Demigod Sisterhood
By Andrea and Kiera
I
Sammy
It was the first day of school, and I was super excited. I woke up two hours early, straightened my hair, (something I'm usually too lazy to do.) and put in my red hair extension, and clipped it back with my sun barrette. Next, I rummaged through my closet, looking for the perfect outfit, comfy, because I was going on a long plane ride, and pretty, because it was the first day of school. After I found it- yellow leggings and a zebra striped dress- I went downstairs to eat breakfast, but I was too excited and nervous to eat, so I just had three cups of coffee. With my ADHD, I was nearly bouncing off the walls! By the time I was done, it was 8:00 and the bus was coming and getting me at 8:15, so I sat at the window to wait.
"Calm Down, Sammy!' My mother said when she got up and saw me. "I'm sure they'll be here soon!"
At 8:10, my half-brother Charles woke up. "Why's Sammy so excited?" he asked when he saw me.
"It's the first day of school." Mother explained.
I don't know why I was so excited; I mean the school I was going to was for unmanageable teens. I had never been there before, but I knew it was outside of New York City, and called Smithion's School for Unmanageable Teenagers. I'm not a bad kid or anything, but I really can't concentrate. This school is supposed to 'help' kids like me 'reach their full potential.' I don't know how, but last year I got As in everything, so I got put into the honours class this year.
Anyway, after Mother said that, Charles got super excited. "Can I come?" his red hair bobbed as he nodded his head.
"No, silly. You're not a teen." I told him. At eight years old, he was clueless about the world. Especially my world.
He wasn't to happy about this, but after Mother pointed out there was nothing we could do, he agreed.
"Mother! They're late!" I said at 8:16. "They were supposed to pick me up at 8:15!"
"Maybe their clock is off." Charles suggested.
As he said that, a small bus parked outside of our house. Mom hugged me, and promised to send me my hair straighter and everything else I forgot.
She handed me a bag of candy, and said, "Share this with your new friends! Please write often Sammy!" With one final squeeze, a kiss on the cheek, and an "I love you" She let go of me and I ran for the bus.
After a bus ride to the airport and a plane ride across the country, a flight attendant shook me awake. (Yes, I fell asleep after drinking three cups of coffee.) I got up and stretched, then followed my adult guide to another bus that took us to the school.
I looked at the six signs on the front of the school. They listed homerooms. They started at grade seven, and went all the way to grade twelve. I was in grade 8, and found my name under Mr. Parker. I opened the doors to the school, and searched for his room. When I found it, the desks were pretty much all full, so I sank into a seat in the front row. After I sat down, Mr. Parker, a short stubby man with a bushy mustache took attendance and began to talk. He told us all about the school rules and stuff, and after a while, my attention began to drift. To a boy with a very crooked nose, a dog eared poster relating math to science, a girl who looked almost exactly like me. Mr. Parker droned on and on, so I started to fidget, and looked at the night scene out the only window.
"Miss Fucly?" The sound of my name pulled me out of space.
"Yes Sir? And you pronounced my name wrong. Its foocly, not the swear word."
"Come and get your schedule!" Mr. Parker said. "And your room key, and your student ID! Don't you listen? Honestly, I would expect more from an honours student!"
"Sorry Sir." My face burning, I collected my things them made my way to my room.
Sitting on one of the beds was a girl. The girl who looked almost exactly like me. We had the same sandy blonde hair, and hers curled almost exactly like mine, when I left it natural. We shared the same stormy grey eyes, pale skin, and a splash of freckles on our noses. She seemed to notice it too, and she looked uneasy.
"Hello." She said quietly, "You can pick your bed first."
"Thanks. I'll take the one by the window." I sat on the bed opposite of hers.
We sat in awkward silence for a while, until I decided to get up and looked into the closet, where I found our bags, which we shipped to the school last week. I put mine next to my bed and examined the room.
It was cozy, with two beds that had nothing on them, you had to bring your own bedding, at the foot of each bed there was dresser of four drawers, on one wall, there was two desks and two bookcases. Under each bed, there were three drawers. There was also a door to the bathroom.
I sat back down on my bed, and then quickly made it. I was tired, even though it was only four o'clock in San Francisco, but too wired to sleep, so I decided to talk to the girl.
"Hi, I'm Sammy, what's your name?" I asked
"Dru." She said.
"Where are you from? I'm from San Francisco?"
Dru smiled. "I'm from Happy Valley Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada"
I've been to Canada a couple of times, my step-grandparents live there" I've always hated going there, Doree loved to pinch my cheeks, and Ted gives me dirty looks. I'm not sure why, either because I'm not really apart of the family, or the bad things Ray, my step-father tells him about me.
"Where in Canada?"
"B.C"
"Oh"
"Dru? Are you tired, because I am." I said to break the awkward silence we were having.
"Um, yeah, I am. I'll turn off the lights." She got up, flicked the lights off, and said "I'm setting my alarm to 7:15. Is that okay?
"Yep." I got up to put on my pajamas, because I forgot to.
I woke up to Dru's alarm. I pulled my self up, heard Dru running the shower, so I studied my schedule.
Breakfast was in an hour, then you had 15 minutes to get to your dorm to get your books for first period, which for me was Science with Miss Levi. We had fifteen minutes between each block, so you could get to your dorm to get your books.
Dru had finished with her shower, so I took one, then got ready for school. I took right up to the hour, and we ate a breakfast of oatmeal, then we went to science, where Dru convinced me to take a seat in the front row. She said it would be good for my ADHD, and she knew because she had it to. Miss Levi is a skinny old woman in a blue flowered dress.
"Sit down now, children." She said in a squeaky voice. "Children! Please sit down, I need to take attendance!
"Able, George!"
"Here!"
"Bactu, Chad"
"Hi"
The names went on, until I heard
"Fouster, Dru"
"Present"
"Fucly, Samin"
"Present, Ma'am. But I go by Sammy, and its Foocly."
"Thank you, Miss Fucly"
Yes, my real name is Samin. It's an Arabic name meaning precious, and my mom said I was very precious to her, so the name fit. I understand that, but who wants the name of a fish?
The class dragged on, until the bell rung. Next I had Social Studies with Mr. Leen, a nice man who looked about twenty-five.
After social, I had Lunch. I met up with Dru, who had math. She was sitting with a boy who had a lot of pimples, and he looked a lot older than thirteen.
"Sammy, Hi! This is Grover. I met him in Math."
"Hi, Grover, Dru."
Grover gave me a funny look, and then sniffed his enchilada.
"Sammy, do you know your father?"
"Um….. No."
He seemed satisfied with that answer, and turned towards his enchilada. As I studied him, he looked like a faun I knew, Don. Yes, I know a faun. I know one because I am a demigod.
II
Dru
"Drooooleeeeee!" a falsely sweet voice beckoned, "Its time for your first day of school! The auto bus will be here soon!"
Ugh. The moment I have been dreading all summer. The first day of school. I don't understand how nerds get all syked out about this day. In my perspective it's like the beginning of a nightmare. I force my self out of bed and look in the mirror. Double ugh. It looks like a rats nest. I don't have the time to make it look fancy. I quickly run my hello kitty brush through my curly blonde hair. I quickly straighten my red streak, making it pop out from the rest. Now for my outfit. Not like I have much choice. I grab some random pair of jeans and a white blouse. Perfect. I exit my room to the horrors of the dinning room below.
Waiting for me on the table was a glass of water and an apple. An all time low. My father was already there, reading the Happy Valley Times, the local newspaper. My half- sibling triplets were chowing down on eggs and toast. In the kitchen my step mum was busy packing the triplets' lunch and making coffee. This could just be an average day in this house. But I knew it wasn't.
"House market just went down," my father mumbled to no one in particular, "June isn't going to like that. She's got ten houses on the run right now."
My step mum re-entered the dining room, a coffee in her right hand, her left hand on her oversized pregnant belly. She was waddling like a duck. I found it very hard not to laugh. "Well there is nothing we can do about it Vicky." She replied before placing down her cup and making out with him, very steadily. Ugh. My parents re one of those couples who are very open with their relationship and are constantly making out in public.
As if on cue, Francois, one of the triplets, let out a long "Ewwwwww!"
But of course the grossosity couple continued to make out behind the newspaper.
I couldn't stand it any longer. "I don't believe snogging is an everyday nutrient required by Health Canada." That made them stop.
My step mum looked at me with utter most horror, but my dad glared. "I suggest you keep your trap shut about your step mother and me. Its none of your business what we do."
And with that the routine started again. Ugh! I couldn't stand these freaks! I excused my self away from the table and ran upstairs to pack.
Just to worn you, my room is a disaster area. This has partly to do with my ADHD. Yes. I have ADHD. This is why I am heading to Smithions School for Unmanageable Teens. Also because I blew up my last school. Anyways... My room is the smallest room in our overly large house. It has one tiny window which barely lets in any light what so ever. My bed is always unmade. Papers and books are strung randomly all over the place. I may not sound it but I am wickedly smart and LOVE architecture. I quickly pack all my things just in time when my little sister Sophie pops her head through the door frame. "Mommy says the auto bus is here and doesn't want you dwadlewing." I just love my little sister and her incapability for pronouncing words. I hug Sophie, kiss her on the cheek, grab my bags and hop in the bus to face the world of America. A world I hardly knew.
Smithions is located just out side New York City. It holds aprox. 602 unmanageable teens ages 13 - 18 years of age. 4 whom in which live in my hometown.
Since I got hardly any sleep last night, I instantly passed out in my seat. All though I was quickly prodded awake by the movement of the other passengers filling out of the plane. When my bus arrived at the school, about a hundred buses were in the line up already. This wasn't counting the cars. When I finally got inside the building, I looked for my homeroom number. 159, Mr. J. Parker. Great.
Thankfully they hadn't put my full name up there or else I would have died. Nobody alive should have to deal with the name Drulie J. Fouster. It's a living nightmare!
In homeroom, I plop myself in a front row desk. I have problems concentrating and find it easier to sit up front with fewer distractions. I hastily check my surroundings. There's a poster relating math to science, so true, a few cute rebel boys, and... Whoa! There's a girl, also in the front row, and she's like the identical twin I never had. The only difference is her hair is straightened, and she has pretty clothes. Then suddenly I hear Mr. P say come and get our room keys and student ID cards. The classroom quickly becomes utter chaos. Room # 131. 13th floor. Wow. How unlucky can you get?
I escalade up the worn down steps up to the thirteenth floor and find 131. Bingo! First room! I unlock my door and face my dorm. Not that bad, but not that great. Just two beds and dressers, and a door to the bathroom. But what amazes me is the window. I have never had a view before and this one wasn't that shabby! Much better then the one back home. That's when the door opens and my room mate walks in. Congrats! It's my twin! My day just keeps getting better and better.
"Hello" I say in a squeaky voice much unlike my normal loud tone, "You can pick your bed first." I really don't know where that came from. I definitely wanted the bed by the window with the amazing view.
"Thanks" she replies, "Ill take the one by the window."
Now I care. I try not to look glum and plop on the other bed in the room. The girl begins rummaging through the closet and retrieves her bags and places them beside her bed. Just about as I was going to call it quits she decides to strike up a conversation.
"Hi. I'm Sammy. What's your name?"
"Dru" I reply faintly.
"Where are you from, I am from San Francisco?"
"Happy Valley Goose Bay Labrador, Canada." I smile. The name of my hometown always makes me smile. Like who names a town after geese and happiness? Although, the girl frowns like Canada is a place of horrid memories.
"I've been to Canada a couple times. My step grandparents live there." Interesting. She has step parents also. Something I can definitely relate to.
"Where in Canada?"
"BC."
"Oh." This was awkward.
Thankfully Sammy breaks the silence. "Dru? Are you tired, because I am."
I nod and get up to turn of the lights. "I am setting my alarm for 7:15. Is that okay?"
Thankfully she agrees because there is nothing I hate more than waking up late at school. I slide under my thick covers and settle in for a restless night.
I awoke to the sound of the alarm and bolted into the shower with my uniform. I definitely wanted hot water for my shower and didn't know how long Sammy would take. After my shower I quickly straightened my hair and tied it into a ponytail, with only my red bang not forced back. I apply only mascara, finding too much makeup makes e greasy. Opening up the bathroom door I exit and find Sammy sitting on her bed looking at her schedule, something I had yet too do. As soon as she saw me she ran into the bathroom leaving me alone to look at my schedule. Block A: Science, Block B: Math, Lunch Block C: PE, Block D: Latin. Not that bad of a day. I. then pack my books and papers and head out science. I open the door.
But before I could exit I here a high pitched, "Waaaaiiiitttt!" I stand under the doorway for Sammy but found I didn't have to wait for long.
She was basically a blur running around the room. When done she stands beside me and thanks me for waiting.
I continue on to science. "I have ADHD and find it hard to concentrate sometimes." Wow. Add ADHD to the similarities chart. "I find it soooo hard to concentrate and stuff and yeaahhhh.". Wow this girl was seriously ADHD.
I decided to share a little bit of my information with her. "I am ADHD too. Sit near the front and you'll be fine."
She looks grateful and nods. She rambles on about most schools and the troubles they brought. Most stuff I could relate to and I tried to stay in focus but it was hard with her bouncing off the walls with energy. In science we had an older woman. Miss. Levi. She rambled on about how this term we were doing dissection and biology. Awesome! All through out class we took notes on the autonomy of the eyeball and watched a video on the eyeball. Even in my standards it was interesting. Next was math. I dint have math with Sammy so that was a bummer. The ADHD kid kind of grew on me. So I sat in this random seat near the front of the room and before I knew it this tall gangly kid with a truck load of acne sat down beside me an immediately struck up a conversation.
"Hey! My name is Grover. Yours?"
"Dru." I replied faintly.
This dude seemed pretty interested in me and my first thought was like, oh this is not ever gonna happen. The dude was probably held back a few years and I definitely wasn't the kind of kid to mix with kids of this like. But throughout the lesson Grover kind of grew on my. He actually hadn't been held back a grade and was actually really smart and funny! He even made the Pythagorean Theorem interesting.
When the lunch bell rang we found a table and Sammy joined us. "Sammy, hi! This is Grover! I met him in Math!"
"Hi Grover, Dru."
I looked at Grover. He had suddenly become very interested with his enchilada.
Then out of the blue he asked, "Sammy, did you know your father?" I found that quite unnescary, But Sammy seemed unfazed.
"Ummm. No."
I had this really weird feeling that Sammy and Grover knew each other, just they weren't telling. But who would deny a friendship with a girl as sweet as Sammy or a guy as cool as Grover.
III
Sammy
The answer I gave Grover was a total lie, I know who my father is, and I've met him once. My father is Apollo, god of the Sun, Healing, Poetry, Archery, music, and prophecies. My Mother is a world renowned poet, and she there for attracted his attention, and poof, I was born. My mother knew he was a god, but kept it away from me until I was five. The year after, when I was six, I met him. He showed up in my room when I was colouring, and told me about a wonderful place called Camp Jupiter, a place for special children like me. I would get to run all day, and play. To me, it sounded like a pretty awesome deal. My mother just got married to the most awful man, and the thought of getting away from him, and running and playing all day was pretty amazing. I told my mother about it, and she agreed. "But only for the summer" she had said. "You will still need education." The next day she told my step-dad, Ray, a lie about me spending the summer with my father's parents, whom she found the names of. He seemed okay with it. He's always despised me. Then we drove to Camp Jupiter. It was filled with demigods, but none of them were running and playing. Actually, at six, I found the camp a little scary. But they took me in, and I trained to be a good archer. I almost never miss now. Until I got older, I wasn't allowed to play in war games, instead, one camper would watch over me as we drew together. Six was too young, but nine wasn't.
But back to the modern times, as we all got up to get our gym strip, I was certain Grover was a faun, he had the limp. But I had never seen him at Camp before, and why would a faun go to school? Fauns just begged for money and food. Anyway, as the lunch bell rung, we rushed to the gym. Grover handed Mr. Pecky, a strong tall man with grey hair, a note.
"Very well, Underwood" he said "You can sit on the bench over there."
"Actually, sir, I need Latin help. Could I meet Mr. Brunner in his room? He told me too" Grover said.
"I suppose so. Walk quietly in the hall, boy." Mr. Pecky pointed towards the door.
As Grover left, Mr. Pecky blew his whistle and screamed, "Get changed! Hurry up now! Then line up in divisions!"
After we lined up, Mr. Pecky told us the find a partner. Obviously, I found Dru.
"Okay boys and girls! Hold hand with your partner so that you are facing them! Both hands, now! Now please follow me outside."
He told us we had to run a whole lap like this, a full kilometer, 'to have fun and build teamwork.' Then he told us we could walk if we wanted. "On your marks, get set….GO!"
This was the worst thing ever, because I was going backwards, but it gave Dru and me some time to talk.
"Have you ever met Grover before?" Was the first question she asked me.
"Nope, never." I wasn't going to tell her the whole story while I was going backwards.
"Are you sure? Turn left. More, there you go."
I obeyed. "Maybe I just can't remember?" This may be true, but I highly doubted it.
"Just keep turning left, Sammy. Maybe. Do you like even like him?"
"Of course I do!" this wasn't a complete lie, I liked him, but how he was a faun just made me uneasy. I knew Dru could tell this, and that's why she asked.
"Do you know your Dad?" Dru asked. I wondered why she thought I was lying.
"Yes." I told her. She's my best friend, right?
Luckily, she didn't ask why I lied to Grover. Instead she asked, "What's his name?"
I hesitated, for risk of her telling Grover. If he was a faun, surely he would know who my father is. "Apollo." I said finally.
She didn't say more, for we passed the finish line.
For the rest of gym, Dru stared at me. We did beeper tests, and ladder test, which I was pretty good at. Doing harmless war games really get you into shape. Finally, the bell rung, and I had Latin, something I would surely pass with flying colours.
As me and Dru (who started talking to me) walked into Latin, the teacher, Mr. Brunner beckoned us to the desks right in front of his. On the board he had written "Welcome children! I hope we have a great school year and beyond! Please sit down where I tell you! Good luck this year!" in Latin. As the rest of the class filed in, I decided to lay low. Not show off too much of my Latin skills, or people (Grover) might be suspicious.
When the class was all seated, Mr. Brunner, a middle aged guy in a wheel-chair, took attendance. I saw his eyes light up when he read "Fouster, Dru" and "Fucly, Samin" on the list.
When that was done, he wheeled to the front of the class, and pointed to the Latin on the board. "Class, would anyone like to guess what this says?" I raised my hand. "Yes, Samin?"
"Sammy, sir. And it says 'Welcome children! I hope we have a great school year and beyond! Please sit down where I tell you! Good luck this year!'" Whoops. So much for not showing off. I could feel the whole class turning their eyes on me.
"Impressive, Sammy. Have you taken Latin lessons before?"
"No, sir." I blurted out before I could give it any thought. Stupid ADHD.
Mr. Brunner raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Okay class, here is a worksheet with Latin pronouns on it." He flashed me a look. "Give it your best guess to what they mean in English. You have ten minutes."
Dru was my partner, but with my skill in Latin, we were done in about five seconds, so we chatted for the rest of it.
"So where did you learn Latin?"
I couldn't keep this a secret for much longer. "I'll tell you later, okay?"
"Fine. Why did you lie to Grover at lunch?"
"Um… I don't know"
"Yes you do?"
Fortunaly, I didn't have to answer that, because Mr. Brunner said in his booming voice, "Okay, back to your seats!"
When that was accomplished, he started to call out the correct answers. "1. I , 2. They, 3. He/her, 4. You, singular, 5. We, and 6. You, plural."
We started to learn Latin. (Blah Blah Blah, This is a class where I really don't have to pay attention.) After some basic verb conjugation, we were dismissed. "Grover, please stay behind." Mr. Brunner said as we all left.
In my room, on free time, I began to unpack. Dru was talking to Grover, but I really didn't want to. I made up a lie that I hated living out of a bag, but I couldn't scratch the feeling that Dru would talk to Grover about me, about my Father's real name, about my Latin, even though Grover knew that.
Stop that. I scolded myself. Dru's my friend. She would never do that.
But I couldn't believe that, so I turned my attention to unpacking. I opened the drawer. Inside I place my pair of jeans. (I hate jeans, so I only have one pair), leggings and sweats in it. Underneath, I placed my dresses and skirts. In the third drawer, I put my shirts and shorts. In the last drawer, I put my sweaters. A winter parka sat in the closet. I heard it got cold in New York, so I got one. Believe me; it was hard to find one in San Francisco. Now I took out the personal stuff. I took out three photos to put on my desk. The first one my mother forced me to take. It was a family photo of Ray, Mother, Charles, and I. In this particular photo, Ray's body is half-covered in black sharpie. Ever since he started to take family photos with us, I've done that. When I first started, when I was four, I got caught often. If I got caught by Mother, it was a lecture. When I got caught by Ray, it was a spanking. I used to run to mother afterwards, and she would get mad at Ray. I still do it, but get caught left often, and now when Mother caught me, it was grounding. I only do it when Ray's at work, he never catches me. I smiled a mischievous grin, and grabbed a sharpie from my pencil case. Now Ray's body was fully covered. The next picture is a picture of me and Mother. We're on the beach, and she's giving me a piggy-back ride. I'm three-years old, laughing, my short blonde hair shining. Mother is laughing too, her face free from worry lines, her dark eyes twinkling. I brought this picture because it was taken the day before Mother met Ray, so it signifies just me and her. A life I wished we were still living. The last photo is of an old couple holding a baby. The baby is me, and the old couple is my mother's parents. I've never seen them after that, because they live in France.
I place five Denariis from camp in of the drawers under my bed, as well with a small marble statue of my father, Apollo, I made, and my armor.
After I'm done unpacking, I'm lying on my bed debating if I should get out my bow and arrows, and practice shooting out the window when Dru walks in.
"Oh hello." She said. "How was unpacking?"
"Good." I said. "How was Grover?"
"Good. We're eating supper with him."
"Good."
The supper bell rings, so we make our way downstairs, and get served supper, turkey sandwiches. I can see Dru looking around for Grover, but luckily for me, he never shows up. We eat in silence, and then each did our homework after supper. I struggle to stay on on track, but I manage to anyway.
When curfew started to near, I toke a shower, brushed my teeth and hair, and then hit the sack early.
As I'm lying in my bed I'm praying. "Please Father, give me some guidance." before I fall asleep. When I do, my dream starts out at Camp Jupiter. Reyna, our praetor, it telling me Octavavion, our well hated auger is right, and we are at war with the Greeks. Then the dream starts too static, and it changes to the bath house. I'm in a -gulp- blue bikini. But the bottom shifts into shorts.
"Is that better, sweetie?" A voice called out from the hot water pool.
I turn. "Father!" Sitting in the pool is a guy in his late teens, who is tanned to perfection, and his sandy blonde hair is perfectly cut, his blue eyes twinkling.
"You asked for guidance, did you not? Come sit." He patted the water beside him.
"Yes I did. " I sit next to him. "So guide me. Should I tell Dru about my true identity?"
Apollo pursed his lips. "Darling, do you like prophecies, or riddles?"
"Um, not particularly."
"Fine. I'll give you a hint then. It doesn't matter if you do. She'll find out anyway."
"What do you mean? How will she find out?"
"Pshhh. I can't tell you that, it would ruin it! But I'll tell you this. Your friend Grover is what you think, and you should tell him. Now I have to go!" The dream goes static, then black.
I woke up the next morning, full of energy. I got ready for school super quick, and then went to find Grover. I found him in the boy's dorm, going to breakfast.
"Grover, I have something to tell you."
"Yeah?" He sounded surprised
"I know your secret. I know you are a faun."
II
Dru
My first three months at Smithions were the best days of my life. Even after the awkward first meeting with Grover and Sammy, they put that behind them and became my best friends I had ever had. Sure Sammy's dad was some bloke named Apollo and Grover had a note excusing him from doing anything physical for the rest of his life, they were still the two nicest kids in the whole school. My classes weren't that shabby either. My one teacher Mr. Brunner was my favorite. He taught Latin and was really interesting. He believed even the toughest juvenile delinquent can be a straight A student. I could not believe my good fortune.
At all of my past schools I have done something terrible and newsworthy. I am basically Happy Valley Goose Bay's #1 juvenile delinquent. It's got a nice ring to it. Just last year I had accidently blew up my school, severely injuring all the staff and students. How was I supposed to know not to put gasoline near a furnace? I thankfully hadn't been in the building when they turned on the heat. I had been outside doing litter pick up because I had caused an unwanted chemical reaction in chemistry. Whoops! Hey, I am not a bad kid. I just have some minor problems. Hello? I have ADHD?
Anyways the only bad thing about this school is the PE teacher, Mr. Peck. He is basically my dad's evil twin from hell. Except he is actually athletic, much unlike my coach potato father. He constantly screeches at me and gives me extra laps and detentions for the silliest things. Not cool dude. Beside the point, He is just one teacher in one awesome school. He couldn't possibly ruin my entire school year right? I couldn't have been more wrong.
It was a week before Christmas and the air in smithions couldn't have been more joyful. Students were constantly talking about their plans for Christmas and what their wealthy parents would get for them. I was expecting anything for Christmas, especially after the breakfast episode.
Sammy however was super excited for Christmas and it made her ADHD ten times worse. She constantly blabbered on about visiting her Aunts in Kansas. "They make the best Christmas crepes ever!"She had said one frosty morning over breakfast.
Grover was like me and was almost glum about leaving Smithions. Poor bloke. He must have to really hate his parents to not even want to leave school for one of the best holidays of the year. On the last day of school, things took a dive for the worst. If a time machine ever gets invented, I will probably go back in time to this day to fix everything. The morning went perfectly fine. Miss Levi had her classroom filled with decorations giving a light cheery air to the room. The whole class played operation to celebrate the end of our biology unit. Sammy and I had loads of fun making Sam's nose go red and make startling noises.
In math gave up on integers and let us play pocker instead.
Lunch was delicious. There were plenty of soups and stew to warm up numb brains and fingers. I definitely was going to miss this stuff back home. My Christmas Dinner was chicken noodle soup from a can and ritz crackers.
Next was PE. It started out quite normal. Mr. Peckish, (Grover and my name for . Sammy highly disapproves. ) Sends us out for our 50 laps of the gym. About half way through pulls me out of the group for who knows what reason.
"Behave yourself Miss Fouster. I see you skipping laps."
I don't know what the old man means. I am actually really fit and enjoy running. I have to try really hard not to scream at him. (Something my guidance counselor tells me NOT to do).
Instead I nod and say, "Yes Mr. Pecky". I start to run again and I can feel his glare following me like an angry snake. He could almost be a snake. I quickly push that thought out of my head and continue to run.
"What was all that about?" Sammy questioned me when she caught up to me. I ignore her, not wanting Mr. Peckish to have another reason to dock me marks. I make a mental note to tell her in Latin.
After our fifty laps were complete Mr. Peckish announced we were going to play dodge ball. Groans erupted from the girls and cries of pleasure from the guys. Ugh. How can girls be so wussy when it comes down to dodge ball? We were put into two teams and told to go with it. It wasn't that bad. My team was stacked like it always was. But was actually reffing the game. About a quarter ways through the game Mr. Peckish blows his whistle.
"Dru" he yelled on the top of his lungs and beckoned me to follow him. Great. Had some kid caught me last curve ball and I had not noticed it but he had? Now I could expect a month of cleaning the footballs dirty uniforms for a month. "I have had it with you Droolee Fouster." Wait a second. No one ever calls me Drulee. Ever. "The gods are letting me be the test of your courage and bravery. I am hoping you don't live though. You would make a nice light snack."
Before I could register what the dude had said his head began to twitch, like he was having a seizure. Hiss hands and arms disappeared. His legs began to form one long stick with his body. I uttered a scream. I looked around to see if anyone else was noticing this. They weren't. They were wrapped up in their dodge ball game. Only Grover seemed to notice. I turned around to face my teacher, but he was no longer there. In his place was the biggest snake I had ever seen. It was at least twelve ft long and two ft thick. Black stripes were running down its dark green body. It of course had no ordinary fangs either. Each fang was 15cm long and with my luck, was probably poisonous. It was a basilisk. I don't have a clue how I knew that but this was no time to question it. I had to run away from this creature. I knew it. But some instinct told me to say. Some instinct.
Grover had now got off his bench to look at the basilisk. He had great worry in his eye. "A basilisk." he whimpered, "just perfect. Why didn't I smell him?"
So I was right. But smell a basilisk. That thought was pushed out of my head when the snake opened its eyes. They were blue like Mr. Pecky's. Maybe it was Mr. Pecky in some mutant snake form.
Then to my great surprise, the snake began to speak, "You would have made a great demigod Miss Fouster. If I didn't have to kill you." the snake began to hiss, like it was about to strike.
Grover chose this moment to give something to me. "Here. This should help you." he whimpered before cowering away.
A disposable razor. Wow. Does he think I need to shave the snake to death? Without thinking I uncap the razor and... Whoa! The razor had somehow turned into a... Knife thingy. It was about the size of a machete, two feet long. It was engraved with Greek writing. I had no time to look at it though. I had a basilisk to kill.
"Dru..." Sammy had finally noticed the snake. It took longer than I thought. She now stood by Grover, looking at the snake with terror in her eyes.
I decided it at the moment. I had to kill the snake. My friend's lives were in danger. I lunged at the snake with my knife. It just merely dodged and then took a strike at me. It was quick. But I needed to be quicker. I was in a rage of fury, dodging the snake's lunges and trying to kill the snake. It was no use. The snake would just dodge my blow and lunge at my throat. Its energy was definitely not getting drained. But I mine was. I felt like I was going to pass out from exhaustion. But then the snake would definitely get me and my friends. I couldn't let that happen. I needed a plan, and fast.
I looked around at my surrounding. I saw the nearby furnace and a little canister of gasoline. Somewhere inside my brain a plan was born. Gasoline plus furnace equals explosion. Bye bye snake. I waited for the perfect moment when the snake was about to lunge but instead of dodging, I ran towards the little gasoline canister, with the snake left in confusion. I beckoned for Grover and Sammy to follow. And what Grover did baffled me completely. He ran at an amazing speed for someone withal leg injury. Sammy barely could keep up I poured the contents of the gasoline can into the furnace and flicked the furnace switch on. "come on, we need to run!" we bolted out the gym doors. As soon as we were outside, the building exploded into a massive fire.
"Come on Dru, we need to go, now. Dru, you know where to go." Grover locked eyes with Sammy and Sammy nodded in approval.
"I have to go Dru. You stay safe!" and with that one of the only friends I had disappeared on me. Grover pulled me in the opposite direction, heading who knows where. At least away from the only place I could call home that I had maliciously blown up.
II
Sammy
"No." Grover said, "I'm not a faun." Resentment boiled inside me. Apollo lied.
Three months of the school went by. Grover and I became best friends along with Dru. The teachers were nice, and the school was nice to. I felt like I was home.
But it all went wrong one snowy afternoon, the last school day before break. We were in gym, and we had to run 50 laps before playing dodge ball. Mr. Pecky pulled Dru aside, but she ignored me when I asked. Then, when we played dodged ball, Mr. Pecky's body elongated. His tongue split like a snakes. He turned into a twelve foot basilisk. With poisonous fangs. I froze with fear. I saw Grover toss Dru a razor. It turned into a machete. I should have helped. I couldn't have my sun barrette (which was my bow and arrows) in my hair because it was dangerous. But I had it in an inside pocket of my sweater. Maybe I was too fazed by Dru's braveness. She was dodging and slashing at the snake. Then I saw her eyes flicker towards a small container of gasoline and a near by furnace. Uh oh. She had told me how she blew up her last school. Dru confused the basilisk by lunging towards the container.
She then beckoned me and Grover towards the furnace. She poured the gasoline on the furnace and flicked it on.
"Come on! We need to run!" Dru yelled, and that what we did. As soon as we were outside the building, it exploded. We had to leave right now.
"Come on Dru, we need to go now. Dru you know where to go." Grover locked eyes with mine. Go to where you come from. His looked said, I've got to take Dru somewhere. I nodded.
'Dru, I've got to go. Stay safe.' resisting the urge to hug her, I ran west.
I didn't stop until I was a mile or two away. I could see the smoke rising up from the school like evil cotton candy.
I sat down and started sobbing. My beautiful photos were burning, with my denarii and armor. I had no way of contacting my mother, or getting back to San Francisco. Most of all, I had left my two closest friends. I had no idea where they are. I was alone.
Calm down, Sammy, I told myself. You'll just have to walk to California! I'll start now!
I wiped my eyes and started to walk. By the second day, I realized this was pointless. I was only walking 10 miles a day, and it was 2500 miles home. Thats nearly a year of walking! Even if I walked 25 miles a day, its still over three months of walking, and all I wearing was a thin sweater and shorts. I had to do something. I couldnt think of anything, so I kept walking for a few days.
Then I stopped, and wondered if Apollo would drive me in his sun chariot. "Oh great lord Apollo! Take me in your sun chariot!" the sun grew big, and I grew sweltering hot. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, a sports car was sitting in front of him. The snow was melted in a half mile radius. Apollo.
The sun god smiled a radiant white smile. "Hello darling! Do you need help?"
"Of course! You need to fly me to Camp Jupiter!"
"No, I'm not a taxi! But here's a backpack." A backpack magically appeared on my back, unzipped. As Apollo said the items, they appeared in my backpack. " And some money, denarii, a gold drachma, food, that darling statue of me, the photos, your armor, and a sleeping bag with a pillow." He snapped his fingers and the bag zipped shut. "I'm no Mercury, but it seems okay."
"Thank you father, but what is the gold drachma for?