Past Life

1: Die, Teacher, Die!

•••

KEY:

​Group

Book

TV Screen

•••

PERCY JACKSON is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into life. And worse, he's angered a few of them.

Annabeth snorted. "Only a few of them?"

"Then it's the first book," Grover said.

"How many hate him on the Council?" Piper questioned curiously.

"It's more: how many like him," Nico grimaced.

"Well... Hera hates him 'cause he's a demigod, Zeus hates him because he's Poseidon's kid, Demeter's debatable, Poseidon loves him, Hades is kinda on-and-off, Hermes is friends with him, Apollo tolerates him and their kinda-sorta-maybe friends, Athena hates him because he's Poseidon's kid, Ares hates him because he fought him and won, Aphrodite love-hates him, Hephaestus likes him somewhat for helping him with his workshop, Artemis hates him because he's a guy, Hestia likes him, and Dionysus just hates him. So... three like him, four are semi-neutral, and the rest hate him." Leo whistled after Thalia listed off the names.

Chiron cleared his throat and started to read.

I ACCIDENTALLY VAPORIZE MY MATH TEACHER

"What the heck? How do you accidentally vaporize your math teacher?" Jason asked.

"That certainly sounds like Percy," Thalia deadpanned.

"What did he do this time," Annabeth groaned.

"I like this dude," Leo said.

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.

Nico snorted. "Of course! Why would you?"

"Hear, hear!" the rest of the greek/roman campers present cheered.

If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is:

"Uh-oh!" Connor said.

"Here it comes!" Travis warned.

"Duck!" Chris screamed.

close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.

"That was actually pretty good," Thalia said grudgingly.

"True." Annabeth nodded.

Being a half-blood is dangerous.

"Got that right," Leo stated.

It's scary.

"Check," Piper added.

Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.

"That pretty much sums it up," Grover voiced.

If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this every happened.

"Me too," Katie stated sadly.

But if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop readying immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.