Christina:
As we walked out of the arena, I asked Logan if he had seen the Climbing Wall and the cabins. He said those where the only places he hadn't seen yet. So we headed for the cabins since that was closest. I explained to him the male cabins were the odd numbers on the left and the female cabins were the even numbers on the right and the order of the cabins. Cabin 1: Zeus; Cabin 2: Hera; Cabin 3: Poseidon; Cabin 4: Demeter; Cabin 5: Ares; Cabin 6: Athena; Cabin 7: Apollo; Cabin 8: Artemis; Cabin 9: Hephaestus; Cabin 10: Aphrodite; Cabin 11: Hermes; Cabin 12: Dionysus.
"So where is Hades cabin?" he asked.
"Oh well, if we had a Hades cabin here, who is Lord of Death and Ruler of the Underworld, it wouldn't be a very nice cabin, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, so basically your replacement for Hades' cabin is Demeter?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," I replied.
"And in Greek mythology, they say that there were six female gods and six male gods so it was equal? Why is there seven male cabins and five female cabins?"
I tried not to say how sexist he was being about the gods and the cabins.
"Well, when Dionysus became and god, there would be 13 major gods and the council would argue because there has always been only 12 major gods, so Hestia gave up her throne to Dionysus. Hades, he well is still a major but he has his own 'Olympus' down in the Underworld. He only comes and sits in the throne room on the winter solstice, never during the summer solstice," I said patiently.
"Wait. They have meetings?" he asked.
"Yeah. Us demigods go to the meetings on the solstices because the gods have the meeting every summer and winter solstice and never on the spring and fall equinoxes. We learned about the equinoxes and solstices in Social Studies class. Remember?"
"Oh, right. So why does Hades only visit during the winter solstice and not during the summer solstice?"
"Well, since Hades is Ruler of the Underworld, he owns the darkest place, right? So the winter solstice is the darkest time of the year while the summer solstice is the brightest time of the year. He fits with the darkest time of the year. Like I said before, we learned about the solstices and how the summer one was the brightest and the winter one was the darkest. Make sense now?" I answered.
Logan nodded and said, "Wow. That makes a lot of sense. Now can you tell me why and what those symbols are above the door? I know I'm asking a lot of questions and everything but this is all new."
"It's ok. Most of the demigods here were like that in the beginning. Confused. Worried. Thought they were hallucinating. Thinking they had gone crazy. Not understanding what's going on," I replied. I understood how he felt but at least his problems weren't as bad as mine.
"Really. You sound like you've been through the same thing but you also make it sound like your not a demigod," he said. After he said that, a balloon of anger welled up inside of me, resenting certain people and certain things and some of my life situations. However I pushed my mind away from that and tried to keep my voice straight.
"Like I said, Logan, most of us have been through the same thing and so have I."
"Oh, right, sorry," he said, his cheeks coloring.
"You know what the signs are for each of the gods?" I asked.
"Well, Zeus' sign is the master thunderbolt. Hera is peacocks. Poseidon is the trident. Cabin four, Demeter's, is the Cornucopia, the Horn of Plenty. For cabin 5, Ares' cabin has a bloody spear with a boars head on top of it including barbed wire. Athena cabin has the owl on top. Apollo's has a lyre on top. Artemis' is a Cyprus tree. Hephaestus is the anvil sign along with the forge sign. Cabin 10, which is Aphrodite's cabin, hers is myrtle and rose. Cabins 11's sign is the caduceus, the sign of Hermes and Dionysus, cabin 12, is the cabin with grapes and a wine glass," he answered proudly. I smiled.
"Yup! And I would hope that you know what each god is. For an example: Athena is the goddesses of battle strategy and wisdom. Ares is the god of war. You know," I replied.
"What? Oh yeah, of course I do," he laughed.
"Ok good. Because I wasn't going to explain any of that anyways. You would have to learn that by yourself," I teased.
"Really? That would really suck for me," he answered.
We began walking to the Climbing Wall. I told him about camp and that you train and train and train. His reply, "this is a lot to process."
"I know," I told him.
"Question," he said.
"Answer," I replied. He laughed along with me.
"The exact same thing was said to me in fifth grade. I didn't get it at first. I went up to the teacher and said 'question' and she said 'answer'. I told her I didn't get it and she said 'you asked a question and I have an answer.'"
"Haha. Ask the question then."
"Will I get made fun of because I have ADHD, ADD and dyslexia. I mean I know you have ADHD and dyslexia, but it doesn't seem like people would make fun of you. They respect you"
"No. We all have ADHD and dyslexia," I answered reassuringly.
"Really. I thought it was really rare."
"Well then either its just me, or ADHD and dyslexia aren't rare."
"So you're saying that we are all ADHD and dyslexia?" he asked.
"Yeah, only demigods," I answered.
"Wow. So are they any use?"
"Good question. Yes."
"How?"
"Well the dyslexic thing really isn't. You're mind is hardwired for Greek and not English. ADHD keeps us alive in battle. You're impulsive. Teachers want you medicated because they don't want you to see them for what they are, a monster. Now for your dyslexia, you don't see to little, you see to much. What a normal demigod would see." Logan let out a long whistle.
"Really? That's just about it and what they do for you as a demigod?"
"Yeah, pretty much," I said scratching the back of my head.
"What about my ADD?" he questioned.
"That's just your regular mental problem. It kind of mixes in with the ADHD thing."
"Oh," he replied.
"I have another question. Do you guys have like routines to do at a certain time or do you just do whatever you want?" Logan inquired curiously.
"Well, lets see. We do have a routine, but sometimes campers just do whatever as long as they go to at least all of activities." I responded.
"What's the activities schedule?" I looked at Logan and thought for a second.
"Well, I don't really feel like going into explanation because everyone's schedules are different. Some of us actually don't even follow the schedules. I mean we're suppose to but some of us don't and we won't get in trouble. The rest of us normally do. But to help you out, I can give yout he basics. From eight until nine is Breakfast and Cabin Inspection. Neatest cabin gets the best activities and longer hot water showers and less chores. The rest of the day is your regular routine. Then, from two until four, you can either do Arts and Crafts with the Hephaestus cabin or Canoe Race with the naiads. If you win first place, you get twenty golden drachmas credit at the camp store. Or if you don't want to do any of those, then you can go to the Climbing Wall with the satyrs and do The Clashing Rocks. Now at four until five, you could go down to the beach to do Swim and Beach Time with the nereids but make sure you bring sunscreen, discus, javelin, etc."
Logan laughed as soon as I said 'javelin'. "Are you serious. Why would you need a javelin in Swim and Beach Time activity."
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because your training in the water. Duh." I said matter-of-factly.
"Oh, never mind, sorry," he answered apologetically.
"Anyways, after that for the next hour you have Free Time, Volleyball, or cabin clean-up. At six until nine is the best activity but, on Fridays only. It's Capture the Flag. You're required to have all combat gear as usual and then all magical items are allowed in the game."
"So, when do you guys eat dinner?"
"At 7:30 the rest of the week and then during that Free Time on Friday. Just follow your cabin to the Mess Hall which is where we eat. Then, after Capture the Flag or even on normal days, from nine until ten, a Sing-A-Long and Bonfire with the Apollo cabin in the amphitheater. And at ten, you prepare for bed and lights out by eleven, which is curfew. If you're out past curfew, then the harpies get to eat you. So, I'm leaving the rest of the schedule and information to you to find out.
"Dang, this is a lot to process," he stressed.
"I know how you feel. Trust me by the end of this week, you'll be just about used to the routine and the activities. To reassure you so you don't freak out about being late for the next activity, they always use a conch horn to sound the signal to move."
"Thanks. That really reassured me because I did just about freak out over that," he confessed.
"No problem," was my only reply.
"Now I have one more question. When you leave camp to hunt other demigods out and to bring them to camp safely, do you get to do whatever you want for the rest of the day if you come back with a demigod?"
"Yes and no. Like I said when I was explaining the satyr thing, only satyrs get assigned to look for new demigods and keep tabs on them. It was just a coincidence that I was going to the same school because Chiron let me out into the real world after pestering him so much and Griffin getting assigned to Billanus Boarding Academy School. When he found out I was there and learned about you and thought you might be a powerful demigod, he alerted Chiron who came to the school to teach you. But not just for you. Chiron wanted to get out into the real world himself and see how I was doing. He also wanted a teachers job," I explained.
"So basically it was a coincidence that Griffin found out you were at the same school and that I was a demigod and that Chiron wanted a teacher job and found Billanus Boarding Academy," he said.
"Yeah, that just about clears it up."
When we reached the edge of the river, Logan saw the Climbing Wall and said, "Whoa. Why is it pouring lava and why are the rocks clashing together?" I smiled. "A bit of an extra challenge. Come on, I'll show you because Free Time is almost up."
"Ok. You said Capture the Flag was on Fridays. It's Monday. Will I be fighting in Capture the Flag even though I just got here and don't know how to use a sword?" Logan asked curiously.
"Yeah," I said grinning.
"What? Really? But I don't even know how to use a sword!" he exclaimed.
"That's why we have the Sword and Shield activity where you can learn to use a sword and shield in the arena," I advised.
"Oh, right."
We kept walking only this time in silence. It was only when we reached the Climbing Wall when he spoke.
"So, um, has anybody died from the lava or from just falling off because of the two walls clashing together?"
I frowned and decided to make a positive comment so I wouldn't scare the crap out of him.
"Umm, no. As far as I know and have been here, nobody has died from the lava or falling off because of the walls. Although, there has been some terrible injuries but they don't result in death," I said cautiously.
"Are you sure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I'm sure. Because if someone had died, I think Chiron or Mr. D would've told us the first time we try to use the Climbing Wall or I think there would've been an advisor there so every time we use the Climbing Wall, they would tell us to be careful or would make the Climbing Wall super safe with all the precaution stuff and equipment mortals use," I reassured.
Logan let out a whistle. "Wow. Now to come to think of it, mortals always want to make things safe while us demigods just take risks and don't really care."
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," I laughed. "Now let me show what to do and how to use the Climbing Wall. Then I'll help you get to the top."