We camped in the woods that night. And we would take watch in shifts. I sat watching and Annabeth came over and sat next to me.
"Thanks for saving us" she said
"Yeah" I answered not knowing what to say.
"Your sword have you ever taken a close look at it?" She asked
"Not really" I said
"Well it's name is Riptide"
"Riptide" I said "I like that."
"Well it has a rocky history." She said
"So do I" I whispered
"Me to Percy" she said "most demigods do. Some worse than others. Like luke and I ran away together. And your mom was killed and you were sent to a man you had never met. Everyone has history and struggles."
"Why'd you run away?" I asked
"Well" she started "my stepmom and my dad didn't want me."
"You wear his collage ring on your necklace." I pointed out
"So you do have eyes" she said "goodnight seaweed brain"
"Night wise girl."

We woke starving I had my canteen of nectar and bag of ambrosia but that was it. We found a small two lane road on the other side was an old gas station and another building.
On the neon sign were letters but I couldn't read them.
"What does it say?" I asked
"I don't know" Annabeth said
And I remembered that she was dyslexic.
"Aunty Em's garden gnome emporium." Grover said
I followed my nose into the building.
In the front was a first of statues
"That looks like my uncle Ferdinand" Grover bleated
"Don't knock I smell monsters"
"It's probably from the furies" Annabeth said "I just smell burgers."
The door opened. A tall middle eastern woman stood there.
"Hello dears are you lost?" She asked
"Oh yeah"
"Where are your parents?"
"Were orphans" I said "we got separated from our caravan. The ring master told us to meet by the gas station if we got lost maybe he meant a different one. Is that food I smell?"
"Oh yes dears come in and eat." She hissed
"Circus caravan?" Annabeth whispered
"Always have a strategy right"
"Your head is full of kelp."
We followed her towards the smell of food. That's all I thought about.
"Sit down please."
"Ma'am we have no money" Grover said
"This is a special case no need to pay" she said
"Thank you ma'am" Annabeth said
"It's fine Annabeth" she said "you have such beautiful gray eyes."
The next thing i know burgers and fries are on my plate along with a shake.
I felt really tired but content by the i time I finished.
"So you sell gnomes?" I asked
"Yes" she said "a long time ago I had two sisters to help me in the business."
"Two sisters?" Annabeth frowned "Percy we need to go"
"What no"
"Now Percy!" Annabeth said
"Why can't we stay for longer" i asked "there's nothing wrong with that"
"Oh yes Annabeth why can't you stay" aunty Em hissed "your gray eyes are so beautiful." She reached out as if to stroke annabeths cheek.
"We need to go" Grover bleated
"Yeah c'mon Percy" Annabeth pulled
"Let me get a picture" aunty Em called "so I can sculpt you"
"Sorry we can't"
"Of course we can" I said "what's the harm in a picture."
"Percy"
I pulled Annabeth and Grover to a bench and sat.
"This isn't a good idea" Annabeth whispered
"It's just a picture"
"Okay stay still" aunty Em called
Something inside me stirred. She didn't have a camera. She was taking off her vail over her head.
"Close your eyes!" Annabeth shouted
I closed them. I heard hissing.
"I'm a monster Percy" aunty Em called
I went through names in my head.
Medusa!
"The gray eyed one did this to me"  she said
"Percy" Annabeth whispered in my ear she pulled me away. "We need to cut off her head but we can't look at her directly or we will be turned to stone."
"What do we do" I asked
I opened my eyes a tiny bit.
"Percy please don't leave me" medusa said "come here and you can stay with me forever."
I looked around and noticed decorative glass balls I could see my reflection.
"Annabeth" I hissed she was gone
I uncapped my pen and grabbed one of them. I snuck it around a corner nothing. I stepped round a statue. I heard a crunch of feet behind me. I fought the urge to turn.
"Such beautiful eyes" I heard medusa say behind me
"Duck Percy" Grover said and I hit the deck.
Smack
I heard a roar of rage I ran. Footsteps followed. I rounded a corner and realized it was her. I slashed riptide when she was close.
An awful sound like a slurp
"Off with her head" I shouted.