𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐩. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

Demigods almost get stoned

They were walking through the woods on the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind them and the smell of Hudson could be smelled from miles away.

Grover was shivering and braying nervously. His big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."

Annabeth kept pulling them along, saying, "Come on! The further away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there," Percy reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't jumped into the fight—" started Annabeth, glaring at Percy.

"What did you want me to do? Let you guys get yourself killed?"

"We would've been fine. You don't have to protect us."

"Slicked like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."

"Shut up, goat boy," said Annabeth.

Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans... a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

After a while, the thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind them.

"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"

"You know, you should talk more, death girl," Percy said as he fell in step with Evangeline.

"You should shut up more," As if on cue Percy immediately tripped and fell, which caused Evangeline to stifle a laugh.

They kept walking until they spotted a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side were a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and an open business, which was the source of the neon light and the drool-worthy smell.

The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary. The neon sign above the gate was impossible to read.

"What does that say?" Percy asked, squinting at the sign in front of them.

"I don't know," Annabeth admitted, shrugging.

Grover translated for the demigods: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."

Flanking the entrance, as advertised, were two cement garden gnomes, ugly bearded little runts, smiling and waving, as if they were about to get their picture taken.

A heavy feeling settled over Evangeline.

Percy crossed the street with Annabeth behind him, following the smell of greasy food

"Hey ..." Grover warned.

"The lights are on inside," said Annabeth. "Maybe it's open."

Annabeth and Percy easily ignored the satyr. Evangeline exchanged a look with Grover. The front garden was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, and even a cement satyr playing with some reed pipes. It seemed Grover was spooked so he kept close to Evangeline.

"Bla-ha-ha!" he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"

Evangeline furrowed her eyebrows and put her hands in the pocket of her leather jacket. The four stopped at the warehouse door.

"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."

"He's right I'm getting a migraine from this place. The aura of death here is a lot." Evangeline said rubbing her temple.

"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies, and it's probably nothing," Annabeth told the two. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"

"Meat!" Grover said scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."