𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐩. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Demigods almost get stoned

She spoke: "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"

"They're ... um ..." Annabeth started to say.

"We're orphans," Percy lied.

"Orphans?" the woman said. The word sounded alien on her tongue. "But, my dears! Surely not!"

"We got separated from our caravan," Percy said. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"

"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."

They all thanked the strange woman.

Annabeth muttered, "Circus caravan?"

Percy shrugged. "Always have a plan, right?"

The warehouse was filled with more statues—people in different poses, all wearing different outfits with different expressions on their faces. Evangeline felt like she was being watched, the eyes of each statue following them.

Percy and Annabeth seemed to be in a trance, gravitating toward the food. They didn't register the way all the statue's eyes would follow them, Grover's nervous whimpers or the close eye Aunty Em was keeping on them.

The daughter of Hades tensed as she heard the click of a door lock. Grover was shivering from fear as he grabbed her arm and ducked behind her to hide.

When they reached the back of the warehouse, a fast food counter with a grill, soda fountain, pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could ever want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front.             

"Please, sit down," said Aunty Em.

"Awesome," Percy said.

Evangeline sat at the edge of the table, next to Grover. "Excuse me, ma'am but we don't have any money with us," Grover said

"No, no, child. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."

"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said.

Aunty Em stiffened as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but the old woman relaxed just as quickly.

"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful grey eyes, child."

Evangeline watched the woman closely. They had never even spoken their names, let alone uttered the words.

Their hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before they knew it, she'd brought out plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.

Percy was halfway through his burger before he remembered to breathe. Annabeth slurped her shake loudly. Grover handed his fries to the brunette while he eyed the paper underneath.

"What's that hissing noise?" the satyr asked.

But Annabeth only shook her head.

"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."

"I take vitamins. For my ears."

"That's admirable," she said. "But please, relax, I'm sure it was nothing."

"If it was nothing why did you lock the door?" Evangeline asked in a harsh tone. She didn't trust Aunty Em, she made it very clear to her.

"Well, aren't you a little bundle of joy," said Aunty Em. "But please, relax, my child."