The Eye of The Storm - 1. Rememberance

CHAPTER 3 Mischief time! (And also, munchies)

Fritz led me to the top of a hill, surrounded by nice, white and elegant Greek columns. The place overlooked the sea and was filled with tables, each covered in a purple tablecloth. There were torches hanging from the columns and, in the middle of the ensemble, a big bronze bowl the size of a bathtub with a roaring fire in it.

"Hello, big ass crack on the floor!" Fritz greets looking down to, unsurprisingly, a big old crack on the floor. "Thank you for not eating us alive today."

The air smells of warm food and there are already some people gathered for the last meal of the day. The Hermes Cabin's Counselor leads me to a table, where there are already some kids gathered.

"Hi guys!" he says. "You won't mind if we have a new recruit, will ya? This is Alison."

"You are that girl!" a girl at the table cries as me and Fritz take our place at the table. "I'm so glad you are okay! That battle sure was tough!"

"But what a sight to behold!" a boy interrupts after taking a sip from a golden goblet. "The way the hellhounds roared, the sharp claws they had...and yet you've managed to hold them at bay with a long stick."

"Glad...you've enjoyed the show." I say awkwardly. "My pleasure."

The table begins to laugh out loud. I laugh too, awkwardly though.

"C'mon, Alison!" Fritz says beating on my back. "Don't be shy! These folks are really awesome. You'll get along really nicely."

"Just one thing, though." A voice at the table whispers. "Don't sit at the other's tables. It's forbidden or something."

Fritz takes his goblet, says "Coke" and takes a big sip from it.

"Man," he says, "I really needed something to hit hard. All the morning I've been drinking only water."

"I'm sick of juice." The girl sighs. "Any suggestions?"

"Kool Aid?"

"I already said I'm sick of juice!"

"Orange squash."

The girl throws a stabbing look of disapproval at the poor soul who dared to say the latter.

"Milk?" asks a voice from the end of the table, from a group of kids who've just arrived.

The girl turns to them and frowns.

"Come on, Taylor!" the voice laughs, a fair-haired boy with a red jumper. "You know it's only a joke!"

Taylor stands up and looks at the boy with fierce look on her face.

"I don't joke with what I drink." She says grinning. "And you should too, Oliver."

Oliver raises his shoulders and sits at the table.

"Guys, guys, not at the dinner table!" Fritz says covering his face with his hands and slowly sliding them across his face downwards. "Only the Ares kids greet themselves like that. Man, I though you guys have manners. Gods, who taught you this?!"

"You." A voice from the table says.

"Fair enough."

The Counselor chuckles rising his shoulders. A beautiful young girl with pastel green skin brings us plates full of roasted meat, rice, steaming hot soup and all sorts of things I've never remembered the look so tasty. It smells nice and the hot steams rising from it make the dish look more appealing. Taylor rubs her hand in excitement as her green eyes glow with joy.

"Man, ribs again, Taylor?" Oliver asks as the plates land gracefully before us.

"Yup! A warrior's appetite needs constant fuel."

A white porcelain bowl with steaming hot noodle soup lands before me. The Counselor's got a big piece of roasted pork ribs with a side of fries and he's already digging in them like crazy. But, despite all the food talk at the dinner table, I don't feel like eating. Instead, I sip water bit by bit from my goblet.

"You aren't eating?" Oliver asks me while trying to reach for the salt on the other end of the table. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." I say. "Just not in the mood for it."

"Guys," a husky voice from the table speaks up, "this time we didn't come last at the Cabin Inspection."

"This calls for a celebration!" a girl shouts happily. "Things are finally improving around here!"

"So, Alison," Taylor begins, "where are you from?"

"I-I can't remember." I reply. "I've been in a coma for two days and since I've woken up, I can't remember anything. It's like someone wiped my memories with a sponge."

"Weird." Oliver says with his mouth full of rice. He swallows and then continues. "And who cared for you, a certain Noah Lewis?"

"I guess so. He was the first person I saw after I woke up."

Fritz sighs.

"Pity." The Counselor says bitterly. "He's putting too much effort, if you're asking me. If I were in his position, I would dedicate myself to training and combat. For a demigod who received such a spectacular claiming, it's a pity they try to dedicate themselves to healing."

"I heard his mother was a nurse, so that's probably stuck within his principles." Taylor adds. "Nevertheless, it's odd that a son of the mighty lord of war Ares chose to follow this path."

I stare blankly into the bowl of soup. The noodles seem to me like tiny earthworms drowning in a golden warm lagoon. With this, I announce that I've lost my appetite. I stand up from the table and prepare to leave.

"You ok, Alison?" Fritz asks. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the cabin." I say. "Sorry, guys, but I don't feel so good. The doctor said I should take some rest."

Fritz looks at me and smiles.

"Very well then." The Counselor says. "Well join soon. Just don't forget to make your offering to the gods."

"How?"

"Just dump a portion of your food into the bronze brazier." Taylor says. "And say your prayers. It's as simple as that. Our parents love the smell of burnt munchies."

I approach the bronze brazier, AKA the big bronze bathtub in the middle of the Dinning Pavilion, with intense care, as not to spill the noodle soup in the bowl. I have no idea whether the soup is going to extinguish the flames or make them stronger. I take a deep breath and utter under my breath:

"Um...Lord Hermes...Mighty Hermes?"

The flames remain silent. Neither the slow crackling of the wood inside the bronze brazier discerns any answer.

"I-I don't think you know who I am." I say whispering. "My name is Alison. Thanks for letting me stay in your cabin. Your kids are awesome and you should be proud of them. Thank you."

I dump my noodle soup in the brazier and leave the pavilion in silence.