The tragedy of Will Solace

More question than answers

- For fuck's sake! - Lisa stormed into the cabin. - I'm going to murder them!

Everyone was in there. They were waiting for Lisa to return from the counselors' meeting and give them a full report (for practical reasons and not at all because of the gossip, of course). Will was in his bed, reading Charlotte's Web.

Lisa immediately noticed her mistake and turned red.

- Gods! I'm so sorry - she was looking at Will in particular. She took a deep breath - Sorry guys. It was an... interesting meeting.

Tamara was trying her best but failing to control her laughter, while David was behind her, dying from second-hand embarrassment.

- Come here - said Michelle - sit and tell us what happened. - she moved to the right and patted her bed with her left hand.

- Preferably without murdering anyone - snarked Carmen.

Lisa sat and let out a huge sigh.

- Annabeth again and her obsession with the quests. I don't know how many times Chiron has to tell her that we are NOT sending anyone on quests at the moment, but she keeps insisting and insisting.

- Well, you can't really blame her - intervened Louis. He rarely ever spoke, so Will paid special attention. - she's been stuck here since she was seven, has never left, not even during the winter holidays... I'd be going a little insane too if I was her.

- Yes, but after what happened with Henry! And what about Callie, that was her sister! And Luke! He barely survived! - Will had never seen Lisa so upset, not even on the day of his arrival.

- That quest was not even a real quest! If it wasn't for Luke's father... - Louis looked furious.

Everyone in the room went quiet. Nobody dared to speak for what seemed like an eternity. Louis took a deep breath.

- I'm sorry Lisa, I shouldn't have yelled. - He approached her and sat on her left side. - I just think ... I don't know. I don't agree with Chiron's solution. Last year's quest was a mistake. What was even the point? The stupid apple, not talking to the oracle... - he shook his head. - My point is... gods, I don't even know what my point is anymore.

- Maybe - tried Michelle - and you can correct me if I'm wrong Louis, that Annabeth is not really the person you are mad at, Lisa.

Louis gave Michelle a thankful glance. Lisa relaxed and placed her head on his shoulder.

- I know. I don't blame Annabeth. I'm just tired of having the same discussion over and over. Chiron is clearly hiding something, everyone is on edge, and wondering what we are going to do before the end of the summer. Tony even dared propose we bring back the Chariot Races...

- Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations! - screamed Mateo from his bed. Now it was his turn to be furious, and angry Mateo was the weirdest thing Will had ever seen (yes, that included the multiple monsters he now knew existed). It was like a teddy bear with a bloody knife in its paw. It just didn't go together. - Three deaths and twenty-fucking - six mutilations is how much it took to get those things canceled. I'm not going back!

- No, we shot that down, don't worry. - Lisa smiled. It was still a worried smile, but Will figured it meant her mood was improving. - I don't know. At least Chiron is going to talk to Annabeth in private. Maybe that will put this discussion to rest.

The cabin turned silent again. Nobody knew how to carry the conversation. Luckily, Aida saved them.

- Okay, not to be annoying but, you promised. What is going on between Park and Simone?

That got a laugh out of everyone.

- Ok, let's go get dinner people, and I'll tell you everything, but if anybody asks, it wasn't me!

Will, as per usual after these types of conversations, couldn't avoid but think about everything he had just heard. Why would someone want to go on purpose on a dangerous adventure? And Luke's quest... Louis made it sound as if there was something else going on. Also, what was that about the Chariot races? What, the super dangerous woods, the night harpies, the lava wall,  and the deadly capture the flag games weren't enough? He thought about asking Michelle. After all, they had a deal about being honest with each other. He would do it later tho. She looked pretty shaken up herself. He would just keep his mind open until having all the facts.

That wasn't the only thing he was thinking of. The summer was about to end, at least for him. School in Texas started in late August. The bead ceremony was just two weeks away. He thought about everything that had happened between his arrival at camp and now. It all felt like a lifetime away. How could he just go about his life? But his mom... the last time he had seen her, they had barely any time to really talk to each other. They had exchanged e-mails thanks to Chiron, but it wasn't the same thing. Besides, he couldn't tell her everything. She didn't know about Apollo.

He remembered his conversation with Chiron on the subject, one afternoon after he helped him send her a message.

- Sir, can I ask you a question?

- You can call me Chiron, Will, and yes, of course.

- Why does Oscar's mom know about the gods, but not my mom?

Chiron took a while to answer.

- Some mortals see better through the Mist than others and are therefore able to see the truth. As for the ones that don't... some can handle it better than others. For some, it is a simple fact. For others, it is a terrible revelation that could drive them insane.

Will went pale. Insane? He did not want to put his mom at risk.

- But, how can you tell? I mean, how can you tell how it will affect them?

Chiron looked at him directly, silently, for what felt like an eternity. Those deep brown eyes were the only reminder that the centaur had lived for thousands of years.

- There's no real answer William. If the moment ever comes when you have to choose, you will have to trust your instinct and take a risk.

- But, you talked to her right? About me maybe coming here? When she mentioned a Mr. Brunner...

Chiron smiled.

- Yes, that was me. After Hedge realized Oscar was not the only demigod at the school, he was worried about leaving you. Yes, you are young, but the monsters already knew there was a demigod, and they don't get easily tired. I used my alias to try to sell this Camp as a summer program for kids with learning difficulties.

That explained why his mom was so against the Camp originally and hadn't told him anything about it: he hadn't been diagnosed with anything before going there, and his mom was sensitive about that stuff.

- And, what did you think of her? If you were me, would you tell her, sir?

Chiron made no comments about the "sir". He just smiled, sadly.

- A phone call is not enough to get to know everything about a person, Will.

- Well, not for most people, but... you are Chiron. You know a lot about people.

- Thanks for the compliment, Will, - there was a sadness in his voice as if he didn't believe it himself -but all I have learned in all my years of existence is this: people change, and they can always surprise you.

Not really the answer Will was looking for, but he understood: Chiron was not going to give him the solution.

All Will had now were questions, and he didn't know what to do. He wished he was older. His siblings didn't look as lost. He had no idea what he was going to do once he got back home.

Two weeks.

He still had time to think.