The Haunting of Camp Half-Blood
Late at night, an old 1941 Ford trundled down through the wetland towards it's home ranch on Halloween night. Its driver, the owner of the ranch named Percy Jackson, whistled the tune to Dixie as he drove home.
He and his family had moved up to Long Island from South Carolina a few months before, and he was lucky he'd bought the car when he did, at the start of the year the government switched the automobile industry to the war effort. He was even more lucky to not be over in the Pacific fighting, too. A dysfunctional left leg saved him from the draft.
He had his faithful dog Mrs O'Leary sitting in the seat next to him as they drove through down the beaten path with the headlights blaring bright. Out of nowhere there was a loud crash as something landed on the hood of the car, and Percy slammed on the brakes.
Both dog and man looked out in front of the car. There was nothing there for a second, and Percy could hear his heartbeat for what felt like five minutes, though in actuality it was probably only about 30 seconds.
When a shape rose above the hood Percy gasped, nearly having a heart attack right then and there. The beast was 7 feet tall, with dark wet scaly skin and bright red eyes. It stood up slow and carefully, staring him down the entire way. Percy gulped as he realised he didn't bring his rifle with him that day, and that all he had for protection was this rustic used car.
Just then he realised he was inside of a car, and he stepped on the gas. The car shot forward, but the monster was quicker, and it ran off into the weeds before he could run it down. You can bet your ass Percy didn't stop to look for it.
Artemis, obviously, didn't believe him when he got home. "I'm telling you, Artemis. It was big, it was scaly, it had goddamned fangs, for Christ's sake!" He told her profusely. But his wife was having none of it. "For crying out loud, Perce. Stop with this nonsense!" She said.
Percy was shaken at the memory of the thing, and his claim was definitely not helped by the fact that Mrs O'Leary seemed unfazed by the incident. "But Arty, I'm speaking the truth, I swear it! I tell you, it was bigger than the gator that nearly took your hand last summer, but on two legs! I'm going to call the police." He said, walking over to the telephone.
Artemis intercepted him on the way, however. "You will do no such thing. We finally got a chance to start over in a new place and I will not have you ruin it by becoming the laughing stock of the entire town. You're scaring Selena." She said, gesturing to their young daughter who was sitting on the couch by Mrs O'Leary hugging her teddy bear.
Percy sighed, letting go of the phone. "Maybe you're right. I'm going to hit the hay, you too missy. You coming, Artemis?" He asked, helping Selena up off the couch. Artemis nodded. "I gotta finish the dishes, then I'll come. You both get off to bed, and don't you forget to brush your teeth, girl!" She told her daughter. The little girl smiled and nodded. "Yes, Ma!"
In the bathroom the little girl was brushing her teeth as asked, not paying attention to the window on her left. Thus she didn't see the face staring intently in at her. She spat out her toothpaste without looking at the window and went off to bed.
Selena lay awake ten minutes later, hugging her teddy bear close to her chest. Her eyes were closed but she was still conscious. Eventually she became uncomfortable in that position so she rolled over onto her other side, opening her eyes in the process.
The curtains were open, so she saw the face staring in at her blankly. It was hollow and plain with white bony skin. It's eyes looked too small for its sockets with black holes around them and it had a long skeletal face. It did not move when she turned, just continued to stare blankly at her. Selena stared right back, before calmly closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.
The morning after when Selena told her father someone was staring in at her last night he was understandably pissed. Artemis had managed to convince him he'd just hit a deer and had mistaken it for a dragon or something of the sort. "Goddamn it, and I know exactly who it was too. Those fucking hicks over the hill! Stay here girls, I'm gonna go pay them a visit." He growled, grabbing the rifle.
Artemis was obviously disgusted, but still didn't want her husband to go to prison for murdering a family of 16. "Don't you dare fire a shot!" She yelled after him as he stormed out of the house.
The woman sighed as she was left with her daughter to do the chores. "Alright, while pa is sorting that business, you still got work to do, miss. Now go on, get to it." She hustled, and Selena nodded and happily skipped off to wipe the tables and whatever else she had to do.
Artemis walked over and turned on the radio before grabbing the broomstick to wipe the messy kitchen floor. She listened to the morning news talk about the Yankees shortstop getting fined in boredom before she was startled by a knock… at the window.
A man stood there, dressed in a suit and tie. He smiled weirdly at her, like he didn't know how to smile. It was the face you made when you pulled two fingers in your mouth and pulled both sides, like a rubber mask.
Artemis was confused and creeped out, so she headed towards the front door, but not without grabbing her father's old 1893 Remington in one hand. The man walked around to the front as she opened the door. "What do you want?" She asked rather rudely.
The man continued that freaky grin, his eyes emotionless. "Hello, may I come in?" He asked rather stiffly, his jaw flapping about. Artemis raised an eyebrow and tightened her grip on the gun. "No, not until you tell me what in god's name you're doing on my porch." She said bluntly.
The man never ceased his grin. "I am from the bank to talk with your money. Is your mate home?" He asked. Artemis stared at him in confusion. "My what? You're from the what and what what?" She asked, not understanding anything he just said.
The man's eyes darted from side to side really quickly. "May I enter?" He asked nervously. Just then Selena walked past with two plates that were left on the table and saw the man at the door, dropping both dishes onto the floor and resulting in a loud smash.
Artemis whirled around and saw the look on her daughter's face before it clicked in her head. She spun back to face the man with the gun raised this time. "You get back, back! Before I put a bullet through you windpipe, sicko! Get! Get!" She screeched, and at the sight of the shotgun the man squealed and sprinted off.
Selena was in a bit of shock as Artemis went around making sure all the doors were shit. "Ma, who was he? Why was he here?" She asked worriedly as Artemis deadbolted the door. "I don't know, sweetie. When Pa gets back we'll take the car and go get the police." She assured her daughter.
When Percy got back from harassing the local hicks, he was once again outraged and immediately dragged his girls into the car to head into town. Ultimately, nothing came of the police visit to the ranch other than a promise that they'll be on the lookout.
So, Percy was simultaneously caught off guard and prepared when he heard the knock at the window later that night. He was seated on his armchair in the living room with Selena on the floor in front of him. Both father and daughter's heads snapped to the window when they heard the noise.
It was back, in full view of the pair. It was tall, about 7 feet just like the lizard man Percy had seen just a day earlier, however it looked exactly as Selena had described it. Percy and Selena didn't even react, just stared in horror as it grinned at them. The same grin that was present on the face of the suited man.
Artemis walked in and noticed that they were being strange, turning to see what they were looking at. Without any warning she collapsed, shaking and muttering strange words as she writhed around on the floor.
The monster slowly walked around the porch, moving out of sight until it was behind the front door. Percy's breath hitched as the doorknob turned ever so slightly back and forth. When it didn't open, the shaking stopped, and he could hear the sound of its feet hitting each step as it left the property.
Almost immediately Artemis stopped and Percy stood up, grabbing the rifle. He ran to the window to try and see the monster but it had already vanished into the darkness.
That was the last the Jacksons ever saw of the monster, and they only lasted another 3 months before Percy and Artemis conceded to selling the ranch and moving down south to Louisiana. Legend says the monster still inhabits the woods around the old house, prowling and waiting for its next victim.
The group all looked at the shady man in silence as he finished, before Percy blew a raspberry and gave him a thumbs down. "La-ame. The monster didn't even do anything! Looks like someone's staying in their costume 'till Thanksgiving." He commented, much to the agreement of everyone else.
The hooded man sat back and chuckled. "Lame? Well that's strange considering it's a… true story." He whispered, reaching up to pull down his hood.
The group's eyes widened as they saw white skeletal skin and black soulless eyes. Long sharp teeth and a terrifying expression. As the monster revealed himself to the group, they all screamed and ran every which way, scared for their lives.
When the group scattered, it left only two people around the campfire, who were… laughing their asses off? The monster shifted back into a human form, which without the hood on was revealed to be none other than the god Dionysus, and by his side was a very amused Artemis.
"Can't believe I'm saying this but that was a good one, brother. It works every time!" She laughed, while Dionysus wiped a tear and summoned the candy back. "Suckers." He muttered, tearing open a bag and digging in. Artemis summoned drinks for the both of them and held her bottle up to him.
Dionysus, happy to have some alcohol again, clinked his bottle against hers. "To a Happy Halloween!" He cheered, while the surprisingly merry Artemis grinned back. "Happy Halloween!" She cheered.
The two gods happily ate their newfound candy as the sound of the Camp's speakers could be heard playing Monster Mash outside, mixed in with the screaming of their former anecdotal opponents.
Sorry if that seemed rushed, I'm very tired. Gnight.
Word Count: 1877