You Will Always Be The One (Jeyna)

Chapter Five

I sat glumly under a tree by the strawberry fields while the sky overhead danced with the heat of the sun. One hazy afternoon it was. Yet it was still the same day when the two favored monsters along with their minions had appeared, apparently to take revenge on these Demeter kids, one of which I saved during the nasty encounter.

I lazily watched kids playing around the fields. Thirty yards away, few mischievous kids from the Hermes cabin had started picking on satyrs, who busied themselves panpiping the plants. One satyr who wore a particularly grim expression was their first victim yet. The satyr had just finished panpiping to a patch of field and was moving on to the next patch when suddenly a boy with brown curls dressed in green baggy clothes with matching green hat (he looks awfully similar with Luigi) yanked the tail of the poor half goat who screamed in pain, half bleating. The boy signaled for the Hermes girl with spiky, blonde hair. She threw a candy straight into the satyr's mouth. The satyr's expression turned funny, and he started leaping away, holding his stomach. Even from a distance, I could hear the discharge of flatulence and on every landing he left a sickly green smoke.

On the other hand, some demigods volunteered to patrol the perimeter of the camp in case the enemies decided for a comeback. According to their reports, it is highly unlikely. But it was only the second thing I was worried about.

I was worried how Jason knew I had feelings for him. All of these feelings got so mixed up I became a hurricane of emotions. I am afraid, in love, curious, confused, distraught, hesitant all at the same time. More than ever I became hesitant of confessing my feelings. I sense... conflict. And it would be appreciated if I could avoid that. But then I couldn't choose evasion of conflict over Jason. These clues he laid in front of me are very, should I say, promising.

A sweat trickles from my forehead down to my chin. I know I can't lose him the second time. I wiped the sweat with a clean handkerchief and stood up, still preoccupied. Twigs snapped behind me. I whirled around, startled from my reveries. With an unfocused gaze, I scanned the surroundings- nothing but the wind and the swaying of branches. As I turned to go, I relaxed. Nothing can go unnoticed in this world-class security, not even a grain of sand. I took a step.

Die.

Okay, maybe not so world-class. Out of the corner of my eye, a flash glinted briefly and a blade came hurtling towards my direction. I tried to draw my gladius, but that single word she uttered seems to have paralyzed me. I felt the urge not to draw my weapon and let it strike me. I willed myself to pull the gladius from its sheath, succeeded, except halfway through drawing it the Celestial bronze had already embedded itself in my side.

Pain exploded and coursed through me, making me vulnerable and an easy prey to capture and kill. I stumbled once. Twice. And finally fell on to my other side, my hand quivering as it hovered over the deeply-wounded flesh. Breathing became labored and moving impossible. The sun was in my eyes and it burned on my skin. I gasped and wheezed, my senses dull. A shadow engulfed me, bringing comfort away from the sun and dread from the predator. I saw colors changing... like... like a...

I drowned in the swirl of colors, mesmerized and disgusted at the same time. In a moment, flashing knives were zipping over me, my offender fleeing, boys from the Hermes cabin on her heels, throwing fart bombs while they're at it. One was going back to the crowd hysterically crying for help and ended up sending fart missile into the air exploding into SOS. I've never been so sick in my whole life.

"It's going to be alright." The Hermes girl stroked my face with her thumb and smiled. The physical contact made me flinch. Three boys who chased the still-mysterious-girl-who-attempted-to-murder-me appeared from the bushes nearby. The one apparently leading them shook his head. I guess the ultimate fart bombs didn't work. My vision blurred. The last memory that came to me was the swirl of colors.

Like.... like a....

I slowly drifted from consciousness.

Like a kaleidoscope.