Let the rain be blood! ( War Game )

The Glamorous World of Sneaky Wound Care (With a Side of Paranoia)

So... I'm bleeding. 

A lot. 

And I can't go back to my cabin. 

Because, well, the only thing worse than an Ares kid with a battle axe is me getting ambushed while I'm trying to bandage myself up.

The moment I stumbled back into the shadows after my fight with the Ares kid, reality set in. My arm was throbbing, blood was still trickling from the cut, and I felt like I'd been run over by a herd of centaurs. Great combo.

But I couldn't risk going back to the Poseidon cabin. That was a prime target, and I was basically a walking neon sign for trouble.

So where do I go?

It hit me then—the Aphrodite cabin. The only group in camp that was 100% out of the game. They were eliminated fast (no surprise there), which meant their cabin was deserted, and I figured—if there was one place in camp that would be stocked with cleaning supplies, bandages, and maybe even a soothing face mask—it would be Aphrodite's place.

Cleanliness is their thing, right? 

There's gotta be some top-notch first aid stuff in there. 

Maybe even a spa treatment or two.

I started moving cautiously, keeping to the shadows. Every step felt like a mission. The camp was eerily quiet, and my nerves were shot, knowing that at any moment I could run into someone else who was still in the game. But the Aphrodite cabin wasn't far.

I darted from tree to tree, my heart pounding, hyper-aware of every sound around me. A branch snapped somewhere in the distance, and I froze, pressing myself against a nearby tree, straining to hear if someone was coming. Nothing. Just the wind. I forced myself to keep moving.

Finally, I spotted it: the pink, sparkling monstrosity that was the Aphrodite cabin.

No one ever said subtlety was their thing.

I didn't waste time admiring the glittering perfection. I made a beeline for the door, slipping inside as quietly as possible. The air inside smelled like a mix of expensive perfume and body lotion—unsurprising. But more importantly, it was empty. No one was around. No threats. Just me and a whole lot of lace pillows.

I headed straight for their bathroom, because if there was anywhere to find first aid supplies, it was in there. Sure enough, the shelves were stocked. It wasn't quite a hospital wing, but they had a ridiculous number of fancy bandages, alcohol wipes, and healing ointments.

Say what you want about Aphrodite kids, but they definitely know how to stay clean. 

Not a bad quality right now.

I sat down on one of the overstuffed vanity chairs and got to work, cleaning the blood off my arm and grimacing as I dabbed at the cut. It wasn't too deep, but it hurt like Hades. I slapped on a couple of their ridiculously decorative bandages—pink, with little gold hearts on them—and tried not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

Nothing says "warrior" like heart-shaped band-aids.

Just as I was about to relax for a second, I heard the floor creak behind me.

I froze. My hand hovered over my sword, but I didn't move. Slowly, I turned my head, heart pounding in my chest, and saw someone standing in the doorway. For a split second, my brain screamed, "Fight!" but then I realized something important.

They weren't attacking. They were standing there, just as tense as I was, eyes wide with the same kind of surprise.

It was one of the Hermes kids—small, scrawny, maybe younger than me. They had a wild look in their eyes, like they hadn't slept in days. Their wristband was still green, which meant they were still in the game. But they weren't making any moves toward me.

We locked eyes, sizing each other up. I could tell by the way their hand hovered near their dagger that they weren't sure if they should attack or not.

Great. 

A standoff.

Neither of us moved. Then, after what felt like an eternity, we both seemed to come to the same silent agreement. We weren't going to fight. Not right now. Not like this.

I gave them a small nod, and they hesitated before nodding back.

Okay, truce it is.

We both turned away, pretending like we didn't just have a silent death-stare competition, and went back to what we were doing. I focused on my bandages, and they slipped further into the cabin, probably looking for their own supplies.

I finished cleaning up and stood, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in. But I knew I couldn't stay here. As tempting as it was to just collapse in one of the ridiculously plush beds, this wasn't the time or place for a nap. Besides, who knew how long that unspoken truce with the Hermes kid would last?

I quietly slipped out of the Aphrodite cabin, casting one last glance at my unexpected cabin-mate. They gave me another small nod as I left, and I returned it.

Good luck, buddy. 

You're gonna need it.

Back outside, the night air was cool against my skin, and I felt slightly better now that I wasn't bleeding all over the place. But the game was still on, and I knew I couldn't let my guard down. The Ares kid had been a wake-up call—things were going to get bloodier from here, and I had to stay sharp.

I crouched low, scanning the camp for any sign of movement. The Hermes kid might've been weak, but the others still out there weren't. Athena, Ares, Hephaestus... they were all still in the game, and I knew I'd have to face them eventually.

Six cabins left. 

It's only going to get harder from here.

I slipped back into the shadows, moving carefully through the camp, my mind already spinning with the next step of my plan. For now, I'd live to fight another day. But tomorrow? Tomorrow I'd have to start thinking about how to win this thing.