They trudged in the snow for an hour before spotting a gas station. “Let’s go in there.” Denise suggested through her clattering teeth.
The three quickly scurried towards the shining building. “Huh. It’s named Fehking Gas.” Sophie noticed. Blake and Denise chuckled. “Haha. I heard how that sounds. Not funny. You guys are so immature.”
“Let’s just go inside.” Denise giggled a bit as the door swung open. They headed up to the cash register, letting the warm air relieve them of the cold and their nearly frostbitten noses.
“Hi. Uh, excuse me? Where’s the restroom?” Blake walked up to the person at the cash register.
“Oh, um,” Her shrill voice startled Sophie. “It’s to the left at the end of that aisle.” She directed Blake, and Sophie and Denise loitered near the counter.
“Hi.” Sophie tried to make small talk with the woman behind the counter. “Why is this called Fehking Gas?”
The woman looked a bit uncomfortable. “The owners of this gas station, and most of the businesses in this town, their last name is Fehking.” She explained.
Denise was oddly staring at the woman. Then, right in front of Sophie’s eyes, she transformed into a little girl that looked like the woman behind the counter.
“Could I have fifty bucks?” She asked the woman in a sweet voice.
The woman stuttered. “Of… of course, Vanessa. I’ve been wondering where you were after you disappeared.” She quickly handed her the money, and Sophie grinned.
Blake came out of the bathroom just in time. “Thanks, ma’am. We have to go now.” All three rushed out of the store.
Sophie chuckled. “That was great, Denise. The Mist was really thick. You’re like a child of Hermes.”
Denise slowly nodded. “Yeah. Um, that really drained me. I think I’m going to take a nap.” And with that last word, Denise collapsed onto the frozen ground.
Blake and Sophie instinctively reached down to pick her up. “Let’s find a cab.” Blake proposed. Sophie nodded, and together, they lifted Denise up and set her arms across their shoulders, acting as human crutches.
As they strolled through the town, Sophie realized that most of the businesses that weren’t in a chain were named Fehking.
Blake must’ve noticed too. “Wow. Look at that Fehking Cafe, and that Fehking Restaurant, and there’s a Fehking Grocery Store over there.”
Sophie began to get annoyed. “Okay, if you don’t stop, I’m going to Fehking kill you.”
Blake laughed, and Sophie resisted the urge to give him a black eye. They soon came to a library, and Sophie directed them there to ask the librarian to call them a taxi.
After meeting a kind mortal librarian, waking up Denise, explaining why they were alone, and getting a cab, they finally sat in the back of a yellow taxi.
“How far will fifty dollars take us?” Sophie asked the mortal driver.
“Somewhere around Illinois.” The man told them in a gruff voice.
Blake shrugged. “Good enough. Drive.”
Denise’s nose wrinkled. “It’s a little dusty back here. Ah… Achoo!” She loudly sneezed, and the Mist shifted.
“There’s some tissue back… Martie?” The driver swerved as he saw his personal ghost. He quickly passed out. No one was at the wheel, even though the driver had his foot on the gas pedal.
Blake rushed to grab the wheel as Denise concentrated to change the Mist. Sophie tried to wake up the driver, but he didn’t respond.
“Blake! Watch out for the… oops.” Blake wasn’t the most experienced driver. Even though his hands were gripping the steering wheel, and he was watching the road, nearly every stop sign and anything on the sidewalk got pummeled by the yellow car spiraling around due to the ice and snow.
Finally, after moments of chaos, Sophie got the driver’s foot off the pedal, and they all scurried out of the cab to survey the damage. Stop signs and benches lay askew, and the street and cab were ruined.
“Great. We destroyed the whole Fehking town.” That time, all three demigods burst out laughing.

Notes

Sorry for not updating in a while. I've been really busy, and I only had time to update my other story. But, on the bright side, I have a four day weekend!