If you're still reading I just wanted to say thanks for staying with so far, I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as possible. I would also like to do a special shout-out to this stories FIRST follower and FIRST to favorite , I wanted to say thank you to for giving me that confidence boost that helped me finish this story in time, and will inspire many new chapters.

You know, it gets really annoying when you can't go through one day without being knocked out.

I woke up in bandages, no shirt, and surrounded by at least five blonde teenagers wearing the same orange t-shirts. I felt that old familiar shiver. Jesus, every kid here was giving me shivers. The pain started coming and I was about to start strangling, but I was strapped down on a table with thick rubber bonds, like some mental patient.

I started screaming from the pain again. I've almost never had to go through the shivers this much. Hell, I've had to put up with this bullshit for almost a week straight now. I was squirming and straining against the straps, trying to get loose. They all started to hold me down, making sure to keep me restrained. I was still starting to break free though.

I'm not a very buff guy. I'm kind of lean, but by all means not that strong. At least not strong enough to tear through rubber straps while being held down. Y'know those stories of people getting all shot up with adrenaline though, and do amazing things? Like a soldier taking down five guys by himself to save his buddy, or a mom lifting a car off her baby. I was having one of those moments, except I was trying to kill instead of rescue. I could feel the rubber starting to tear over my skin, even while their hands were tightening over my arms and legs.

"Someone go get help!" one of the kids yelled. A girl darted out of the room, and slammed the door behind her. *Snap. My left leg broke the strap, without that girl holding it. That didn't do much except let me kick the guy holding my right leg. Despite the constant beating he held me down with all the force he could muster.

When she came back, a couple minutes later, there was another girl with her. She was really pretty, not my type, but more of the beauty pageant girl kinda way. She had choppy coffee colored hair, and a little darker skin. She rushed to the head of my table and held my head in place.

She said while staring at me with intense crystal blue eyes, "You are okay, we're not going to hurt you." Her voice was smooth and soft, "You don't need to fight, you are safe here." I relaxed. Everyone let go of my limbs. I was as still as stone. She stopped them, she actually somehow stopped them.

"Is everyone done stitching him up," she asked formally. They all nodded, "Good," she answered. "Then I think you can let him go." They all looked at one of the older kids expectantly. He gave a nod of approval, and they started unbuckling the straps around my limbs.

I slowly sat up, not taking my eyes off of her for a second. How did she do that? I didn't have the shivers anymore, I didn't have to kill anyone. I turned to get to my feet, I felt the cold concrete spread from my toes to my heels. Everyone shifted uncomfortably like I was a wild animal that would rip their heads off if they looked at my weird, but for the first time in my life, I didn't feel like one. I stood up, moving even more sluggishly than before. I started moving slowly towards her, and when I was just about half a foot away I hugged her. Everyone jumped forward like they were prepared to tear me off her corpse, but she shooed them away.

"Thank you, so much," I whispered in shaky voice.

"Your welcome," she whispered back. She wrapped her arms around me too, and I embraced harder. I don't know if she knew what she did for me, but it didn't matter right then and there. I could feel my eyes well up until I blinked, and a small tear fell on the floor behind her. I was so happy. No more killing or pain because of those damn shivers.

It was like a giant weight was off my shoulders. All the people here were safe now, because of her. She doesn't even know how many people she saved today.

She loosened her arms a little. I took it as a sign to let go. "What's your name?" she asked me with the same still calm voice as before, but not quite the same.

"D-Danniel," I replied shakily.

"Danniel, what?"

"Danniel Greyson," I added, "Who are you?"

"My name is Piper McLean. Why don't we go see Chiron and get you to your cabin," she told me with the most genuine smile I had ever seen. She started leading me upstairs. I didn't notice it before, but everyone was staring at us. I forgot they were even there.

"No, you've done enough. I should probably go," I said feeling a little awkward.

"You don't need to go," she told me and just shrugged off what I said like I made a funny joke. "This is a place where people like you and me belong. It's a place to be safe and have a life." I knew this couldn't be right. How could she act like this, if she was like me? She has never had the shivers, I could see it in her eyes. There were so many things I've done too. If they ever found out, they would do anything they could to kill me, or they would at least try.

I was about to say something, but right then we were getting to the top of the stairs. I held my hand in front of my eyes to try and shield my eyes from the bright sunlight streaming from a window in the door. After being in a dark basement for so long, my eyes needed a few seconds to adjust. I kept walking up a at slow pace, reluctantly moving forward. The girl waited for me to get to the top of the stairs. I looked out the window.

Now I've seen a lot of national parks, forests and wildlife in general just from roaming around the country. I've never seen anything as beautiful as this, especially through a window. There were rolling hills that were cascading across the ground in front of me, a long zig-zagging stream flowed in front of cabins with strange and decorative symbols, and there was a forest in the distance on my left was right in front of the ocean that sparkled in the sunlight.

I looked back at her in awe. She smiled again, and gestured for me to open the door. I grabbed the handle, but let my hand rest there for a moment. As much as I was amazed, I was nervous. It was only because I didn't have any idea what was on the other side. I mean, I could see what it looked like, but it was another thing actually to know what it all was or what it meant.

I took a deep breath and turned the handle. I gradually opened the door and stepped out. I could hear birds chirping and people laughing and shouting. The smell of sweet strawberries came from the field to my left. This is as close to Elysium as I'll ever get I thought.

"Thi...this is incredible," I stammered. The girl leisurely walked onto the porch, and looked at the landscape with me. Then she looked at me with that friendly smile she'd had all day. She put her hand on my shoulder.

"This is home."