Chapter 10:I Ruin A Perfectly Good Bus

Dear Journal,

It didn't take me a long time to pack my things. I decided to leave the Minotaur horn in my cabin, so I only brought an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for me. The camp store gave me one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. The coins were huge! They were as big as girl scout cookies and they had images of various Greek Gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. Chiron gave Annabeth and me each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt. Ambrosia squares was God food, and it could heal us of almost any injury. If we had an overdose, it would burn us up literally. Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as a real human. Grover also wore his green rasta-style hat, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. When we were done packing our things, we waved good-bye to the other campers, said bye to everything else in the camp then we hiked up Half-Blood Camp, to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, the daughter of Zeus. I was really nervous about the quest, but I knew I had to do it.

Chiron and the surfer dude that was watching me in the sick room. According to Grover, the guy was the camp's head of security. He actually had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised about what was happening around him. Then Luke caught up to us and he gave me these shoes that had bird's wings on them. Luke also wished me and the others "Good Luck!" Then Chiron gave me an ordinary ballpoint pen that looked like the one that I used to vaporize Mrs.Dodds. "Thanks." I said. When I took off the cap the pen grew heavier and turned into a sword. Chiron said it was called, " Anaklusmos." I translated it to "Riptide." Then Chiron told me that I can never lose the pen, so I threw it really far away and it reappeared in my pocket. I was amazed! Anyways, for the first time the quest actually felt real. We were actually leaving the camp.

Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird being on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover looked like regular people when they sat beside each other. It was kind of weird for me they were just sitting there like they were normal, ordinary kids. So, in the front seat Argus kept smiling at me, and looking at me with his one blue eye on the back of his neck. Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was unset and starting to rain. Finally Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side. Then I saw a picture of me that said "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?" I ripped it out before Annabeth and Grover could see it. Argus unloaded our bags, pulled out of the parking lot and drove away. I was not comfortable when Argus left.

Finally the bus came, and we all boarded the bus. As the last passengers got on Annabeth clamped her hand onto my knee. An old lady boarded the bus, my heart skipped a beat. It was Mrs.Dodds, but older, way older. Then two other old ladies , looked exactly like Mrs.Dodds. I was starting to get really scared. They sat right at the front looking normal, but I knew one thing that they don't want anybody to leave the bus. So, the bus pulled out of the station and into the slick streets of Manhattan. I was shaking so much, I can tell that the old ladies were coming for me. Then the old ladies stood up and went down the aisle. Then Annabeth gave me her invisible hat and said, "You are the one they want,Percy. Go down the aisle and let them pass you." I was too scared but I knew I had to do it. I was free, they never saw me but I think they could smell me. But then they found Annabeth and Grover and they started to look for me. Then Annabeth took out her bronze sword and Grover took out a tin can from his back pack. They started fighting back at Annabeth and Grover, so I took off the invisible cap and I grabbed out Riptide. I swung my sword and I hit one of them, watched them turn into mist. Then there was a huge thunder bolt that hit the bus. Annabeth screamed "Get Out!" So we got out, and the bus exploded right in front of our faces. But we forgot our bags inside. I was relieved! I thought I was going to die!