both. But he didn't need to. The bronze angels stepped in front of them and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both statues slashed outwards, and the skeletons went flying across the road.