Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Olympians
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29 were spiraling like a huge tornado , heading toward the track . No big deal , I told myself . They ' re just pigeons . I tried to concentrate on the race . We made our first turn , the wheels creaking under us , the chariot threatening to tip , but we were now only ten feet behind Annabeth . If I could just get a little closer , Tyson could use his pole ….
Annabeth ' s fighter wasn ' t smiling now . He pulled a javelin from his collection and took aim at me . He was about to throw when we heard the screaming .
The pigeons were swarming — thousands of them dive-bombing the spectators in the stands , attacking the other chariots . Beckendorf was mobbed . His fighter tried to bat the birds away but he couldn ' t see anything . The chariot veered off course and plowed through the strawberry fields , the mechanical horses steaming .
In the Ares chariot , Clarisse barked an order to her fighter , who quickly threw a screen of camouflage netting over their basket . The birds swarmed around it , pecking and clawing at the fighter ' s hands as he tried to hold up the net , but Clarisse just gritted her teeth and kept driving . Her skeletal horses seemed immune to the distraction . The pigeons pecked uselessly at their empty eye sockets and flew through their rib cages , but the stallions kept right on running .
The spectators weren ' t so lucky . The birds were slashing at any bit of exposed flesh , driving everyone into a panic . Now that the birds were closer , it was clear they weren ' t normal pigeons . Their eyes were beady and evil-looking . Their beaks were made of bronze , and judging from the yelps of the campers , they must ' ve been razor sharp .
" Stymphalian birds !" Annabeth yelled . She slowed down and pulled her chariot alongside mine . " They ' ll strip everyone to bones if we don ' t drive them away !" " Tyson ," I said , " we ' re turning around !" " Going the wrong way ?" he asked . " Always ," I grumbled , but I steered the chariot toward the stands . Annabeth rode right next to me . She shouted , " Heroes , to arms !" But I wasn ' t sure anyone could hear her over the screeching of the birds and the general chaos .
I held my reins in one hand and managed to draw Riptide as a wave of birds dived at my face , their metal beaks snapping . I slashed them out of the air and they exploded into dust and feathers , but there were still millions of them left . One nailed me in the back end and I almost jumped straight out of the chariot .
Annabeth wasn ' t having much better luck . The closer we got to the stands , the thicker the cloud of birds became .
Some of the spectators were trying to fight back . The Athena campers were calling for shields . The archers from Apollo ' s cabin brought out their bows and arrows , ready to slay the menace , but with so many campers mixed in with the birds , it wasn ' t safe to shoot . " Too many !" I yelled to Annabeth . " How do you get rid of them ?" She stabbed at a pigeon with her knife . " Hercules used noise ! Brass bells ! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could —" Her eyes got wide . " Percy ... Chiron ' s collection !" I understood instantly . " You think it ' ll work ?" She handed her fighter the reins and leaped from her chariot into mine like it was the easiest thing in the world . " To the Big House ! It ' s our only chance !" Clarisse has just pulled across the finish line , completely unopposed , and seemed to notice for the first time how serious the bird problem was . When she saw us driving away , she yelled , " You ' re running ? The fight is here , cowards !"
She drew her sword and charged for the stands .
I urged our horses into a gallop . The chariot rumbled through the strawberry fields , across the volleyball pit , and lurched to a halt in front of the Big House . Annabeth and I ran inside , tearing down the hallway to Chiron ' s apartment .
His boom box was still on his nightstand . So were his favorite CDs . I grabbed the most repulsive one I could find , Annabeth snatched the boom box , and together we ran back outside .
Down at the track , the chariots were in flames . Wounded campers ran in every direction , with birds shredding their clothes and pulling out their hair , while Tantalus chased breakfast pastries