Cassie and Luke's sparring session was then interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and Cassie whipped around, irritation clear on her face, "What in Hades do you w-" she was cut short realising it was Annabeth Chase, a friend of her and Luke. "hi, Annabeth." Cassie tried her best not to sound as agitated as she felt at being disturbed. She never got 1 on 1 time with her brother, and Annabeth was part of the reason why.
"Hi. Chiron wants Luke - new camper he wants to talk to him about." Cassie's interest was piqued; she waited for her instructions, but none came. Great. As per usual. Overlooked.
Cassie decided, as Annabeth left with Luke, to take the initiative. She'd be helpful.
Cassie found the infirmary covered in half light, ambrosia on the bed side table. That was odd. Sneaking in without an injury was hard enough, frankly, and to have the infirmary off colour, as if in use, felt like an insult. As if it was saying "you're not needed here."
Refusing to accept defeat, Cassie took a few steps further in, only to promptly drop her sword with a thud. A pair of brilliant blue eyes were watching her. "Oh my gods-" Cassie muttered internally, wondering if this was one of those weird optical illusions - like the mist was for mortals.
The eyes were the kind of blue that you couldn't stare at for too long, or you'd feel as if they were the sky in summer, or the ice on the lake in winter, or the restless tides in fall. Was this the first signs of mental illness? What was wrong with her?
The blue eyes seemed to mist over and then flutter closed.
Huh.
So this was completely normal.
A part of Cassie pulled her to pretend this had never happened and run as fast as she could in the opposite direction, but she swallowed that down momentarily, deciding to examine this mystery.
The boy had pale skin, making her pale brown look shades darker in comparison. He also had messy blonde curls, which Cassie desperatley wanted to detangle. And a dazed frown on his face, too.
The new camper.
And on his bedside, behind the ambrosia, sat a minatour horn.
Oh, gods.
He couldn't have..could he?
Cassie watched his sleeping form with a new found curiosity, and took a step closer, only to spring back - "Mom? Where's my mom? Demon..teachers." the new camper muttered.
No one scared Cassandra Castellan, much less when they were half asleep.
Cassandra was liking this boy less and less by the minute.
It was then Cassandra's instincts took over and she got the Hades out of there.
That was too weird. Too weird for her, anyway.
Cassandra mindlessly ended up at the door to cabin 11, mulling over what she'd heard the freaky blue-eyed boy say. He'd clearly lost his mom. Cassandra grit her teeth - no matter if you drooled when you slept (how had she even noticed that)? - or spoke gibberish in your sleep - or scared the wits out of Cassandra Castellan - you didn't deserve to lose your mom. No one did.
And..demon teacher? Probably a monster in disguise. Or maybe he was just clinically insane.
After these few moments of consideration, Cassie shoved the worn door to open, weaving through the piles of campers that seemed to increase day by day, she swore up and down, to her bunk, just above Luke's.
Campers parted slightly to let Cassie through, and although she was grateful, this was simply the hiearchy in cabin 11 at its finest.
Although she was certainly on the younger side, the girl had certainly been at camp longer than some of the counsellors, and was the supposed sister of the camp's golden boy - Luke Castellan, so she'd earnt her reputation and respect.
Luke poked his head into the cabin and eyes seemed magnetically drawn to him - "Lights out, eleven!" he called, and Cassie rolled her eyes at his authoritative tone. She didn't buy it at all. Despite that, she laid back in her bank, her mind regurgitating those startling blue eyes over and over again as she slipped into a restless slumber.
Cassie woke, her mattress as lumpy as she remembered it, though light hadn't touched the sky yet. Huh. That was unlike her. Usually, Cassie slept in, so being up before sunrise in summer was plain preposterous.
The Stoll Twins? Cassie scowled at the mere thought of some of the pranks they pulled on her ever since she was 7. It was revolting behaviour really.
However, Cassie extended her arms to stretch, and found she couldn't.
"What the-" a blood curdling scream escaped her before she could think.
A huge serpent with golden eyes that she could feel, quite literally, burning her skin, was wrapped around her entire body, binding her in its inescapable coils.
Cassandra simply couldn't stop screaming, her skin burning where the serpent's golden eyes were glaring into her, unable to move.
The serpent seemed to be slithering up Cassie's throat, constricting her screams. "HELP!" She screamed, tears burning the backs of her eyes, blinding her as she sobbed. "PLEASE! ANYONE! GODS HELP ME! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO TO BEG FOR! HELP ME! LUKE! LUKE!" her voice was raw and broken as she screamed. "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. I-I don't wanna die." Cassie's voice softened, broken and raw as tears she couldn't swipe away trickled down her face, tainting her neck as she choked. "I-I don't wanna die..please, don't let me die..plea-"
Cassie's eyes opened, and the scream she issued would've woken everyone on Long Island, had she not covered her mouth.
Not knowing what else to do, Cassie buried her head between her legs, sobbing quietly, trying to soothe herself.
She couldn't stay here, when her throat still hurt from the screaming, her eyes stained with the tears, the burning on her skin very much real. When she could still feel the coils around her neck..
Cassandra didn't remember being stood inside the infirmary, yet there she was, tears flowing freely. The light only half appeared, and she was pretty sure most other campers were sleeping.
Which meant she finally had space to herself. She didn't exactly know what she'd do with this space but she knew she needed it.
Cassandra slumped in her seat, the one she'd claimed 5 years ago, clinging to Luke as he was claimed by Hermes. And she waited for her time, waiting for the same recognition. It never came.
The girl sat, trying to stifle her sobs and failing, when a tentative voice spoke, "Are you..crying?"
Cassie's head shot up, "W-what?" she swiped her tears and tried to look imposing.
Of course. The new camper. She'd forgotten.
"Are you crying?" the voice responded, softening slightly.
"No." Cassie replied, sniffling slightly, though she lifted her chin,
"I'm pretty sure you're crying."
"And I'm pretty sure you have no idea where you are or who I am."
"So we're even."
"That's not what I said."
YOU ARE READING
§MIDNIGHT RAIN§
Fanfiction//"He was sunshine. I was midnight rain."// IN WHICH A GIRL OF MANY SECRETS MEETS A BOY OF MANY STUPID DECISIONS.
