Not happening. This was not happening.

The Friday after Jason disappeared, I packed a sleeping bag, toothbrush and a backpack of my belongings. That was it. I didn't own much that was worth taking, but I figured at the time that it would have to do.

I couldn't stay here anymore. There was only so much I could take and I just had to leave. So at half past nine on a Friday night, I slipped out the door and began to run. It was that simple, everyone was too preoccupied with the High Tea party going on to notice so I seized the opportunity to escape. Even if it meant stumbling down the streets clutching the pair of heels Mom had forced me to wear and a backpack, still wearing my silk blouse top and dress pants (I had refused to wear a dress). Our neighbor, Mrs. Fitzgerald's Chihuahua, Arezzo, hissed at me as I shuffled past and I glared at it. Yes, it hissed. It was a weird dog and you'll find out soon enough why.

I don't remember which direction I was headed in exactly or where I was going, I just kept running. It was a matter of time before I suddenly realized I was being followed and my heart starting beating even faster, if that was even possible. Someone was following me. I could hear bushes rustling and shuffling footsteps behind me. Officially terrified, I picked up my speed but so did my stalker. Okay, I was completely freaked out now.

I could now feel their breath on my exposed back, hot and smelling of burnt toast. That's when I realized it wasn't someone following me. It was something. Emphasis on thing.

Mrs. Fitzgerald's Chihuahua, Arezzo. Under usual circumstances, I might have laughed - okay, no I would have given it a piece of my mind - but this was no ordinary situation. Arezzo had definitely grown overnight. And fast. It had a rippling, muscled body of a lioness, a goatlike face and a snake spouting from the end of its tail.

"Chimera."

I had no idea how I knew what it was. But that knowledge wasn't about to come in handy anytime soon. Not happening. This could not be happening.

I looked around me to see if anyone else had noticed this monster but the entire street was silent as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I mean, it wasn't like I was literally about to become toast.

"Hello, neighbor," it growled, approaching closer.

"Gee, you're a hundred times bigger and uglier now," I blurted.

Oh good one, Thalia. There's a winning pick-up line for you in case you want to make friends next time.

Arezzo spat at me. Yes, it spat; a big glob of glowing molten rock-like liquid that I just managed to dodge in time. The poor birdbath that I had been standing next to wasn't so luck and I watched in disbelieving horror as it melted into a thick grey puddle of mush.

"Bad doggie. No. No," I said; weakly waving a branch I had snapped off in the air.

I threw it in the opposite direction and the moment it bolted off for the stick, I ran. Faster than I ever had in my life.

"Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod..." I thought to myself as I sprinted through a small side street.

I heard a loud angry roar and something exploding in the distance somewhere and my heart skipped a beat. I picked up my pace but I knew I couldn't keep running at this speed for much longer, my legs were numb and I was certain my lungs were going to explode soon.

My eyes scanned my surroundings wildly, I had no idea where I was. I was in some kind of remote, deserted and slightly run down alleyway between two tall brick buildings which I not the slightest clue of where it led to. But no turning back now, I took a deep breath and started running again.

Then I stopped. So suddenly I almost tripped over myself out of nowhere a dark shadow, a silhouette of a man appeared at the end of alley, only a few metres away from me. His fists were clenched.

And one of them held a dagger.

A scream escaped from my lips and I almost never scream. But believe me, I was freaked out. Running away had been a terrible idea. Who would have thought that only ten minutes into my little escapade I would already have my life's share of near-death experiences?

I backtracked and scrambled in the other direction as the stranger got nearer.

I had only run ten or so metres when out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed a red-hot fire ball falling from the roof of the brick building about to land on me.

I veered to the left and fell, scraping my legs against the concrete as it exploded only a metre away from where I had been.

I tried to stand up but the pain in my legs was almost unbearable. I was trapped. If I went back the other direction I would probably end up with a knife in my back and if I went the other direction, Arezzo here, would turn me into fireworks. Either way I was going to die a painful, horrible death so I chose fireworks.

Arezzo pounced down from the building. I could have sworn it was grinning as it approached me.

I felt a strange tugging sensation in my stomach and down my spine, but then again, maybe I was just imagining things or feeling nauseous.

'Oh gods, help me,' were my last thoughts before it charged at me and I blacked out.

Author's note: This is just the beginning of the Thalia/Nico/Luke love triangle and Camp Half-Blood prequel. I'll continue if I get lots of reviews. Who do you think is the mystery person? Who do you want Thalia to be with? Luke? Nico? Please leave a review with your opinion and something along the lines of what you want to read in this fanfic. :) I will do my best to assist all of your recommendations to the best of my abilities... Happy ready!