Young Writers Society

I know we've started, but can I have another character?

Name: Daemon Nordstrom

Age: 16

Parents: Dionysus and Karen Nordstrom

Appearance: Daemon has curly, dark brown hair and blood-shot brown eyes. He's kinda short for his age and dangerously skinny.

Personality: Being a son of Dionysus, his brain isn't...completely there. You can often find him talking to himself or his cats (he loves cats). He doesn't really interact with people that well.
Daemon walks like he's drunk, although it's physically impossible for him to be drunk, or high, any sort of thing that gets in your blood stream and makes you cray. He's immune to all drugs, alcohol and even poison.
He's a bit rude and has no respect for his authorities.
His ADHD is EXTREME. So much so that he will blurt out a random thing and no one knows what the heck he's talking about.
Growing up in the back streets, he's learn street dancing, so he can breakdance and do flips and dubstep and all that.

Brief History: Daemon grew up in the downtown area with all of the gangs and stuff. He had a deadbeat mom, who was always high, but he loved her very much and always looked after her. He had six half siblings who he also took care of. He lived in a gang so he's tried all the drugs and stuff, but he could never get high because he's a child of Dionysus, which makes him immune.
His mother died when he was 14 due to drug overdose, and still he took the responsibility of providing for his siblings. A few months later, a monster attacked his home and killed all of his siblings before he could defeat it. It was too much for him, his brain snapped. To make matters worse, his father appeared right after the fight and told him who he was. Daemon was FURIOUS, and that's an understatement. His father was a god and he did nothing to help out. All the struggles in Daemon's life, and he never once lifted a finger. Daemon also blames Dionysus for his siblings' death for not helping fight the monster. Dionysus says that it was a test for Damon and he couldn't help. Daemon calls it BS.
So Daemon lived with his gang for a few months, but when monsters kept attacking them, they kicked him out. Even though he hates his father and wants nothing to do with him or his camp, he realized that Camp HalfBlood was his only option left. He's only been in Camp for a couple months

Favorite weapon: Just an everyday greek sword from camp. But his main thing is his power. Most children of Dionysus can effect the sanity of people around them, but Daemon's ability is to the extreme. His effect is so strong that it's very similar to poison. Your blood feels like it's burning, your eyeballs are seering, your brain goes through something ten times worse than a migraine. And there's a loud popping noise in your ears and you die. So basically, he has a poisonous touch.
He can't do this by simply snapping his fingers or glancing at you, he has to touch you physically, so it's hard to do when in combat; he'd have to dodge whatever weapon you have and touch your bare skin.
And it's not that EVERY time you touch him this happens, you wouldn't accidentally bump into him and die on the spot. He can turn it on and off at will and it doesn't have to kill you, it can have the range from death to minor insanity (something even as harmless as being hyper). He has complete control over it, so you don't need to worry unless you're a mortal enemy

Magical Item: He has a pair of Adidas that can stick to anything, so he can climb up walls and such.

Up for love: Um, feel free to try, but I really don't think you'll get anywhere with this guy.

Other: He gets "drunk" on Monster energy drink. He LITERALLY lives off of it. He doesn't ever really eat/drink anything else, except for munching on some grapes or raisins every now and then. But besides that, he lives off of Monster. So he is uber skinny.
His cats:

Gemini Randa - Daughter of Zeus - Early Mourning

I lay in the backseat of Jamie's Jeep that bounced, stopped, and then continued along the way, the driver of course, was Jamie, the Juggernaut of War, sitting in the passenger seat was Ana who was giving Jamie's directions. Me, I was laying down in the back seat looking up at the sky, it was the first day of summer, the bright clear day, warm weather, and the laughter of kids told me all that. But more importantly, it told me of what was starting that would never be announced to normal mortals, Camp Half Blood would be gathering campers and would be at its strongest until Summers end and Winters beginning.

"What's our ETA?" I called out over the rush of the wind.

"Five minutes!" Ana replied.

Five minutes, five minutes until our arrival at Camp Half Blood and I would begin my mission while Ana and Jamie stayed out and be ready to charge in with some back up. It was times like these where I was wondering what Jason was doing, I take a deep breath, the Jeep turned onto an old dirt road that lead up to a hill, Half-Blood Hill, we were finally here.

When the car finally stopped I got out, "pop the trunk!" I told Jamie, and she did, the trunk opened up to a weapons case, with guns, daggers, and ammuntion to fual a small army with one very important sword, my sword, the Blade of the Juggernauts. I grab the hilt of the blade, it's grip familer in my hands, and with one smooth movement, swung it on my back, then slammed the trunk shut.

"Your not taking any guns with you?" Jamie asked.

"Hell no, if I'm going to fight, I'm going to fight honorably," I said.

"Fine, but if your not coming back down Half Blood Hill by the end of the week, we're coming in for you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll be back within the week if were lucky," I said.

"Lucky, ha, we will need some serious luck if we want to be out of here before the end of the week." Ana said.

I started my treck up Half Blood Hill, "see you guys in a week, weather I'm coming down or your coming in," I said throwing my hand into the air.

I knew there were a lot of changes at Camp Half Blood, first was the DRAGON that sat around the tree at the top of Half Blood Hill. The second was the Golden Fleece that sat on the lowest branch of the tree, which I would have to remember to take later on. There was much more than that but I would soon see my old mentor Chiron, and Mr.D, things could get interesting before the end.

Miria Oak - Hermes
Monday midday

The sun beat down mercilessly through the car windows, burning through my skirt and making my legs sting. I leaned my head back and groaned. The two men driving the car hadn't spoken since they yelled at me for putting the window down. It was sweltering yet they refused to put the air conditioning on or lower the windows. Sweat had been dripping down my forehead for the past hour and still we hadn't arrived to the camp. At the moment, anything seemed better than this oven, even a camp filled with unknown demi-gods. It had been such a shock. One day I had been evesdropping from the governor's closet and the next I was handcuffed in the back of a private jet. It had happened so quickly, I hadn't even bid Oleph goodbye. Oleph, I thought. Dear Oleph, now dead and cold buried in the ground. Had there been a funeral? Who would take charge of the pickpockets? Take charge of all those hopeless people like myself who had been trained to survive? I shook my head as hot tears mixed with sweat dripped down my cheek. I would get back at him. If it was the last thing I did, I would kill him. That man who called himself my father but abandoned me at birth. That man that murdered my mother and my best friend. Oh wait, I thought ironically, He's not a man, he's a god, and apparently gods can get away with anything. He was the one who sent those two flying men who came down and snatched me from my life, carried me far away, told me I wasn't who I thought I was, introduced my to my 'father,' and destroyed everything that mattered to me. I rubbed my wrists. They still held marks from the manacles I had been attached to. I had struggled harder than I ever had before, but it had been useless.
"We're here," announced one of the men gruffly. I looked out the window at the camp. They sure didn't lack security! There was no way I could escape from there. I brushed away my tear stains and sat straight in the seat wondering how many other demi-gods had been forced to come to this camp through whipping and chains. None, I thought angrily, none at all. I bet they are all just thrilled they're gods.

Ben Richard- Son Of Apollo- Monday Midday

I stood looking up at the entrance to Camp Half Blood. My backpack slung over my right should and my guitar strapped to the left. I covered my eyes with my right hand, each finger callused from playing the guitar so often. The sun blinded me as I procrastinated going inside, nervous about what the other demi-gods would think of me.

My sword was buried in the soft mound of dirt beside me, its sheath hung loosely from my side, the simple leather casing slowly deteriorating, maybe I could get an Hephaestus child to forge me a better one. I had named my sword/bow eclipse after the fact that it represents both the sun and the moon.

After a few minuets of building up my courage to go in, Chiron trotted up next to me from inside the camp. "Nervous?" he asked. "What if your father saw you here shuffling your feet like a scared little mortal?"

I looked up at him, "how did you know my godly parent was a guy?"

He scoffed, "Apolo wouldn't bless just anyone with a weapon with his brand on it."

I smiled, I liked Chiron already. "Lets go inside," I said.

But when I turned around Chiron was already helping another demi-god with something. Oh well I'm capable of doing things on my own.

I looked around the camp awe-struck as I walked in. I could see the crystal blue lake in the distance, I could hear the sounds of water nymphs laughing and the smell of smoke coming from a campfire. Demi-gods shot bows and practiced sword play, the sound of hammers coming from the forge reminded me of bells. It was almost too much for me to take in at once.

I quickly made my way to my cabin and stopped, two other kids were sitting on the steps, one playing guitar, the other beating the planks with her hands rhythmically. Each ones voice intertwined in a godly duet. I was too shy to ask if I could join them, or even get into the cabin for that matter so I just awkwardly tried to step through and without interrupting them but definitely getting myself noticed, I was able to worm my way into the cabin.

After getting unpacked and settled in, I flipped the tv onto an old Seinfeld rerun, I smiled as I mouthed the lines with them. After thirty minuets of watching tv, I decided to introduce myself to the other Apolo kids, after all we were family. But they were down at the beach, the blond headed kid with cargo shorts and the unbuttoned shirt was flirting with a stunning sea nymph. Man I wish I had his confidence. I didn't want to go out of my way to introduce myself and go all the way over to the beach, so I decided to introduce myself later.

I took my sketch pad and a pencil that I dug out of my backpack with me. The pages of the sketchbook filled with stunningly realistic sketches of things I thought worthy of being reincarnated in graphite. I wandered around the camp, looking at all the sights, the fighting arena, the shooting range lined with arrows, the arts and crafts center. It was all so great, I couldn't decide what to draw or do.

I slowed down as I neared the Hades cabin, a girl around my age, maybe a little older sat on the shaded steps. She seemed so sad, it was like the sun became too depressed whenever it was around her, so it stayed away. She was so hauntingly beautiful but I was too shy to approach, and even if I did it was like she was a fleetingly sad image and my presence would just cause her to slip back into nothingness. So I just walked away, but her depressing image still burned into my mind. I scoffed at myself, it's not like I would have a shot with her anyways, besides something about Hades has always creeped me out.

I gave up my search for something to draw and started to search for someone to talk to, I was getting lonely after almost three years of wandering the streets with no one to talk to except the occasional hobo. Hopefully I would find a friend soon. Maybe even someone as nice as Toby, I thought bitterly.

Abrin : Demeter : Monday midday

Summer camp was starting today at long island and so many people were coming in, some faces were familiar and some were new.

After lunch at the pavilion, I went down to the lake, filled two buckets of water and carried them to the strawberry garden, my calloused farmers hands familiar with the task. Being the only child of Demter at camp, it was mainly up to me to keep up the strawberry patch. And quite honestly, it was an important job, seeing as it was how the camp made its income. As I weeded the plants, the sweet fragrance of the scarlet berries filled my nose as well as the rich scent of the dark soil. I inhaled deeply and smiled. Being deaf may disable one of my senses, but it enhances all of the rest.

Just then, my quick eyes caught a rattling in the bushes to my left and I tensed. Faint vibrations in the earth told me that someone was coming towards me. I stood up to see who it was and then relaxed when I saw auburn hair peeking up from behind a strawberry vine. Riley's face soon followed as she peeked her head around the corner.

I waved. What's up? I signed.

Nothing much. Bored. She signed back. Riley was one of the few people who knew sign-language in this camp. Another one was Chiron, but I suppose he knew all of the languages of the world.

You're filthy, she gestured to my dirt-covered appearance, as usual.

I shrugged in a way that said, "what are you going to do with me?"

We were quiet for a while as I pulled more weeds. Then I said, what do you think of the new recruits this year? I haven't really gone out and met any of them yet. I mentally wrote in the sand; my hands were occupied on pulling a stubborn weed.

She shrugged. Same as usual. I guess, she signed.

I finished pulling the weed and then turned to her. Could you help me water the plants?

She raised an eyebrow.

Please. I signed in mock respect.

She smiled and with a look of concentration from her, the water in the buckets floated up and rained on the strawberries with a nice spray. All at once a mass of water collapsed over my head, soaking me. I looked at Riley.

You needed a bath, she shrugged, concealing a smile.

When I'm done with you, YOU'LL be the one needing a bath! I picked up a clump of dirt and threw it at her.

Daemon : Dionysus : Monday midday

My whole cabin was vibrating from the bass of the dubstep music as it played with the volume all the way up. I bobbed my head to the beat.

The music died down as the track ended. I waited for the next song to start, but the room remained silent. I sighed, had I gone through all my songs already? I got up to press replay on my ipod, but a sun ray peaking around my curtains caught me in the eye and I hesitated.

"I should really go outside and do something," I told myself.

"Yes, you should," myself replied.

I twisted my mouth in thought. A furry body rubbed against my calves and I looked down to see my cat, Carlo purring. "You probably want food, don't you. But you're already such a fat cat," I scolded him. It was true. His plush body stood in vast contrast to my own, which was merely thin skin pulled tightly over my bones and the little amount of muscle I had.

Cleo meowed from the her bed in the corner. She hardly ever moved anymore, she was so pregnant. She looked like she was going to pop anyday. I sighed again. "Yes, you're right, I probably should go outside, Cleo. I could use the fresh air." She stared blankly at me.

I grabbed the unfinished Monster from my desk and walked over to the cabin's door. Draining the drink, I crumpled the now-empty can in my hand, tossed it over my shoulder and threw open the door. The blazing sunlight made me squint, but I stepped outside. What time was it? Hopefully after lunch, I didn't want to eat anything.

I clumsily made my way across the courtyard, but stumbled into someone after only a few yards. "Watch where you're walking," I mumbled.

>Can be anyone <

I am sooooo sorry but in Aa bit of a writers block so Im going to have to drop out. I am sooooooooooooo sorry

Ben Richard- Son of Apollo- Monday Midday

"Watch where you're walking," he mumbled to himself as he ran into me while on my way to the beach.

He looked up at me and I smiled, trying not to stare. He was a short pale kid with curly dark brown, almost black hair. He looked drunk.

"Sorry," I said, sticking out my hand for him to shake. "My name's Benjamin, but everyone calls me Ben."

He looked at my hand the same way a deer would look at something new and confusing. With mild fear and the sense if anything else unexpected happened, he would run away as fast as he could. But I assumed that was just from his ADHD.

"My name is Daemon, but you can just call me 'that drunk guy', everyone else does," he slurred. "And I can't get drunk, or high for that matter. Trust me, Iv'e tried."

"Do the other kids know that, 'cos you do give off that vibe," I replied, both of us now walking towards the beach.

"Nah, I don't get out much and the other kids have already labeled me as the camp drunk. I am a son of Dionysus you know."

"I can tell, well as long as we're saying who our godly parents are, mines Apollo, I can still remember the day I was claimed on my fifteenth birthday. It was the happiest day of my life. He even had an oracle give me my present, also telling me to come here." I smiled fondly, it was nice knowing that my father was still watching over me.

"My dad killed my family. I hate him," Daemon replied bluntly.

I didn't know how to react to that but I did feel sorry for Daemon, it must be hard living your life without the knowledge that your father is looking out for you. Even if he realized it or not.

After a few moments of awkward silence, we finally reached the beach. The mild breeze tousled my light brown hair and I smiled as the sun beat down on me. I looked over at Daemon and suppressed a laugh, it looked like he was about to burst into flames any second. I dug a bottle of sunscreen from my backpack and tossed it to him.

"Don't want you to spontaneously combust," I laughed, hiding my own insecurities with jokes.

He didn't even crack a smile as he slathered sunscreen on his skin. I shuddered, I hated the stuff but when I was crossing through Arizona last year, it sure saved my life.

I quickly looked around, making sure no one was watching and took off my blue V-neck shirt. Also kicking off my sandals, and sat down in the warm sand. Now stripped to only my tan cargo shorts.

I looked around, seeing if there was anyone else to talk to when I noticed that the blond guy from my cabin was approaching me. I tried not to smile in joy, almost nobody approached me to talk.

"Hey!" I waved, now smiling.

But my smile faded as he looked at me like a wolf would look at a competing pack leader. Like I was a threat to him. I thought sarcastically

"Hey, you must be the new Apollo kid, looks like daddy has been getting around. Our cabins full now," he smiled at me and his voice dripped like sickly sweet honey. His guitar strapped to his back.

I resisted the urge to walk away and go hide in the cabin, and watch Seinfeld until I felt better about my self-esteem like every other time I realized a person didn't like me for whatever reason. But I didn't, this was supposed to be the summer I stopped letting people push me around.

Daemon walked up behind me, I couldn't tell if he was giving me moral support or if he going through my backpack, looking for money so he could go buy a monster. He drank like two of those as we made our way over here. So probably both.

I stood up and smiled cooly. "He must be, or he wouldn't of had a no talent musician like yourself," he clearly wasn't expecting that reaction from me. I could here Daemon stifle a laugh from behind me.

The guy stuck out his hand and I gripped it tightly. "The name's Rand and if you think you can play better than me, then go ahead and try."

"The name's Ben and gladly," I replied, both of us smiling at each other but behind our identical blue eyes, I could tell a storm was brewing. I had just made my first rival at camp. I could tell this was going to be fun.

I watched as Rand stormed off back to the cabin and turned the tv from Seinfeld to baseball. Oh it was on now.

Rand Aloemir

I flipped the channels nothing on worth watching so I changed it to a music channel. My new little brother was a bit more sensitive about making jokes about dad clearly. I should have guessed as much he was still young and probably hadn't spoken with the old man much. Apollo had asked me to try and take him under my wing I probably shouldn't have come out full cocked and with a joke. Dad was going to be a bit mad at me but no turning back now the kid wanted a rival and now he had one. I guess tough love was going to be the way I would take him under my wing.

"Why would you change the channel?!" He seemed downright furious.

"Hey bro calm down what's the big deal?" I shrugged nonchalantly, "I mean if you want me to change it back I can don't worry about it."

He shook his head, "you me outside right now. Get your guitar, if you're so great let's see you beat me."

I looked at him and rolled my eyes, "look little bro just let's talk this out before you embarrass yourself." He shook his head grabbed one of the guitars that were in the Apollo cabin and walked outside. I stretched and followed him out, I left my lyre that could turn in to any instrument inside. I was going to go easy on my little bro, I was popular around camp for my singing and guitar playing, but little bro didn't know that yet.

"Well let's get started." He strummed on the guitar and instantly began to get into the music. His voice at first was a bit shaky but he began to easily begin to accompany his guitar playing. A crowd began to gather around to listen to our impromptu performance. I noticed the girls beginning to kind of swoon over Ben, he was wrapped up in his music and didn't notice. He began to slow down coming to the end and then looked up making eye contact with me. He pointed his guitar pick at me and then dropped it on the space between us, "Your move Rand."

The Aphrodite cabin was here, ugh...they were some of the most attractive girls at camp. I was going to beat the crud out of him but embarrassing him in front of the Aphrodite cabin on the first day? Dad would be furious with me, " you asked for it." I had to think fast.

Little bro may not like me much but I knew just the duet to get him to cooperate and tickle the girls funny bones. I started playing the chords to if I had a Million Dollars by The Barenaked Ladies. I sang the first verse and paused for a bit, he stared at me aghast. For a moment I assumed he was just going to let me look like a fool, but then he began to sing the other side of the duet. The girls began to giggle and laugh and we started to step closer to each other until we were next to each other. Once the song ended girls swarmed us especially Ben he was extremely shy, but seemed to enjoy the attention.

Wakely another child of Apollo walked up and grabbed my attention, "you didn't want to embarrass him huh?"

"Lil' sis you know me to well." I laughed, "He's a bit too sure of himself but he's a good kid. No reason to embarrass my own little brother in front of Aphrodite cabin eh?"

Wakely reached up and messed with my hair, "you're a good older brother Rand."

"I do try."

Adrian Smith – Tuesday Morning


So we’ll start with a question: Are you normal?

Well, if normal means being the son of a super-rich scientist and a Goddess, fighting monsters as a past-time, and loving to learn whatever and whenever I can . . . then yes.

However that’s not my definition of normal! And my definition of a ‘normal day’ most definitely did not extend to what was happening this morning: Namely, being hunted by hellhounds.

On most any other day I would have turned and fought them, but broken arms never help you in a fight against fifteen hellhounds (Big black pooches from Tartarus – cute? – you wish!), and with only a few miles to go till Camp Half-blood I figured I could outrun these things.

Camp Half-blood: the only place on this measly little planet where people like me (Half Gods – yes, if you must know, I’m talking about the Olympian Gods) are safe. After three weeks of chasing and running from monsters it would be great to be back home (Why was I doing this? Simple: My dad decided that a six star hotel in Hawaii was better than a monster infested mansion in New Jersey, and left without leaving a note - or a way to get back to camp).

The sun was just over the horizon way off to my right (Over the Atlantic), and the beach was getting a bit dryer now that the tide had started to recede, making running a bit easier. It was a good thing I had always liked to run, it kept me fit, and when I got in a position like this I could run for hours without breaking a sweat.

I glanced over my shoulder, no hellhounds in sight – great! But just as the thought crossed my mind an ear splitting howl burst out hardly fifty yards to my left (Forest area) and a moment later a dozen other hellhounds answered the first ones signal from all over the place (Even ahead of me).

Oh to hell with it all, I felt like screaming, I could see the camp border hardly five hundred yards away, but I was already surrounded, dark shapes were moving around just inside the tree line, eyes glowing. Slowly I backed up till my ankles were in the water, come on Adrian, you can handle this.

A bow knot later my arm was safely out of the way (The broken one) and my other hand was firmly grasping my spear, Aeolus (Yes it was named after the wind god), this shouldn’t be too hard.

The dozen hellhounds who stepped out of the forest to greet me with fangs bared said otherwise.

The first one met the tip of my spear and burst into dust, but I felt clumsy without both arms and was barely able to bat the next one to the side, it was the third one that knocked me back, into the ocean. My last thought before my head went under was that my scrawny body wouldn’t make very good doggy bones once soaked in salt water, but I guess that it was going to be harder than dying, getting away from whatever horrible things the Gods had planned for me.

An instant after I felt salt water begin to burn my eyes, a strong hand grabbed the front of my shirt and literally threw me out of the water – and twenty feet through the air – and onto the sand. I groaned, my arm screaming at me for being such an idiot, and rolled over to see who my savior was. Of all the people who it could have been, Argus was the very last one I’d expected, to tell the truth I’d never seen him fight anything (Other than a cockroach last Halloween), even though he was supposedly our security guard.

I have to say, I was impressed, he tossed the hellhounds around like they were puppies, and hardly a minute later he reached down and pulled me to my feet. I glanced at the heap of monster dust and raised an eyebrow, nice.

Oh, for those of you who don’t know already, Argus is our many eyed (As in covered from head to foot in eyes) security guard – who doesn’t like to talk.

After having just seen him rip a pack of hellhounds to bits with his bare hands I didn’t argue as he grabbed me, tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and hauled me into camp. It felt good not to have to do everything on my own . . .

Lexi - Ares
Monday night

It hadn't even been a full day and I already wanted to strangle half of the campers. Demi-gods had inflated egos to begin with, but being at camp seemed to have made some of them worse.

I was on my way back from the arena after a good training session, sword in hand when I heard the guitar duel. I rolled my eyes and tried to stay as far away from the cabin as possible. But as fate would have it, I ended up getting pushed into the crowd that had gathered.

"Hey, watch it," I barked at some Aphrodite girl. Her hair was perfect, of course, while mine was all disheveled from a good workout. "I need to get through!" Standing on my tip toes, I shouted at the guitar players, "You're not even good! Put away the stupid instruments!" They were amazing of course, but I had to say something. All I wanted was to get back to the cabin. And this whole guitar business was not helping.

I finally pushed my way through the crowd and headed back to my cabin, I don't understand why everyone is sitting around listening to a concert when they could be training. It's the first day back from summer. Big deal. Grab a sword and swing it around a few times. Nothing should get in the way of training.

The Ares cabin was a deep red color. It looked like a war bunker. I grinned whenever I saw it. Yeah, yeah, I'm lame. Shut your pie hole. But it just reminded me of why I was here and who I was training for: my father Ares, god of war. There would come a day when he will need me and I'll be ready when he calls my name. I'll be ready.

I walked into my cabin and slid the sword under my bed. It wasn't my trusty blade Dunamis. I sent it to the Hephaestus kid to get it fixed. Somehow I had broken off a piece of it. But for now I had to use a sword I found in the armory. It was alright, but I missed the feeling of my old blade in my hands. It better be done soon.

Just as the conch horn sounded for dinner, the door to the cabin flung open. I staggered backwards, but recovered when I saw who it was.

"Just in time for dinner!" I grinned at my sibling

"I have great timing, don't I," Alex responded. "I didn't miss anything did I? Have you scared away all of the newbies yet?" I punched him on the arm as he began to unpack.

"I have been on my best behavior. There's no guarantee I'll stay that way though. There's the campfire tonight and capture the flag tomorrow--" I covered my mouth, but the words were already out. "Chiron told me not to tell anyone," I said quickly. "So keep your mouth shut!" Alex laughed and agreed not to tell anyone.

When he was finally done unpacking, we headed out of the cabin and towards the pavilion. Everyone was there already, but there are a few stragglers. One is a small, short boy who might be from the Hermes cabin. I don't remember. But the second he looked back me, I bucked at him, sending him scurrying off towards dinner.

Alex sighed. "That's the Lexi I know." I grinned at him and dared him to try and beat me to the pavilion. I won of course.

I looked around at the campers, all sitting at their respective tables. There were a lot of new faces, but a lot of old familiar faces too. I grinned and rubbed my hands together. I couldn't wait to pulverize them in the combat classes.

[wakely, daughter of Apollo
Monday night[/b]

It was a long long long long day, and my body seemed to feel the consequences of it. I had walked to my cabin early. Apollo's cabin was orange and well furnished with pillows and a decent internet connection. I had left right after Mr. D greeted us all and rolled around in my bunk for a while. I had heard Mr. D's speech many times, and it wasn't anything new.

I wasn't new at Camp; I came about six months ago. I knew Rand pretty well, given the fact that he is our cabin leader and my older brother, he visited a few times. The only person I was curious about was Ben. I had started to mentally call him Benny because I always come up with nicknames for people, whether they like it or not. He seemed distant and very shy. I love shy people. It's fun to watch them come out of their shell. The only time today that I saw him come out of his shell was when he and Rand competed with guitars. He was really good at it. Almost all of the girls watching started to swoon over Ben-even the Hades cabin!

I laughed at the memory, and then I heard a noise. I jolted up from my bunk and grabbed the first thing that I saw could be harmful-my ring from Dad. Ring in hand,I started down the intruder.

"Woah! Hey, it's just me. What's so funny?" Ben asked. He raised his hands above his head in an act of surrender.

I sighed, slowing my rapid heart to a steady beat. "Oh gods. Sorry, Benny. I thought that you were someone else." I slipped my ring back on my finger and fiddled with my bracelet.

"Okay..." Ben said, looking a little flustered. He wandered over to the TV and switched the channel to Seinfeld.

"You like that show?" I jumped down from my bunk. "My mom used to watch it all the time. It's funny." I leaned on the back of the couch, eyes glued to the screen.

Ben looked up at me, eyes wide. "Yeah." We watched the show for a little bit until Rand came back. He greeted us and shuffled to his bunk. He was tired too. After a day of running and shooting arrows you don't really have a lot of energy left.

After the fourth commercial break, Ben asked me a question that I could tell had been biting his brain for a while. "What do you mean, 'your mom used to'? Doesn't she still now?" He said it innocently, and that made it all worse.

Rand sat up in his bunk. He looked at me with generous emotion. Only he knew what happened to my mom, and he knew that I didn't like to talk about it.

Ben had crossed my line. My attention shifted from the show to my memory. My expression turned sour. I bit my lip at I took my long hair out if my ponytail. "Doesn't matter. She's dead." I said as I walked back to my bunk.

"I'm sorry, Wakely." He called after me. "I didn't know. I'm sorry." He said again. I looked back at him. I felt bad. He didn't know. Only Rand and I did. It was time he found out, with him being my brother and all.

Of course, being the sad bunny that I am, I quickly forgave him. "It's fine. Nobody knows." I climbed the ladder up to my bed. "She died when I was eight. Car crash." Ben nodded understandingly.

"Anyway," Rand said, breaking the thick ice in our conversation. "You guys better get some good rack tonight. You'll need it for tomorrow." He shut off the TV after the credits rolled across the screen.

Ben and I looked at each other. "For what?" He asked. I had been here longer than he has, and I still didn't know what Rand was talking about sometimes.

"Capture the flag." Rand said and fell back on his bed. He was out like a light.

Miria Oak ~ Hermes
Monday Night

"Aaahg," I screamed as the men pushed me forward.
"You'd better be good or else we'll have a little surprise for you when the camp's over," said one of them as they jumped back in the car and drove away.
This was my chance! Not yet within the camp boundaries, I could escape. I could run for my life and never come back. I could change my name, live in hiding. The thoughts multiplied in my mind. I was about to turn around when a strong hand grasped my arm.
"Welcome," said a deep voice. I swore under my breath, my chance being gone.
I found my cabin with no problem and was not surprised that it was empty. I liked my solitude anyhow. I dropped my backpack on one of the beds then then unbuttoned my black vest and laid it down. Stripping off my sweat-drenched tunic, I slipped into a fresh one exactly the same as the first. I only had one outfit I wore although I had two of each item that comprised my outfit. I had seen other rich girls wear bright dresses and high heels, not me. My army boots were all I needed. I had gotten around to buying a black skirt made from the same material and my pants, and I wore them both equally. There's a trumpet call that I assume is either for a meeting or for food. I'm starved.
As I stepped outside my cabin I realized just how many campers were here. I had no idea so many demi-gods existed. Actually, a couple months ago I didn't even know gods existed. I saw two guys walking together carrying guitars and a girl and boy exiting the Ares cabin chattering happily. Great, I sigh. This will be a great summer, not.
I looked at a mirror hanging outside one of the cabins and groaned. My dark makeup had run down my cheeks partly because of the heat, and partly my tears. I tried to wipe it away but it's no use. Oh well, let them see me how I really am.

Ben Richard-Son of Apollo- Monday evening

I tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep that evening as I laid in my bed, my thoughts racing around my head like a pack of wild centaurs. Everything has happened so quickly, I didn't know what to think. After my duet with Rand earlier, we had gone to dinner and Chiron had introduced me to the camp as a son of Apollo. Though I had a feeling people had already guessed that.

So many people clapped me on the back and asked me if I wanted to hang out. I was so overwhelmed. But my thoughts started to turn dark as I remembered that these people didn't know the real me, and I hoped they never did. I had never told anyone, I assumed only my father and the other gods knew about it, maybe Chiron. But I never told them.

I was a murderer. I could still feel the crackle of flames brush against my flesh and the cold screams of innocent mortals. Everything burned, everything. It was days after my encounter with Python and I had stayed in town, hoping it would leave, that everything that happened was just a bad dream. I was wrong.

I was inside the giant mega-mart. Shopping-lifting supplies just incase I needed to run away, quickly. I had never been so right. I turned around as I slowly closed the giant emergency exit door that led out into the store warehouse, the alarm had been broken for years.

Standing there was a Kobalos. A wicked grin plastered against it's cold taunting face. It skipped around chanting taunting songs about me, about my life. I didn't budge, I was too much in shock, but when it started chanting the cold unrelenting song about Toby's death, that's when I snapped. I had no idea what the trickster monster's true inent was, I just wanted to kill it. But I had no idea of the cost that would come with that.

Rage boiled through my body like a vat of hot tar. Flames. Toby wasn't dead, this was all a dream. Fire. He couldn't be, he can't be. Death. When the final spark that lit the fire in my mind, I lost control.

Searing flames erupted across my whole body and I screamed in rage. The Kobalos stopped and stared as the fire streamed out of my body, like a sun. The arching flames engulfing anything it touched. I didn't even care as the whole building started to catch on fire. As everything started to catch on fire.

It only took minuts, three to be exact, to burn down everything. And I felt great. I stood in the charred remains of the building and looked around, everything was gone, I could hear the distance moan of firetrucks. My rage now snuffed by the fact that I didn't just kill the Kobalos, I killed everyone. And that's when I found it, buried in the dusty remains of the Kobalos.

A wooden guitar pick with a sun engraved on it. I could here the voice of my father telling me that while I may not be a healer like most of his other children, I did possess an ability unique to his children who can't heal. That I needed to keep it with me at all times, it would quell my anger and transfer the fire accordingly across my body. I had no idea of the power I possessed, but I did know one thing. I would never let myself go overboard like I did that day.

I stood up and quietly left the cabin, trying not to wake Wakely and Rand. I grabbed Eclipse, now in bow form since the moon was out and left towards the shooting range. I needed to calm myself down. The moonlight cascaded down on me as a cold breeze ruffled my hair.

I took aim at one of the wooden targets of mock soldiers and shot. Each arrow embedding in the soldiers crotch, I had a twisted sense of humor when I was angry. Each time, the one silver arrow would reappear back in my hand. I heard a branch snapping behind me and quickly turned around.

"Who are you?" I asked in a panicked voice.

Aiden Jewel- Poseidon- Evening

I don't know how my feet carried me forward for so long. By the time I finally stopped and collapsed in a fit of coughing and heaving breaths, I didn't even know what state I was in.

My breath jerked out in frantic breaths that doubled me over every time. I blinked away the fog that came along with my exhaustion, and tried to gather my surroundings. Trees and grass and far off noise. And of course the blinding sunlight that tore into my eyes. I hadn't seen the sun in such a long time, well, not counting the rays that made it through the closed glass of my window.

Someone arrived beside me, and placed a hand on my back. They were talking, but I couldn't concentrate on the words. I hadn't heard anyone talk in such a long time... other than my mother no one had ever spoken to me since The Mistake. I let the other person guide me through the forest to a sudden clearing. More people wandered around and I could hardly breath from the exhaustion and confusion. I wanted to run forward and talk to everyone and see everything and know what they were all taking about. Instead, I turned back to the first person who had found me, and watched as he tried to ask what cabin I belonged in. I didn't know what he was asking. Cabin? Belonged? I didn't belong anywhere, except for stuck in the back room of my house.

"Who's your dad?" The man in front of me asked again, and I knit my eyebrows together in search of an answer. I didn't know who my dad was, I didn't remember ever meeting him. "Are you a demi-god or what?"

"What?" I found my voice at last, and tried to think of how to ask all my questions.

"Oh, I'll go find Chiron. He'll know who you are." I nodded, though I had no idea what he was talking about. I let him pull me forward, though after noticing the way I tightened up in panic every time another person looked my way he turned back to the woods and followed a less populated pathway. I didn't argue, I just mimicked his steps and savored the shock that still permeated my mind.

I'd done it. I'd run away from home. Maybe I'd ended up in a mess of insane people, but at least I was free. I was free!