Shattered |Leo Valdez|

Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Erikka's P.o.v.

Coach Hedge was giving me the grand tour of the place. Everything was spectacular, from the strawberry fields to the stables (did I mention there were pegasus' in them?!). The place was straight from one of my childhood fantasies.

And yet, I couldn't enjoy it.

The whole time I kept thinking how much my mom would have loved this place. How much she would have enjoyed picking strawberries and splashing in the water. If she'd been healthy, she might have ran with the tree nymphs, or played volleyball with the saytrs. And I couldn't help thinking, if she'd been healthy I might not have to be here. I could go on thinking that Lionel Foster was my father, with Nickole Emmens-Foster as my mother. Not mom and some moldy old greek god.

When we got to the cabins, Hedge explained that each one stood for a god and there children. He pointed out minor gods and major gods, and the big three: Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus. "Hades got his cabin in here two years ago when percy saved Mt. Olympus." Coach said.

"He saved a mountain?" I asked, surprised my occasional geography class was coming in handy.

He shook his head. "No. Chiron can explain this better than I can, but something about Western civilization and Mt. Olympus is on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Sounds legit."

Coach Hedge laughed before walking us to the dining pavilion. "Now this is what you've been waiting for. Lunch." My smile grew as I looked at the space I was sure would soon be filled with food. A gurgle came from my stomach causing someone to chuckle behind me.

"New camper? Sounds hungry." I turned to see a boy with curly brown and red hair, and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. At my puzzled look, he smiled a smile that promised I should watch my back for a 'kick me' sign. "The name's Travis Stoll. My brother Connor and I are the heads of the Hermes cabin. Assuming you haven't been claimed yet, you can sit with us. Hermes likes travelers."

I smiled at the offer, and he turned to the coach. "Mind if I take her from here? I will get her some supplies before lunch, and her own spot." Coach grunted out something like 'sure thing, cupcake,' but Travis was already pulling me away.

"What's your name kid?" He couldn't have been more than a year older than me and he was kind of tall.

"Uh, Rikki." I said, remembering I didn't want to hear the name Erikka anymore. At least a new name was a new start. Travis glanced at me.

"Not too shabby. I'd try and hook you up with Connor, but I'm already trying to get him with Anna." I scrunched up my eyebrows.

"Um, thanks I think?" He smiled so I guess that was the right answer. In no time at all he had led us to the Hermes cabin. Almost no one was in there except a small mousy girl and an older boy almost identical to Travis. The only difference was height. Connor was about two inches shorter.

The cabin was large enough with about ten beds packed into it. It seemed clean but I was willing to bet that the stuff was just shoved somewhere else. "Lisa, it's ok. Your mom said you can visit anytime you feel lonely after you try this place out for at least one more week." Connor said quietly to the little girl who sniffled and wiped a tear.

"Ok, Connor. Will you stay with me when I'm scared?" Connor smiled and ruffled her hair fondly.

"Of course, sport. Now get to archery to pack up. Lunch is in ten." Lisa smiled and ran past us, off to do whatever Connor could ever want. "Such a cute young mind we must corrupt. So what's up, Trav?" Connor asked, nodding in our direction.