Jarod Lanx (Book 1 of the Jarod Lanx Series)

Chapter One: Little Miss Goat

Nobody wants to be a Half-Blood, luckily for me I've been on my own since I left my dad. I was brought to the underworld, by Nico, who brought me to my father, Hades. I was only thirteen, and he gave me what looked to be a stick of chapstick. Nico showed me how to use it, turn the bottom to the right and it's a sword, to the left and it's whatever hygienic product I need. Clearly my dad wants somebody to be presentable before the Olympians. For a few weeks I was trained on how to use my sword, nicknamed 'Memento Mori' by dad. He said it was latin for 'Remember you will die' fitting for a child of Hades really.

I wake up in my apartment, it's been three months since I left the underworld. I was sent to a school on the east coast, Seabreeze Middle School. I've made a friend, Julia, she always helps stand up for me, always makes sure I can eat, but every other week she disappears for the weekend then returns acting like she never left. I get up, quickly wash my face, use my sword for toothpaste and somehow a toothbrush, and grab my bag for school and start biking. I haven't told anybody yet that I'm a Half-Blood, I don't feel the need to. I reach school, go to class and sit down next to Julia.

"Hey Jarod!" Julia exclaims, "Hi" I respond. As me and Julia chat, a substitute teacher walks in. "Good morning class" she says, "I am your substitute teacher, Miss C". As I sit in my chair, time starts to freeze. I stop hearing the chattering of kids, but Miss C keeps on talking about who she is. I glance at other kids, they have seemed to stop moving, but not Julia or Miss C. "Hey uhm Julia?" I whisper to her, "Yeah?" She whispers back quickly. "Notice anything odd about the kids around us?" I whisper trying to not seem like I'm talking, "Yeah, this is weird" she says before I start noticing something about Miss C, she doesn't appear to have any eyes. She turns to face us, "Hello Jarod, your father left a message for you" she clears her throat. "Julia will help you get to a camp, it's important that you get there in a reasonable time" she says.

 I turn to Julia, staring her down, "I'm assuming you know what this camp is and how to get me there". She nods, stammering her speech a bit "yeah I can get you there". While everybody else is still frozen, I grab my bag and start to leave school with Julia. I take her to my apartment and start packing, I put some food, cash, and a compass in my backpack. "so, where is this camp" I say, trying to hide the anger in my voice. "Long Island South" she says, I stay silent for a second. "Alright, come on, we have many states to go through" I say,  opening the door and starting to walk out. Julia follows, staying a few feet away. I sigh, listen, you're not the reason I'm upset.

"I'm not?" Julia exclaims, a bit confused. "Nah it's my dad and his connections. The substitute, Miss C, I believe was one of the fates. She didn't have any eyes, when you really looked at her she gave off the vibe of she chose destiny, and I've already met her before." I say, in the elevator. "ok, wait you met her?!" She said puzzled, "Yeah, when I was in the Underworld-" I get cut off by Julia, "you were in the Underworld?!?" she yelled. "quiet down" I said, a bit annoyed from her over-reaction. "when I was is the Underworld, I was trained and met the fates, and please don't make it a big deal" I say, pleading with the last part. While we walk out of the elevator and head to a bus station we stay quiet, theres a lot of tension in the air.

We get in a bus thats gonna go about 40 miles up the coast, we sit in the back and trying to break the tension Julia speaks up. "so, uhm you wanna know why I was sent to watch you to take you to the camp?" I take a bit to think then respond, "sure". Julia pops off her fake legs, of-course she was half goat. "I'm a satyr" she hisses, with a bit of difficulty. "I'm trying to become a herbalist for the camp and I need to bring a half-blood to the camp, it's some new laws and regulations required to increase campers" she says.