The moment we stepped inside the warehouse, the smell hit me like a punch straight to the soul. Burgers. Real, greasy, juicy, forbidden-by-the-gods burgers. It smelled really good. I got to ask Aunty Em if I could learn a recipe from her. As someone who considers themselves a young chef, I should look down on burgers.
Relying on cheap ingredients and not making things from scratch rubs the chef side of me the wrong way. But I am still an American, and we do love burgers, a very unhealthy amount of them. The place was massive, practically a maze of life-sized statues. And they weren't cute lawn gnomes either; these were full people frozen mid-pose, all sorts of clothes, all sorts of expressions.
Some cheerful. Some were terrified. Some... so lifelike it made the back of my neck itch. Aunty Em had shut the front door behind us, a little too eagerly, and I heard the lock click. My spine tingled; there was something clearly wrong here. Percy was listening stomach, even Annabeth was probably thinking of food rather than some strategies.
Both of them are compromised, but not Grover. He seemed nervous, but unsure of what to look for. I stayed back and nudged my shoulder, nodding, hoping he understood my message. Grover gave me a scared, but determined nod. So far, despite the red flags, Aunty Em seemed friendly.
Causing a scene might just put us in danger more and potentially hurt this innocent mortal old woman trying to help us out. The dining area was set up in the back like a tiny fast-food stand someone hid inside a horror movie set: a grill sizzling with meat, a soda machine glowing softly, a nacho cheese pump humming like music from the heavens, even a pretzel warmer.
Picnic tables were lined up neatly in front of it all.
"Please, sit," she said, voice warm and gentle behind that black veil she wore. "You children must be starving."
"Umm... we don't exactly have money, ma'am." Said Grover.
Percy elbowed him. "Dude, she's offering us food. Take the win."
"No, there is no need for that!" Aunty Em chuckled. I can see her teeth behind the veil. Is it just me, or her teeth were a bit sharper, like canines. "This is a special treat for you, lovely children!"
Annabeth said, "Thank you, ma'am," all polite and proper to adults, but not us.
I see how it is. Anyway, I could see. Aunty Em stiffened for a second as Annabeth had stepped on a landmine, then smoothed out as nothing happened.
"Quite, all right, Annabeth...you have such pretty grey eyes, child."
My lips twitched, but I didn't dare drop my smile, not when I just realized that she said Annabeth's name when we hadn't revealed our names yet. It's official, she's a monster. But which one, though, is the question? But before I could list some names in my head, she vanished behind the counter and reappeared lugging trays like a one-woman miracle. Double cheeseburgers piled high, vanilla shakes, XXL fries.
Percy, Annabeth dug in. Grover picked at one fry and studied it. I gestured at him not to eat as subtly as I could. I looked at Aunty Em or whatever she is; she's clearly delighted seeing Percy and Annabeth eat. Clearly, her reaction to Annabeth is weird, and she even points out her grey eyes. It's special, no doubt, not many people have it, if I recall, only the Athena demigods have it.
Wait, a second. I tried to search for any myths involving Athena. There is her beef with Poseidon, I'm pretty sure they have other fights other than Athens that made them rivals, but what?
"Do you hear that hissing?" Grover asked, voice tight.
I strained my ear to listen, but nothing. Percy and Annabeth shook their heads as they continued to eat. Aunty Em suggested maybe it was the deep-fryer oil and praised Grover's 'Keen ears'. Grover said he took vitamins for his hearing, because of course he did. Aunty Em told him that it was admirable and told us to relax. I tried to compile all the evidence together, that weird thing with Athena's daughter and that hissing...wait a second, could she be?
It would explain that weird thing with Annabeth, the statues, and that hissing sound Grover said earlier.
"Oh, Clay, aren't you hungry? Please eat, I promise they are delicious."
I flinched when she called my name. I flashed a smile and made sure I was looking and focusing on her scalp, trying to look where her eyes could be, behind the headdress.
"Sorry, I just...want to talk more. I get uncomfortable when I don't talk to someone while eating. It's an ADHD thing."
"Oh, I see, what do you want to talk about?"
An idea pops into my brain. "Well, you complimented Annabeth's eyes earlier, but what about Percy's? I feel like his eyes are cooler."
Annabeth stopped eating and gave me an 'Are You Serious' look.
"Ah, yes." Aunty Em, said dreamily. "Those beautiful sea-green eyes are truly wonderful to look at."
Percy just looks at us both weirdly as he stuffs his face with fries.
"Yeah, but have you seen his dad? Even cooler than Percy, right?"
"Yes, they both share the same eyes, so wonderful and almost as handsome as his father."
Bingo. Now I know who she truly is, but I just have to be one hundred percent sure before I do this. I asked her how she ended up here.
"So... you sell garden gnomes?"
"Oh yes," she said. "And animals. And people. Anything for a lovely garden."
"You... you make all these yourself?" I asked.
"Oh, yes. Once, I had two sisters to help me. But accidents happen. They faded away. Now I am alone, except for my statues. They are my company."
Her tone was one of sadness and hurt. Heck, I even felt bad knowing who she really is. A part of me wants to comfort her, after all, she and her sisters got transformed forcefully by Athena. Annabeth stopped chewing. She leaned forward, suspicious.
Looks like her head is back in the game.
Aunty Em nodded slowly. "A jealous woman long ago ruined everything I had. My sisters stayed by my side as long as they could. But in the end... only I remained. At a terrible price."
Wait, but shouldn't her sisters be immortal too? Since they are all monsters? Questions for later, it's pretty much confirmed who she is. How ironic, Annabeth, the daughter of the woman who turned her into a monster, along with her sisters. Along with the son of Poseidon, who was involved in their story and Percy's true name being Perseus.
The same name as the man who beheaded her in myth. The snake lady who can turn anyone who meets her gaze into stone, which would explain the status. No doubt, this woman or monster is Medusa. Aunty Em or Aunty M...not very original of her. Regardless, we are in a bad spot.
She could easily unwrap her veil and turn us to stone. Right now, Percy is too busy stuffing himself, and Annabeth looks suspicious, but is still in the process of figuring it out. Grover knows something is up, but doesn't know what's going on either. But I have a card she doesn't know, I know what she truly is, and like most monsters, probably thinks I'm just some dumb mortal. I'll use that against her.
"Uh...Aunty Em, you see my shoelaces are untied, and I don't know how to fix them."
"Oh, here, allow me to fix it for you."
She moves in front of me, each meter she gets closer, my heartbeat skips a beat. By the time Medusa was in front of me, I got up from my chair, gripping my bat tight before gasping loudly, pointing at them.
"Annabeth, why are you kissing Percy right now!!?"
"WHAT!?" Percy, Grover and Annabeth shouted.
Medusa turned around, probably to chide them, but before she could, I jumped as high as I could, bringing up my metal bat in the air before slamming it down on the top of her head, which made her gasp and fall to the floor.
"C-CLAY!? What the-"
"She's Medusa, run!"
I could hear her groan, stepping back as I saw Medusa slowly get up, her nails becoming longer and sharper, similar to Mrs. Dodds. And now I could hear snakes hissing.
"You wretched brat!"
She slowly got up and swung a backhand slap. I barely blocked with my bat, but still, the force sent me flying. Thankfully, I didn't knock over any statues as I landed on the ground hard. Hurt, but I forced my body to keep on going. Grover was with me, while Percy and Annabeth ran to the other side.
"You pitiful mortal! How dare you lay a hand on me!"
I hear her roar. Her snakes are hissing loudly. Thankfully, this place is decently big and easy to hide in. I pulled Grover, hiding behind a statue of a satyr. Grover flinched seeing the statue. He started shivering, and I don't blame him; we're in a bad situation.
"What do we do, Clay!?" He whispered harshly.
I grit my teeth as my head tries to form ideas. We kept our eyes on the floor just in case. Okay, think, Clay, think. We obviously can't look at her because we'll get turned into stone, but seeing as she got knocked down with a good swing with my bat, she got dropped to the floor, not tanking it like the Furies. Which means when it comes to physical might and durability, Medusa isn't very strong. But it's her ability that needs us to be worried.
We can't fight her directly. Grover and I don't have any tools that can truly harm or kill her. Percy and Annabeth are probably forming a plan to defeat her. I'd imagine Annabeth has a plan on her sleeve, but what could we do in the meantime? Because Percy is with her, Medusa can track them. Wait a second... Track, similar to Grover, who also has a good nose, is able to tell where the monster is.
"Grover, I need your help. It's going to be kind of reckless and stupid, but I need you to trust me."
I told him my plan. And he was pale as a sheet, but transformed into a fierce determination when I mentioned Percy and Annabeth. We got up and went to an open space. I closed my eyes, Grover wrapping his arms around my waist. I took a deep breath and screamed.
"Hey, you hag! Come at me, you think I'm afraid of someone ugly like you!" I shout.
"I bet Athena actually felt sorry for you and decided to give you a better makeover. If you're this ugly, you probably look like feces when you're human!!"
Nothing happened for a few seconds until I heard footsteps and snakes hissing, Grover telling me to swing now, and I did. I hit something, making the hissing even louder and angrier.
"I'm going to shatter you when you turn to stone!"
"Speaking of, I also bet you don't need your powers to turn guys into stone!"
I hear them run at me. "Again!" Grover shouts, I swung again, once again, and like before, Medusa collided with the bat and crashed to the floor, I think. It's kind of hard to see when your eyes are closed.
"Aw, is little Medusa hurt? Are you going to cry to your sisters-oop, so sorry, I forgot."
"Can you please stop antagonizing her!" Grover yelped behind me.
"You will pay for your insolence!"
I heard a rush, Grover screamed, but something was wrong; it was like something stopped my bat, and with a powerful pull was ripped away from my hands. I threw a punch, but I hit nothing but air. Then I hear Grover scream as I feel him get pulled away, hearing something crash behind me. I was tempted to open my eyes, but I grit my teeth as I forced them shut. I heard something rush at me, and I threw a punch in their direction, but they grabbed my arm, grasping my throat before slamming me to what I presumed was the wall.
I can hear the snakes hissing.
"Open your eyes, boy," Medusa says with venom.
Her grip in my throat tightens, causing my body to flail.
"I'll admit, you're smart for a mortal boy. If I hadn't known any better, I figured you were one of that blasted goddess's children. No matter, for your insults you shall die!"
I was choking, slowly. She probably held back her strength for me to choke even longer. Any second, I might just pass out and...
"Hey!" Annabeth's voice called out.
I can hear Medusa's snakes let out a vengeful hissing roar at Annabeth. I didn't see what's going on, but she was probably in the open, closing her eyes.
"You want me, right? Let my friend go."
Medusa laughs evilly. "To tell the truth, you were the main target, but after what this boy has done, I'll be taking him apart first, but you'll follow soon after."
"Is that so? You leave me no choice, behold, this dagger, keep your eyes on it! It will be the one that sends you to Tartarus!"
Wait, is she...I hear her dagger get flung, but not at Medusa, but in the air. That's my trick, the one I used against Clarisse as a distraction. And since I didn't hear Percy's voice...
"What is that supposed to-"
Then I hear a smooth schlick! I felt her arms weaken, dropping me to the ground, coughing hard. Then something dropped to the ground. I'm smart enough to know what happened, still, I bet she's screaming in rage at being killed by another dude named Perseus and in the same way too.
"Hey, are you okay?" Percy asked, grabbing me and pulling away, probably where Medusa's body is.
"I'll live, what about you, Grover!" I yelled out.
"I'm fine! She only threw me." Said Grover.
I was about to open my eyes, but Annabeth cried out in alarm and said not to look, and we listened to her. We hear here moving where Medusa's body should be and doing something that I wasn't able to see. I can hear her let out a shaky sigh of relief.
"Okay, you're all good."
Finally, Percy and I opened our eyes, meeting each other. Before turning around to see Medusa's corpse, but there wasn't. Oh, right, monsters transform into dust when you kill them, but oddly, her head, which is covered by a black cloth, remains.
Annabeth's voice wavered as she looked at me. "Are you okay?"
I swallowed hard. My stomach felt like it was twisting itself into knots. I nod my head, feeling sick at the sight, even if covered. We all took a deep breath. Safe...for now at least.