Memories (Percy Jackson)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I wake up the next morning, ehausted as hell.  Why did i go running?  I can't stand running.  It's really not my thing.  I glanced over to my bedside clock while all snuggled up in my nice warm duvet.  5:45.  I had to hours to get ready for school. And then I have to pick that new guy, Michael.  I'm not going to go over my procedure on how i got dressed, but it takes me a good hour. Breakfast is the usually peacefully quiet time while my parents arent awake and fighting.  It seems like theyre fighting more than usual lately.

 When it comes the time, I grab my keys and walk out the door, without my backpack, seeing we're just having a pep rally today.  Pull out of the driveway, pull in right next door.

 I honk my horn to make sure he knows I'm there and waiting, and he comes out in almost the exact same outfit as the day before.  Only thing is, his t-shirt is black instead of white.  He smiles while he closes his front door.

 Man, his teeth are absolutely perfect!  He climbs in my tiny Camry and turns to look at me.  

"Thanks for the lift."  He says while flashing me a grin.

 "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get to school before  this pep rally starts. "  He nods, and i back out of his drive way.

 We don't say anything until we're at school, which is good 10 minute drive.  He thanks me again, before getting out of the car and leaving.  He left really suddenly, which was a little strange, but I shrugged it off.

 I head off to the gym, ready for this stupid pep rally that I don't really want to be at.  I usually would sit inbetween my friends, but they all have new friends, so I sit between people that I really don't know, and it's usually very uncomfortable. But today, I walk in and the gym is almost already full, but I hear someone calling my name from the section my class is in.

 "RENA!"  The voice screams.

 I scan the crowd for who is saying it, but I can't seem to locate the person.

 "CYRENA!"  They scream again.

This time I see him.  He's standing up, so he's the tallest one in the sea of people sitting down and staring at him.

 As I walk up the bleacher steps to sit next to Mike,  people stare at me, my cheeks turning a shade of crimson.  I sit down next to Mike and for the fourth or fifth time today, he shoots me a grin.

 "Isn't this fun?"  He says, watching the cheerleaders pile in to the gym to start their routine.

 "Yeah,"  I mutter under my breath.  "Loads."

 The pep rally begins, and the principal starts his annual spiel. "Well, welcome to this year's pep rally!"  The crowd cheers. "I would like to introduce-"  

Then, the craziest thing happened.  The wall to the gym exploded, leaving a wrecking ball sized hole in the wall.  When the smoke cleared, there was a group of five people standing there- 3 cheerleaders, and two women who- i kid you not- had green skin.

 Was I hallucinating?  Nobody else seemed to notice them, they were just confused at how the wall exploded.

 I grabbed Michael's arm as they began to walk toward us.  "Do you see them?"  I asked quietly.

 He looked exactly where i was in fear.  "Yes."  He whispered back.  

As they came closer, it was clear that none of this crew were human.  The cheerleaders flickered between their uniforms and pale white skin with bloodred eyes, walking on two mismatched legs. One looked metal, and the other one looked like it came from.. a donkey?  They looked menacing and I didn't have any clue as to what they were.

 And the two greenskinned women behind them weren't women at all.  They had snake trunks for legs, slithering toward us like lizards.  I had no idea what was going on, but they were either looking at Michael or me. They started walking up the bleachers.

 "What do we do?" I asked Mike.  "I don't know" he said.

 Then something even stranger happened. He shuddered like he had just been doused with ice water, and his eyes were darker than before.  He had bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days.  

"Scythian dracanae and empousai."  He gasped.  

"Mike, are you okay?"  He looked at me with no recognition.

 "Who the hell are you?  Who's Mike?"  He said before shuddering again and looking at me in fear.  

"What are those things?"  He asked me.  

What the hell?  This shit was really starting to scare me.  The empousai? is that what Not-Mike had said?  Were two feet away from us, the snake women in tow.

 They stopped infront of us, and the vampire cheerleader hissed, but it sounded like laughing.  "The spell worked that well on you?"  She looked at Michael. " I'm surprised you didn't remember yourself longer."

 He looked puzzled.  "What do you mean?  I'm Michael.  What do you want form me?"

 The empousa laughed again.  "Not only you, sweetie. The girl too."  

My heart dropped into my chest.  "M-me?"  I stuttered.  "Of course you, you insufferable half-blood."  

What the hell is a half-blood? I asked myself.  The dracanae spoke up from behind the demon cheerleaders.

"Come now and you won't have to be harmed."  She pulled out a spear.  Guess that settles it.  Go or die.  

"Michael, let's just go with them."  I said.  

Keeping his eyes on the monsters, he slowly got up and grabbbed my hand keeping me behind him.  

The empousa smiled cruelly.  "Let's go.  Master will want to meet you."