Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief - Silena Beauregard's POV -

Climbing and Newspapers {Chapter 10}

I headed to the climbing wall since that was my next activity of the day. When I got there the Demeter cabin was there along with my cabin. Our instructor was one of the satyrs who I could never remember the name of.

    "I am Hopper and I will be your instructor today," the satyr announced. Hopper. Yes. That was his name. "I don't really know you kids too well since I am new at this job so if you wanna introduce yourselves, be my guest," he said, looking sternly at us.

    I looked around. Of course I knew everyone in my cabin. From the Demeter cabin there was Katie Gardner, the head counsellor. I know her from counsellor meetings. There were the two full-blooded sisters, Cassidy and Caitlyn Willow. Cassidy was older than Caitlyn but not by much. I didn't know them too well. I mean, I haven't ever talked to them. But I knew a bit about them. There was one other boy from the Demeter cabin that I didn't know but no one else was trying to introduce themselves so I didn't try to speak with him.

    "So I guess you don't want to introduce yourselves," Hopper said, looking at all of us who were just standing there. "So, it's time to start the races. First will be Lacy against Katie."

    They lined up at the base of the climbing wall which started spewing lava. Have I mentioned the wall has lava coming out of it? And that if you don't make it to the top fast enough, the sides will slam together and crush you or send you flying? Either way, you will end up in the infirmary. Or dead, but we try not to think about that.

    "Ready, set, go!" Hopper called out.

    They started climbing up the wall and Katie was in the lead. Her cabin was cheering her on and our cabin was cheering for Lacy. When Katie got about a third of the way up, lava started spewing above her. She looked up and started climbing as fast as she could to the side. Having to move to the side instead of up gave Lacy an advantage and she got ahead. My siblings and I cheered louder.

    Suddenly the walls started shaking and everyone began yelling urgently trying to encourage them to get up faster so that they wouldn't be crushed. Lacy kept climbing but Katie was close behind her. The walls were shaking more violently now. Any second and the walls would slam together and crush them. Katie caught up and they were neck in neck, scurrying up the last five feet. They made it up together and three seconds later, the walls slammed together.

    "Close one, girls," Hopper called up to them. "I didn't see who made it up first, so we will call it a tie."

    The girls slid down on the smoother part of the rock and joined their cabins.

    "Next up," Hopper began, "Silena against Cassidy."

    We lined up, getting into a running position.

    "Ready. Set. Go!" Hopper yelled as we rushed to the wall.

    I started climbing up the wall. I scanned above me to see where the best footholds were. I found a lot of strong ones so I climbed towards them. I placed my hand on a ledge but it crumbled out under my weight. I hung there, dangling. I looked down at how high I was. I saw Cassidy getting closer to me so I swung back up and found a different ledge to place my hand in.

    I continued climbing but a big stream of lava suddenly poured out above me. I moved to the side but I could still feel the intense heat on my skin. My eyes stung from the heat. I paused for a moment to catch my breath but I wish I hadn't. Cassidy was very close to me now. If I had one more detour, I would lose.
    I suddenly heard rocks crumble beside me. I looked over at Cassidy and saw her slide down the wall a bit. She landed on her foot in a not-very-good way, yelped in pain, and fell. I reached my hand out for her but she was too far away. I watched as she fell, trying to grab onto the wall. At the bottom, I saw our teacher preparing to catch her. She fell into his arms and he stumbled, barely keeping from dropping her. I saw she was as okay as she could be having fallen from that height so I continued my climbing.