The Sound of the River
Camp Half-Blood
The ride was as you'd expect when you're being driven by a guy with four legs. Terrifying. Honestly, I'm surprised no cop cars came after us.
Joseph was going probably twice the speed limit, and almost hitting things with every turn. In the passenger's seat, Logan kept sounding like a sheep or something, which wasn't calming my nerves.
"Bla-ha-ha"
"Do you have to?" I asked him. He'd always been a little strange, but this is too weird.
"Yes!"
I held on for dear life as we skidded onto a bridge, almost falling into a lake.
"How much longer?" I complained.
"Not too long" Joseph replied.
I wasn't sure if that was a not too long as in really-a-while-I-just-want-you-to-be-quiet way or in an actually-not-long way.
"Bla-ah-ah"
***
"Okay, what's going on?" I asked.
"We almost got killed by Stymphalian birds. Any questions?" Logan replied.
"Yeah! Those things, they're myths. How can they be here?"
"Okay...you're...uh" Logan started, obviously struggling for the words. " They aren't myths. The Greek gods and goddesses. They're real and they still exist. One of your parents was a god or goddess. We're not sure which because you were orphaned."
"So I'm half god?" I said.
"A demigod" Joseph corrected. "Or half-blood."
***
I stepped out of the car and looked up the hill. A pine tree sat on top with something like fur around it's trunk. Then there was a sort of arch thing, and for some reason, even with my dyslexia, I could read it sort of quick.
'Camp Half-blood'
That was all I could see until we climbed up the hill with Logan bleating behind us. I game him a look.
"What? I'm nervous!"
Then I realized he wasn't wearing pants. He was the same Logan, except from the waist down. He was part goat.
I ran up the hill to see what else could make my day weirder. As usual, I tripped (being as talented as I am) and rolled down halfway from where I started.
I stood up, brushed the grass out of my hair, and sprinted up the hill. Below, there was a strawberry farm, a lake, and loads of other buildings I couldn't see well enough from where I was standing.
"Welcome to Camp Half-blood" Logan announced as we made our way down to camp.
As we got closer, I could see that a lot of time was spent designing the place. Joseph patted my shoulder.
"This is where we train heroes. Perhaps you should know, here, I'm known as Chiron."
He lead me around to the Big House, the campfire, and mess hall. There was a volleyball court, where some people in Camp Half-blood t-shirts were playing, stables, where I saw pegasi. The canoe lake, and the track for chariot races. An arena, arts & crafts place, armory, amphitheater, and a climbing wall. Lastly he took me to the 12 cabins. They were organized in a 'U' pattern, and each seemed to have their own theme. The first one was made of marble and looked like a mausoleum. The second was also marble, very formal and graceful looking. It had pomegranates and flowers around the slim columns. A third had a low ceiling and faced the ocean. It looked like it was made of sea stone. A trident stood over the corner. The fourth had plants all over it. Flowers, tomatoes, etc. grew on the walls. The fifth had red walls, which were badly painted. A boars head stood over the doorway. Cabin six was gray with simple white curtains with an owl design over the door. The seventh was solid gold and reflected in the daylight. Number eight was all silver with matching curtains. It had carvings of wild animals on it.
The ninth cabin looked like a small factory. It had lots of gears around the door. The tenth was made of wood with a blue roof. Eleven had peeling brown paint and and a caduceus over the door. Twelve had grape vines covering the roof and walls. Chiron lead me to Cabin Eleven.
The place was crowded, with not nearly enough bunks. Campers were sprawled across the floor.
"This is the Hermes cabin. Until you're claimed, you'll be staying here" Chiron announced in the doorway.
Every face focused on me.My face felt hot and I hoped I wasn't as red as I felt. I hate being at the center of attention. I noticed a lot of the people had the same features. A grin that made teachers wary.
"Everyone, this is Drea. She'll--" Chiron's cut off when someone shouted,
"Undetermined?"
"I was getting to that" Chiron warned." Drea will be staying with you until she gets claimed"
A few groans came from the cabin. A girl, probably 13 or 14 years old, came up to me.
"I'm Angela" She greeted. "I'll settle her, Chiron"
Joseph was going probably twice the speed limit, and almost hitting things with every turn. In the passenger's seat, Logan kept sounding like a sheep or something, which wasn't calming my nerves.
"Bla-ha-ha"
"Do you have to?" I asked him. He'd always been a little strange, but this is too weird.
"Yes!"
I held on for dear life as we skidded onto a bridge, almost falling into a lake.
"How much longer?" I complained.
"Not too long" Joseph replied.
I wasn't sure if that was a not too long as in really-a-while-I-just-want-you-to-be-quiet way or in an actually-not-long way.
"Bla-ah-ah"
***
"Okay, what's going on?" I asked.
"We almost got killed by Stymphalian birds. Any questions?" Logan replied.
"Yeah! Those things, they're myths. How can they be here?"
"Okay...you're...uh" Logan started, obviously struggling for the words. " They aren't myths. The Greek gods and goddesses. They're real and they still exist. One of your parents was a god or goddess. We're not sure which because you were orphaned."
"So I'm half god?" I said.
"A demigod" Joseph corrected. "Or half-blood."
***
I stepped out of the car and looked up the hill. A pine tree sat on top with something like fur around it's trunk. Then there was a sort of arch thing, and for some reason, even with my dyslexia, I could read it sort of quick.
'Camp Half-blood'
That was all I could see until we climbed up the hill with Logan bleating behind us. I game him a look.
"What? I'm nervous!"
Then I realized he wasn't wearing pants. He was the same Logan, except from the waist down. He was part goat.
I ran up the hill to see what else could make my day weirder. As usual, I tripped (being as talented as I am) and rolled down halfway from where I started.
I stood up, brushed the grass out of my hair, and sprinted up the hill. Below, there was a strawberry farm, a lake, and loads of other buildings I couldn't see well enough from where I was standing.
"Welcome to Camp Half-blood" Logan announced as we made our way down to camp.
As we got closer, I could see that a lot of time was spent designing the place. Joseph patted my shoulder.
"This is where we train heroes. Perhaps you should know, here, I'm known as Chiron."
He lead me around to the Big House, the campfire, and mess hall. There was a volleyball court, where some people in Camp Half-blood t-shirts were playing, stables, where I saw pegasi. The canoe lake, and the track for chariot races. An arena, arts & crafts place, armory, amphitheater, and a climbing wall. Lastly he took me to the 12 cabins. They were organized in a 'U' pattern, and each seemed to have their own theme. The first one was made of marble and looked like a mausoleum. The second was also marble, very formal and graceful looking. It had pomegranates and flowers around the slim columns. A third had a low ceiling and faced the ocean. It looked like it was made of sea stone. A trident stood over the corner. The fourth had plants all over it. Flowers, tomatoes, etc. grew on the walls. The fifth had red walls, which were badly painted. A boars head stood over the doorway. Cabin six was gray with simple white curtains with an owl design over the door. The seventh was solid gold and reflected in the daylight. Number eight was all silver with matching curtains. It had carvings of wild animals on it.
The ninth cabin looked like a small factory. It had lots of gears around the door. The tenth was made of wood with a blue roof. Eleven had peeling brown paint and and a caduceus over the door. Twelve had grape vines covering the roof and walls. Chiron lead me to Cabin Eleven.
The place was crowded, with not nearly enough bunks. Campers were sprawled across the floor.
"This is the Hermes cabin. Until you're claimed, you'll be staying here" Chiron announced in the doorway.
Every face focused on me.My face felt hot and I hoped I wasn't as red as I felt. I hate being at the center of attention. I noticed a lot of the people had the same features. A grin that made teachers wary.
"Everyone, this is Drea. She'll--" Chiron's cut off when someone shouted,
"Undetermined?"
"I was getting to that" Chiron warned." Drea will be staying with you until she gets claimed"
A few groans came from the cabin. A girl, probably 13 or 14 years old, came up to me.
"I'm Angela" She greeted. "I'll settle her, Chiron"
I love the story. It seems really well written.
5/10/15