More than surviving (P.Jackson)

chapter 10

-𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 10-

𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔤𝔢 𝔨𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔞 𝔟𝔦𝔤 𝔡𝔬𝔤

Five days they'd been at Camp Half-Blood. Five days the three new campers had been sleeping on little mattresses in the corner of Hermes' Cabin. 

On the first day, Paige had followed Percy out with Chiron, testing out the best things she could do. Apparently, archery was for her. She'd spent most the day getting cheered on by a group of campers from the Athena Cabin at the range, nearly hitting the bullseye every time.

Percy wasn't so lucky.

In every activity they showed him, let's just say they're lucky nothing burned down.

Or, nearly nothing.

Nicholas was nowhere to be seen that day. Not by those two at least. He'd woken up before everyone else and left. 

Luke found him at lunch, bringing him a plate full of food as if he'd known where he was the entire time. They spoke about the real world, the mortal world for little bit. Tv shows, movies. Anything to get his mind off what was happening.

Then the Hermes boy took him to see what 'skills' he had. 

First was archery, Paige had smiled and waved to him, but was bombarded by people crowding her after shooting yet another red dot. 

He wasn't so lucky.

Neither was that boy from Athena's Cabin that was collecting some arrows.

Next was a race. 

A running race.

Turns out he wasn't too bad at running away. 

But Luke said that wasn't something he should spend time praising himself on.

The second day, he was taken to the wrestling ring. Where Percy and Clarisse were tackling each other on the mat. Or, more so Clarisse was tackling Percy. 

Nicholas winced every time the black-haired boy was slammed to the ground, not really liking the idea of doing the same. 

But, as soon as the Jackson was tossed out of the ring, the blond behind him chucked him in, right into the Ares girl's glaring field of vision.

Percy limped over to Luke, cringing a smile as a realised what was about to happen.

"Not so tough now, McCallister?"

Clarisse sneered at him, feigning a step closer, cackling as Nicholas jumped.

He recognised the soft gasp of shock from beside him, seeing his twin now standing next to the others, probably scolding them for letting him go in.

Not as if it was his choice.

Still, everyone in the circle around them waited for one of them to make a move, and it took everything in him to not run for his dear life.

This time, the girl took a step forward, and another, and another, until she was circling him, caging him in.

Percy looked up, almost about to tell Luke to take him out of there, before he heard a quiet yelp and he jerked his head back over to the 'fight'. Clarisse was looming over a fallen body, her sneer still on her lips. 

Nicholas huffed a breath, looking at her from his lower position, and then everywhere else to find an escape.

If only he'd gotten the time.