The Riptides: Percy's Sister (Percy Jackson And The Olympians)

Book One, Chapter Eleven 1.11

In a way, it's nice to know there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go horribly wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a demigod, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.

So there we were, Annabeth, Grover, Percy and I, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind us and the smell of the Hudson reeking in our noses.

I gave Annabeth back her cap and looked at Percy. "What was that you said on the bus?"

"I have no idea. I think it's Latin and I think it meant "Eat my pants."

I shook my head. "So close to eat my shorts."

"Har har." Percy laughed half heartedly. "What were you thinking! I told you to stay put!"

"Well, I decided I couldn't just stand there and do nothing! Dean gave me his knife to borrow so I decided I should use it. Besides," I said. "I survived. That's all that matters right now."

"You are so- UGH!"

"Love you too!" I smiled.

"Percy lay off." Annabeth defended. "She survived. That was pretty impressive Molly."

"Thank you. At least someone appreciates my efforts."

Grover was shivering and muttering, his big goat eyes turned slit pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."

I was still in shock. The sound of the explosion still rang in my ears. But Annabeth kept pulling us along, saying: "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there," I reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

Percy sneered. "Except for you."

"What? So I refused to let go of my backpack. I have a little bit of ambrosia and nectar. I don't have any money or drachmas."

He crossed his arms. "Anything else?"

I scoffed. "Clothes. Anyone wanna use it as a blanket or something? And water. Anyone wanna drink?"

"Are- are you sharing your food?" He grabbed me by the collar. "Who are you and what have you done to my sister?"

"Don't worry, your sister's fine. A little shaken up, but alive."

"Oh okay, as long as she's alive."

Grover muttered mournfully. "Tin cans... a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

We sloshed across mushy ground, through nasty twisted trees that smelled like Percy's dirty laundry.

After a few minutes, Percy fell in line next to me. "Look, I..." His voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."

"What was that?" I smiled.

"Don't make me say it again."

"Hm? I didn't hear you."

He gritted his teeth. "That was really brave and I appreciate you coming back."

"Thank you. We're a team, right? I feel I should put in my two cents."

We were silent for a few more steps until Annabeth chimed in. "It's just that if any or one of you died... aside from the fact that would really suck for both of you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."