Carey was by no means a normal girl. For one thing her mom was a Minor Greek Goddess. For another she could live in peace with ghosts. Carey was a demi-god and her mother was the goddess Melinoe. Melinoe was the minor goddess of propitiation-offerings made to the deceased. It was Melinoe’s habit to wander the earth each night with a train of ghosts following her, terrifying anyone in their path. Because of Melinoe’s affiliations with ghosts, the underworld, and darkness Carey could raise ghosts, and even talk to them without performing the rituals, and she could shadow travel, but that was as far as any powers would extend.
When Carey was little she was fascinated by ghost stories that her father would often tell her as bedtime stories. Cinderella and Sleeping beauty were movies that Carey scorned and so instead of Disney or DreamWorks Carey was brought up watching movies and Broadway shows such as Little Shop of Horrors, and Phantom of the Opera. At school even at the young age of six Carey was the out-cast, the girl with no friends who hung out in dark corners of the play ground, and the insane child. When Carey was very young teachers and other children’s parents thought Carey would play with and talk to imaginary friends, but as Carey got older they began to the think there was something wrong with her.
At age ten Carey sat alone on the swing set during recess, Mrs. Henderson an elderly teacher heard her talking to thin air. When Mrs. Henderson asked Carey who she was talking to she replied, “Mellissa, she’s very sad and lonely today because it’s her death day.” “What’s a death day?” Mrs. Henderson narrowed her old eyes in confusion. Carey sighed and talked to her teacher as if she was a child, “ Mellissa’s death day is the day she died. When a ghost dies they don’t celebrate birthdays anymore they have death-days. Mellissa is depressed about hers because her husband and baby are still alive but she is dead, from a car accident a few years ago.” Carey was sent to the nurse’s office and she never talked to ghosts in public again.
Shortly after the incident with Mrs. Henderson, Carey’s father, David, who knew that she was a demi-god decided it was time for Carey to go to Camp Half-Blood for the summer. Melinoe had explained to David, that all types of Demi-Gods were recently allowed at the camp. Melinoe had also urged hime to send Carey, saying that it was for the best even if she just spent the summers. After that visit Melinoe never spoke to David again.
