The Daughter of the Sun

**12**

My dreams are filled with terror-inducing images. Images of blood and tears and stricken, beautiful hazel eyes filled with worry. I dream that people, including Zack and Jenny and my mother, are strewn around me, broken. And somehow I know it's my fault. There is a voice in the background, a creepy, evil, raspy voice telling me that it's all my fault, that they're dead because of me. And I know he's right. Images swirl through my mind, like a slideshow of carnage and pain. Emerald eyes, hazel eyes, brown eyes, my sister's eyes, my mother's. All depending on me. And I failed them. They all blend together into a pair of mood ring eyes. My eyes. Eyes that have seen her life go to down the drain. Eyes that have seen a lot. Too much. Eyes that are done with the world.

But my eyes don't look like that. Not yet, at least.

I wake up, sweating and panting. My eyes dart around wildly, and finally focus on a tan, blonde boy in denim shorts and an orange shirt with the words 'Camp Half-Blood' on it.

I look around, taking in the white walls and looking out the windows. I can see that I'm in a plain wooden cot with a thin, but strangely warm light blue blanket. Outside, the sun is shining, and I guess that it's around noon. Beyond the windows, a field of strawberries stretches out. There are what look like satyrs strolling through the fields of strawberries, playing pipes.  

I try to speak, but all that comes out is a dry croak. The boy looks over at me, comes over, and hands me some water.

"Here, drink this," he says while handing me the cup.

I guzzle it down, getting some on my shirt and probably looking like a moron. When I finish draining the glass, the boy takes it from me and sets it on the nightstand next to me.

"Wha-? Where the Hades am I? Who are you?" I ask him.

"Well, you're at Camp Half-Blood, and I'm Will, son of Apollo." Will tells me.

"Son of...Apollo? Like the Greek god Apollo?" I question him.

"The one and only...well, unless you count the roman version," he answers.

Then Zach walks in. I quickly, without realizing it, scan for injuries. He has a long stitched up gash on his forehead, but other than that he looks fine. In fact he looks hot in an orange shirt like Will's, black sneakers, and black basketball shorts. I blush and quickly avert my eyes. When he sees that I'm up, he hurries over and asks Will why he wasn't fetched as soon as I was up.

"Umm...I'm right here, you know!" I remind him, hating that he's talking like I'm not here. "And for your information, I just got up. Will here was just telling me how he's the son of Apollo," I snap at him.

"Ooooh, Zach. You've found yourself a feisty one!" Will exclaims.

I throw off the blanket covering my legs and swing them to the floor. My sneakers are sitting there, so I put them on lace them up, and stand. For a second, I feel dizzy, like the world is spinning around me. I stand there for a second, gathering my strength.

The boys are watching me, not without amusement.

"What're you looking at?" I snap.

"Nothing," they snicker together.

I look down and realize that I'm wearing nothing but a hospital gown and my bra and underwear.

Thank the gods I didn't turn around!

"Turn around," I order them, "and don't you dare peek!" I add.

I grab the blanket and tie it around my waist.

"Will, where are my clothes?" I hiss.

"May I please turn around now, ma'am?" he sniggers.

"Go and get my clothes, please," I ask more gently.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," he says, and walks out. Zach starts to turn around.

"You, mister, stay right there. When I'm fully dressed, then we will talk. Until then, please stay facing that direction. Okay?" I say to him.

"Okay," Zach agrees.

Then, Will finally comes back with some clothes.

"These aren't mine," I tell him, confused.

"Yeah, we burned your old ones," he says.

"WHAT?"  I exclaim, "That was my favorite hoodie! And you burned it!?" I shriek.

Zack turns around when a boy about Will's age strolls in. He looks like every goth wishes they could. Pale, with what looks like natural strait black hair. He's wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt with a skull on it, and black shoes. The only color besides black on him is a neon yellow braided friendship bracelet around his wrist-I'm guessing it wasn't his idea.

"Hey Will," he looks at me, "Why is some girl screaming at you?"

"HE BURNED MY FAVORITE HOODIE!" I yell, "WHO DOES THAT?!"

"Well, apparently my boyfriend does," Goth Boy shrugs and turns to Will. "I mean, I don't know much, but even I know that you don't mess with a girl's clothes. Look at what happened to Conner and Travis when they messed with the Aphrodite girls,"

They all shudder collectively.

"What happened?" I inquire.

"Three Aphrodite girls-Jessica, Piper, and Drew, forced them to wear dresses and makeup for a whole night. And it was during Capture the Flag, too!" Zach explains.

I'm pretty sure that my smile resembled the Grinch's when he was stealing Christmas.

"And where can I find these girls?" I slyly ask.

Zach takes one look at me and goes, "Nuh-uh! No way!"

At the same time, Will says, "Zach told me to!"

"If you don't tell me then it will be a whole helluva lot worse for you, Will, and this dude." I jerk my thumb at Goth Boy.

Goth Boy's eyes widen.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah! No way am I getting dragged into this! I'll show you to them, just please don't drag me into it!"

"I won't if you show me there. Just wait for me to get clothes on," I tell him and walk to the bathroom(Making sure that the blanket is secure around my waist as I go). As I'm changing, I hear the boys whispering.

"I'm sorry, Will. But I can't do that," I recognize Goth Boy's voice.

"Nico...You know I hate you, right?" Zack's voice whispers. "How could you do that like that? What happened to taking your punishment like a man?"

"I didn't even do anything!" Nico's voice rises.

"Shhhhhh!" I hear.

Then I walk out of the bathroom. The outfit that Will picked out for me wasn't that bad...I mean, it was comfortable. The problem is, I'm wearing boy's clothes.