Demigod-Witch

Chapter 14

"So, is this a road trip?"  Percy asks me as he fiddles with the radio.

"I guess...why?"  I ask.  Whether it was a road trip or not, it didn't really matter.

"I don't know, I like road trips."  Percy mumbles and I shake my head.  This was so boring, I hated driving.  It isn't like I was bad at it, but I was afraid of cops pulling me over and asking for my driver's license (I didn't like using memory charms, but sometimes they were necessary).  I also was worried that Annabeth wasn't reading the map right, I know she is, but I feel much more in control when I do things myself.  It has always been that way.  I don't ask Dad for things, I haven't talked to him in person since I left.  He sent me letters, at Hogwarts.  Sometimes I wrote back, but his letters were too hard to write back to.  He wanted me home, and I just didn't want to put him in any danger.  His letters begged me to come back for the summers, for me to come home for the holidays.  He always sent me Christmas presents, even though I never stayed with him for Christmas.

"You okay?"  Percy asks nervously, and I realize I am crying.  I quickly wipe away my tears and nod.

"You can tell us,"  Annabeth says.  I sigh, but talk.

"Don't you ever miss your parents?  I know I'm sick of this.  I miss Dad, but I feel like I was putting him in danger when I stayed with him."  I explain, knowing they will understand.

"Yeah.  I mean, Camp is fun, but I miss my father, too."  Annabeth sighs.

I look over at Percy, who isn't speaking.  He is kind of looking down at his hands.

"What?"  I ask him.

"I see my mom a lot.  I talk to her, too.  I'm sorry for you, but you should see your dad.  He misses you, and you miss him.  You don't have to stay with him forever, but at least for the holidays."  Percy advises.  It is a pretty good point, my dad and I both miss each other.

"I might do that."  I say and smile.  Maybe Dad would be okay with that.

"How long will this trip be?"  Annabeth asks.

"Hmm, five hours, four and a half if we are lucky."  I state. 

The car is covered in a blanket of darkness.  I can see the cars in front of me, but it is still hard to see.

"Annabeth, did a cloud pass over the sun?"  Percy asks Annabeth and I immediately reply, as if a robot is speaking through my voice.

"Then why are the cars around us in the sun?" 

Annabeth and Percy turn their heads to the back window, and I look in the rear view mirror.  What I see is definitely not a cloud.

"OH MY GOSH!"  I scream and hit the gas. 

"HURRY UP!"  Annabeth screams and pulls out a knife I never knew she had.  Percy begins to uncap his sword.  I quickly roll down his window so that he doesn't poke my eye out.

"I forgot how big Riptide was,"  He looks at me sheepishly and hangs onto his sword, hoping to get a poke at the monster.

The thing I see in the rear view mirror is a monster.  Complete with green scales, tired red eyes, and two horrible, spiraling orange horns.

"WHAT IS THAT THING?"  I scream to Annabeth, who is rolling down her window to jab at the monster.

"I DON"T EVEN KNOW!"  Annabeth yells and I swerve desperately around cars on this terrible highway.  I wonder what the mortals are seeing right now.

I feel like I'm driving in a video game, and I'm terribly afraid that I'm going to bump into somebody and spin out.  Everybody is trying to part for me so that I don't hit them, but I am still struggling.

I hear a deep wail of pain coming from the monster as Annabeth jabs it with her knife, slicing off a couple of scales on the monster's arm.  I focus on the road again, but from what I gather, Annabeth has moved from behind my seat to behind Percy so that they can both fight the monster.

I hear a loud thud and the car roof seems to pop and the whole car shifts its weight.  Another loud thump, and the monster is on Annabeth and Percy's side.

A monster literally just jumped on the roof of our rental car.  This day just stinks.

I furiously drive while paying attention to the map myself, which is hard  when you are swerving as much as I am.  I read the map carefully, then take an exit off the highway.  It is so much easier to get around cars now, but the looks I get from the people that are watching us are terrible.

I hear another wail of pain from the monster, and I take the time to look over at Percy and Annabeth.  They sliced another couple of scales off the monster's shoulder. 

I manage to not hit a red convertible, but I run off the road and into the grass.  I run over a bush and scream my head off, causing Annabeth to scream, which makes the monster laugh.

I finally make my way to the road without killing anybody.  I dodge almost every car I can, but scratch a parked SUV with nobody in it.  I feel terrible, but I keep driving.

I hear a furious scream that cuts off short, and I watch the monster turn into dust as Percy stabs it in the chest with Riptide.

I park the car as fast as I can on the side of the road.  As soon as I do, I scream a little more, and Annabeth covers her ears as Percy taps my shoulder.

"He's dead."  He states simply, as if I didn't know.

"I just...I could've killed somebody."  I put my head in my hands as I start to cry out of shock.

"Well, it is totally gone.  Nothing to worry about now.  You didn't kill anybody."  Annabeth tries to calm me down, but is too shaken up herself.

Percy caps Riptide and rolls his window back up.  I wipe my eyes and look at Percy.

"Switch with me."  I almost demand, but Percy gets out of the car as I do, and I hug him.

"Let's not do that again."  I sniff as I let go of him.  He puts his hands on my shoulder and smiles.

"You didn't kill anybody.  You hit no cars, and only scratched one."  He walks to the driver's seat and I open the passenger door and get in.

"This morning is getting okay.  At least I got my outfit dirty."  Annabeth says and looks at her ripped shirt that was so cute before a monster clawed it  on the shoulder.

"Are you guys hurt?"  I ask and pull out my wand.

"Just my shoulder."  Annbeth says and Percy shakes his head, but winces as I touch a bloody part of his shirt on his arm.

"Liar."  I say to Percy and point my wand at Annabeth's shoulder.

"Episkey."  I say then do the same to Percy's shoulder.

"Thanks,"  He says and Annabeth says the same.

"As long as I am not driving, I'll fix your cuts.  Okay?  I don't want to drive again on this quest."  I say, and Percy laughs.

"Okay," He says.

"I'd say four and a half hours with all the traffic I drove around."  I smile and we head to L.A..