I had forgotten all about the date. Today was the fourth of July, and there was always a big fireworks show that the Apollo cabin put on. If you had a girlfriend or boyfriend, this was the ultimate dating night. Almost everyone gets a date to the show. I of course didn't have one, but I'm used to it. I only had a date once and that was my first year here at camp. The guy I went with never came back the next year. I always wondered what had happened to him, if he had gone to the bad side, or was killed by a monster. To tell you the truth I didn't want to think about it, because both of them are bad.
All day I stayed quiet, I think I only said three words. When night came everyone was heading to the beach, I had half a mind to just not go, but this was an important day in American history so I went. When I got there I was going to sit alone, but Annabeth waved me down. She was alone, well at least she was now, I knew Percy would be here soon.
"Hay, I'm glad you came up to me yesterday. It's just I knew you like Percy so when I saw you to kissing it looked like you kissed him. But he and I talked and things are better." She said, I nodded.
"It's okay, but Annabeth I would never kiss Percy if he was already taken. Your my only friend really besides my brothers and sisters, and I would never intentionaily try and hurt you. Never." I promised.
"Isabel, you really don't need to worry. I know that it wasn't your fault. Strange things are happening and it's affecting all of us."
We laid down waiting for the show to start. When Percy came, to lay with us he didn't say anything to us. The fireworks started and they looked amazing this year. There was one that looked like Thalia's Tree, one that looked exactly like the Empire State Building at night, there were many more, and they looked so beautiful. Once the fireworks were done the Apollo cabin sang a song that was famous for being sung around a campfire. It was in a low hum but it was very peaceful. It was called Linger.
"Hmm, I want to linger
Hmm, a little longer
Hmm, a little longer here with you
Mmm, its such a perfect night
Mmm, it doesn't seem quite right
Mmm, that this should be my last with you
Mmm, and as the years go by
Mmm, I'll think of you and sigh
Mmm, This is good night and not good bye
Mmm, I want to linger
Mmm, a little longer
Mmm, a little longer here with you
Mmm, and come September
Mmm, I will remember
Mmm, our camping days and friendships true
Mmm, I want to linger
Mmm, a little longer
Mmm, a little longer here with you"
It was close one of those moments where you want to stay there forever, we were all looking up at the stars, each one twinkling amazingly bright, the constellations stuck out like a sore thumb. I couldn't help but notice the dead silence that had taken over all the campers, we were never really quite, so I guess everyone else was savoring the moment too. I'm pretty sure I would've slept there on the beach. It was a hot night, and the cool night sand felt relaxing. The soft sand molded around my body making a bed. I wanted to sleep there, but I knew I couldn't. I urged myself to stay awake, I'm pretty sure everyone else was feeling the same way, because just then Mr. D sent of one of those fireworks that scream as the go up, and then finish with a huge BOOM!!! I herd everyone moan, typical Mr. D, I thought. It temperately blinded us for a second to, but we managed to see again.
The moment was gone now and everyone started getting up, and packing up there towels to get back to the cabins, to really sleep. A few couples took some walks on the beach. Some people still laid there with their friends, hands pointing in the air, probably looking at the constellations. I spotted at least five kids from the Hermes cabin chasing each other around the dunes. But I just sat there, perfectly still, with a small smile on my face looking up at the diamonds in the sky.
I saw Percy and Annabeth look into each others eyes. Even though it was dark I could only imagine what they where thinking about. The only thing I could recognize was the unsure expression their gaze. They didn't know anymore than I did what the future would hold. But for right now I didn't want to think about the future, I just wanted to suck up the moment and save it for a rainy day.
Hold on. That's all I wanted to say to him. He needs to hold on, because he's slowly loosing it. The dreams get more personal every night. Nothings a secret anymore. I'd never tell them, but I know a lot now. He's slowly coming undone. He prays to his dad more and more everyday. He cries but he doesn't tell anyone. I'm the only one who knows. Maybe his dad knows. I know that he watches over his son everyday. The only thing Percy's dreams didn't tell me was why. Why was he slowly letting go? I had a feeling it was me. Some freaky connection was doing this to him...to me. I wanted to tell him about back home, how nice it was, just to get his mind off of whatever it was. But I never got the nerve to go up to him. We didn't talk much anymore. It was for our own good I guess. Now being near Percy was no trouble at all, I barley had concentrate to be around him. But that didn't stop us from sometimes wanting to strangle each other.
Somethings, well they never changed, they stayed the same for the longest time until something sets it off. I was careful about wishing for things now. You never know if they'll come true, and what trouble they may cause.
The truth is, the only reason why I'm not slipping away like Percy is because of country music. I barley slept anymore, I was trapped in a reckless summer of dreams. But I always plugged my radio/MP3 player, because I'd slowly slip away into a mind not mine. The familiar music made me sleep. There was something about the rhythm, even the totally get hyped songs would make me sleepy. During the day it had no affect on me. But at night when I was suppose to be sleeping it worked. Weird I know.
When I first arrived here when I was ten, I was really mad. I didn't want to believe any of it. No one really does at first. But I was ten I didn't know anything about Greek mythology. My dad never really took the time to tell me them. In elementary school they have better things to concentrate on. All I knew was there was a really cool dude named Zeus that could throw lightning blots down, and that Hercules was a nerdy movie. So that made it kind of hard for my satyr to explain everything when we got to camp.
My dad didn't want me to go. I was his little girl that he'd protected for so many years, but he knew it was right even if he didn't want to admit it. He drove me four hours to the St. Paul, Minneapolis Trainstation.
At the time I had never been to the Twin Cites in my life. It was a lot different than the edges of Duluth. Lights EVERYWHERE and we passed by the famous Mall of America. We got there at night, and it was snowing.
As the train slipped away from the station, I watched my home get smaller and smaller out the tiny window. Minnesota, the only home I ever had, soon just a glob of lights in the distance.
I have to admit it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done, staying away for almost half a year. I spent winter, and spring in the Hermes Cabin. I had never felt so sad. I missed my dad, I missed running through the fields, and I just missed home.
I was angry about it too, it took me a month to really believe in everything. I had tried to escape three times, but Mr. D saw it coming and caught me every time. I believed some of the things, like the stuff that was right in front of my eyes. For example: you don't really see a half man, half horse everyday now do you? But the whole Mount Olympus floating on top of the Empire State Building? Come on! It took me a little while, but I got it.
At the middle of my first summer, I was claimed. Demeter had claimed me. I was now Daughter of the Goddess of the Harvest. I could now breath in the my cabin. Everyone was nice in the Demeter Cabin. It rocked. I went from the-one-who-knows-nothing-and-try's-to-escape-camp, to the-daughter-of-Demeter. Everyone in my cabin was older than me, and some of them tried to comfort me when I got the nightmares. No not the Percy nightmares, the regular ones. For what felt like a short moment, I was sort of happy. But I was still knew and everyone picked on me, some of the more mature campers helped me out, but I was pretty defenseless.
I would really have to enjoy that summer, because the rest would be a lot different. So when I saw Percy come over the hill, with something in his hand that most kids at camp would kill for, I knew he was something was different about him. One game of capture the flag and we know hes pretty much an illegal child. Things just started happening after that. He got a lot of glory but it would take me years to find out all the stuff be hind it.
It was a week after the Fourth of July when one night I awoke with a surprise. I didn't dream of Percy. I only awoke with a start because my brain noticed and apparently got excited. I put my hand on forehead and finger brushed my hair. I was sweating, badly. Beads of sweat was pouring down my face. I was just looking at my split ends thinking I need a haircut when I noticed it again. My hair was getting even browner. It was a dirty blonde now, but just barley, it would've passed for pure brown if I wanted it to.
I laid in my bed exasperated, I didn't sleep the rest of the night, or morning. It was four, and everyone that was in my cabin woke up at six am sharp. Even me, it was automatic. It drove my dad crazy when I was a baby.
I thought of any possible reasons why I didn't have a dream of Percy that night. Maybe he found a way to block me out. If he did that's great, my dreams have been impacting me worse now. I wake up bruised and sore. I breathed a sigh of deep deep relief, even though I had no idea what had just happened.
