The Third Camp

Chapter ten: Courtney

Clarisse made a break for the blue team's flag, that was my team's. I stuck my trident out and it rammed into Clarisse's side. She stumbled onto the ground and I tackled her, pinning her arms above her head and watching as Annabeth went after the red flag. Clarisse struggled underneath me. I growled at her, sounding strangely like a dog, and she stopped struggling. I turned to watch as Annabeth charged over the borders with the red flag. Jumping off of Clarisse, I began to whoop and cheer.

Near the tree behind me came a growl. I looked over. Startling, beady white eyes stared back.

"Courtney, backup." Percy put his arm in front of me. I frowned at him, but did as I was asked and backed away slightly. I heard someone pulling back a bow string and an arrow shot into the dog as it jumped toward me. The arrow bounced off but the dog flew into a tree. I backed away even more and ran into a tree.

"Fred!" I gasped. "Oh, crap. Percy, I've got to run!" I whispered before sprinting away to hide in my cabin.

I had never really been afraid of anything, but Fred brought out the worst in me.

I had to get away.

I didn't even get four steps away before the dog got a good taste of my leg. I yelped in pain and fell to the ground. I rolled over and pulled out my knife. I knew it wouldn't do any good, but I began to stab at Fred's face. "Stupid dog!" I shouted, sending another blow to his muzzle.

Someone walked slowly and silently behind me and grabbed Fred. I didn't see the person's face, because as Fred was yanked off of me I blacked out from the pain. It stung so bad I couldn't bare it.

I woke up in the infirmary of the Big House. Percy on one side of me and Will Solace on the other, they conversed over me.

"...The arrow just bounced off!" Will was saying. He looked extremely stressed out.

"It was probably just some strange monster."

"But I've never heard of a any thing that could deflect arrows accept the gods, and that definitely wasn't a god!" Will threw his hands up with exasperation and frustration.

"You never know, gods can pretty much do whatever they want."

"I just—don't know. I'm going to the archery range to sort things out." Will got up and walked away as another person sat down.

"So how's she doing?" Hailey asked.

"Good, I guess." Percy responded.

"Good. Been out since yesterday." Hailey mumbled.

Yesterday? No way, that was impossible. I just couldn't believe it. What had happened while I was knocked out? Who pried the dog away from me? Questions started swarming in my head. I tried to speak,

"Wh- where am I?"

Hailey ran to my side "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine Hailey." I told her. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine."

"We don't know how the dog got into camp, someone must of let him in."

"No one let him in." I insisted .

"What do you mean? You didn't let him in, did you?"

"Don't worry, I would never do that." I laughed.

"Are you sure, I think you would, for practice you know." Hailey laughed alongside me. She really did know me, she was my best friend but doesn't know everything.

"I might, but I didn't this time." I insisted.

"It's almost lunch do you feel good enough to go with us?" Hailey asked me.

"Sure!" I smiled.

I looked over at Percy.

"You kept mumbling about someone." He smiled.

I did have a strange dream about Carrie. He was sitting at a desk with a purple cape on he had three dog tags on and was mumbling about something that I couldn't make out.

"About who?" Hailey giggled. She was having way too much fun with this.

I started to wonder, where was Carrie? Was he even who he said he was, he wouldn't lie to me would he? Why did I even care? It's not like I have feelings for him. I knew Percy would laugh at me if I told him about the dream but I didn't care I would have to tell him at some point, wouldn't I? I worried about Gage, was he okay?

"No one." I shot.

"Okay, okay, you sure are getting defensive." she smiled.

"She has a crush." Percy joked.

"No I don't!" I argued.

But did I? I wasn't even sure.

"I need to take a swim, to clear my head." I sighed.

"Oh so it is a guy?" Hailey laughed.

"Totally." Percy laughed.

I got up from my hospital bed and start walking out the door.

"Where are you going?" Percy asked.

"I told you, for a swim!" I laughed as I started running toward the beach.

"Wait for me!" Percy yelled after me.

"No way slowpoke!" I yelled behind my shoulder.

"Who are you calling a slowpoke, sloth?"

"I'm not as slow as you are, I can beat you in a race any day!" I challenged him.

"You're on!" Percy exclaimed.

By the time he caught up to me I'd already gotten to the ocean. I dipped a toe in, it was nice and cool, just how I liked it!

"The first one to pick up 20 seashells wins!" I yelled to Percy. 

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Sorry for such a short chapter, but I hope you guys still like it.

I've been thinking, if this gets a lot of hype by Sunday then I might just keep doing one chapter a day. Please tell me what you guys think of this. I would love hearing what you guys think.

Thanks for reading another chapter of The Third Camp, see you all tomorrow!