The halls gleamed with wax and fluorescent lights. "Mr. Petrakis, you wanted to talk to me?" I said, starting to turn around. I was faced with a creature- not my teacher, who had been before me just seconds before. A lion- but with leathery bat wings, and a scorpion stinger instead of a tail. "Énas tóso ómorfos enkéfalos, tóso ischyrí psychí. Pára polý kakó, poté den tha niósete xaná ti zestasiá tou íliou." It took me a second to realize that he'd threatened me in ancient Greek, and I'd perfectly understood. I took a deep breath and stood up taller. If I could scare this off, I'd be okay. Atticus came around the corner and froze.

"Manticore. As I suspected." Atticus looked shaken, his voice trembling with fear. I had backed myself up against a row of lockers. There was no escaping this thing. It pounced, and I rolled just enough not to die. I had a nasty gash on my shoulder, my blouse quickly staining red. I quickly stood and ran, my head starting to spin. I ripped off my already-torn sleeve and tied it using my teeth and other arm. I ran off towards the kitchen and looked around.

'Nothing sharp, come on, a fork isn't gonna cut it,' I played on repeat in my mind. I was running so fast, I leaped clear over the counter and rolled across the kitchen floor. I darted back up and fumbled through the various cutlery.

'Meat cleaver, bread, steak... steak!' I grabbed a knife from the bunch, earning various (but relatively small) cuts on my fingers and turned toward the manticore. In its place stood Mr. Petrakis and the principal, Mrs. Attroph. Her mouth was opened in shock. She swallowed, came around the counter, and approached me. I dropped the knife, nearly impaling my foot.

"Maria, child, you need to be dealt with."

"But Mrs. Attroph- it was- lion's head- bat wings- I-" Mrs. Attroph smiled sweetly. "I have to show you something." I followed after her as we went to the female showers. She turned one on, a rainbow reflecting on the white tile. She fished out a golden coin, the size of a Girl Scout cookie. She tossed it into the rainbow and it disappeared.

"Dionysus, Camp Halfblood." A man appeared in the mist. "Hey, D. New camper incoming. This place is overwhelmingly full of monsters, so I'll be returning to Olympus shortly." I was inquisitive to who Mrs. Attroph really was at this point. I looked to her, demanding answers. She didn't comply.

"Ugh, don't call me that, Athena. You know I hate it." He sipped a can of Diet Coke. "What do you want?"

"Be ready. This one is mine." She patted my back. I fiddled with my hair, the color of the Coke in the can. I didn't really think this was my mother. But she insisted, so what the heck? I played with it. "Go pack your bags, Maria, you're going to camp." I looked at her, then complied. She continued talking as I walked to my dorm and packed a bag. Atticus walked in.

"You're leaving, huh? Well, I guess I have to go to a new school, too, then." He walked in and tripped over a carpet. His shoe came off, revealing a hoof. "Oh, Styx." He shoved his shoe back on angrily.

"Whatever, man, I just need to go to some camp. Come on, you're coming too." He looked surprised. A knock on the door. I opened the door to Phoebe, her red-headed glory nearly making me faint from surprise.

"How much did you hear?" I asked, crankily.

"Everything," She said. I should have seen that coming.