Confidential to Camp Half Blood

Day 1 as a Demigod- The Source of Light

          "Nikki, what is the half life of potassium 40?" Mr. Lukens,  my science teacher, asked with a smile showing big white teeth.

      "1.248 × 109 years," I replied.  Mr. Lukens knew I would get it right, I always did. I was the valedictorian in our 8th grade. Mr.  Lukens finished going over the radioactive dating terms. It's the end of the school year, so we are doing review.

        The bell rang and the students practically fought to get out the door. I took my time, putting my books in my bag and throwing away the useless doodles I did during class. "Ready for your test?"

       "Of course," I nodded. Lewis Lukens was a new teacher at the beggining of my 8th grade school year, but over the year I became a good friend to him in addition to being his student. 

       "We'll see," he rumbled. "Happy Birthday."

       "Thanks," I laughed and left the room.

       My bike awaited me by the school main entrance. Because I live in a tourist town, my parents don't like me biking on the main roads. But, if I go across the street from the school to the museum, behind the museum is a large patch of woods. The woods have curving trails that lead all around my small tourist town, and only I can navigate the trails without getting lost in the woods. If I take a well used trail it leads straight to the backside of my house. 

       Today, I ride into the woods, waving at the museum groundskeeper as I dissappear into the woods. I follow the curving trails quickly, knowing my way easily. I love the woods, and their relaxed feeling. Just the scent of the evergreen air makes me smile. In the spring,  when it rains, the entire town is filled with the delightful scent of pine.  

         When I brought my bike to a stop I was just out of the woods, facing the backside of my house. I parked my bike "carefully" as my mom instructed, throwing it into the garage out behind our house. My house is large. It's a luxury vacation house that was used by rich tourists until we bought it. We are pretty well off, but my mom and dad never talk about how we came by all our money. Neither of them have jobs (they hardly ever leave the house),  but our money doesn't run short.

        I opened the iron gate that surrounds my entire house and ran past the pool on the patio and onto the first floor. My living space was the first floor, my parents the second, and we shared the top floor. When I got into my house,  I went straight towards the second floor to check with my mom what is going on. There is an elevator that is only supposed to be used for handicapped,  but I normally used it anyways. Today I didn't because I thought my dad was probably sleeping and I didn't want to wake him.

        When I reached the top floor I heard my parents speaking in irritated vocies in their office. There was another voice, but I didn't recognize it.

        What 14 year old teenage girl could resist snooping on their parents having a conversation with a strange unknown man?

        From my position outside my parents office door I couldn't see or hear barely anything. So I did what I always wanted a reason to do. I ran downstairs to the first floor and stepped outside. There is a pilar on the patio that runs to the edge of floor of the balcony outside my parents office. I did the expected thing to do. I climbed the pillar skillfully up to the balcony and sat, listening to the argument inside. The curtains were closed, but I didn't need to see anyways.

        "She is fine, her....unnoticeable" my mother said, but I didn't catch all the words.

         "It will be noticeable soon. And precautions are necessary.  Give it to her," the unknown man said.  "It won't transform until she needs it too."