A Very Demigod Christmas: Chapter Three

Dashing Through the Sky
I sat up and looked at my clock and it read four-thirty in the morning. It hadn’t felt like I’d been out that long. Then again time moves faster when you’re asleep. Angel sat next to me and rubbed my chest.

“Where’s Charlie?” I asked noticing he had disappeared.

“The elf is in the kitchen.” Angel replied rather annoyed.

I walked over to my closet and pulled out Athena’s Nemean Armor. The armor looks like a turtle neck and a pair of leggings but they can withstand a bullet. Plus they can keep the wearer at the optimum temperature never allowing him to sweat or get cold. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt over the armor and put on heavy wool socks. I grabbed my silver throwing knives and strapped them to my legs.

I hurried down stairs to find Charlie in the kitchen finishing off a box of pop tarts.

“Ready to go?” He asked whipping crumbs from his face.

“Almost.” I replied. “Get the sleigh ready I’ll meet you on the roof in five minutes.”

With that Charlie raced to the fire place and onto the roof. I grabbed a winter hat, some gloves, a pair of insulated hunting boots and a pen and paper. I quickly scribbled a message to my mom saying that I had to go on a quest and promising I’d be back by Christmas morning.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">I flew onto the roof and climbed into the sleigh. Charlie was making sure all the reindeer were harnessed correctly then climbed into the driver’s seat.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Hey Charlie, quick question… where’s Rudolph?” I asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Charlie snorted. “That’s just a legend. I mean really a reindeer with a glowing red nose could you believe that.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“I’m a demigod sitting in Santa’s sleigh flying off to round up a team of other demigods to go save the big guy from an army of monsters.” I said. “At this point I’m ready to believe anything.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Fair enough.” Charlie stated.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“So exactly how do these guys fly?” I asked Charlie.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Charlie gave me a wicked grin and adjusted his goggles. He flicked the reins and the reindeer stood at attention like soldiers awaiting a command.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen!” Charlie called. “On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">The rein deer took off running. My roof wasn’t that big and I thought for sure we’d just plummet into the ground. But we reached the edge and the deer continued on straight and soon I felt the familiar sensation of flying. Charlie turned on the GPS and asked me to input the locations of the others. Once I had the info loaded into the sleigh Kylie’s house appeared first and Charlie turned the sleigh to follow the directions.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Hey Charlie, when we get there can you land in the driveway or on the lawn?” I asked knowing none of the others could get onto their roofs easily.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Ok what am I supposed to do about the sleigh marks and reindeer hoof prints then?” Charlie asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Just leave that to me.” I replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">We landed in front of Kylie’s house and a few seconds later Kylie snuck out of the garage. She wore a green and white ski jacket, tan snow pants, winter boots and a white beanie so she looked like a Christmas tree with legs. She ran over and I noticed her Sickle-sword strapped to her back, her Rose whip bracelet on her wrist and her bag of seeds strapped to her side.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">She ran up and hugged me not really caring that there was a sleigh with team of reindeer and an elf driving it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Kylie I’d like you to meet Charlie.” I said introducing her to the elf “Head of Santa’s Sleigh Management, Charlie this is my cousin Kylie Deere, Daughter of Demeter.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Charlie and Kylie shook hands.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">“Welcome aboard Miss. Deere ready for the trip?” He asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Kylie nodded her head, the shock starting to affect her. She climbed in and Angel jumped on her lap. Charlie flicked the reins and they took off into the sky. I stayed behind and used the winds to blow the snow around and cover our tracks, then shot into the sky and jumped back in the sleigh.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Next stop was Steven and Ryan. They live right next to each other so they agreed to meet up at Steven’s house. We landed out front and they were waiting for us. Steven was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, ski pants, insulated combat boots, a turtle fur ski mask and his cowboy hat. He had his machete strapped to his side and a back pack that probably held his flaming football. Ryan was dressed about the same except he wore an ear band and had two quivers stuffed with arrows and a bow. He had his guitar strapped on his back too.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">I introduced them to Charlie and once they were settled in Charlie took off. I covered our tracks again and rejoined the others. Next stop was Andrew, then Ashlee, then Johnny.