Harry Hates Ant Eaters
We spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain.
Harry didn’t feel safe though, it felt like he was being watched. At times he would catch a glimpse of silver in the faraway hills but dismissed it. Percy had been just as anxious with posters of his face being splattered all across the place.
The trio mainly talked amongst themselves while Harry daydreamed about what he wished his summers were like. He dreamed that he was at the Weasleys, helping cook dinner with Molly.
If only.
We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The voices over the intercom had told us that there would be a three-hour layover before they traveled to Denver.
Harry wasn’t confident in the others ability to lay low. They had apparently decided they would be sightseeing. Harry had never gone sightseeing before, the Dursleys had always left him with Ms. Figg whenever they arranged for trips like that. Maybe he should indulge a little, what could it hurt?
There was a long line to go on The Gateway Arch but Annabeth was too excited and Harry didn’t have the heart to complain.
It was actually quite entertaining. Annabeth had spent the fifteen minutes they were up there spouting off random facts while Percy and Grover had just admired how high up it was. Harry couldn’t help but close his eyes and allow the fresh breeze to hit his face. It wasn’t anything as good as flying but it was close enough that Harry’s mood lifted slightly. Something that didn’t go unnoticed by the daughter of Athena.
“You like heights?” She asked inquisitively. He shrugged.
“Back home, this was the only thing that comforted me when it was daytime and there were no stars or moon. All I needed to do was go high up where I could feel unpolluted air and breathe in the scent of the forest nearby. This isn’t quite as good but it’s the closest I’ll be able to get,” He explained with a soft smile.
Annabeth had never seen the boy smile so sincerely, in the past week that she had known him he had been closed off and never revealed much about where he came from. “You don’t like me, why?” Annabeth asked bluntly, she was sick of beating around the bush.
“You remind me of one of my best friends,” He answered without actually answering.
“I don’t understand?”
“When I first met her, she was always seeking knowledge. She corrects people obnoxiously, acts like she knows more than people who are older than her, and is overall insufferable to most people. But, I love her anyway because I know she only acts that way to prove herself. I love her because when I don’t always have the answers she’s right there beside me to guide me along. I love her because she has unending loyalty. I love her because when she sets her mind to something she always makes sure she achieves it. I love her because she is brave and ready to sacrifice herself in order to save her friends no matter what. A lot of people will only ever see her flaws but I won’t. You painfully remind me of her, I haven’t seen her in a few months and I miss her more than anything. I think you possess those same flaws but I know that you also possess some of those same qualities she has that I love so much. What I’m trying to say…Don’t get too caught up in proving yourself that you forget to be yourself sometimes,” He smiled at her softly before walking over to Percy and Grover.
Annabeth was left staring at the spot he had been standing in, in shock.
The park ranger hadn’t allowed them all to go down together in the same elevator so Harry and Percy had volunteered to wait for the next one.
Now it was only a small family of three, Harry, Percy, the park ranger, and the lady with the dog left on the observation deck.
Harry looked over at the woman uneasily. She gave him a smile, her forked tongue flickering between her teeth. His eyes widened and he quickly nudged Percy.
“Percy, that lady with the dog is a monster,” He whispered covertly, averting his eyes from the lady who continued to stare at the two with what could only be considered as malice.
Harry could only watch in horror as the woman rolled up her sleeves to reveal scaly green skin while at the same time her dog began to grow into the size of a menacing lion. This cannot be happening.
“What…are you?” Percy stuttered out, horrified.
“I am Echidna, mother of monsters. This is my son Chimera,” Her grin was positively gleeful.
The Chimera was now so tall its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a bloodcaked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind. The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read: CHIMERA-RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS-IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS-EXT. 954
Percy drew his sword while Harry unsheathed his two hunting knives. Then Percy said the stupidest thing he could have possibly said. “Isn’t that a kind of anteater?”
We’re dead.
The chimera charged Percy while Echidna seemed focused on me. “Do you truly believe you could defeat me boy?”
Harry snarled. “I am the basilisk slayer and heir of the hunt. Don’t discount me so quickly,” He had no idea where those words had come from, they seemed to just blurt out his mouth.
Echidna’s eyes widened. “A son of hunt? How very interesting, " she commented. Without further talking she charged forward. Harry could see Percy fall over the edge of the hole in the deck out the corner of his eye. Is he serious?! He was leaving Harry to deal with this all by himself?! He quickly dodged and ran to the other side of the deck. He was in deep shit if he didn’t come up with a plan soon.
Harry closed his eyes and let the feeling of the hunt surround his body. Echidna watched in fascination as Harry’s hair turned into a glowing silver, his skin glowing slightly in the light. When Harry opened his eyes the mother of monsters flinched slightly. The boy’s eyes had changed, they were now as silver as moonlight and glowed with power.
Harry charged the monster and began dancing around her, landing shallow cuts on pressure points to make her falter. Echidna could barely keep up with the boy as he reached speeds she had never seen before, he was nothing but a silver blur as he attacked her.
“End this cowardice! Fight like a real hero,” Harry just ignored her words as he ran from behind her, he leapt up and wrapped a leg around her neck before twisting down and sending her tumbling.
Before she could gather herself, Harry stabbed his knives up her neck on either side, knowing it would end her quickly. And it did. The mother of monsters gasped as her body was reduced to golden dust.
Harry was left panting as the hunt slowly receded. His eyes, hair, and skin returned to normal.
When Harry finally got off the elevator he found the trio by the end of the lake and quickly walked over.
“Harry!” Percy gasped out, giving him a strong hug. “I was so worried. I’m sorry I left you up there but I wouldn’t have been much help, the Chimera stung me and I had to heal myself with water.”
“It’s fine!” Harry interrupted Percy’s rambling. Harry looked up at the stormy sky with anger. “You hear that Zeus? I’M FINE. SO DO YOUR WORST, I’M A HUNTER, I DON’T BACK DOWN,” He screamed at the sky which got a few stares from surrounding witnesses.
Annabeth quickly dragged the hysteric boy away from the crowds and towards the Amtrak Station.