Mostly Normal: Hearts and Spades

Chapter Fifteen: Wypadek

Maxine stomped into the cabin and then immediately got quieter when she saw a woman, teenager, more realistically, asleep in her brother's bed. She ran over to the sleeping son of Nemesis and shouted, "What on Olympus are you doing?"

Nero jolted awake and looked around the room, flailing as he tried to hit his sister.

"I was sleeping, okay?" he shouted sleepily, "Leave me alone!"

Maxine stepped out of range. "Who is sleeping with you?"

"Huh?" then Nero glanced at the teenager on his bed. "Oh, that's Sara," he shrugged, "we're friends. She was a cat though..." his voice trailed off thoughtfully, then he shrugged again and said, "No matter. Why are you bugging me?"

"I wanted to tell you that Aaron and I are going to find Mom. Her mom I mean. Not ours," Maxine said before she turned on her heel and walked out of the cabin, just as loudly as she had entered.

Nero blinked. Why was Maxine acting so strangely? She wasn't usually this grumpy! He rolled out of bed, cursing his sister for waking him up, then glanced at Sara. Should he wake her? She looked so peaceful sleeping there, so Nero was tempted to leave her alone. But then he thought about how angry she'd get with him if he left her alone in his cabin. He sighed and shook her shoulder. "Sara," he said, "it's morning."

Sara yawned and batted at Nero's hand sleepily. "Mew," she murmured (or that's what Nero thought she'd said). Nero grinned. "You're acting like a cat again, Sara," he smirked. Her eyes blinked open. She yawned again. "Was I?" she asked, sitting up, "Do you want me to be a cat?"

He shrugged. "Could be easier," he said, "otherwise people will look at you funny. This is a camp for Greek demigods, not Egyptian magicians."

"Gotcha," Sara winked, then morphed into a lithe calico. "Mew," she said, sitting on her haunches and looking expectantly at Nero. He realized what she wanted and his dark eyes grew wide. "Ohh no," he muttered, "you seriously want me to...no way."

The cat hissed. Nero sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just this once," he sighed, "and try not to shed on my T-shirt, okay?"

He picked Sara up gingerly, wrapping his arms around the thin girl-cat.

Nero walked out of the cabin with Sara curled up in his arms, she was purring and insisted on putting her neck on his arm so that he could feel the vibrations coursing through her body.

Suddenly, as they got closer to the middle of camp, Sara shuddered, her form began to grow and before the once cat was standing as a girl in the middle of camp. Nero felt his face grow red and hot as he stared at his friend, she was wearing bright blue linen clothing and had a wooden box strapped to her back. "Sara!" Nero yelled angrily, as power started to rise around them.

Sara turned toward him, her eyes wide. "No, don't," she cried, and Nero tried to shove his power back inside, but it wouldn't cooperate. In a panic, Nero spun around and redirected his bolt of power--right into someone. That, someone, screamed and collapsed.

Nero was breathing hard. His eyes were wide. What had he done? Who had he cursed? He ran over to the person's side...and nearly collapsed himself.

Lying unconscious on the ground was none other than Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades. Nero sobbed. "What have I done?" he whispered.

A hand rested on his shoulder. "He's not dead, is he?" Sara asked worriedly. Nero took a deep breath and shook his head. "He's alive," he said quietly, still trying not to hyperventilate, "but...but he's cursed."

Sara knelt next to Nico and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "How is he cursed?" she murmured, "He looks fine to me, except for the fact that he's unconscious."

Nero hung his head. Guilt gnawed at his stomach. "The dreams," he muttered, "horrible dreams. I cursed Maxine, my sister, like that once. This time was an accident. I'm s-s-sorry!" he buried his head in his hands, shaking with sobs. Sara put her arm around him. "Jeez, dude. It's fine," she said, "He'll be fine. Don't worry!"

"Bu-but he may not be! I didn't use all that powerful magic when I cursed Maxine and I've never done it to anyone else that's come out alive!" Nero sobbed into his hands. He felt a tender hand on his shoulder as he was pulled away from where Nico was lying.

Will Solace walked over and cradled his best friend, waiting for one of the other Apollo kids to come over and help move the small Italian to the infirmary. Several of the other campers stared at Nero with either confusion or disgust written upon their faces.

Nero took another steadying breath and tried to ignore the glares from other campers. Sara was still cradling him, so he pushed away, embarrassed. She stood up and gave him an odd look: pity? Or maybe even fear.

Nero wiped his face and gazed at Nico's still form. He felt terrible about what had happened.

Another hand rested on Nero's shoulder. He looked up. It was a teenage boy, maybe fifteen or sixteen, with blond hair and electric blue eyes. He looked familiar. Nero had to scramble for a name but eventually remembered. "Jason Grace."

Jason nodded. "That's me," he said softly, "Hey, man, I know you didn't mean to do that. Don't beat yourself up, okay? Will," he called to the son of Apollo, "maybe we should take Nero to the infirmary too. He's in shock."

Will nodded and stood up, his brother Gilbert helping him carry the unconscious son of Hades to the infirmary while Jason helped Nero. Sara followed close behind her friend, staying far away from Jason.