Chapter 3: Nurse's Office
When he came to, it was dark and he could hear singing in the distance. He looked around at his surroundings: multiple beds that looked suspiciously like hospital gurneys, a tall looking blond guy with blue eyes...all over his body. The sight churned Ben's stomach. He looked at his bed sight and saw a glass of apple juice. He reached over to pick it up when he heard the same voice from the hill, "I wouldn't just yet if I were you."
He looked over and saw the very same golden curls from earlier, with a tanned athletic figure, and wearing an orange t-shirt with a pegasus and the words Camp Half-Blood on the front, and shorts. But her main feature were her eyes. They were an intense-intimidating, if you will-shade of grey.
Sitting next to her was a guy about her age, with messy dark hair, sea green eyes, and wore a very similar outfit to the girl, except he wore jeans. They were holding hands, obviously there was something between the two of them. They both looked at him with sympathetic looks, the girl with a vibe that said that she had been caring for someone in a similar situation, possibly involving the guy. Speaking of which, his look read Don't worry. You're not the only one.
"W-Where am I?" Ben strained to sit himself up. He heard laughter from off in the distance.
"Camp Half-Blood," the guy answered. "Annabeth found you walking up Half-Blood Hill when you collapsed."
"Percy said you collapsed because I was too beautiful for you," Annabeth mentioned, with a playful smile spreading on her face. Percy and Annabeth. Ben would have to remember that.
"Well," Ben started, managing a smile, "That might've been the case if I wasn't totally spent."
"Yeah, what happened?" Annabeth asked. "You were like a zombie right up until you collapsed."
"Can I have a drink first? It's gonna be quite the story." Ben reached for the glass of apple juice before Annabeth stopped him. She took hold of the drink and put it to Ben's lips. He took a small drink. It was not apple juice. It tasted like grilled cheese and tomato soup, Ben's favourite. Well, one of them. He took a couple of sips before Annabeth pulled away the glass.
"That's enough," She said, setting the glass back down. "Too much of that will...well, let's not go into those details. Anyways, your story, if you don't mind."
Ben told them about the monster attack in Lake Ann, which he had to point out where it was (Great thing about being a Michigander: your right hand is an easy access map). He told them about his trip south and east, about all the monsters he encountered, and in particular, the Minotaur fight. He noticed Percy get wide eyed at the mention of the monster, like he had a terrible past involving it. When he finished his story, Percy had a dark and moody look on his face. Annabeth put her arm around him, as if to bring him back to the present.
"So that brings us to now. And I take it by the look on your face, you also had an unpleasant run in with the-"
"Yeah!" Percy blurted, cutting Ben off. "I was in a worse situation though, and quite younger than you are. You're what, sixteen?"
"As of a few months ago, yeah. Problem?"
"Yeah," Percy and Annabeth said simultaneously. Annabeth let go of Percy. Ben knew exactly what was going to happen: story time.
"You see, about a year ago, there was a huge war which, long story short, ended with the Titans' second defeat. Percy was given the chance to have any wish granted. He wanted the gods, and made them swear on the Styx, to recognize all their children, and also those of the minor gods. He wanted them here by the time they were thirteen. That's the problem there."
"So basically, because I didn't show up last year, that's a problem?"
"Yep," Percy affirmed. "That sums it up nicely."
"Fun," Ben said monotonically. "Well now that that's off my shoulders, and I feel better about bullfighting, I'd like to see the camp."