Austin Cooper 1: Son of Athena

Just friends... Right?

My eyes slowly began to open. They felt heavy, and I was tempted to slip back into blissful unconscious but I forced them open instead.

  By brain felt fuzzy and calm as if I had just had a relaxing afternoon, but it seemed almost too good to be true.

Only once my eyes fully adjusted to the light did I realize I am once again in the infirmary. Bright beams of light shone through the windows and I turned my stiff neck to look outside as best as I possibly can. It was a beautiful day outside, and I wondered for a moment why I was spending it inside.

  Satyrs and demigods played volleyball in the sand pit and tree nymphs were hanging out in the forest. I could hear a chorus of laughter and talking only slightly through the window, and I felt my chest ache in a desire to run out and join them.

It was then that I finally chose to look down at my ankle to see a light blue cast wrapped around it. People had already started signing it, and all the memories decided to flood back and punch me in the gut.

The quest. Bella. Bones.

Everything that seemed so hazy in my mind only a few seconds ago sharply came into focus and I realized that it was not a dream, but my reality. I started to panic when I realized that I had no way of telling how long I've been out, and my chest rose and sank quickly with my short breaths when a voice calmed me.

   "I'm sorry, but he's still asleep," the soft voice said to my left, and I calmed at the realization that someone else was in the room. I turned my head to see Bella standing at the doorway facing away from me.

    Five young campers, including Tommy, stood at the door looking at her with big puppy dog eyes. I recognized all of them from mine and Bella's sword training classes.

   Ellie Hunter, a daughter of Aphrodite with pink streaks in her two light brown braids.
  Chloe Reid, a daughter of Demeter with fiery red hair.
   Cody Fisher, son of Apollo who is basically a human flashlight.
   Dylan Mayer, son of Hephaestus, a human torch.
And my younger brother Tommy Waverly.

   They all looked at Bella with upset pouts on their faces, and I wondered how Bella had the power to say no to them. "When will he wake up?" Dylan asked, playing with the end of his camp shirt and rocking back and forth on his feet.

  Bella kneels down to his level, I had seen her do this when she talked to my younger sister Christy before. I don't know how she does it, but she seemed to talk easily with younger kids. "I don't know sweetie, but I will tell you when he does. Now go play," she said softly to him, a kind smile on her face as she ruffled his hair endearingly.

Once they had all turned and left, Bella closed the door with a sigh.

  She looked tired, like she had been staying up all night (which she probably has), but she looked so much healthier than she had when I last saw her in chains that it was almost unbelievable.

Though, when I looked down at her wrist I could still see faint irritated red marks from pulling on her chains. She seemed aware of them as well because her fingers kept ghosting over the marks as if she still felt the cold weight of the manacles holding her down. She then ran her hand through her dark curls of hair in an attempt to keep them occupied. For a moment I wondered if she was too busy fidgeting to notice me watching her, but the minute her head turned our eyes locked.

"Austin!" She squealed and tackled me with a hug. I laugh and hugged her back weakly. When we pulled apart I looked into her sea green eyes.