The Trials of Camp Half-Blood

Bait and Switch

You ever have that moment when you think you're the smartest person in the room, but then you realize you've just signed up to be the monster's midnight snack?

 Yeah, welcome to my life worst decision...

Why did I even sign up for this...

Or thought it was a good idea?!

After everything that happened with Luke, the group decided it was time to stop playing defense. We needed to figure out who was behind the killings, and since I was apparently the only one who was both stupid and brave enough to volunteer, I became the bait.

Annabeth: Are you sure about this, Percy? It's risky.

Me: Risky? Nah, this is practically a vacation compared to the time I almost got eaten by a Monsters. Plus, I'll have you guys watching my back... right?

Clarisse snorted, not even bothering to hide her amusement.

Clarisse: Don't worry, Jackson. If the killer comes for you, I'll make sure to laugh first before saving your sorry butt.

Me: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Clarisse. Really feeling the love.

The plan was simple, in theory. I'd wander around the camp looking vulnerable—like some helpless demigod waiting to get picked off—while Annabeth, Luke, Clarisse, and whoever else was still standing would hide in the shadows, ready to jump whoever made a move. Of course, this plan relied on me not getting skewered before they could come to my rescue.

You'd think after everything we've been through, I'd be a little more prepared for life-threatening situations. But no. I was walking through the cursed woods with my heart pounding like a drum, sweat dripping down my neck, waiting for some homicidal maniac to make a move. Fun times.

Me: Okay, any time now... Just waiting for a murderer to pop out and—whoa!

I ducked just in time to avoid a knife slicing through the air toward my head. I spun around, Riptide in hand, ready to fight. But it wasn't Luke who stepped out from the shadows.

It was a demigod—one I recognized from the Apollo cabin. His eyes were wild, his face twisted in a way that made it clear something was seriously wrong.

Me: Dude! What the—?!

He lunged at me again, and I barely managed to parry his attack with Riptide. His movements were jerky, almost like he wasn't in control of his own body. I dodged another wild swing, trying to figure out what was going on.

Me: Hey, Apollo kid! Snap out of it!

No response. Just another attempt to slice me into demigod sushi. I realized, with a sinking feeling, that this guy wasn't acting on his own. Someone was pulling the strings.

Annabeth, Clarisse, and Luke burst from the bushes, weapons drawn.

Annabeth: Percy! Are you okay?

Me: Yeah, just another typical night of someone trying to kill me. You?

Annabeth and Luke rushed to subdue the Apollo camper, but even with two of them on him, it was like wrestling a wild animal. Clarisse jumped in, and together they managed to disarm him, pinning him to the ground. His eyes were still wild, like he wasn't seeing us at all.

Clarisse: What's wrong with him?

Annabeth crouched down, her brow furrowed as she examined the camper. She pulled something from his pocket—a small charm, barely noticeable, but glowing faintly with a strange, otherworldly energy.

Annabeth: This isn't good. He's under some kind of spell. Whoever's doing this... they're controlling him.

Me: Mind control? Seriously? As if this wasn't complicated enough.

Luke was staring down at the camper, his expression grim.

Luke: That's why they didn't catch the killer. It's not just one person. Someone's manipulating these campers to do their dirty work.

I looked at the Apollo kid—someone I had trained with, fought beside—and felt a knot of anger and fear twist in my chest. Whoever was behind this wasn't just a killer. They were turning demigods into weapons.

We tied the Apollo camper up, keeping him safe while we tried to figure out our next move. He still hadn't snapped out of it, and we had no idea how long the spell would last. But one thing was clear: the real killer was still out there, pulling the strings.

Annabeth: We need to find the source of this mind control. If we can destroy it, we might be able to stop this before more demigods get hurt.

Me: Right. No pressure, though. Just gotta take down a magical puppet master with a penchant for turning campers into assassins. Totally doable.

Annabeth shot me one of her seriously, Percy? looks, but I could see the worry in her eyes. We were in way over our heads. And with every passing moment, the danger was getting worse.

Luke: We need to move quickly. Whoever's behind this won't stop until we're all dead.

That night, as we took turns keeping watch, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The woods were eerily quiet—too quiet. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig had me on edge. The Apollo camper's wild eyes haunted me, a constant reminder that anyone could be next.

 Great job volunteering to be the bait, Percy. Real genius move.

I was tired—physically, mentally, emotionally—but I couldn't let my guard down. Not now. Not when we were so close to figuring out the truth.

And then I heard it.

A soft rustling, just beyond the tree line. I froze, my hand tightening on Riptide. My heart pounded in my ears as I strained to hear, to see who—or what—was out there.

But nothing came. Just the wind whispering through the trees.

Clarisse: See anything?

Clarisse stepped up beside me, her spear ready, her eyes scanning the shadows.

Me: No... but something's out there. I can feel it.

Clarisse: Let it come. I'm ready.

Me: Yeah, let's just hope it's not another mind-controlled demigod ...you know one of us with a vendetta.

Clarisse gave a grim chuckle, but we both knew this was no laughing matter. Whoever was behind this was getting bolder, more dangerous. And if we didn't find them soon, none of us were going to make it out of these woods alive.

The hunt was on, and this time, we weren't going to let the killer slip away. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into a trap.

Again.