Ventures Chapter 17

Instructions

Chapter 17 Cabs and Cereal, Oh My! ------------------------ When we come to a stop at Cali, I end up accidentally hitting my head on the seat in front. “Owwww.” I groan as Jacob pulls me back up. “You okay?” Havi asks and I nod. /Not really./ Then I notice that my glasses came off and I feel around for them. I am not going to lose my glasses this early. Aternus taps my shoulder and I look up. He hands me my glasses as I mouth ‘thanks’ and put them back on. “Thanks, Grey Ladies!” Havi says, leading us out. As soon as we’re all out, the cab shoots off again as I fiddle with my bracelet. ‘So what now?’ Aternus signs. I shrug. “I’m supposing something about crops or…?” I turn to Jacob. He’s from here so he should know more than us. To my displeasure, he shrugs. “I haven’t really caught up with the latest crop news.” He says and I roll my eyes. Havi clears her throat, “I believe that Demeter has a thing here.” I look at her, surprised. “Oh, okay! Lead the way!” My half-sister nods and leads us to a small shop with plants growing everywhere. “What does that sign say?” Jacob asks me, pointing at a wooden sign and I shrug. “It says ‘D’s Cereal Emporium’.” Havi answers for both of us. “Ohhhhhh,” Me and Jacob respond in unison, and then look at each other. Aternus walks into the shop and Havi follows. I go in after with Jacob closely following me. I gaze at the various cereals on the shelves. I’ve never been a huge fan of cereal. It just never appealed to me. But then I wander to the plants lining the walls and notice something. They’re turning brown. “Hey, guys?” I call. Aternus comes and signs ‘what’s up?’ “The plants are turning brown. Didn’t the prophecy say something about failing crops?” Aternus pales a bit and then goes to get Havi. She comes over, with Jacob in tow. I explain it to her and she nods. “Yeah, it looks like all of these are dy!ng,” she says, gazing around. “Shouldn’t Demeter be taking care of these?” Jacob asks. I nod, then jump. I saw something out of the corner of my eye that looked painfully familiar… ‘What’s wrong?’ Aternus signs to me. ‘Nothing.’ I mouth to him. My half-brother does not look convinced, but he also doesn’t ask anything else. Then I get the feeling we’re being watched and shiver. “You okay?” Havi asks and I nod. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here.” I say, my eyes widening, going towards the door, walking backwards. My breathing gets heavy. “Abby.” Jacob says but I don’t respond. “Abby,” he tries again. My voice doesn’t seem to work and I just go out. Nobody follows me, and I run to the side of the shop, face the wall and pant. /No. No. That couldn’t have been it. Not that. I’m s+up!d, my brain is just playing tricks on me./ I turn around and yelp. Right behind me is a minotaur. The same one that I k!ll3d. The exact same one that k!ll3d Maria. /Oh, I’m d3ad./