Alstroemerias {Percy Jackson}

24

Maggie sucked at Hacky Sack.

The group had gotten restless while waiting for the bus, and decided to play a game with one of Grover's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce it off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, wherever it landed. Percy wasn't awful either. Maggie was grateful she could stop embarrassing herself when Grover ate the apple, core and stem, abruptly ending the game.

Finally, the bus came. As they stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air,

"What's wrong?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," he answered tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

Percy and Maggie couldn't help but start looking over their shoulders, too.

The four got on board, and found four seats together at the back of the bus. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover stowed their backpacks away. Magnolia held onto hers, wanting to have easy access to the ambrosia in case anything happened to them.

The green eyed girl fiddled with the straps and keychains as she waited for the bus to start. Just as the last passengers had made their way in, Percy jumped. Magnolia turned to look at the boy, questioning why he had been startled, only to see that Annabeth had placed her hand on his knee.

"Percy..." she whispered, eyes looking forward.

An old lady had boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a large bag. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered.

"Sh-" Grover glared at her

"-oot"

Behind her came two more older ladies, one in a green hat and the other in purple. Save for the different colored hats, hey looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds. They had the same gnarled hands, the same bags, and the same wrinkled velvet dresses. They were triplet demon grandmothers.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two nearest the aisle crossed their legs, making an X over the walkway. To the normal, innocent human bean it was casual, but the kids knew what it really meant. Ot sent a clear message, nobody leaves.

"She didn't stay long," Percy commented, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime?" he said, looking at the only blond in the group.

"I said if you're lucky. You obviously are not."

"All three of them, Grover whispered. "Di immortales!"

Maggie was trying not to worry. They were just ministers. She'd killed plenty before. So why does it feel different?

"It's okay," Annabeth said, thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the underworld. No problem. No pr-"

"You're not helping!" Magnolia hissed.

"We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?"

There wasn't one.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around. Will they?" Percy asked.

"Mortals have sucky vision." Magnolia reminded him. "They only see what they want to see, or at least what their brains can process through the mist."

"But they'll see three old ladies killing four kids, won't they?"

"It's rude to say old, Percy." Maggie mumbled. "It elderly, or at the very least, older." The others ignored her.

"Hard to say," Annabeth answered. "But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit on the roof?"