Chapter 3

As I walked down from the big house it was already late, and I was mesmerized. what had just happened? How do I fit in with all this? The thoughts were just spinning around in my head, I decided to go down to the lake and sit on the wharf. That would help clear my mind I thought, I was so wrong. I went down to the edge of the dock, and looked into the water, splashing my face trying to keep myself sane. It was all so much to handle, I was just dragged from my school only hours ago by a "satyr" then I was told I may save the world or something. It was so bizarre. As I stared down into the lake, I jumped backed because of what I saw, it was a girl staring up at me from underwater, I was just shocked, what else could possibly happen? I was already panting for breath, stunned by what was going on, and that's when I felt a hand grab my shoulder.

I thrust my elbow backwards and caught the guy right between the legs,

"Ahhhhhh! Son of a... Uuughhh" he moaned in pain

"Oh gods" I said, "I'm sorry it's just..."

"It's just that you squashed my grapefruit!" he snapped, quivering in pain.

"I'm SORRY!" I yelled, angrier than I had meant to.

"Ok...ok...Ugh it hurts" he whimpered.

He stood up still holding the family jewels, "I'm Johnson, but people call me John" he barely got that last part out before moaning in pain.

"Why did you sneak up on me like that?" I snapped.

He replied simply, "Well, I saw you over here havin a stroke or sumthin and came to see if you were alright, next thing I knew I was the one havin the stroke!"

"Sorry, I'm new here and I'm still trying to take it all in, I still haven't gotten used to it"

"A newbie huh? Well why don't you come into the woods for a little late night monster hunting, that'll whip you into shape!" He said as he slapped me on the back.

I was lost in my thoughts and didn't know what to do next, so I agreed, "Ok" I stammered.

"That's the spirit! Now we need to get you a weapon." He said, gesturing for me to follow him, and then we trudged off to the weapons shed.

We marched into the shed and I just stared in awe, the shed was decked out from wall to wall with weapons of all sorts, daggers, swords, battleaxes, maces and what looked like a bronze rubber chicken. As soon as I saw that, I felt strangely compelled to ask, "What's up with the chicken?"

"Oh, some of my brothers from the Hephaestus cabin thought it would be real funny, they built a bronze replica of a rubber chicken and stuck it in here with the rest of the weapons. But don't be fooled" he said as he picked it up, he squeezed it and it actually said "BA-CAWK!" then nothing happened...and then, it sprouted 6 inch battleaxe blades out of its head.

"Talk about demonic poultry." I said with a smirk.

"Yeah, we Hephaestus boys can make just about anything." he grinned, "I still remember when Drew from the Aphrodite Cabin was picking at this thing, it almost took her head off, but instead took her hair." Then he started laughing "She cried for a week, it was hilarious!" After hearing this I couldn't help but crack a crazy grin, as I tried to hold back the laughter. "So, see anything you like..."

"Nathan"

"Well, see anything you like Nathan?"

"Uh, what about, a long sword, I'd prefer something long."

John chuckled, "that's what she said"

I punched him in the shoulder," grow up john" I laughed.

"Ok take your long sword, now let's get going"

"You're not taking anything?" I asked

"Nope, unless you think a shotgun that fires celestial bronze pellets is 'nothing', then he turned his back to me and I just noticed his massive chrome shotgun.

"Have you always had that there?" I asked puzzled

"Yeah, made it myself, you blind or are you just plain stupid" he asked

I gave him a glare "Whatever, let's go." I suggested, and we walked off towards the woods.

We made it to the woods and John pulled the shotgun off his back, he pumped it and gave me a nod, I raised the long celestial bronze sword and we slowly walked into the forest. We cautiously walked through the thick woods, scanning through every inch of dark as best as I could, and then, I saw it. It was a massive blue-ish-green scorpion, its scaly skin shone brightly in the moonlight. I crouched down behind a tree and waved my hand at the ground, signaling for John to get down; instead he just stood there with an evil grin on his face while slowly raising his shotgun. Then, the thought hit me like a punch to the face; there was no way he would make that shot at this range in the dark. He was going to give us away. I mouth the words, no, too late. He fired and the pellets flew through the air, to my surprise they hit, but apparently that just made it mad. It turned towards us and charged, we were so dead.