Work Text:
after walking for what felt like hours in the woods, we finally stopped in front of a building with a sign, a sign I couldn't read.
"what does that sign say? It looks like gibberish to me," I asked.
"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium," answered grover. There was a faint smell of sweet toffees, which made my stomach rumble.
"Is there anyone in there? It looks abandoned," annabeth said. Before either of us could answer, the front door creaked open. A tall woman dressed in black stepped outside. She wore a long veil that shadowed her face, even though it was already afternoon and the sun appeard to have already been setting.
"Oh my!" she said warmly, "you poor children look exhausted." I exchanged a glance with Grover. He looked nervous, but the smell of food drifting from inside made my stomach growl.
"We've been traveling all day," I admitted.
"Then you must come in," the woman said. "I insist. My name is Auntie Em. Yous caught me at a good time, I'm making food." The moment she mentioned food, Grover's ears perked up.
Auntie Em saw grover drooling, she grinned. A few minutes later, we were seated at a small table inside the shop. Plates piled high with sandwiches and fruit sat before us. Grover practically attacked his meal. Even Annabeth seemed relieved to eat. As I looked around I noticed that the place was filled with statues.
"They're wonderful!" I spatted out while looking around. I then Walked over to a statue of a man holding a camera. The details were incredible. Every wrinkle and fold in his jacket looked real.
"It's like he was frozen in time," I murmured.
For a moment, I thought the statue's expression looked frightened. A chill ran down my spine.
"Percy?" Annabeth called. I turned back toward the table. She was studying Auntie Em carefully. Grover swallowed a huge bite of his sandwich and whispered, "Am I the only one getting a weird feeling?"
"No," Annabeth said quietly. I sat back down. The room suddenly felt smaller. Eyes seemed to have followed my every movement. Then I noticed something odd. one of them had normal expressions. some looked surprised. Others looked terrified. One even appeared to be shielding its eyes. A knot formed in my stomach, I had suddenly felt sick. "Annabeth," I whispered, "do those statues seem weird to you?" She nodded immediately.
"Very weird."
Auntie Em stood and adjusted her veil, overhearing there little conversation.
"Before yous leave," she said, "I'd love to take your picture."
"Why?" Annabeth asked, with a worried expression on her face.
"For inspiration," Auntie Em said smoothly. "Children make wonderful statues."
The way she said statues sent a shiver down my back. Grover nearly dropped his sandwich.