Turning Tides | P. Jackson Books 1-5

I'm A What?

      "Montauk," Ayden muttered as she passed one of the giant road signs.

      A loud shriek pierced her ears as the driver's side window shattered. The monster's claws latched onto her arm making her cry out. She yanked the wheel to the side driving off the road toward the trees. At the last minute, she moved the wheel back as the creature hit the tree flying off the truck. She attempted to get the truck back onto the road with no avail. It slammed into the trees as Ayden's head snapped forward hitting the steering wheel.

      The creature had moved onto the hood of the truck yanking her through the windshield. Ayden was barely conscious at this point. Its talons dug into her shoulder making her cry out once more as her feet moved from the ground. It didn't take long before they were high above the trees.

      Ayden threw her hands up snapping the creature's ankle. It shrieked and released her as the wind whipped around her. Ayden threw her hands up hoping that something would happen but nothing did. She felt a wind turn her to face the treetops as she saw them blur together. Ayden closed her eyes tightly as rain fell from the sky. It was crying for her.

      For a single second Ayden's fall stopped as she hit the first branch. Her arm tried to hook around the branch, but she couldn't get a grip. She fell through the trees her body hitting each of the branches. The leaves and sticks sliced at her clothes and skin. She hit the ground with a thud. She had to take a moment to make sure she was alive after that. She didn't know how far she had fallen, but her entire body hurt.

      She was convinced she had a concussion from the crash. Her shoulder was torn into and now she was scratched to hell. She heard the cry from the creature as the rain pelted the dirt around Ayden. She pushed herself up. Through the trees, she could see a field. In the distance at the top of the hill a single tree. All common sense told Ayden to stay in the forest so she had cover, but there was something about the tree. The rain had soaked her clothes now. The sound of thunder mixed with the cries of the creature.

      "Argh!" Ayden groaned as she took off running from the treeline into the open field. She knew it was stupid, but Ayden had pledged to trust herself. She knew herself better than anyone else. She was the only person she needed to survive. The minute Ayden broke through the treeline the creature dove for her. She dodged a few of the swipes.

      In the distance, she saw lightning strike light up the sky. It was calling her forward. The sky quickly darkened as it grew angry, but the tree was still lit up. Ayden pushed herself farther and faster even when her legs burned. She didn't know where she would go after she stopped at the tree, but she knew her legs would give out the moment she touched the bark. She couldn't explain it.

      "Come on." The rain made everything muddy as she raced up the hill. She grabbed one of the rocks from the ground turning to face the creature as it caught her. She threw her hand forward hitting it in the head with the rock as it cried out.

      She hit it again, again, again, and again.

      She could see the blood mixed with the rain as it poured on her, but she didn't stop until it disappeared. Into dust. She rolled onto her stomach seeing that the single tree wasn't too far from her. She let out a breath when she touched it.

      A ripple went through the air. Like she'd interrupted something, but it dissapeared as she moved past the tree. The rain slowly as she walked further past the tree. At the top of the hill, she could see buildings in the distance. She could see shelter for her. She stepped forward, but her foot didn't hit the dirt. It hit concrete as her knee gave in from the shift. She knelt on the stone looking up at the columns.

      "The hell," She looked around seeing a fire in the middle. There were people around. In shirts. Camp Half-Blood. That's what they said. Some were younger than others. She felt exposed and she didn't like that. She pushed herself up once again taking in a full breath.