Hey everyone! I just want to clarify something early on... Percy Jackson is mine! (Just kidding, not really :D).
This is my first time publishing online so I apologize in advance if something is wrong. I would love any feedback from you on how to improve or if you have any ideas, would love to hear them! I don't own Percy Jackson-all the rights go to Rick Riordan. I plan on updating pretty regularly but I'm sorry if I can't once in a while; I'll try my best, though. Please read and leave any comments. Enjoy!
My name is Caitlin Hancock. I am a demigod—part mortal human, part Greek god. But I am not the only one. There are others out there that are like me. We are all hunted by monsters and used as pawns by the gods. The mortal world has no idea who we are thanks to the Mist: a cloak that obscures our world from their eyes. We do our best to blend in while living among them. We love, go to school, and do other things regular teenagers do. That is, when we are not fighting for our life or at Camp. Saving the world is a regular occurrence with us. It is easy to become stressed or overworked with all the eyes on us from the gods and others. Even the ignorant mortals rely on us without ever knowing about it. Lots of us die. But those who survive are heroes and earn due respect. Many have family issues, sometimes being raised by a single parent or living with extended family.
I was actually one of the demigods who lived a fairly happy life at home with my dad. The two of us lived outside Telluride, Colorado, with the mountains as our backyard. Excluding the monster attacks, our small family lived in peace. I am Caitlin Hancock and this is my story.
The night before I left home there were dark clouds sagging in the sky, bringing with them the promising smell of rain. I had been unable to sleep due to the howls outside my bedroom window. It was uncommon for coyotes to venture this close to houses, but there seemed to be only one or two.
I was drifting asleep after being awakened by a rather close howl when a shattering of glass snapped me awake. With labored breathing I listened intently, hearing the crunch of glass under foot in the living room. The largest pane of glass in there was the sliding back door.
Terrified, I crept to the door and peaked out down the hall. Something large and black was sniffing at the couches. The thing was nearly as large as a hippopotamus. When it turned I swallowed a whimper—the eyes were startling red. Its ears swiveled my way and a low growl escaped its throat. Where was Dad?
As the beast slowly crept forward in my direction I stood frozen in fear. This must be some nightmare my mind had concocted; my head could sure dream up some wacky things when it was bored. Every muscle in my body begged to run in the opposite direction but I was somehow mesmerized by this thing in my house. The way the dim light reflected off its glossy black coat, how sharp the dazzling white teeth seemed, the large paws that splayed out with each step.
With it only a few yards away I shook myself fully awake and realized this animal I was admiring was going to kill me and rolled sideways as it lunged forward. Coming up I turned to find an enormous body slam into my chest. Pinned below the creature I could smell the stench on its breath and almost threw up on myself—it was stale meat.
"No!" someone yelled from the other side of the room. "Hey, you big dummy, over here!" The head turned up and a quick tune sounded. The animal was bound by vines that appeared from thin air, squeezed tighter and tighter until it popped. Dust fell, settling into my hair, my clothes, my eyelashes.
Too scared to move I lay there, letting everything sink in. A face appeared above me and steady hands hoisted me into a sitting position. The boy before me I recognized as a new kid from school. He had curly brown hair poking out under a raffia cap, bright brown eyes and a wisp of a beard growing from his chin, a set of reed pipes clutched in his hand. I didn't know much about him but we did have a few classes together.
"Grover, what…why…what are you doing in my house?" I managed to spit out.
"I was staying in the woods behind your house for this exact reason. Where's your dad?" he answered distractedly. I pointed to his room and led the way, stumbling down the hall. All the while I was telling myself that this could not be happening, that I must be dreaming or in a mental hospital or something. Miraculously, he had slept through everything. My dad could sleep through a hurricane after getting home from a hard shift at work. After shaking him awake and giving brief introductions I relayed what happened.
"Have you read the Greek myths before?" Grover began. "Well, those are real. That monster that attacked you, it comes from them. I know this sounds crazy but you have to believe me when I tell you all this." He took time explaining how Greek myths were real and the gods were still around and had mortal children. As a satyr he supposedly searched for these children and took them to a safe haven where they do not have to live in fear of monsters.
Then he said my mom was a Greek goddess.
I felt sick and had to sit on the floor. None of this was happening, right? Dad kept pacing and muttering how it all explained so much.
"Mr. Hancock, you know I'm telling the truth." Dad nodded while staring at the floor. "I can take her somewhere—to a camp—where she would be safe. She would get an education in defending herself. That is, if you're willing." I didn't want to go. Please don't say yes, Daddy. Please don't.
"How far is it?" he asked after several minutes of silence.
"In Manhattan."
My dad was silent a moment, thinking. He turned to me, full to the brim with sorrow. "Go pack a bag with some cloths." I swallowed hard and stayed my ground. "Caitlin, I don't want to do this anymore than you do. But I want you to be safe. I want you to be able to defend yourself, more than what I can teach you," he said quickly as I opened my mouth. "Now go pack a bag."
"We can leave in the morning?" Grover offered. With a nod Dad finalized the decision. Hot tears pricked my eyes and I turned away, not wanting to cry.
After helping us clean the mess in the living room Grover crashed on the couch. I lay in bed, not wanting and not able to sleep. I hugged the stuffed dinosaur that lived on my bed. I didn't need it to sleep with but tonight was an exception. Dad said was from my mom when I was a baby. My mother who apparently is an immortal, all-powerful Greek goddess. Anger bubbled against her for leaving us alone. Dad didn't deserve to be left to raise a baby by himself. Who is she, anyways?
I procrastinated getting up until the rising sun shone through the curtains and Dad knocked on the door. Sighing heavily drug myself into the shower. Then I packed an old backpack with extra pairs of jeans, a couple t-shirts, toiletries, socks, hat, waterproof and extremely warm jacket, extra sneakers, and my faithful stuffed dinosaur.
I pulled on my sweatshirt and hiking boots, stuffed my phone and wallet into my pocket and I walked out into the living room. Dad was in the kitchen preparing breakfast while Grover crunched on aluminum cans. We ate in silence, me taking in possibly the last morning home in a long time. Everyone took time, packing extra snacks and whatever else may be needed. I used the bathroom four times, trying to delay what was soon to come.
After disappearing for a moment Dad emerged from his room and pressed into my hand a small locket on the end of a silver necklace.
"It was your mother's," he said. "I was waiting for the right time to give it to you." Inside was a picture of the two of us at the beach, on the other side was a photo of a younger Dad, a baby and a woman, who must have been Mom.
"I don't want to go, Daddy," I said, sniffling. "I want to stay here."
"I know. You know I want that. But like I said before, there are some things I just can't teach you." I nodded reluctantly. He bent down and gave me a gigantic bear hug, a kiss on the forehead. "Bye, Honey. Be safe and keep in touch." I returned it, and with a heavy heart I walked out into the morning, glimpsing a last sight of the mountains through the broken sliding door as the front door closed.
That was the beginning of my new life. I wish I knew what would happen later.