stollen things || c. stoll

3.4 ~ The Land Without Rain

"And the one before that?"

She frowned, then said, "Roosevelt."

"Theodore or Franklin?" I was getting increasingly worried now.

"F.D.R."

We all sucked in a breath. "Bianca," Zoë said. "F.D.R. was not the last president. That was seventy years ago."

"That's impossible. I'm not that old." She shook her head like she was trying clear her thoughts.

"It's okay, the important thing is that you and Nico are safe." Thalia said sadly.

Percy kept asking questions, and Bianca was close to tears. I tried to motion to him to stop pressing her, but the headlights of a car came out of nowhere and skidded to a stop in front of us. Unluckily, Percy was standing right next to the door. The door opened and a sword was at Percys throat immediately. We all drew our weapons, but they fell to the ground immediately.

"This is a friendly meeting." The man from the limo said. "Though I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady. Get in."

"Ares," Percy growled.

"Well?" He shoved Percy into the limo. "Why don't you get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes."

"The taco place is closed." I pointed out. Ares snapped his fingers and the taqueria came to life. The lights turned on and the sign turned around to say OPEN.

"You were saying?"

We trudged off, not excited to leave Percy, but still hungry enough to do so. Ares had also summoned some workers to make our tacos, so I got a veggie taco. The others thought that was weird, and they all got fish tacos. Even worse, in my opinion. We walked outside, munching on our tacos, and made it out just in time for the town, limo, and god to disappear. Along with my taco. Just as I was biting into it.

Percy told us about his audience with Aphrodite, and told us that she said to not pick anything up in the junkyard. None of us really believed him, but he changed the subject anyway. "How do we get out of here?"

"This way is west." She pointed directly through the junkyard.

"No way around?" Bianca asked hopefully.

"Not unless you want to walk many miles north or south. I don't like it, but straight through is the fastest way. And like Percy said, don't touch anything. There could be booby traps everywhere." I said, and we started through.

It was easier said than done. It seemed that left and right there was something that appealed to each of us. Bianca had a few things she was interested in, even Thalia got curious once or twice. I saw a few little trinkets that I thought would make cute gifts, but stopped myself before I could touch it.

Zoë used the constellations to lead us through the junkyard. After hours, the edge of the junkyard came into sight. Between us and the road, though, was a hill larger than the previous ones.

"Are those-" I started.

"Toes." Thalia said. "Let's go around."

"But the road is right there," Percy gestured. "It's quicker to climb over."

"Come on." I said. "Around." I couldn't track anything in metal, but we hadn't encountered any traps yet and it was bound to happen. We walked for several minutes, and finally made it around the toed machine.

"We made it out," Zoë sighed. "Thank the gods."

She spoke too soon, apparently, because the most horrible noise came from behind us. A huge wave of metal was rising. No, not a wave. A bronze giant. It was in full battle armor. His face was deformed and partially melted off.

"Talos!" Zoë gasped. "One of Hephaestus's creations. A prototype or remodel, maybe."

The giant didn't seem to like us talking about him, so he drew his sword with the worst screeching sound I had ever heard. The sword was easily a hundred feet long and covered in rust.

"Someone took something." I turned to face everyone. "Who?" No one answered, and the giant took one large, slow, ground-shaking step toward us. We split up. Thalia drew her shield and ran down the highway. The giant swung it's sword and took out some power lines. Zoë kept shooting at him, but every arrow shattered against the creature's bronze build. I had no powers, no long distance weapon, and I wasn't excited to go wrestling with this giant. The giant was walking straight towards Percy and Bianca, so I did what any demigod in their right mind would do. I started picking up things and throwing it at the giant.

"Hey! Big guy!"

But he wasn't listening. Thalia had him mostly occupied by running around him and hitting him with her sword. Percy started shouting things at Bianca as she ran towards the giant's foot.

"What is she doing?" I yelled as she leapt under his foot and crawled up inside.

"Get it to lift up its foot!" Percy yelled to Zoë. I ran up and joined Thalia at his heels, slashing at the giant metal toes. Percy got thrown to the side easily and was down for the count.

Suddenly, the monster froze. He started moving in strange ways, then made a fist and punched himself in the face. I realized what was happening. Bianca was inside the giant. It kept punching itself, then it began to run out of the junkyard.

"Hey, wait!" We called after the monster, but there wasn't any way we could keep up with it. It was hopeless. With each passing second, the monster fell apart at the joints. Finally it crumbled into just another pile of wreckage.

We searched all night, calling her name, but I knew she was gone. We were in the desert, just as the prophecy said.

"Percy," I said, walking up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We have to keep searching. It's light now, we'll find her!"

"Percy." I turned him to meet my eyes. "You know we won't. One shall be lost in the land without rain." I could see his thoughts race through his eyes as he remembered the prophecy.

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hey besties so this was a long chapter sorry fhdksj

unedited btw it is like 11pm so i don't have the energy to read it

i hope y'all are takin good care of yourselves and if you're not: please do >:(