I found myself in a valley. I only say valley because I could tell that it was an area between mountains, but it felt like a pit. On all sides was a giant circle of mountains, trapping me here. I started to panic when I grew and grew and grew until I could see over the mountains, my head in a thick fog of clouds. Below me I could see a mountain and on top stood an old-looking structure. It looked like a museum or some memorial from Washington, DC. Before my eyes, I watched it burst into flames and quickly turn to ash. I stared in surprise as the ashes were sucked in by the ground and from the top of that mountain started a crack

The crack grew and grew and grew until it shot and expanded between my legs. From the start of it a large column of lava shoot up and start to heat up the entire scene. Trees started to burn along with grass. The ground beneath my feet started to tremble and I panicked. I started running. I ran away from the lava and from the crack, but everywhere I turned, more cracks formed, splitting the earth below me until it disappeared and I fell. That's when I woke up.

I opened my eyes and was greeted with feeling cold and fluorescent lighting. Judging by the smell of ammonia, I guessed it was either a janitor's closet or the nurse's office. It was a small room with posters on the walls that said stuff like, "Get a flu shot" or "Wash your hands" and it had a bird washing itself in a bird bath. It doesn't really make sense, since birds don't have hands, but it gets the point across. From that I guessed it was the nurse's office.

When I finally did wake up, I felt fine. I mean, fine for someone who just got punched in the face, stomach, and kicked in the ribs by a football player. I was mostly confused. I didn't remember much, except that I had the crap kicked out of me and then after that it's a bit hazy.

I tried to think of what happened that made me pass out or what happened that necessitated I be brought to the closet/nurse's office in the first place. As I thought the looks of surprise or worry or fear or some emotion came back to me. Whatever I did that made people flip out must have been pretty astounding. Or terrifying. Or something. I just wish I knew what it was.

I had managed to sit up and lean up against my pillow when the door opened.

"Oh, Peter. You're awake. We were worried you were going to need an ambulance." A frail woman with silver wiry hair walked in and set her glasses down by the sink before filling a paper cup with water and handing it to me.

"Thanks, Mrs. C." I said with a nod in a raspy voice. Mrs. C was the school nurse at Crefeld. Most people called her Mrs. C because she had become a bit of an institution. She loved working there which was good because she had been doing it for around six hundred years. I took a drink then cleared my throat. "How long was I out?" I asked quietly.

"From what I understand, only about 30 minutes. After your little incident with Mr. Markinson, we called your mom and the police and the fire department and—"

"Wait…The fire department?"

"Don't interrupt, sonny…" Mrs. C said, sitting on the bed next to mine. "I…oh, dear, your face is bleeding again…"

"Wow…Jacob has a big fist." I said with a sigh as I looked in the mirror hung on the wall over her shoulder. I had a band-aid on my nose where a cut had formed and then another visible cut on my forehead and on my cheek. "Oh…Wait. No, it's his class ring. You can see the imprint of the 'M' a little."

"Just sit still, would you?" Mrs. C said before pressing a small pad of gauze on my cheek. I winced a little and felt how swollen my face was. "Anyway, we called the police and they need to know if you'd like to press charges, but he's saying some pretty disturbing things, I will say."

"Like wha—Ow! Cheese and rice, Mrs. C…" I said when I felt her pull the band-aid off my nose, ripping off any excess skin and scabbing that had happened.

"Well, you bled through that one. Just sit still." She removed the gauze from my cheek and waited a moment before putting a band-aid on it. "Now, don't bleed through this one." She said, placing new band-aids on my face.

"What kind of stuff is Jacob saying?" I asked Mrs. C, trying to not move too much in fear that I'll bleed through my band-aids again.

"Well, he said that you were telling him to hit you and that you were acting possessed." Mrs. C said, throwing the trash from my bandages into the trash can. "He also said your skin started smoking and your set the gym floor on fire, but those are both just gibberish, really." As soon as she said that, I had a bad feeling that was exactly what happened.

"Mrs. C, have you ever seen someone that was…I don't know how to say it…" I wasn't sure what I was trying to say. It's not like I could go right out and say, 'I think I have the power to set myself and other people on fire. Is that weird or am I just having puberty hot flashes?'

"Well, when you figure it out, come and find me. The fire marshal wanted to talk to you in the gymnasium once you woke up."

"Fire Marshal?" I asked a little nervously. I stood up from my bed and steadied myself on the wall. "I guess, I'll get going then. Thanks, Mrs. C."

"Anytime, dear. But not too often. That would be bad." Mrs. C gave me a gentle smile then stepped away, letting me slide past and get to the door. I took a deep breath and left the nurse's office, heading down the hall. I was shaking a little as I walked through the hall. My heart was pounding and I was nervous. Could it be proven that I did anything? And it was just a fight. But they did call the fire department. Did I actually set the gym on fire?

I walked through the tables outdoors and made my way to the gym, opening the doors and walking inside. I made a note that I was still in my gym uniform and I made a stop in the locker room to change and grab my bag. I emerge again into the gym and bump right into Freddy who has a panicked look on his face.

"Dude, you've gotta go." He said, trying to push me back into the locker room.

"Hey! You're that Peter kid, right?" A loud voice came from behind Freddy. I look at Freddy a moment then look to see the fire marshal standing around a mark on the gym floor. I push past Freddy and discover that the mark is a large black mark surrounding the outline of a person. I had to admit. It was looking pretty bad for Peter David Everett. "Do you mind explaining this?" I froze under the fire marshal's heavy gaze. Luckily I didn't have to panic long because Freddy stepped forward.

"It was a gas explosion." Freddy said before snapping his fingers. "The ducts directed the blast and it marked the ground." The Fire Marshal paused for a second. "Remember? You called Peter here to ask if he was okay." He paused again and then turned to Peter.

"Of course. You okay, son? You could have been really hurt in a blast like this."

"Uhh…uh-huh." I manage, looking more confused than hurt. "What's uh…I'm…"

"Okay. I think Peter's mom is here. Thanks so much for keeping us students safe, sir. We couldn't do it without you." The Fire Marshal smiled and patted Freddy on the shoulder.

"Oh, think nothing of it. I'm just doing my job. Now, you get home, young man and rest." The fire marshal said with a nod at me. I stood there confused until Freddy put a hand on my back and started leading me out of the gym.

"Don't say anything until we leave." Freddy said to me quietly before pushing the door open, leading outside. We walk past the lunch tables and make our way to the front of the school where a black sports car waited, my mother inside. Freddy let out a low whistle.

"Please tell me that was at the car."

"What? Yeah. A Bentley GT. Beautiful car." Freddy said with a nod.

"Good. My mom could probably kill you." I said as we walked up to my mother's car. "Mom, do you mind if Freddy here comes over to the house for a little while? He and I need to talk about something."

"Yeah! Of course!" My mother said. "I hope you don't mind the backseat, Freddy.. I would have driven the Prius if I'd known I'd have company."

"It's okay, Ms. Everett. It's just a privilege driving in such a beautiful automobile." Freddy said, climbing in over the passenger seat. I put the seat up and then get in, resting my bag on my lap. It was silent. The car ride. My mother had the common sense enough to embarrass me in front of Freddy, thankfully, and I don't think Freddy wanted to talk about whatever he did back there in front of my mother. At least, I thought that until we were about two minutes away.

"So, Freddy," my mom said, hoping to initiate some small talk. "What—"

"I think your son is a demigod." Freddy said very matter-of-factly, staring out the window like it was the most casual thing he's said all day. The car screeched to a stop.

"Run that by me again." I said quietly, turning toward him.

"Yeah. What he said." My mom said a little quietly, looking back at him as well.

"Well, it's kind of a long story." Freddy said with a sigh, looking at me. "You might not know much about your father, but I believe, having observed you that you are a demigod. That your father was a god."

"What? So, that makes me Jesus or something?"

"No, no. Little 'g' god. Like of Olympus."

"Zeus. Poseidon. Hermes." My mom added in. "So, one of them knocked me up? Which one was it?" My mom said like she was about to go to their house and beat them up.

"Well, I don't know, honestly. I've never seen anything like this before, but there is a place where he can go. He can train and he can be safe." Freddy explained. I looked around a little nervously when he said I could be safe there and realized that we were sticking out in the middle of the road. "I'm a little confused as to why we hadn't found you already, anyway. You're fourteen."

"Yes. I am. Is that some magic age?" I ask before nudging my mom to keep driving.

"Well, after the Second Titan war—"

"Wait, there was another one? I know about the one that started the reign of the gods, but there was a second one?"

"Thirteen years ago. Kronos attempted a rebellion, but was killed before he could succeed." I took a moment and put my hands over my face. "Then only 4 years ago was the Promethean Rebellion which—"

"Promethean…Okay." I stopped Freddy from speaking again as I felt the car stop and turn off. "Okay. Let's continue this inside because right now, I'm pretty sure you're insane." I grabbed my backpack and got out of the car and followed my mom up out of the garage to our house.

"Can I get either of you a drink? I know I'm going to have one." My mom said before reaching into her 'special' cabinet.

"Diet Coke, if you've got one." Freddy said as he walked through the door from our garage. I lead him past the kitchen where my mother was pouring herself a shot of something, and into the living room, a large room with a large TV against one wall and a large window taking up the wall to the left of it. I tossed my bag onto the couch then turned to Freddy.

"Okay. Take a seat. I'll be right back. Please don't…be crazy on anything." I said a little frantically before heading back into the kitchen. I grabbed a two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew and a can of Diet Coke. I looked at my mom who looked worried. I think it was the fact that it's possible she had a one night stand with a deity. I patted my mom on the arm gently then walked back into the living room to see Freddy pulling his pants off. However instead of normal legs or even a pair of underwear, I saw thick black-haired legs. I stood in shock as his pants came all the way off to reveal hooves instead of feet.

"Thanks." He said, taking his soda from me. I didn't say anything.

"Why do…" I started asking. "Is that—Are you—Were you wearing your mascot costume under your pants?" I asked, but I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"No. I'm actually a satyr."

"The neighbors have a Seder for Passover." My mom said walking in with a drink in her hand until seeing Freddy's legs. Her drink fell out of her hand and she stood next to me both of us staring at his legs. "Is that his—"

"Nope." I said quietly.

"Listen, please just—"

"Whoa, no, no." I said finally, holding up a finger. "So, you're a satyr. Like a…faun."

"Those are Roman, but yes. Pretty much."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I wasn't sure what was going through my mind at that moment, but I was really trying to grasp the idea that the person in front of me was half-goat. "So, I'm supposed to believe that under that hat you're wearing is a pair of—Oh, my Lucas, you have horns on your head." Freddy had taken off his hat and revealed two small horns sticking out from his head.

"Uncle Grover didn't say it was going to be this difficult…" Freddy mumbled before dropping his hat by his pants. "Look, I'm a satyr. I was sent to Crefeld to smell for—"

"Smell? I have a smell?"

"All demigods do. That's how monsters like me can find you."

"There are other monsters? Like…bad monsters?"

"Yes, but I don't think they'll find you. Your smell is different. Older, almost."

"Thanks."

"No, I mean…That's why I waited this long. I couldn't identify and it could have been some random thing throwing me off. But then you started burning people and setting the gym on fire and—"

"Yeah, how did you get past that—"

"You set the gym on fire?" My mother finally interjected. "They told me there was a fire. Not that my son was a firebug!"

"I didn't mean to set it, mom!" I said in defense.

"QUIET!" Freddy shouted. My mom and I both looked at him. "Just, please…Sit down and I will start from the beginning and then you will understand."

I sat down on the couch and took a big swig of Mountain Dew. My mom sat next to me. Freddy cleared his throat and took a drink of his soda, then began. He explained how the Greek gods back in Ancient Greece were the center of Western civilization. However, the center soon moved to Rome and the gods moved with it. Now, hundreds of years later, the gods are in the United States. I just sat and listened, absorbing all of the information being given to me by a guy with horns and goat legs, eating a tin can.

He continued to say that the gods have children with mortals. The children once they turn a certain age some start to develop powers, some before that and some after that. However, at the age of 13, by request from some guy named Percy, the gods are required to claim their children, assuming they have already been brought to camp. That's what made me so interesting, I guess.

"So, when I get to camp, I'm going to get claimed?" I ask quietly.

"It's very possible. Some claimings are fairly visible, so the gods wouldn't want to make a scene. However, it's possible the mist would block it."

"The mist?" My mother asked. "You said something about the mist hiding the magic world?"

"Yes. There are some mortals who have the ability to see through the mist. For the most part, all demigods can see through it, though it can be especially heavy and can still hide things from demigods." I listened carefully and nodded a little just as a shadow passed over my face from the window. From the look on Freddy's face, he saw it, too. "We should go. The longer you stay here, the more your mother is in danger." Freddy said, standing up. "Thank you, Ms. Everett for your hospitality."

"No, thank you, Freddy." She said, shaking his hand a moment. "Peter, let's go pack you a bag and then…Then I'll see you off." I nodded and then headed toward my room. There was an uncomfortable silence between my mom and me. It was pretty obvious why. I walked into my room and grabbed a small duffle bag and set it open on my bed. I walked to my dresser and started grabbing clothes, but my mom just stood near the door. She wasn't watching me, but she was just looking around my room.

It was going to be heard to say goodbye for both of us. Since the beginning it had just been the two of us. My mom had always been there to lead me and protect me and now I had to leave to protect her. I set my clothes in my bag then turned to her, a small lump building up in my throat. "Mom, I—"

"I'm going to miss you so much, Petey…" She said quietly, her voice cracking.

"It's only two hours away, mom. We have 15 cars. Never seeing each other again is almost impossible."

"I know, sweetheart…" She said quietly. She moved from her spot by the door and started grabbing clothes out of my dresser. "I just…I can't believe you'll be off fighting monster. I'm worried you're gonna get hurt."

"This coming from the woman who laughed when she heard I got in a fight at a football game." She took a deep breath and then sighed, putting my clothes in my bag and then wrapping her arms around me in a warm embrace.

"I'm going to miss you." She whispered, kissing my head once.

"I know, mom. I'm going to miss you, too." I said quietly, my voice wavering just a little bit. I could feel a tear starting to build up, but that was interrupted when I heard a loud crash come from downstairs. "Dang it! I didn't get to move Petrocles to a market." I said, zipping up my bag.

"Peter! Priorities?"

"You're right, mom." I said, grabbing my bag. "I'll do it fast."