Heroes of Olympus (The Throne of Stone)

Chapter 15 Stage Awesomeness...Not

Chapter 15

Stage Awesomeness...Not

Gwen

I slammed the door behind me. Sure, the camp was cool and all but why did all of the Hecate campers have to be so….happy? It wasn’t right. Their mom was mysterious and dark, kind of like my own mother, but they seemed too happy. They smiled when they saw me and gave me the best bunk in the cabin. In other words, I  didn't like it. I  didn’t like it when people did me a favor. I  felt like I owed that person for being nice and if I didn’t repay the kindness I  would end up getting stabbed in the back.

Nope. No Siree Bob! I did not belong in the Hecate cabin. Everyone at camp seemed too happy. How could I repay everyone? I  couldn’t. Either way I would end up dying.

Tick. Tick. Tick. It was only a matter of time before the time bomb inside of me exploded destroying everything in it’s path. I didn’t want to destroy everything but my mother had different plans. I  wanted to explode in a place where I had no one. No one should have to grieve my passing. I could feel the very seconds remaining in my life diminishing.

Stage 4. Stupid stage four. Why couldn’t it be named something else? Why couldn’t I go around saying I  was a ‘stage awesome’? That would be better than a stage 4. Tick. Tick. Tick.

“Hi!” A girl with short brown hair approached my fiddling with a denim jacket. Her Camp Half-Blood shirt was scratched up. I  should have called off my mud people sooner.  Pang! I wanted to hit myself in the head. Why are you so stupid? You shouldn’t care about anyone! You know what will happen if you do!

“What are you talking about?” The girl asked.

Crap! I said that out loud?

“Yeah, you did.” The girl tilted my head to the side as if analysing what was wrong with my. I  shifted uncomfortably,

“I was just talking to myself.”

“I know. You seem like a nice person.” Pang. Danger! Nice person alert! Time to scram! I  turned on my heel and was starting to awkwardly walk away-

“Where are you going? I heard that you decided not to join the Hecate cabin.” She tugged on the hem of her ruffle denim skirt, “If you want...you could stay at the Athena cabin. I’m sure they would be okay with that.”

“I heard that people are supposed to go to Hermes.”

“Athena is helping out with the lack of space in that cabin. I just thought you would be more comfortable in the Athena cabin where there are less people.” The girl shrugged. Suddenly she bonked herself on the head with her palm and cursed in greek, “Sorry I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Emma!” She held out her hand like she actually expected for me to reach out and shake it. I didn’t like physical contact. Emma’s hand was outstretched awkwardly for at least 10 seconds. Far too long. Finally she got a clue and stuffed her hand in her pocket. Her face was bright red and she seemed really flustered.

“Your name?” She asked when I didn’t automatically answer with my name.

“None of your business.” That was a good answer. A safe answer. A answer that told that person to go away. That would be really nice right about now.

“Fine then. Find yourself a cabin!” Emma turned and walked away. I felt a twinge of guilt. I  should have thanked her or at least say I was sorry for the whole mud person incident. But I didn’t. Nice going Gwen!

I marched towards the woods. The woods weren’t exactly happy looking. That was good. In my years of running away I had found many ways to build lean tos. I could be like an indian and live in a teepee at camp. That would be cool.

I set to work building a few meters away from the tree line. Just deep enough that no one could see me from the cabins. It was perfect. I could explode where no one would notice. That would be really nice.

“What are you doing?” The voice made me jump half a mile. I  turned to see a pretty girl. Probably the same age as myself. She had braided hair and light brown skin, “Sorry. I’m Piper. I heard that you were the source of the faboo on the hill earlier so what are you doing in the woods? You should be in your cabin.”

“Holy Hephaestus! You scared me. I’m - I don’t have a cabin and I’m much more comfortable to sleep in the woods than in any cabin.” I swept my green streaked hair to the side, “Besides, you’re all too happy for your own good.”

“Too...happy? How can you be too happy?”   

“Never mind that. Can you leave now?”

“No. I’d rather not. I have to tell you that we have capture the flag tonight and you can go and join the rest of the camp. It’s always a blast.” Piper smiled. There! More proof that the people at camp were too happy! They are always smiling. Why? There was no reason to smile.

“If you're not leaving I will.” I  turned to dive deeper into the woods.

“Wait! Don’t go!” I  felt a tug and whatever she was hanging on to loosened. Oh no.

I looked back. My eyes widened to see that Piper was hanging onto a large chunk of my hair. It was a huge chunk. There must have been a huge bald spot on the back of my head. I  reached back and rubbed my fingers on the bald spot. Oh no. I  feared this moment.

“What? Why? What?” Piper gripped the hair and looked back at me vigorously as if trying to see the connection, “Oh gods…” Pipers eyes were like saucers as she put the pieces together. She knew why I  was so shovey and why she  was holding a piece of my scalp in her hands. She  put together the puzzle.  

My heart rose to my throat making it impossible to breath. I wanted to run away. I  knew that it was a bad idea to come to camp. A place where people could discover my secret. I  had always hid from people who were able to discover my secret. All of the people who had tried to help my had been rejected as I  ran away. So now…..what was I  going to do? There was nothing that I  could do now that Piper had figured it out. Pressure was applied to my temples and I closed my eyes trying to make the pressure go away. I  wouldn’t let Piper see me cry. My legs wouldn’t move. I  couldn’t run. I was frozen. My eyes burned. My hands shook. My eyes streamed. Crap. I  was crying. Again. Why? Why did I  always cry?

“Oh my gods!” Piper dropped the hair like it was on fire, “I’m so sorry.” Piper held out her arms. For the first time I  wasn’t the only one crying. I  pressed my face into Piper’s shirt. It was awkward but it was the first hug that I  had since my father left. I  sobbed. Ew. I  sounded like a dying animal.

“I’m so sorry.” Piper kept repeating over and over. I  began to shake helplessly. After at least 2 minutes of awkward sobbing I  realized that I  wasn’t the only one shaking and sobbing. Piper began to sob, “Did you know?”

“Y-y-yes.” I  felt so helpless. I  found out when I  was traveling to camp. That’s why it took my so long to get to the camp because I  couldn’t pull myself together.  I  had horrible stomach aches and migraines. I  couldn’t move let alone travel.

“What are you gonna do?”

“No treatment. Do nothing I guess.” I  tried to shrug off Piper but she kept hugging me. Man, she had a grip. I  had always wondered about what to do. But now that I  was at camp I  was certain.

“Do nothing?” Piper let go to look into my eyes, “Are you serious?”

“I’m a stage 4.” I sighed.

“Which means…?”

“There is nothing they can do for me anymore. Not even ambrosia will work.” Piper clamped her hands over her mouth to keep from crying.

“I’m sorry I have to go.” Piper turned to leave but I  grabbed her shirt sleeve,

“Wait! Don’t tell anyone okay?” Piper nodded as she walked away from the woods with her head in her hands.