Breaking Black Hearts

Chapter 2

Trigger warnings: flashbacks/talk of sexual assault.

Anita's POV

"Welcome to where?" Andy asked.
"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood." The blonde said again. "The camp for kids that are half human and half god. What lead you here?"
"What lead me here," said Andy, "was a green trident."
"And for me," I said, "what lead me here was a moon."
The blonde looked at me immediately when I said moon.
"A moon?" The guy with black hair finally spoke.
"Yes." I said, growing suspicious of the two strangers.
With a look of puzzlement, he turned to the blonde.
"Excuse us for a moment," the blonde one said politely. They retreated into the back of the farmhouse, but we could still hear their muffled voices.
"What do you think their problem is?" I asked. "And what did they mean when they said "half god?"
"I don't know," Andy shrugged. "But the one with black hair is kinda cute."
I smirked.
"What?" Andy asked defensively.
"Oh nothing." I said.
He looked at me. "So what? I think someone is cute? Sue me."
I laughed and shook my head. The two guys came back out, and they were looking at me weirdly. Well, the blonde was. The smaller boy was smirking at Andy. Must've heard us.
"So, um..." The blonde said looking at us expectantly.
"Oh! I'm Andy," Andy pointed to himself. "And this is Anita."
The blonde took a deep breath, and clasped his hands together. "Okay. Well, Andy, it looks like you have been claimed by Poseidon. Nico," he pointed to the boy Andy thought was cute, "is going to take you to Chiron, and he'll give you a video presentation about what is going on." Andy looked confused.
"Why can't Anita come? Who's Chiron? Who's Poesiden?"
"All of your questions will be answered. As for Anita, she has to stay, because we need to talk."
"Sorry, but we're a package deal," I stated. "It's either both or none."
The blonde studied me.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer." I said sarcastically.
He looked me in the eye, his piercing blues meeting my own contact colored ones. He stared at me for a moment, as if he was judging whether I was worth his time or not. I didn't like that look, I didn't like people judging me.
"Stop staring, asshole," I snapped.
He looked shocked at my words, but quickly recovered, and his face went neutral again.
"Alright then. Well, you said that what lead you was a moon. There's only one goddess of the moon, Artemis, but she vowed when she was born to be virgin forever so-"
"Goddess?" I interrupted, assuming I hadn't heard the boy right.
"Yes," he said curtly, and tried to continue. "So-"
I laughed, cutting him off. "You're crazy!" I exclaimed. "God isn't real."
The blonde boy shook his head. "Not God, gods," he corrected. "As in the Roman and Greek gods."
I stared at him skeptically. "Yeah, okay," I said, nodding along as if I was believing the bullshit he was saying. I slowly moved my hand towards Andy's wrist, and once I had a firm grasp on it, I looked at him. He nodded.
"So I shouldn't be alive." I continued, still backing up slightly, Andy moving with me this time. "But I know what lead me here was a moon," I felt strangely defensive about that fact, like I had to convince them I wasn't crazy, and I knew what I saw.
The younger looking boy, Nico, I recalled, answered me this time.
"I believe something lead you here," he said, "I just don't think it was a moon." I looked at him blankly. "Now, it could've been-"
"I know it was a moon." I repeated, stopping my movements. Andy shot a glance at me, asking 'what the hell was I doing?!'
His warning glare brought me back to reality, and we continued moving backwards once again. Nico continued talking.
"Now, unless you can get Artemis to prove that she claimed you, we'll have to believe that you-"
"Fine, how do I do that?" I interrupted again, still weirdly defensive with proving that it was a moon that led me here.
"Pray to her," he said simply.
"How am I supposed to do that?" I questioned. I was never religious, I didn't know how to pray!
"You'll figure it out," he answered vaguely.
I scowled at him, but reluctantly closed my eyes.