"They're… um…" Annabeth started to say.
"We're orphans," Andromeda said. Jakob sighed quietly and shook his head.
"Orphans?" the woman said. The word sounded alien in her mouth. "But, my dears! Surely not!"
"We got separated from our caravan," Andromeda continued. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"
"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."
They thanked her and went inside.
Annabeth muttered to Andromeda, "Circus caravan?"
"Always have a strategy, right?"
"Your head is full of kelp." Annabeth pointed out.
"You could have at least gone for something more believable," Jakob said.
The warehouse was filled with more statues-people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. Seriously, you had to have some huge property to display these things.
They walked in and the group barely noticed Grover's nervous whimpers, or the way the statues' eyes seemed to follow them, or the fact that Aunty Em had locked the door behind them.
They finally made it to the dining area at the back of the warehouse, a fast-food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front.
"Please, sit down," Aunty Em said.
"Awesome," Andromeda said with a smile.
"Um," Grover said, "We have some-yeow!" he yelped when Jakob kicked him discreetly. "I mean, we don't have any money."
Aunty Em seemingly smiled and said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."
Jakob narrowed his eyes. No way could anyone be this nice to strangers, especially kids, without wanting something in return. It's how the world works.
"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said politely.
Aunty Em stiffened, as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but then the old women relaxed just as quickly.
"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful grey eyes, child."
Jakob's eyes narrowed even further. How did this woman know Annabeth's name? None of them had even said their names. However, he could see he was the only one noticing since the others allowed their stomachs to think for them.
The hostess disappeared behind the snack bar and started cooking. Before the group knew it, she'd brought them plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes and XXL servings of French fries.
Andromeda was halfway through her burger, looking as if she didn't need to breathe.
Annabeth slurped her shake in happiness.
Jakob didn't so much as glance at the food, leaning back with his arms crossed and looking around.
Grover picked at the fries, and eyed the tray's waxed paper liner as if he might go for that, but he still looked too nervous to eat.
"What's that hissing noise?" he asked.
Andromeda listened, but didn't say anything. Annabeth shook her head. Jakob tensed at that.
"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."
"I take vitamins. For my ears." He answered.
"That's admirable, dear. But please, help yourself." She insisted. "Jakob, you too."
"I'm not feeling hungry," he responded. He noted that she ate nothing. She hadn't taken off her headdress, even to cook, and now she sat forward and interlaced her fingers and watched the four children eat. It was a little unsettling, the way she stared at them.
"So, you sell gnomes?" Andromeda asked, trying to start a conversation and break the silence.
"Oh, yes," Aunty Em said. "And animals. And people. Anything for the garden. Custom orders. Statuary is very popular, you know."
"A lot of business on the road?"
"Not so much, no. Since the highway was built… most cars, they do not go this way. I must cherish every customer I get."
Jakob glanced around once more and his eyes landed on the statue of a young girl with an Easter basket looking at him. What was concerning though was the look of terror on her face.
"Ah," Aunty Em said sadly. "You notice some of my creations do not turn out well. They are marred. They do not sell. The face is the hardest to get right. Always the face."
"You make these statues yourself?" Andromeda asked.
"Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. That is why I make them, you see. They are my company." The sadness in her voice sounded so deep and so real that you couldn't help feeling sorry for her.
Annabeth stopped eating. She sat forward and said, "Two sisters."
"It's a terrible story," Aunty Em said. "Not one for children. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a… boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price."
Jakob paused, his mind connecting the dots instantly. Grover hearing the hissing... the statues... sisters... and the story...
Without a shred of hesitation, Jakob placed his hands under the table and pushed it directly onto Medusa, startling everyone.
"Jakob!" The group shouted.
"it's Medusa!" He retorted.
"Really?!" Grover asked hopefully before his expression turned to one of fear. "Wait, Medusa?!"
"Yeah!" Jakob shouted back. "Scatter! Try to kill her! Go!"
Jakob ran off, leaving the others behind him, trusting that they got the message quickly. He hid behind the remaining statues and leftover food dispensers. The sound of hissing was in the air.
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