I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I had to get as far as I can away from there. I'd had it with waking up to shouting at five in the morning, the slop they called food and all the other orphans that thought it was fun to pick on the small, weak kid (well smaller and weaker than the other orphans anyway) that wouldn't be able to defend himself.

I ran with all the strength I had left while being hit with stones and anything my pursuers could find. I was crying and I wanted to stop so badly but I knew if I did, I would get caught and probably killed.

I needed a place to hide. Then, just when I thought I couldn't bear it, I saw a river flowing ahead of me. If I could get across that river then I'll be home free. No way would those fat couch potatoes ever think of actually jumping. It was risky, but it was the only thought that came to my mind. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and jumped. Word of advice: if you ever plan to jump across a river, DO NOT close your eyes. Seriously not a good idea.

I opened my eyes just in time to see my foot slip on the inner edge of the river. I screamed and struggled to regain my balance but with no avail. I fell straight into the river. I tried with all my might to fight the currents but they were just too strong. I was flailing and screaming until I hit my head on a rock and everything went blank.

I woke up to the feeling of something brushing my cheeks. I frowned. My head hurt badly and I could feel warm blood trickling down my forehead, probably where the rock hit me. I didn't know how I survived but I wasn't complaining.

I opened my eyes and closed them quickly. The sunlight shone straight into my face. I moved my head to the side and tried to open them again slowly. The first thing I saw was a squirrel holding my nose as if it wanted to store it for the winter. I wrinkled my nose and the squirrel squeaked and ran up a tree. Great, I thought, I just scared away my first friend.

I moved my head again so I was now facing upwards. Where was I? I sat up slowly (and painfully) and looked around me. It suddenly all came back to me. The orphanage, the couch potatoes pursuing me, the river, and all the while a smile couldn't help but play across my lips. I was free. No more people telling me what to do. No more waiting anxiously for someone to adopt me. I was free to do as I please.

My smile started to fade, however, as I thought of where I was going to sleep, what I was going to eat, etc. All I ever hunted was a dog, and it was already dying. I sighed as I stood up (with the help of a tree) and took in my surroundings fully for the first time since I regained consciousness. I was in a clearing in the middle of some forest. After I cleared my forehead of blood with a leaf (it was the only thing I could find, and it did clean up nicely), I was on my way.

My first goal was getting out of the forest. I got lost several times (if you're homeless can you get lost?), and I ended up back in the clearing more than once. It had started snowing a few hours after I woke up, and I was freezing.

Finally, just as the sky started to get darker, the thicket of trees around me started to get thinner. With a few twists and turns I found my way out. I breathed in the cold night air and sighed which made a small cloud of mist. I looked around, and spotted lights just beyond a hill a few miles away. The hill wasn't very large, so I could climb it, and there was a huge pine tree at the top so I wouldn't lose sight of it. It was my best option, and I thought maybe someone can provide me with supplies or a blanket or anything. A pair of shoes would also be nice. I mean, I wasn't exactly in the best of shape. What with my tattered clothes and my hair being a rat's nest, people weren't going to be very, well, hospitable. Still, if I didn't get help soon I was probably going to starve to death. So, with a deep breath and high hopes I trudged through the snow towards the huge pine tree.

As soon as I got to the base of the hill, I saw just how high it actually was. Plus, it was now covered in snow. I willed myself to shut up and get moving, but part of me was doubtful. Ok so I get over that hill and get to whatever town is beyond it. Then what? What if they turn me out into the snow? Or worse, send me back to the orphanage? What was I, a weak, dyslexic orphan worth to them? Nothing of course. So it all depended on their kindness. I shook my head and started up the hill. It was worth a try, and I didn't exactly have anything to lose.

By the time I reached the top of the hill, the sky was pitch black and strewn with stars. The moon shone brightly and the hill was bathed in its pure light. It even made the pine tree glow golden. Wait a minute, I thought. Moonlight is silver, not golden. I peered at the tree and rubbed my eyes, but it was still golden. Completely baffled, I walked over to it. I looked at its branches and spotted the source of the mysterious light. It was a fleece. An actual golden fleece. I stared at it for a complete minute. What kind of people would paint a fleece golden and place it on a tree branch? I was so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed what was under the tree.

I felt something's warm breath on the back of my neck. I turned around so fast I tripped on what later turned out to be its tail. That's when I looked up at it and nearly fainted. I wasn't quite sure what 'it' was but it was huge. Its yellow fangs were bared at me and its breath did not help my anxiety levels. It had shimmering black scales the size of my head and was about the same length as the pine tree except it was lying down. Its claws looked like they could rip off the head of a dinosaur and its tail was a spiked death machine. I had no idea how I hadn't noticed it before. Its black eyes were surveying me like it was deciding if I'd make a good appetizer. I didn't know what to do. I started to back away slowly but as soon as I took one step back it spread its black wings wide. A thought suddenly came to my mind, but I pushed it away and told myself I was stupid. I stood there frozen, and I would have stayed there all day, except the thing raised its claws, and my instincts took over. I ducked to the side as it brought down its razor sharp claws at me. Without even looking back I got up, jumped over its tail, and ran down the other side of the hill as fast as I could.

Halfway down the hill, I tripped on a rock and practically rolled down the rest of the way. I only stopped when I hit a stone wall. Luckily it wasn't my head that hit it, but it still hurt. I groaned and rolled onto my back. For a second, I just lay there staring up at the sky. Before I knew it I was asleep.

I woke up to the sound of voices nearby. I opened my eyes and looked around me. It was morning and I was still lying next to the stone wall that I hit last night. I sat up and squinted in the daylight. I looked around again and I realized that what I took to be a stone wall was actually the stone pillar of some kind of archway.

I stood and looked up at the writing on the top. It took me a few seconds to decipher, but I finally came up with three words engraved into the stone, "CAMP HALF-BLOOD". Well that was a weird name. I looked through the archway and saw cabins with people walking around and- sword-fighting? That caught my attention. Then I remembered the golden fleece and the black thing that nearly ate me. What was going on?

No one seemed to take any notice of me, so I just passed through the archway. Before I could even think where to go next, I noticed everyone in the area staring at me. I stared back and thought, maybe this wasn't such a great idea. It took all my courage, but I managed to get a few words out of my mouth.

"Um, hi. I was just wandering around the woods nearby, and I happened to pass here and I was wondering if, well, if maybe you had some food or clothes, or something 'cause I'm kind of traveling and—" my voice faltered at the looks these people were giving me. They were looking at me like I was a freak or something.

Then a blonde girl that looked a lot older than me stepped forward and faced the what I now realized were probably campers, and said in an intimidating, but convincing voice, "Alright everyone get back to your daily activities. Its just another camper. I'll take care of him."

Apparently she had a good rep 'cause everyone just walked off like I was a mildly interesting TV show that just turned cliché. I can't say I wasn't relieved though. I was about to say something to her, to thank her at least, but she beat me to it.

She turned around and faced me. It was a bit embarrassing, because she literally had to look down at me. Her gaze was as intimidating as her speech. She had startling grey eyes that wouldn't take no for answer. Her skin was tan, and her blonde hair fell in curls over her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Um, where exactly am I? And who are you?"

"I'll answer all your questions in a minute, but I'll need to know your name first," she said with a small smile. She didn't treat me like a poor unintelligent orphan. She talked to me like a normal person, and that alone meant the world to me.

"Oliver," I said simply. She held out her hand as if to shake mine. "Annabeth," she said. I shook her hand. "That's one question answered. As for where you are," she sighed and looked away. Her expression turned sad as she turned to face me again. "You're at camp half-blood. A camp for people like you and me."

"A camp for…orphans?" I asked, because I couldn't think of anything else we would be classified as.

Annabeth gave a small sympathetic smile and said in a gentle voice, "No, Oliver. Not orphans. Camp half-blood is a camp for demigods. Which means people who are-"

"Half human, half god, yeah I know what a demigod is," I said, trying to understand what she had just said. "B-but those are just myths right? I mean we…I…I can't be a demigod. The gods, th-they can't be real. They're not real," I said, more to myself than anything, because if what she said is true, then maybe I'm not an orphan after all.

"You're dyslexic, probably ADHD as well. You're an orphan, and you see weird things that no one else can see. Am I right?" I nodded my head slowly, astonished at how she said that as if she'd experienced it all herself. "Those are sure signs of being a demigod," she continued. "The ADHD is because of your battle reflexes. You're always ready to fight. You have trouble reading English because your brain is designed to read Ancient Greek. As for the gods being real, they are and they're still having kids with mortals like they did in the myths. Which is why we're here. One of your parents is mortal , but the other is an Olympian god."

I stood there, my legs as numb as my brain. Demigod? Me? No way. That can't be real. Either Annabeth was pulling my leg, or I was dreaming. Yeah that's it I hit my head more than once that day so I must be unconscious. I pinched myself. Nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing happened. I nearly pinched myself to death before Annabeth stopped me. "Stop, Oliver, you're not dreaming." Is it just me or is she really smart?

"There is no way I can be a demigod, Annabeth," I said miserably. "I'm just an orphan that wandered into your camp by mistake. Maybe what you say is true, but I'm not part of it."

"This is no mistake Oliver. A mortal can't enter the boundaries of the camp. They wouldn't even see it as a camp. You are a demigod, and whether you like it or not you are a part of this camp. Now come with me," and with that she started to walk towards a light blue building. It was actually like a sort of lake house, except it was much more dilapidated than any lake house I'd ever seen. I didn't know what else to do, so I followed her. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"I'm taking you to the Big House to see Chiron and Mr. D. Be nice and don't forget your manners unless you want to be incinerated."

And with that I followed my newest friend to the light blue Big House.