Half-Blood

Chapter One

This is just as Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and Grover are at the disco and they have just approached the new demi-gods Nico and Bianca.

PERCY'S POV

"My name's Percy," I said, trying to keep my voice level. "I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."

Bianca's eyes widened. Her fists clenched. Only too late did I realize what her look meant. She wasn't afraid of me. She was trying to warn me.

I whirled around and something went WHOSH! Pain exploded in my shoulder. A force like a huge hand yanked me backward and slammed me to the wall.

I slashed with my sword but there was nothing to hit.

A cold laugh echoed through the hall.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson" Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the J in my last name. "I know who you are."

I tried to free my shoulder. My coat and shirt were pinned to the wall by some kind of spike—a black dagger-like projectile about a foot long. It had grazed the skin of my shoulder as it passed through my clothes, and the cut burned. I'd felt something like this before. Poison.

I forced myself to concentrate. I would not pass out.

A dark silhouette now moved toward us. Dr. Thorn stepped into the dim light. He still looked human, but his face was ghoulish. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes reflected the light of my sword.

"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances."

I tried to swing my sword again, but he was just out of reach.

WHOSH! A second projectile shot from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn. He didn't appear to move. It was as if someone invisible were standing behind him, throwing knives.

Next to me, Bianca yelped. The second thorn impaled itself in the stone wall, half an inch from her face.

"All six of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw."  

All of a sudden there was a golden burst of light. I breathed in, fearing the manticore had indeed shown us how accurately he could throw, but I opened my eyes to a face-full of grass. I jumped up blinking, but there was no sign of Dr Thorn. Just my friends and the two new demi-gods, lying scattered on the grass.

I did a quick head-count: Annabeth, Thalia, Nico, Bianca. Where was Grover?

The girls stood up.

"Dr Thorn! Where is he?" Thalia reached for Aegis.

I shrugged. "Not here,"

"But what about Grover?!" wailed Annabeth.

I shrugged. "Not here," but the tears pricked my eyes.

We were completely lost, on some soft lawn, with two unknown demi-gods but worst of all was the absence of my satyr buddy - best friend since grade six.

And I had no idea how we were going to get home.