*New York P.3*
"Uh...it looks like an old taxi cab." I said after coughing my lungs out from the smog. The taxi cab was the color of yellow mustard and the sign that said 'TAXI' on the top of it was blinking.
"Yes that is the Chariot of Damnation." Jessica repeated once again. "Driven by none other than-"
Three old- and when I mean old I mean pizza that hasn't been touched in over a century old- woman poked their head out of the broken glass window.
One of them was sickly thin and she had one eye in her eye socket. "Get in we don't have all day! There is lots of more people who are waiting to be damned to hell!"
The short, plump, blob fish looking one nagged. "Give me the eye! It my turn to drive!"
"No," yelled the bald one with only a few strands of hair, and one tooth happily hanging from her mouth. "No, You drove the last time, now it's my turn!" They all wore grey robes and their skin was disgustingly the same color as the robe.
Nicholas got into the cab first. Then I went in and finally Jessica filed in as well.
"It's smells like something died in here." Nick gagged.
The thin woman with the only eye turned to us. "Something did." She smiled a toothless grin. That sent a cold chill down my spine. "Where are my manners-"
The plump one intruded. "You lost them two centuries ago."
The skinny one continued. "We are the Gray Sisters. I am Phemphredo or Wasp."
The one with the hair and tooth added. "And I am Persis or you can call me Tempest."
The plump one ended last. "Deino, my sisters call me Anger. But you demigods call me Deino. Or its the last thing you'll ever say."
Phemphredo revved up the engine. "Where is the location you want us to take you?"
"Times Square please." Jessica answered.
Deino cackled. "You must be a daughter of Aprodite."
Persis smiled as well, I could see the decaying tooth dangling like an ornament. Deino took the tooth out of her sister's mouth. "Hey!"
Deino cackled again as she showed the tooth up her gum. Gross! "It's my turn anyways-Ewww!- you forgot to brush it did you?"
Persis shrugged. "I can't see how dirty the tooth is. Maybe if I had the eye." She turned to Phemphredo.
Phemphredo pressed on the gas pedal. "Times Square it is."
"Where are the seat belts?" I ask closing my eyes. The car was moving way to fast to see anything clearly.
Persis laughed. "There aren't any!"
"Wohoo!" I heard Nick cheer.
The taxi cab turned a hard right and I the side of my head smacked against Jessica's head. "Ow!" We both cry out.
Then the car jerked to the left and I felt my lips smash against Nick's. I instantly pull away to Nick, who is grinning like an idiot.
The car stops and Phemphro turns around. "You have arrived at your destination. Now scram!"
Jessica got out of the taxi cab first, I came out after her, and followed after me. Bright neon lights flashed from billboards and buildings. People played the drums on metal trash cans. Some were selling jewelry, t-shirts that read 'I ♡ NY!' The taxi cab zoomed away in a thick grey fog past mortals.
"That was fun!" Nick smiled.
I look away and up at the tall buildings. "So beautiful."
"All I see is hundreds of buildings releasing pollution into the clean air." Jessica said while holding the side of her head.
"What happened to you?" Nick asked.
"My head smacked against Autumn's." She cringed. "Just thinking about it...hurts. What happened to you? Your lips look a little swollen."
Nick licked his slightly swollen lips. "Oh, I must've bit my lip during the ride."
I roll my eyes in disbelief. "Okay, if I was a son of Neptune where would I be?"
Jessica answered. "I'd be near water-" she stopped. "Oh no."
"What?" Nick and I asked her confused.
"No time to explain just follow me." Jessica ran through the huge crowds of New Yorkers and tourists.
"I can do more than that." Nick picked me up.
"Put me down." I try to rip myself away from his chest.
A group of teen girls looked at us and pointed their phones at us saying, "Relationship Goals!" They snapped photos of us.
I pry myself off of Nick. "C'mon we are losing Jessica." I begin to retrace Jessica's footsteps.
"Pearl necklaces for five dollars. Two for ten dollars." A Jamaican man offered me. But I ran past him. I heard loud cheering and applauds coming from a huge fountain that was shaped like the Stanley Cup.
Loud cheering and applauds were getting closer.
"Greetings ladies and gentlemen. I am Aaron King, master of water." Aaron snapped his fingers and the water out if the fountain sprouted out. "If you like my show then place your tips in," he made a hat out of water and held it out. "this hat."
People gadly put their change in the hat. Girls and guys were taking pictures of him and getting his 'act' on video. I find Jessica in the crowd. "Jessica what is going on?"
Jessica growled. "He is playing these mortals for money."
Nick appeared behind me. "That was his plan." He didn't look so happy he looked expressionless.
"And now for my next act. I need a volunteer." His blue-green eyes land on Jessica. He stood on top of a small wave and held out his hand. "How about you young lady?"
Jessica slapped his hand away.
Aaron smirked. "Some one is a little feisty." The crowd chuckled with him. Aaron moved on finding another volunteer. "How about you? Yeah you, with the brown eyes." He grabs a volunteer and swifts her off of her feet. The crowd sighs in amazement and awe. Some people were still recording it on their phones.
"I don't think the Mist will be able to block that." I say.
"Probably not. Which is why we shouldn't have brought him with." I could tell Jessica was angry. Her blue eyes burned with disgust and hatred.
"Hello sunshine, I see you are having a problem. Why don't you grab their attention...by singing?" Apollo said. I hear his voice as if he was whispering directly in my ear.
I turn my head but no one was there except for a little boy holding his mom's hand as he happily watched the water show.
"Now darling just stay still for this trick." Aaron instructed. The brown-eyed girl nods biting her lip. Aaron took more water from the giant water fountain. He guided the water to the brown-eyed girl and splashed it on her. As soon as the water touched her clothing her crop top and shorts change into an elegant maroon colored dress. Aaron held his hands up in praise. "Thank You, thank you." The crowd cheers for him once more.
I have to put an end to this. Aaron is risking the safety of us demigods.
Jessica looked at me and nooded showing me that she had read my mind.
I took a deep breath mustering up all of my courage. I haven't sang in awhile. The last time I sang was when I was singing Kasidee a lullaby. Just thinking of Kasidee made a lump in my throat rise. But to get the crowd's attention I have to sing. And I'll do it for Kasidee. I run over to the sidewalk and pick up an empty trash bin. Then I flipped it upside down and stood on the top of it.
I take another deep breath and sing.
"Ooh, New York
Ooh, New York
Grew up in a town
That is famous for movie scenes
Noise is always loud
There are sirens and the streets are mean."
The crowd stopped cheering. Some of them turned around facing me. Jessica smiled at me motioning for me to keep going.
"If I can make it here
I can make it anywhere, that's what they say
Seeing my face in lights
Or my name in marquees found down on Broadway
Even if it ain't all it seems
I got a pocket full of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York."
I sounded different as if I wasn't singing with my voice. My voice sounded like Kasidee, I loved the way she used to sing with my Ipod. It brought back so many good memories. And those memories built up my confidence and pushed me to sing louder.
"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York!"
I grabbed the whole crowds attention. Aaron looked at me in disbelief. I smirked back at him.
"One hand in the air for the big city."
The crowd of New Yorkers and tourists raises their hands and swayed back and forth to the rythym.
And Nick was whooping and yelling my name. "Go Autumn!"
"Street lights, big dreams looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York"
I ended the song and the crowd exploded with loud cheers and applauds. Then Jessica snapped her fingers and the crowd all flop onto the ground.
"That was awesome!" Jessica ran up to me. "Oh don't worry when they wake up the only thing they will remember is your performance."
Aaron stormed up to us. "Hey what was that for? I was getting us some cash."
Jessica slowly turned to him with a huge fake smile. "What you did was stupid, self-centered, and crazy. One," She held up her index finger. "They were recording you. Which should've triggered your common sense to tell you 'Hey this seems like a bad idea.' But No! The son of Neptune has to show off his skills." May the gods have mercy on his soul. I thought to myself.
Jessica continued. "Shall I list the rest?"
Aaron shook his head. "No, now I know what I did wrong." Then he smirked. "Thanks for the lesson Beauty Queen."
What happened next was unexpected and unexplainable. Jessica slapped Aaron square across his face. He spun around 360° and landed on his face unconscious.
Jessica giggled. "That felt good." Then she turned to me with an actual smile. "Now let's get going shall we?"
I nod and Nick lifted Aaron onto his shoulder. "Man, he weighs like a feather. Oh and you...sing very beautifully."
I blush a bit. "T-thanks." I watched out for the sleeping bodies on the ground. I carefully maneuver over them.
We finally make it back to Battery Park. Our horses were still right where we left them. Starburst, Potato, and Shadow were all eating the grass.
Shadow looked at his master, who was knocked out on Nick's shoulder. Nick patted Shadow's back, "Don't worry I'll ride Shadow for awhile until Aaron wakes up." He gets on Shadow.
Jessica and I did the same. We all took off into the early dawn. Leaving New York behind us.
I look behind me. "Goodbye New York." I say under my breath.
1939 words
2/26/16