In love with the sun

I'm the walking definition of homesick

Chapter Three

I woke up at around 3 in the morning shaking, completely disoriented. I couldn't seem to grasp that I was on the floor of the Hermes' cabin at camp half blood. It was not processing in my mind and all I could do was curl up and cry. I wanted to be home with my dad and step mom and little brother and dog, where everything was normal and right. I really wanted to go outside and breathe in the beach air, but I heard the harpies would eat me if I did, so I laid in my sleeping bag and tried not to wake anyone up. I thought about walks on the beach with my parents and brother and nights out with Calee and writing during the early hours of the morning and everything I had at home, everything I took for granted.

Around six I had fully calmed down, so I got up after deciding it was a reasonable time for me to get up and start cleaning, because, despite inspection not being until eight, the cabin was so dirty it would take at least two hours. So, I took a shower, slipped on my camp shirt and the clothes Luke stole for me and got started.

As people woke up I asked for them to make their bed and kindly leave if they didn't want to help with the cleaning. By eight the cabin looked completely different, all of the trash was thrown away, the extra mattresses were all tucked away, and the floors had been swept for what seemed like the first time.

The head of the Demeter cabin, I believe her name is Lily, came into the small shack and looked around in shock. She explained that she had never heard of the Hermes' cabin getting above a three and I just earned them a five.

With my mood having been lightened by helping my cabin I took my place in the back of the line and headed to breakfast. I still felt uncomfortable and wanted my life to return to normal but at least I had made a friend in Luke.

I once again made an offering to Hestia, and prayed that I could stay with the Hermes cabin. I knew I'd eventually want to get claimed but I hadn't gotten used to camp enough to change something yet.

***

I had spent the rest of the day learning how to read Greek or how to speak Greek or all of the Greek myths. Luke said I would start physical training soon but I had to learn all of the intellectual stuff about the Greeks first. I was so restless from sitting in a classroom all day that I went to the lake instead of lunch, and even though I got in trouble with Luke I didn't care. Sitting on the beach helped me clear my head and made me feel as though I was back at home. It even helped me stay focused as Olivia, the head of the Athena cabin, taught me all about the Gods for the few hours in between lunch and dinner.

At dinner it was announced that, since it was Friday, capture the flag would be played that night. I got really excited and gave Luke a nice laugh when I nearly bounced off of the bench and onto the floor.

"We're playing with the Athena, Hephaestus, and Apollo cabins. The only ones on the other team you really need to watch out for are the Ares kids. So, let's go get you some armor, seeing as you already have your bracelet for a weapon, and then you'll be all set to play."

Luke chased after me as I skipped to the weapons shed, muttering under his breath about something along the lines of 'rotten new campers always being so excited for capture the flag.'

It didn't take too terribly long to get me armor since I was so tiny, which meant that Luke could just grab a child's size, strap it on me, and call it good. Soon I was back to skipping away from Luke and towards the forest, my size allowing me to leave him in the dust of my tracks.

Once Luke had made it to the forest he picked me up and threatened to throw me into the woods head first, but the other campers were beginning to arrive so he put me down and told me he'd get me later.

Olivia walked right up to me and Luke with a small girl in tow. The girl had stormy grey eyes and curly blonde hair, much like the rest of what I assumed were her siblings, and even though she had to be ten or nine she carried herself like she was in charge of the world.

I looked at Luke and whispered, "That's the little girl from your picture, right?"

He nodded just as Olivia and the girl arrived.

"Liza, hello again! This is Annabeth Chase, my godly sister, and she's gonna help us plan for the games," said Olivia, gesturing to the small girl beside her.

"Hi Annabeth, it's nice to see some girls taking charge for once, especially one so young."

Annabeth smiled at me, but that changed into a glare the moment that she noticed that Luke's arm was still around my waist after putting me down.

"Nice to meet you too, I hope you can be useful tonight."

"Annabeth! Be nice. Also, Liza happens to be great at archery and pretty fast, I mean she outran me more than once tonight, so I was thinking we could have her sneak around and get the flag with me. I mean, she can snatch up the flag with one of the gripping arrows and we can sneak away with it without the guards even noticing," Luke spoke up indignantly on my behalf.

"Sounds good, Annabeth, our cabin can stand guard with the Hephaestus cabin and the Apollo cabin can split up. One group will defend the border and the other can create a diversion."

We all had sneaky smiles on our face as we told the others our plan. Chiron blew the whistle and the games began.