My Time Back In Camp

It's great to be back in camp. I been a camper for five years, if my beaded necklace was proof enough. I never go anywhere without the necklace. They were a reminder of my life here, and my first bead—which had a picture of a pine tree—was a reminder of Thalia's sacrifice to keep us safe.

See, at the end of the summer session all the camp counsellors come together and vote for the most eventful event of the summer—if not the whole year—and Hephaestus'—god of forge—kids will make the bead with a picture representing that event.

My first bead—as I said—was the pine tree for Thalia's sacrifice. The second bead was a centaur in a prom dress. We had a Centaur prom that year, and all I can say is that we're hoping that won't happen again. The third one was a trireme on fire on a blue lake. This represents a lake exercise that went horribly wrong. The fourth bead was a winged sneaker that represents Luke's quest since Hermes gave Luke a pair of winged shoes for the quest. The final bead was a silver arrow—representing the Hunters of Artemis' stay at camp for the summer and their reign as supreme once again in Capture the Flag.

Annabeth Luke and I been in camp longer than most demigods here—even longer than most camp counsellor who were college age. Most have either risk the real world and died and/or disappeared or is living their lives to their fullest as college students.

But right now, I didn't feel like a veteran demigod. Right now I felt like someone who is reliving a nightmare.

I passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other to give me sympathetic looks—I guess they heard about my mother—but at the same time hiding their looks of jealousy because I got to fight a Minotaur and survive.

I passed the strawberry fields where two chubby blonde boys—twin sons of Dionysus—were helping the Satyrs grow the strawberry fields while kids with with black hair and brown eyes—children of Demeter—were picking the strawberries.

We grow strawberries here to export and sell to restaurants in New York and Mount Olympus—which is right above the empire state building these days with it's own special magical button on the elevator that leads up to Mount Olympus floor. We maybe a secret camp, but we're still a camp, and like any other camp, we need money for expenses.

One of Demeter's daughters noticed me and waved at me. Like her siblings, she had black hair and brown eyes, and had a stern personality like her mother—Katie Gardner. I waved back respectively. Demeter's kids can be as stern as their mother, but when needed they can be supportive and kind.

Demeter Cabin was also one of the few biggest cabins in camp along with: Athena, Apollo: who—like Demeter—their Olympian parents claimed their kids immediately, and Hermes—which is overfilled due to the unclaimed and the minor godlings—demigod children of minor gods and goddesses.

There's many theories to why there are so many unclaimed—gods stop caring, or they don't pay much attention, no cabins for the minor gods, even one of Olympians want to wait until their kids meets their standards.

Watching the Satyrs, I was worried about Grover. I practically pushed the idea of him being my protector while I head home, and now he might lose his only chance in the career he wants—to search for Pan: Lord of Wildlife. Pan disappeared sometime during Ancient Greek times, and humans started polluting and destroying wildlife, and Satyrs search for Pan in hope to bring him back—that or protecting the wildlife themselves.

You know those Naturalist that would do anything to protect a tree, or endanger animals? Well there's a good chance that those leading it are a satyr or some kind of nature spirit.

Finally I made it to the assorted cabins that looped around a blazier-hearth in a U shape. Each cabin was for one of the Olympians, and just as each Olympian was different, each cabin was different. On the left is the cabins for the male Olympians and on the right is mostly for the females—except for the one in the far end as that's for Dionysus. His cabin was placed there since originally that was where Hestia's—goddess of the Hearth and Home—cabin would have been before she gave up her seat to Dionysus. Instead, we honor Hestia by keeping a hearth in camp, even though most demigods don't think much of it.

Even if Hestia did have a cabin, it would be honorary and empty, just like Hera's and currently Zeus' and Artemis. Hestia is one of the maiden goddesses and had no children. Artemis is a maiden goddess as well, but when ever her hunters visited they stay at Cabin Eight—Artemis' Cabin. No males were allowed in there—not unless you want to be turned into a Jackalope. Hera's is honorary because—being the goddess of magic—she refused to have any children with anyone other than her husband. Zeus' is empty because—well—because before Thalia was born, Zeus didn't have any half-blood children since World War II.

The only thing each cabin had in common was that each one was numbered with a brass number. The odds were on the left, and the evens were on the right. Cabin Nine—meant for Hephaestus' cabin—had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Cabin Four—Demeter's Cabin—had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Cabin Seven—Apollo's Cabin—seemed to be made out of gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. Cabin Eleven's—Hermes Cabin—was the only one that looked like an old fashion cabin with peeling paint and everything. Cabin six—Athena's Cabin was solid gray with gray curtains.

The only cabins that looked almost Identicle was Cabin one—for Zeus—and Cabin two—for Hera. They both were solid white and formal looking. Only difference was Hera's was smaller, Zeus' was more like a mausoleum while Hera's had pomegranates and flowers that helped make the cabin look graceful and each cabin's doors was design with each own symbol of power—Zeus' being a lightning bolt and Hera's being Peacock feathers.

"Hey Percy!" someone yelled.

I turned to see Luke running at me. He has grown over the five years, but the only difference in his appearance since I met him was the deep white scare the marred his face.

"Annabeth told me you were awake. How are you doing?" Luke asked.

"I been better," I responded.

"That's good," Luke responded. "Sorry about your mom, Percy. She was a sweet woman and she didn't deserve that."

By now I would be tired of being reminded about it, but I didn't mind hearing it from Luke.

"Thanks man," I responded.

"No problem," Luke pat me on the shoulder, "Listen if you want to work off some steam with sword practice, come and get me."

I'm glad Luke offered it. Over the years we learned that whenever I'm angry or frustrated sword practice helps me steam off.

"Thanks, Luke," I responded, "But right now, I think I'm going to settle in."

Luke nodded and said his goodbyes before leaving.

I turned to Cabin Three—Poseidon's Cabin—a long low building with windows facing the ocean. The cabin is made from rough sea stone, pieces of coral and seashell embedded into the outside walls, and a trident like the one that appeared above my head and led me to Luke and Thalia five years ago.

Back home, again, I thought.

However, before I could relax seeing it, there was a blaring sound coming from a really nasty bright red painted cabin with barbed wires lining the roof, and a stuff wild boar's head hung over the doorway. Ares Cabin.

Inside I could see Ares' kids—a bunch of mean looking kids, both girl and boys—although mostly boys—arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl a year or two older than me. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket with long string brown hair.

Clarisse le Rue—daughter of Ares and counsellor of Cabin Five—which she earned last year by challenging her predecessor after Chiron decided Annabeth would be the cabin counsellor of Athena's Cabin. If every camp has a camp bully, then Clarisse would be ours. She gives newbies swirly as part of her camp initiation, she beats up anyone that insulted her, and she has an attitude most loathed.

Clarisse noticed me and sneered at me with jealousy. I'm not surprise she's not giving me a sympathetic look. When she arrived at camp a year after Annabeth Luke and me and heard our story she decided to make herself our rivals since we had more real world experience than her.

"Hey Prissy!" Clarisse hollered her nickname for me, "I heard you beat the Minotaur and one of the Kindly Ones? Is it true or did you just got lucky?"

I ignored her and headed into Cabin Three.

Inside Cabin three the walls are made abalone. There were six bunk beds with silk sheets. There was a smell of salk water a sea breeze that reminded me of Montauk every time I came in here. I took my place on the only bunk that occupied, my bunk.

I laid down on my bed and looked up at a lower bunk. When I did, I noticed a letter attach to the top bunk. I took it and opened it.

Percy

I heard of what happened. I'm sorry about your mom. She was a sweet woman. I just want you to know that I'll try everything in my power to find out what happened that night, but right now my hands are occupied with Olympus.

Be careful Percy. The Minotaur appearing last night was not a coincidence. Stay in camp for now, train hard, and most importantly be safe.

Poseidon

I reread the letter over and over. What did dad mean for now? I would think he want me to stay in camp until whatever happened to my mom is resolved if not until college, but the way he had it was as if I was expected to leave camp soon.

My thoughts were broken when I heard a knock on my door. I got up and opened the door to see it was Annabeth.

"Annabeth, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"First to give you this," Annabeth handed Percy a brand new Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and some blue jeans, "Luke and I figured your old one was in the car when the Minotaur threw it."

"Thanks," I responded

"I also thought I check up on you and see if you want to walk and talk," Annabeth said, "That's if you want to stay in here grieving the rest of the day."

I thought of the letter, about what my dad said.

"Sure," I responded. "Just let me get change. I think I been wearing these clothes for two days."