Fragmented Trajectory (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction) A Continuation

Chapter one: Modern Muse

The arrow thunks into the permeable flesh of the target, buried up to an inch. The feathers quiver slightly, the shock of impact still resonating up the length of the shaft.

I close my eyes a moment, letting the bow dip towards the ground, held loosely in both hands.

The shaking's finally stopped, at least.

Images flicker on the inside of my eyelids, moving faster than a film reel, too fast for me to make out. But I know them by heart. My reoccurring nightmare that's woken me up in a cold sweat too many times to count in the past few months.

Ah, I shouldn't be worrying about this right now. I came to the range to forget; what I'm doing now is counterproductive in some way, I'm sure.

Taking in a deep breath, I raise the bow again, flip an arrow from the quiver on my back nock it in one fluid motion. The tension in the string, the curve of the bow beneath my timid fingers, pressure of my thumb at the corner of my mouth. All familiar, all soothing to nerves frayed from a morbid dreamscape.

I pull the string taut, hold it for a breath, a heartbeat, then let it fly.

Another bulls-eye.

I'm reaching for a third arrow when I hear, "Lyra!"

While instinct calls for a sharp turnaround and a lethal arrow sent spiralling through the air, I push aside the temptation and cast a look over my shoulder, my mouth twitching up into a smile when I see the familiar blonde curls peeking out from around Cabin 7, a pair of stormy gray eyes narrowed in irritation shadowed beneath them. His blonde brows are furrowed, knit tighter together than a grandmother's unwanted Christmas sweater.

It's an expression I am all too used to.

"Hey, Jasper, what's up?" I nock another arrow while waiting for him to saunter over from the cabin, hitting somewhere just above the bulls-eye before he reaches me, his childish scowl unchanged, brows still super-glued together.

"What's up" - he places his hands on his hips, stepping directly into my line of fire so that I'm forced to drop the bow if I don't wish to scewer him - "is that you're going to be late for dinner if you don't hurry it up."

I cock a brow. "It's that late already?" Ah, so it is. I shade my eyes, looking past the treetops of the darkened forest to the flaming sky beyond them. The sun's well on its way to setting; just how long have I been out here? "Well, alright. But just let me get changed first; I'm all sweaty from practice."

"I don't exactly see why you need to practice," Jasper huffs, trailing behind me as I collect my fallen arrows and shuffle around to the front of my glittering cabin. "Apollo's kids are naturally gifted; I've never once seen any of you miss."

"Exactly" - I abruptly spin around to pointedly jab my finger into his chest, causing him to unexpectedly stumble backwards - "because that is a result from all our practice. You're just never around to see it, Mr. Unreasonably Intelligent Trousers."

I can practically hear the eye-roll in his voice when he says, "You're fifteen and this is the best insult you can come up with?" but I ignore it as I slip inside the cabin, dodging my bustling brothers and sisters until I'm able to kneel beside my bunk. I snatch a set of clean clothes, fight my way into our disasterously too-small bathroom, then practically fall out the door, only to have Jasper "heroically" catch me before I end up with a mouthful of worms for dinner.

"Oh, before I forget, you're still performing at the bonfire tonight, right?"

I shove my hands into my shorts pockets, my eyes lifted to watch the last fiery remnants of the sun, though I'm sure Jasper's aware I'm still paying due attention to him. He would whine if it were otherwise, despite being the oh-so-wise son of Athena. "Mm," I hum my agreement, swallowing back my chirpy excitement. The bonfire. Is there anything more wonderful in this demigod world of ours? It isn't just that the Apollo kids dominate the mood-fire; it's that it's an unrivaled chance for me to let loose with the one thing I love more than archery.