invisible string | f. zhang

i. meddling kids

Which was a relief, because Maribelle was tired of being told she was "too much."

"Why did you get in trouble, anyways?" Hazel speaks up.

Maribelle twirls her hair around her finger and sways back and forth, "You know Ari?"

The pair nod.

"Well, rumor has it that Ari has a massive crush on Finn, but unfortunately Finn is not interested, even though my sources say otherwise. And, of course, Ari came yelling at me and blaming me, and, as we all know, Reyna has banned me from meddling. So, here I am."

"Because you meddled?" Frank asks.

Maribelle nods, "Exactly."

A silence falls between them and Maribelle shifts on her feet. Bad day to wear platforms. The things she does for beauty. She crouches down closer to the ground, taking her knife and drawing pictures in the dirt. Hazel and Frank talk quietly behind her, but for once she doesn't join in.

She glances back at them and her heart twists for only a moment, the string between the pair was prominent and Maribelle wishes she couldn't see it. Maribelle wasn't sure what use the strings only she could see provided, especially when she couldn't even decipher what they meant.

At the sound of someone yelling, she raises up immediately. She unsheathes her knives from where they hide against her thighs, two on each side.

"Did you hear that?" Maribelle asks Hazel and Frank. They both nod nervously, Frank raises his bow as Hazel grips tighter to her spear.

A boy appears from over the hillside, shaggy black hair and a woman beside him. Then, behind them were gorgons.

"Are those —?"

"Gorgons!" Frank shouts and knocks an arrow. 

"Wait!" The boy yells.

Frank lets the arrow fly straight at one of the gorgons, it howls in pain. Maribelle needed them to get closer if she was going to throw her knives. Just a little closer.

Frank lets another arrow fly as she snatches the running boys arm. The gorgon tumbles into the fast lane, where a truck slams into her and carries her backward a hundred yards, but yet she survived and flies off into the air.

The boy reaches the door, breathing heavily. "Thanks. Good shot."

"That should've killed her!" Frank protests.

"Welcome to my world," He mutters.

"Frank," Hazel speaks up, "Get them inside, quick! Those are gorgons."

"Gorgons? Will the door hold them?"

The woman in the boys arms cackle, "No, no it won't. Onward, Percy Jackson! Through the tunnel, over the river!"

"Percy Jackson?" Maribelle repeats, she eyes him suspiciously.

Hazel begins, "Okay, you're obviously a demigod. But who's the — ? Never mind. Just get inside. I'll hold them off."

"Hazel," Frank worries, "Don't be crazy."

"Go with Maribelle!" Hazel says.

Maribelle doesn't need told twice to get. She grabs Frank's arm and ushers the boy and his luggage along.

Maribelle leads them through the tunnel. She shivers at the sound of the gorgons' voices. Hazel shouts behind them, but Maribelle knew she was going to be okay.

"Shouldn't we check on Hazel?" The boy asks.

"She'll be okay — I hope," Frank replies, "She's good underground."