The Unclaimed

Chapter 17: I'm not living forever with a murderer (or am I)

As we ran, I began to notice things. Things that prior to yesterday, I never would have recognized. Despite having had 20-20 vision for my whole life, my eyesight seemed even better now. Colors were brighter, smaller details were more noticeable, and my vision barely decreased even as it got darker out. And my vision wasn't the only sense that seemed to have improved ever since I joined the Hunt, I could hear better as well. It was almost disorienting how well I could hear: birds in the air, animals off to the side, the sound of the other hunters breathing, and so on. I saw Chloe shoot me a look and take in my, likely amazed, expression.
"It's a big change isn't it," when I didn't say anything she continued. "You'll get used to your enhanced senses soon. It takes a bit of time, and feels really disorienting, but once you adjust its great." I smiled kindly at her, happy to know that I would adjust to my new senses. While my extreme senses were currently getting on my nerves, I had a feeling they would come in handy once I adjusted.
"So what's it like being in the Hunt?" I asked her. I had heard Thalia's perspective but I wanted to know what some of the other hunters thought of it.
"Joining the Hunt was the best decision I've ever made," Chloe spoke with such passion and genuine honesty that I almost stopped running (what can I say, I'm not used to hearing that type of sincerity) "I'm a daughter of Aphrodite; when I was growing up no one, especially no males, took me seriously. My dad died in a car crash when I was two and I was left in the care of his brother. When I was growing up my uncle refused to let me go to an actual school, he claimed that all a girl needed to be was pretty. Since I was pretty, he said school was a waste a time. Instead of joining clubs and making friends, I trained as a maid. And by trained I mean I taught myself how to do everything and was punished by my uncle whenever I messed up." Her facial expression was cold, her tone was bitter. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I didn't understand why anyone would treat someone like Chloe in such a way.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that," I said. I tried to avoid sounding like I was sorry for her though, before everyone on camp turned on me they used to just act sorry for me. And if I'm being honest, I'd rather they speak their minds and let me fight back than I would if they give me pity. "Hey question, where's your uncle live?" I wouldn't be able to go pay him a visit this week but I figured there would some point in eternity that I would have the chance to go make him pay. She laughed.
"Don't be," she told me. "Yeah my childhood was awful but it made me who I am today. I learned how to defend myself, I started to homeschool myself, and finally I met Artemis. She saved me." Chloe paused for a moment and then continued. "Oh and by the way, I don't have my uncles address memorized anymore but I do remember his cemetery plot number." I felt myself flinch and momentarily pause because of shock. Once I was able to calm myself a bit, I spoke. (Or at least tried to)
"Oh, um, did you," I couldn't get a full sentence out for the life of me. A small part of me was hoping she had a juicy revenge story but another part wasn't sure how I would handle the news if she had murdered her uncle.
"He died of natural causes kid," She said while laughing. "And he died over 200 years ago." Suddenly the whole hunters remain immortal as long as they stay away from men and don't die in battle thing came back to me.
"Oh," I said slowly while nodding.
"Hey girls, what's being talked about over here?" Thalia's voice came out of no where and scared the crap out of me.
"Nothing much," I said at the exact same time Chloe said,
"Jessica was wondering if I had killed my uncle because she forgot how likely it was that I was much older than her." Thalia started laughing so hard that it made her cry. I felt blood rush to my face.
"It, I mean, that's not," I tried to stutter out my explanation but I failed miserably. Thalia put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, it's a rookie mistake," I nodded slowly. Thalia looked like she was about to say more but Artemis spoke first.
"Alright hunters, time to set up camp." She shouted. "This is where we'll be staying tonight." I hadn't even realized how dark it had gotten. All of us slowed. As we set up the camp and got dinner, I was slowly processing the fact that the first day of my quest was officially about to come to an end.