Mercer's stomach felt as if it had dropped five feet when her alarm clock blared for the fifth time that morning. She had been having the dream again. Mercer pushed aside the panicky feeling in her gut and leaped out of bed, half dressed for school wearing a ratty Sonic Youth concert t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. Mercer had a bad habit of taking naps while she was getting dressed for school.
The alarm read 7:45. Well there goes any attempt to look halfway decent today, she thought, knowing that school started at 8:10. Mercer grabbed a red plaid shirt that was a little too small on her and threw it on. Her parents had begged her to get rid of it, seeing as she had finally, ahem, developed over the summer and the shirt now fit her new curves snugly, but it was one of the most comfortable things Mercer owned. Plus, there was a an retro style poster poster hanging in her room with the female lead singer of one of her favorite bands, The Kills, wearing one similar to it.
She threw on a little mascara and foundation, knowing that it it was a little vain, but Mercer felt self-conscious without it. And it didn't hurt that whenever she wore eye makeup, people couldn't stop arguing over what color her eyes were. She swore that they were gray, but others claimed them to be blue, brown, green, and even the same color as her dirty blond hair. She slipped on her favorite Vans and ran downstairs into the spacious white kitchen. Her stepmother had spared no expense in remodeling the brownstone apartment, exhibited by the kitchen's stainless steel, granite countertops, and it even had a rotating breakfast display set into the island. Mercer resented her family's extravagant displays of their wealth, as it had gotten them labeled as a bunch of old money WASP's. Her room was the only place Carrie had left untouched out of respect to Mercer's "teenage independence". Mercer grabbed one of their chef's fresh baked cinnamon buns out of the display as her stepmother, Carrie placed slices of whole whole bread smeared with Nutella on a plate with half of a grapefruit. Mercer's dad was presumably already at his law firm office.
"Morning sweetie! I got you some breakfast. You know, doctor's say that a healthy breakfast is the most important aspect to starting your day" Carrie said chipperly. Carrie was nice enough, but she had always gone out of her way to accommodate Mercer out of guilt for being the stepmother. Mercer sometimes wished there were things she couldn't have just by asking for them.
"Umm, no. I'm good thanks," Mercer responded flatly. Mercer didn't intend to be mean to her most of the time, but Carrie acted so subservient to her husband's daughter that Mercer would sometimes try to anger her on purpose, just to get a reaction. She grabbed her Physics textbook and her keys from the reclaimed driftwood kitchen table and slung her overflowing backpack over her shoulder. Carrie's long auburn hair fell over her eyes as she looked down with disappointment. She really did care about Mercer, and her emotional, empathetic personality made her the perfect match to Mercer's dad Mitchell, a sensible man. She could see how they had fallen in love after Mercer's mom had bailed when she was only a baby.
Mercer took a bite of her sugary danish and mumbled a goodbye as she sped out the door and down the stairs to the street level where her beat pick-up truck was parked. Mercer had been offered far nicer and more expensive cars for her sixteenth birthday this year, but something about the old manual shift vehicle had appealed to her more. She waited in traffic for what seemed like hours, honking her horn at the New York City commuters and speeding through yellow lights to get to school on time. She sprinted through the hallways of Albright Academy, the elite Manhattan prep school she had been forced to attend. Mercer would have rather gone to public school, but as her father put it, "i've worked hard for you to have the best, so you will accept nothing less than the best." Her father was a pretty cool, relaxed parent when it came to most issues, but he was blind when it came to the privileged rich kids surrounding her at Albright.
She passed the wall Albright Alumni who later became CEO's before entering first period history, a class titled "The Rise and Rule of Single Party States". She slid into her seat next to Hunter, the school's all star defensive lineman. She hated sitting next to Hunter. He was attractive enough, with flowing black hair and green eyes with a mischievous glint that suggested he was all the right kinds of trouble. Mercer, however, had made the mistake of hooking up with him last year in the supply closet. It was a moment she was deeply embarrassed of, but at the time it had seemed like some invisible, boy-obsessed force had taken over her body and made her do that. She had a lot of moments like that last year. Mercer had made the mistake of running with the more popular crowd as a sophomore, and her exploits during that time had earned her the label of a slut.
She didn't know what it was, but when she was around a guy she knew she could have, something in her brain switched on and made her return their affections, even if she didn't like them. Mercer had no control over it last year, and she worked hard to change her image. She dropped her popular friends, and although she hadn't managed to find many new ones, and she busied herself by throwing herself into her schoolwork. Mercer had always gotten A's easily, but now she was at the top of her class despite having ADHD and dyslexia. Mercer, for the most part, didn't mind being alone. When got close to other people, she always managed to somehow screw it up.
Hunter now was attempting to snake his arm around her as the teacher walked in and said, "You should come to Heather's party this weekend, it's going to be a total rager. We could have fun like we used to." His warm breath on her ear activated the part of her that wanted to return his advances, but instead she pushed him away. Mercer had always felt empty inside. Maybe it was because her mother had left her as a baby, maybe because she never really fit in anywhere. But regardless, she had always tried to fill that hole with meaningless relationships. She had dated at least fifteen guys in her high school, and none of them had really wanted Mercer for herself. She knew this, and despite it she always let them use her. She had never wanted a real relationship, because she knew she would just mess it up. So she filled the hole inside her with more emptiness. Mr. Carns began speaking.
"Today, we are going to be learning about the actions Hitler took to consolidate his powers as Chancellor into a dictatorship, and the importance of the November criminals to his rise. First, let me take attendance," he started. Mercer actually loved history class. Most of her fellow classmates, hated Mr. Carns' emphasis of analytical skills over memorizing facts, but Mercer relished the opportunity to exercise her brain. Carns' motto in class was, "Don't be buckets", meaning that they had to search for the answers, and couldn't expect to just be given them. He was partway through the list when he stopped, looking directly at Mercer.
"Mercer Flynn?" he asked.
"Yes?" she questioned, feeling as if all eyes were suddenly on her.
"I have a note here saying that you're not supposed to be in this class right now. You are to report immediately to Principle Holston's office for a matter of urgency." Mercer's face grew heated as she gathered her things and Hunter smirked at her. What could the principle possibly need to see her for? Her grades were impeccable, she had never caused any trouble in school (this year), and all her teachers loved her.
She entered the principal's office and sat down across from Holston, their substitute principle for all of three weeks now as their regular principle was looking after her ailing mother in Kansas. Holston was an older wheelchair bound man, and his kindly attitude towards the students had won them over instantly.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked timidly, standing only halfway in the entrance. Mercer noticed her dad sitting opposite the principal with a worried expression on her face and her heart started beating even faster. It must have been serious if her father had come here in the middle of the work day. Holston smiled warmly at her.
"Yes dear, please take a seat. Don't worry, you're not in any trouble." Mercer breathed a sigh of relief and melted down into an office chair.
"Then what is this about? Dad, why are you here?" she asked, looking from one man to another. Mercer's father looked to Holston as if asking permission, and Holston nodded his head. Mitchell Flynn took a deep breath.
"Mercer, we're here because I haven't been entirely honest with you about your family's... origins. You see, both your birth mother and I come from very.. powerful families," he said, choosing his words carefully and keeping his eyes trained on Holston for his reaction. Holston nodded him on. Mercer knew her parents came from money, but how powerful could their families be, and why was this important?
"You see, our families were both powerful on their own, but when our two bloodlines created you, you presented a danger," he continued. He wiped a bit of sweat off of his brow. What was he talking about? He made it sound like her parents were a part of the Mafia.
"Now, because of your worth, there are a lot of people out there who would like to... hurt you," he said, choking out the last two words painfully. Sensing his distress, Holston picked up the story.
"But these bad people, are only realizing now how much you are worth, so it isn't safe for you to stay in school anymore," he said in a regrettable tone. Mercer couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were going to take her out of school?
"Wh-what?" she stuttered, "You can't take me out of school, I have to finish junior and senior year, and go to college, and prom, and-"
"I personally will be taking you to another facility where you can finish your studies in safety. I help run this facility, and I have been here the past few weeks observing, trying to sense if you were truly in any danger, which I now believe you are. Do not worry, I am sure you will find your place at our little camp," Holston said reassuringly. Mercer knew exactly what he was talking about. She had heard the speech enough times to know that they were sending her ti another stuck up private school.
"I'm not letting you send me to another place like this, but with more security. I'm sick of being trapped in these stuck up prep schools! I don't fit in with these people," she begged her father. Mitchell stood up.
"Don't you think I know that?I know you never belonged, I know you never could have belonged" he yelled, tears forming in his eyes. He took a deep breath and spoke with a sadder tone.
"I had to send you here because public schools are too dangerous and not as closely monitored. This was the safest place for you to be. But I swear, the camp will be different. I can't say any more than that, because the more you know the more danger you're in. Please Mercer, trust me on this one," he begged her. She could hear the raw pain in his voice
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your family before, but it's what was safest for you," he finished defiantly. Mercer was struck by the sudden display of emotion her normally cool as ice father was displaying.
"Please Mercer. Don't argue with me. We have to do this. I can't tell you why, but we have to." Mercer was awestruck at the sudden turn of events today had taken. She was used to changing private schools every few years because of strange events. She was reminded of the time Mercer had told her about the strange landscapers who watched all her classes through the windows, and the next day she found herself moved to Albright. But this was something different. It all sounded like complete boulogne out of some action movie about a father who was really a secret agent, but some part of her felt that what her father was saying was true. She was no longer safe in the ivy covered walls of Albright Academy.
She hadn't wanted to tell her father for fear of being moved again, but she had noticed more strange workmen performing maintenance on perfectly functioning water fountains. They seemed eerily similar to the landscapers from her own school. Mercer knew that she needed to get out of Albright, but the thought of starting over again scared her. Would she be a loner again at her new school, or camp as the adults kept referring to it? Would she go back to being that awful girl she was sophomore year? All her worries made her collapse into her father's arms crying. He stroked her hair and kept his arm around her protectively as she was escorted to a large white van that was to transport her to her new home. The logo on the side read, "Delphi Strawberry Company".
Mercer awoke in the van with a start. They had been driving for about an hour hour now, and they were almost to their destination when something was started shaking the van. Something the hit the side with a thud, poking two holes near Mercer. She shrieked as she felt a tire blow. Mr. Holston cursed under his breath from the front.
"Mercer. my dear. it seems we have some company. I'll go deal with our friend, please stay here" he said, using the handicapped lift to exit the van. Mercer heard and series of clankings and a load roar. She couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. This was all so strange. Were they being robbed?
Mercer opened the door slightly and was astounded at what she saw. Mr. Holston had left his wheelchair behind and was now standing on his own. On four feet. Because he had the body of a horse. He was using a long sword to fight off a man in a long overcoat with two-tone eyes. The man noticed her and smile wickedly. She hadn't even realized, but somehow she had stepped completely out of the van. Storm cloud raged overhead, darkening their surroundings.
"Mercer, get back in the van! I'll get rid of him, and then we just need to make it over the camp border!" he shouted, pointing to a pine tree around a quarter of a mile in the distance. But it was too late.
Despite her practically catatonic state, instinct kicked in as the man lunged violently at her. Mercer jumped up and catapulted herself off of the van's side, ricocheting over his approaching body, landing in a somersault. I guess those gymnastics and karate lessons paid off, after all, she thought. The man turned around and lunged at her again. Mercer quickly sidestepped towards Mr. Holston, enraging the monstrous thing further. Something shot out from behind the man, as if there was someone behind him throwing spikes. He gasped as a small barb stuck in his skin and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain. Mercer screamed at the sight of her principle shuddering violently. She thought she was going to be sick.
The creature lunged at her again, and she was forced to grab the dropped sword. It felt too heavy in her hands, but she managed to pick it up and run towards the line of trees off to her right. She climbed up a trunk quickly to get out of the man's reach, but she couldn't stay there long. He would find a way up there eventually. And she couldn't leave Mr. Holston down there. Whatever the man had stuck him with was poisonous. What was going on? Mr. Holston appeared to have transformed into one of the centaurs from her mythology book. And the creature below seemed too strange to be true. But here she was, up in a tree holding a sword while a deranged person waited for her to come to her death and her principle lay on the ground about to pass out from pain.
She had to think of a plan. There was no way Mercer could survive in close combat with that thing. The sword was too heavy for her to fight with. She could try dropping the sword on him, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't just move out of the way. She could hop on his back from above and kill him that way, but it's poisonously barbed tail would get to her first.
"Don't be a coward, little demigod. I'm so very tired of chasing, and I'll get up there eventually. Why not make it easier on yourself and come down? I won't kill you, at least not yet. You're too valuable," he taunted. Mercer took a sharp breath. Maybe she could trick it so she could get closer and kill it.
"Alright, I give up. You're too strong. You've defeated me," she said saying, crying into her hands and faking tears. The man smiled wickedly, thinking he had her convinced that there was no way for her to get out of this.
"Just please, give me one last request before you take me. I get one of those, right? Help me," she begged. The creature looked unsure of itself, as if it were about to give into her words, but didn't want to.
"I suppose I could, if it's simple enough. I'm not beyond reason. But I'm still going to to take you to my boss," he said quickly. Mercer smiled inwardly. She had always had a way with words.
"Of course, that's reasonable," she replied.
"I really hate my principle over there. He was a terrible man and he abused the students. He doesn't deserve to live. Please, help me to kill him Help me" she said, putting strength into her lies, willing for him to believe her. The man got a glazed look in his eyes, and he said slowly,
"I will help you." Mercer was somewhat shocked at his sudden agreement. Maybe she was a better liar than she thought. Now she had to enact her plan.
"I'm going to come down. Do not attack me."
"I will not attack you," it repeated. Mercer came down slowly, nervous that he would not keep its word. She inched towards him slowly until she was within five feet of the man. He did not move.
She would only be able to get in one good swing with the heavy sword, and she needed to figure out a way she could carry out her plan without the creature having time to react.
"I'm very tired. Could you please carry this sword for me?" she asked, trying to put force into her words again. She knew she was stretching. It was completely implausible that she couldn't carry the thing twenty feet over to Mr. Holston.
But surprisingly enough, the took it from her instantly. She started walking over slowly, keeping one eye on the man, but he made no move towards her. Am I really that convincing?, she thought.
"Thank you for holding that. I'll take it now," she said slowly.
Now was her chance. She put her hands on the hilt. With the man still holding it, she moved to change the direction of the sword to point at him, then quickly pushed it into his chest. Realizing too late, the man screamed and dissolved instantly into a cloud of dust. Mercer quickly ran over to Holston.
His eyes lifted up to her and he started to speak weakly.
"Get to.. the pine tree. Camp... is safe... get help... go... without .. won't kill..."
But Mercer couldn't just leave him behind. If she got there, there was no guarantee he would be alive by the time she had found help. What if there were other things out here like that man? Mercer searched the back of the now useless van for anything to help her move him, and she found large sheet of metal and some rope. It would have to do.
The metal sheet conveniently was large enough to fit Holston on and had a hole she could use to tie the rope around. She struggled to get her former principle, quite heavy now that he was the size of a horse, onto the metal. Eventually she used a sort of rolling system to move him, and it helped that he tried to be as least of a burden as he could in his weak state. She finally got him onto the board and sweaty, she moved on to getting him to camp. If her knowledge of physics was right, with the lack of friction between the metal and ground she hypothetically allow her to pull Holston as far as down the hill. It wasn't all the way to camp, but she couldn't leave him. There might be more creatures around like the one before, and should couldn't use her powers of persuasion on all of them.
She started pulling, and just as she had predicted, the downhill slope and lack of friction allowed her to move Mr. Holston with some effort. By the time she finished, she was exhausted though, and she started running towards the pine tree Holston had directed her towards. She got to the top of the hill and leaned against the pine's trunk. She screamed.
"Somebody help me!" she yelled desperately. And then she passed out.
Mercer woke up and shielded her eyes from the sunlight, and found herself covered in a blanket on the front porch of a houses. When they adjusted, amazingly she saw Mr. Holston sitting next to her, once again in his wheelchair. She remembered the horrific events of the previous day.
"Mr. Holston, how-"
"I'm fine dear, thanks to you. If it wasn't for your resourcefulness I don't think I would be sitting next to you," he said warmly.
"The van was approached by two other manticores within five minutes of our departure from the scene. I certainly have you to thank," he continued. Mercer was still in shock from everything that had happened. She didn't know how to respond so she looked at her surroundings.
She was astonished. A pine tree stood at the top of the hill, with what looked to be a shiny gold blanket hanging from it. Down below, she saw a cluster of oddly decorated camp cabins, some even glowing gold and silver. Beyond the cabins were a wide patch of strawberry fields and a pristine beach. Expanding to her right near the strawberries she saw a vast forest. Over to her left, she saw a giant rock wall that clashed together every once in awhile and spewed glowing red... lava? An arena stood close to it, and little figures of what she assumed were students circled each other in what looked like a dance. There were several buildings made out of stone with columns and pillars resembling Greek architecture. She turned to Holston incredulously.
"Exactly what kind of school are you running here Mr. Holston?" she asked, finding her voice. He chuckled.
"It's not so much as a school as it is a training camp. And Mr. Holston was just a cover. Please call me Chiron from now on," he said.
"Chiron? As in, the guy from the Greek myths, Chiron?" she asked. Mercer had a slight obsession with Greek mythology in her younger years. Something about the plight of Greek heroes had always appealed to her. Perhaps because like her, they had never seemed to truly fit in and live peacefully anywhere they went.
"Exactly like that guy from the Greek myths," he replied knowingly.
"Mercer, in the next few days you'll come to see that those stories are much closer to the truth than you thought," he said enigmatically.
A potbellied man wearing a tiger print shirt sat on the porch a few feet away. He sat at a card table shuffling a deck of cards and drinking a Diet Coke. He spoke in a bored tone barely looking up from his cards.
"Well, I guess I should say welcome to Camp Half-Blood, I'm Mr. D, blah blah blah, camp director, all powerful being, and so on. I'll warn you early to keep out of trouble and not to make my exile here any more miserable with your insufferable childish presence. The harpies have been bitter about their wages lately, and I think a demigod snack bonus would be just what they're looking for." So many confusing words swirled around in her head. Demigod? Harpies? Camp Half-Blood? She thought she had been coming to a boarding school, but this seemed like some sort of summer camp. The strangest summer camp Mercer had ever seen, to be more precise.
"Mr. Hols.. I mean Chiron, what is going on?" she asked. Chiron smiled at her. He gestured for her to stand up, which she did carefully, and led her inside the farmhouse.
"I believe I have a few things to explain to you."