The Grandson

The Race

After dinner, I walk dully off to the Athena cabin, where Ritzer is standing, looking at his arm as if he were looking at a watch. He doesn't

"You're late," he says.

"Oh really?" I snap, "I had no idea at all that there was a designated time for this."

"I said tonight," Ritzer says skeptically, obviously not realizing the sarcasm. This is usually him. 

Ritzer pulls out the tarantula and some string.

"This string was crafted by Leo Valdez himself," says Ritzer.

"What?! How did you get it?" I ask, amazed. Leo Valdez is- was the greatest crafter at camp. He was rumored to have figured out the Archimedes Sphere. He died and came back. He escaped Ogygia with a giant bronze dragon. He was one of the seven demigods of the Second Great Prophecy fated to destroy Gaea. Some say these are stories. Some say the aren't. He was a child of Hephaestus with power over fire. He was immune to it and could use it to his advantage, sort of like a firebender from Avatar: The Last Airbender.  I know I'm a geek. Now those mortals that are going to invade camp from Part 1 are going to be Avatar fangirls. Shoot. I'm officially dead. Anyway, Leo moved to Texas after awhile to live with his girlfriend, Calypso.

"I got it from Alonso," Ritzer says.

"Oh," I say. Only Alonso Artist, head counselor for the Hephaestus cabin would own that item. The string is almost invisible as Ritzer ties the spider expertly to the string.

It's rigged to fall as soon as soon as someone touches the doorknob because of some sort of motion sensor. I don't know! I'm not a child of Hephaestus. Or at least I don't think so.

At the campfire, I'm to sad to sing at the campfire sing-along. The Apollo campers lead the sing-along though.

I'm frustrated because I'm now the only unclaimed camper at camp. After the campfire, I trudge to cabin 11 and climb into bed. I have the worst dream I've ever had in a while.

I'm in a someone's arms. A woman's arms. I look down at myself  and almost fall out of  her arms. Because I am a baby.

The woman has blond hair and startlingly gray eyes. She seems to be analyzing everything around her as if anything could be a threat to us.

We are running down a long hallway with some decorations. They include: A big shield with a horrid face, a different shield this one with pictures of battles such as a cyclops, a boy, and a girl fighting a hydra, and a pen. I recognize the pen the most oddly enough. 

A man comes into my line of sight. He has green eyes, dark hair that's swept to the side in such a way that it reminds me of the sea. Now I understand what the phrase "WInd-blown hair" means.

I hear an explosion coming from somewhere behind me. We are still running, hopefully away from the explosion.

"Dammit, Grace," the man says, "Hold them off a little longer please!"

"Percy," the woman chides, probably because she doesn't want me- the baby catching on to those words.

Right, sorry," the man says. We run for a few more yards, then there is an even bigger explosion, closer to us.

"Get him to camp. I'll try to see you there. Then, we hide."

"Right," the woman says. They share a quick kiss, and Percy, whatever-his-name-was  runs off towards the explosion sight. I find myself wishing I was brave enough to go running into an explosion like that.