Blame Aphrodite - SAMPLE-

Mr. Gibby

The next morning, I woke up to a burly man screaming in my face which was much harsher than my stout partner. And much earlier in the morning.

I groaned and threw myself off of the cot, anything to make his shouting stop.

"A simple 'Everett, wake up' would have sufficed, Gibby," I groaned and lifted the flap on the tent to see that the sun hadn't even risen. "What time is it?"

"Five in the morning,"

"You woke me up at five? What is wrong with you?" I shuffled around and tried to find my pants. "I wake up at seven at the earliest."

"Not anymore. Mr. Price said five to start training."

I slipped into my pants and as I buttoned them, I mocked my guard.

"Do you do everything he says?"

"That is what he pays me for, does he not?"

"You know what? You can kiss my-," Before I could finish my sentence, a clammy hand wrapped around my mouth, pulling me backward.

"Just do as he says, Everett. They already have me cleaning the latrines." Peter scolded and then released me roughly. "I only came to retrieve my things." He said to Gibby.

"For what?" I asked, confused.

"Peter no longer sleeps in this tent." He answered calmly.

"You can't just do that."

"Mr. Price's orders,"

Too baffled to even form sentences, I started gathering my things into my satchel. I placed it over my head and as I tried to walk out of the tent, Gibby stopped me.

"You won't confine me inside this tent." I hissed.

"I'm not going to confine you in this tent. You can go outside," I sighed in relief, and as I pushed passed him he spoke, "to the group gathering tent."

"For what?"

"Training." He hissed back before leading me to the tent. When we made it inside, people scattered around the old tables all stopped and stared at me.

I wasn't sure if there was something on my face or if maybe my pants were still unbuttoned. Perhaps it had everything to do with Gibby sending the entire campsite to search for me last night.

For the most part, when it was Peter who was to watch me, my adventures were kept between me, Peter, and my father. This time, my affairs were pretty much on display. Now, I would have everyone watching me at all times. How fair was that?

"What are we doing here?" I asked as he forced me down into a chair. My temper flared up every time he put his hand on me. As if he had the right.

"You will read this book. Take notes and soak up as much of it as you can because you'll be tested afterward."

I laughed, pushing the book out of my face. "I'm not reading that."

"Your father said you always had your nose in a book. So put your nose in this book," He forced it in my face again. I snatched it out of his hands and opened up to a random page. "From the beginning,"

I gave him a forced smile that was laced with nothing short of acids and poisons before I flipped to the beginning.

***

After four long hours of reading and being tested on useless information, Gibby finally let me take a break. Of course, I passed all the tests with flying colors because war strategy had been shoved down my throat since I was a little boy. I think Gibby must've thought he had me worn down because he allowed me to walk back to my tent alone during my break.