SANITY; heroes of olympus

02.6

At least it illuminated the monster. Sitting in a patch of withered yellow grass was a lime-colored snake as short and thick as Frank's arm. Its head was ringed with a mane of spiky white fins. The creature stared at the arrow zipping by as if wondering, What the heck is that?

Then it fixed its large, yellow eyes on Frank. It advanced like an inchworm, hunching up in the middle. Wherever it touched, the grass withered and died.

Zara grabbed one of Percy's arms and threw it over her shoulder, her other arm wrapping around his waist as she attempted to lug him up the stairs of the shop. He was taller and heavier than her, so it proved difficult to, but she managed with Hazel helped guide them, all while she yelled at Frank to hurry up.

"Frank!" The daughter of Pluto yelled behind him. "Come on!"

The snake sprang at him. It sailed through the air so fast, there wasn't time to knock an arrow. Frank swung his bow and smacked the monster

down the hill. It spun out of sight, wailing, "Screeeee!"

His little victory part didn't last long because his bow was steaming where it had touched the snake. They all watched in disbelief as the wood crumbled to dust. They heard an outraged hiss, answered by two more hisses farther downhill.

Frank dropped his disintegrating bow and ran for the porch. Zara and Hazel pulled him up the steps, Percy leaning against the daughter of Flora, looking just as cold and clammy as before. When they turned, they saw all three

monsters circling in the grass, breathing fire and turning the hillside brown with their poisonous touch. They didn't seem able or willing to come closer to the store, but that wasn't much comfort to any of them.

"We'll never get out of here," Frank said miserably.

"Cheer up Mr. Debby-Downer." Zara said, but she didn't sound or look much more confident than him.

"We'd better go in." Hazel pointed to the hand-painted sign over the door: RAINBOW ORGANIC FOODS & LIFESTYLES. Zara really had no idea what that meant, but it sounded better than flaming poisonous snakes. They followed Hazel inside.

As they stepped through the door, lights came on. Flute music started up like they'd walked onto a stage. The wide aisles were lined with bins of nuts and dried fruit, baskets of apples, and clothing racks with tie-dyed shirts and gauzy Tinker Bell–type dresses. The ceiling was covered in wind chimes. Along the walls, glass cases displayed crystal balls, geodes, macramé dream catchers, and a bunch of other strange stuff. Incense must have been burning somewhere. It smelled like a bouquet of flowers was on fire.

"Fortune-teller's shop?" Frank wondered.

"Hope not," Hazel muttered.

Percy leaned against Zara. He looked worse than ever, like he'd been hit with a sudden flu. His face glistened with sweat. "Sit down..." he muttered. "Maybe water."

"Yeah," Frank said. "Let's find you a place to rest."

The floorboards creaked under their feet. Frank navigated between two Neptune statue fountains, the other three following right behind him.

A girl popped up from behind the granola bins. "Help you?"

"AH!" Zara yelped as Frank lurched back, stepping on her foot, and accidentally knocking over one of the fountains. A stone Neptune crashed to the floor. The sea god's head rolled off and water spewed out of his neck, spraying a rack of tie-dyed man satchels.

"Sorry!" He bent down to clean up the mess. He almost goosed the girl with his spear.

"Eep!" she said. "Hold it! It's okay!"