My name is Laura Collins. When this all started I was seventeen years old. I was relativly normal, or at least as close to normal as an ADHD, dyslexic, demigod can be. I was second-in-command of my cabin, and had great friends and siblings. In short life was great. I mean sure, my mom was dead and my father was a greek god, so I rarely saw him, but at least I had my year round family in camp.
Before, I continue with my story you should know a little about my mother. My mother's name was Sarah. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. She was a professional tennis player. That's how she met my father, being the god of athletes he was in attendance at her Olympic qualifier. Unfortunatly, she never did make it to the Olympics, but she always said that she got something even better out of that experience.
She had an amazing sense of humor. I remember when I was about seven I asked her where my dad was. She answered by telling me all about how he was doing time for stealing special cows from a ranch. At the time I hadn't realized how true that really was. Mom was a happy and energetic woman. She brought joy to even the saddest of occasions. There is not a doubt in my mind that she's in Elysium. I hope to join her there someday, hopefully not anytime soon, but someday.
She died trying to get me to Half Blood Hill. I was nine then. A Cyclops, that had been following us caught up about a mile down the road from the hill. The monster would have killed me before I could even scream if she had not thrown herself at it. Screaming for me to run she wrestled with it until it finally crushed her. The image of her crumpled body still haunts my dreams from time to time.
That first night I was claimed as a child of Hermes. His symbol of power, the caduceus, appeared burning bright in the air above my head. I remember ducking and covering my head with my arms, earning a few laughs. Apparently, most people stand tall and proud when they are claimed. I was more worried about the flying, brightly lit, snakes hovering about a foot a over my hair. I had already been to Cabin Eleven by that point and gotten assigned to a corner on the floor but when we got back, Travis and Conner gave me a bed and soon I was raiding the camp store with the rest of them. But that, as they say, is ancient history.
I was eleven during the Battle of Manhatten. I was lucky, surviving with minimal injuries. I only got a concussion and a few cuts and bruises. Most of my siblings weren't so fortunate. I met Luke once almost a year earlier. I had almost joined him. He promised me a better future, no more kids being abandoned at birth by their godly parent. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I had found a new family in Cabin Eleven. If it wasn't for the love they had showed me I probably would have died battling for the Titan Lord.
As far as family goes, we're an odd bunch. When I was seventeen there were almost thirty of us living in Cabin Eleven. The oldest being the Stoll brothers, who were twenty one and nineteen respectivly, and the youngest being five year old Suzie.
After the end of the Titan Warthe gods started visiting more often. Most stopping bY at least once a month, if not more often. On the first day of summer session it became tradition for the gods to come and visit and join in on the first sing along of summer. It was always an amazong night, filled with laughter, music, and family bonding. Dad showed up early that year, which was not unusual for him, since he lost so many of us in the various battles.
Father picked up Suzie and spun her around before sitting down next to Eli. It was almost like a scene unfolding from a book in front of me, a father reuniting with his children.
"So what's new, guys?" he asked. Soon everyone else was launching into stories from the past few months, recapping everything they could think of. Except me, I waited until everyone else was deep in conversation before sneaking out. I would never tell anyone this but I don't like talking to my father in person. For the first nine year of my life I was convinced that he was dead, or in prision. I had accepted that. So when I found out my father was in fact alive I had not exactly jumped at opportunities to meet him. I was one of the few who would rather not meet him. It was easier that way.
I kept my head low as I hurried away from cabin eleven, hoping no one would find it odd to see a short girl practically running across the common area. Suddenly, I knocked into something, or rather someone, causing me to fall onto my back.
"Hey, watch-" I trailed off as I looked up to see who it was I had walked into. The boy above me looked to be about eighteen, he was perfectly tan, with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. To put it simply he was hot. He extended his hand toward me and helped me to my feet. Something about him seemed familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Sorry, I didn't see you there." I said once I was standing again. The boy laughed.
"Well, you were moving so fast I can't really be suprised. What were you running from?" I laughed.
"Oh you know the usual, annoying siblings, dad's in town early so they all decided to start showing off. I'm getting out of there before any of them get the idea to prank me." Now it was the boys turn to laugh.
"So what are you doing?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Oh, a little of this, a little of that, charming a cute girl." I looked behind me, pretending to search for another girl.
"You're trying to charm me?" I snorted. "Good luck with that, I am immune to it."
"You only say that because you've never been charmed by me," he said.
"Or because I have fifteen brothers who are all trained to kill, and if they see me being 'charmed' will most likely disembowel the poor guy," I said tapping my chin. The boy laughed.
"I doubt they could catch me," he said? "What's your name?"
"Laura, what about you?" The boy got a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Call me Fred."
"That's not your real name is it?" Fred shook his head.
"Nope, and don't try to ask my real one because I'm not telling." I smirked at him.
"I'll figure it out," I assured him. "After all your in camp, so that narrows it down considerably." Before he could respond, my father came out of the cabin.
"γαμώτο στην κόλαση." I cursed under my breath. Fred having seen my father started backing away.
"I'll see you around, Laura." he called as he jogged away. I sighed.
"See you later... Fred." I said. Just then Hermes reached me.
"It's dinner time, the rest of your siblings are going ahead." I nodded and together we started walking toward the dining pavilion.
"So who was that you were just talking to?" My father asked trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen between us.
"A friend," I said simply.
"So, anything new in your life, you ducked out before I could ask?" I smile. I may not know my dad well, but he is a pretty good guy -god- I mean.
"Oh you know, I just turned seventeen, Travis and Conner have but me on Suzie and Kyle duty," I laughed. Trying to give the two youngest a bath and to bed is no easy task.
"Sounds like...fun?" My dad laughed a little.
"Oh, it's awful, but they won't let anyone else near them half the time." Dad shook his head.
"The two of them will be terrors when they're older," I smiled.
"They'll be fine, after all they have the rest of us to keep them in line."
"That's what scares me, kiddo," Dad said. Just then we resched the dining pavillion. I quickly went and elbowed my way between Eli and Conner. Dad took his spot at the head of the table. Scanning the room, I remember seeing, Percy and Poseidon laughing over their food, Athena and her children deep in animated debate, Aphrodite was teaching some of her younger daughters how to braid, and 'Fred' sitting with the Apollo kids.
When he looked up we locked eyes from a across the room for a second, before he winked and resumed his conversation with the little girl next to him. Conner elbowed me hard in the ribs.
"Who are you making eyes at over there?" he asked. I nudged him in the side.
"I'm not making eyes at anyone, I'm simply acknowledging the existance of a friend."
"Woah, acknowledge, big word, keep it up with those and soon people will think your an Athena kid and you are so making eyes at someone, is it Rory?" I laughed at that. Rory is a short child of Apollo who has had a crush on me for a while now.
"At least I'm not mentally undressing Katie," I said. Conner turned bright red and ducked his head. Not many people can embarrass Conner or Travis but I take pride in the fact I can not only embarrass both of them, but that I can also embarrass them into silence, which is even more challenging. Before either one of us could say anything Chiron clomped his hooves from the head table.
"Welcome everyone!" He said once all the chattering had calmed down. "I welcome each and every one of you to the first day of summer session. Just a reminder, Friday night is Capture the Fl-"
"Look at Rachel!" someone screamed. I looked past Chiron to see our oracle, Rachel Dare, was spewing green smoke. Odd, usually she only gives prophecies when a hero specifically asks.
"A prophecy," Travis muttered, in a daze. Rachels mouth opened wide. The smoke around her took the shaape of a baby.
A child of art and travel
Will set forth in a great battle
Death bring forth mother's fury
Neglect befalls the greatest duty
A new age born again
Be it one of pride or chagrin
A/N so what did you think so far? Who do you think 'Fred' is? Did you like my prophacy. Let me just say they are harder than they look so hopefully it was good.
Please, please R&R I love to near what you all think ( the Greek in this chapter means damn it to hell in case you were wondering)
XOXOXOX
Vicki