The Garden Of Evil: Book Two

Chapter 4: My "Date" Ends Up in a Blizzard

The next morning I woke up to construction noises; drills, chainsaws, and thunderous footsteps, the whole shebang. It sounded like Christmas arrived six months early and Santa brought the whole Home Depot store with him. But since I didn't believe in the potbellied cookie-stealing fella, I assumed it was most likely something or someone else making a racket up on the roof. With a scowl on my face and a new craving for Chip Ahoys, I trudged outside and standing on the top of the cabin was something worse then a construction site.

Standing there with his giddy smile was Gabriel Porter with a bright orange hardhat on, a power-drill in one hand and a small screwdriver in the other. Behind him was an enourmous wood slab that read in big spray-painted red letters,

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY; DATE?"

I started to climb the top of the cabin and hoisted myself up to the top, admiring the work up close.

"So is that a yes or no?" He asked, gesturing to the large sign that was bigger then a god's throne on Olympus.

"What do you think?" I retort, placing my hand on my hip with a stubborn look on my face.

Thank the gods Gabe got the hint and took my hand, helping my down to the ground and brushed himself off, leaving the sign and the tools behind, claiming the Hepheastus would come back before our date was over and pick them up.

As we traveled through the woods weaving in and out of fallen tree branches, we got to a small clearing just before the lake.

"Put this on," Gabe interjected, holding a small blue bandana. Before I had time to argue, he wrapped the bandana around my eyes and I was totally vulnerable. It's not that I didn't trust Gabe, it's just kind of hard to stay calm when you're blind-folded in the middle of a magical camp in a magical forest with odd nymph creatures and occasionally monsters.

I took his hand blindly and he lead me through the darkness, pulling me until we got to a stop.

"Now, take it off."

I fastened my hands around the back and ripped the piece of cloth off my eyes, and my eyesight erupted into cheering demigods and the chorus of "SURPRISE!" Around me were some of my best friends looking around evilly yet successful, seeing as they planned the party themselves; Savannah, Rowan, Aella, Max, Callista, and Natalie all shooting me satisfied smirks.

"Well I would assume today is your birthday," spoke Callista, coming up to me and embraces me in a long hug.

"And I would assume you and the other clan members over there planned this whole party."

"Correct, and it's gonna be one hell of one too," Callista says, giving me a wink and joins Hadley and the rest of her friends.

I walk to the rest of my friends, Gabe trailing behind, and they all embrace me in a group hug as well.

"Happy Birthday! You're sixteen!" Rowan says cheerfully.

"Which means you can drive, and I can teach you," adds Savannah.

"And also means it's closer that I get your room in the apartment," chimes Nat, giving me a thumbs up.

"And you can be a star on 16 and pregnant!" Max says sarcastically.

"I'm just here for the cake," says Aella simply, eyeing me with a you-better-damn-well-hurry-and-get-done-greeting-people-so-we-can-cut-the-desert glare.

"Thank you guys for this.. but isn't it a little over the top? I mean, I appreciate it and all but wow.." I say and then laugh, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing for you can be too over the top, Ariel," joked Gabe, slinging his arm around my waist.

"As long as you're happy that's all that matters," Rowan acknowledged.

I fixed my gaze on the lake and a feeling of discomfort rushed over me. Here I was, a surprise party with my best friends, and I still felt agitated. It seemed selfish.

I ignored the anxious feeling in my gut and returned my focus to the party- and mostly to the cake.

****

After we sang happy birthday, played pin the head on the hydra, and finished up with a good ole' piñata wacking party of a candy-filled Medusa head, we found ourselves surrounded around the fire humming campfire songs. I was sitting between Gabe and Sav when Callista tapped my shoulder, waving for me to come join her away from the crowd.

"What's up Cal?" I asked, and beside her was a girl who I have never met before.

"I wanted you to meet my best friend, the one I told you about. Dy, this is Elsa- Elsa, Dynemia. She didn't get claimed yet, so she's still in the Hermes cabin."

Elsa did not look so enthusiastic that she was still stuck in the unclaimed cabin of messy floor and unmade beds, but for now she wasn't complaining. She extended her hand and shook mine, introducing herself further. She explained how close her and Callista were and what their story was. I stayed in tune to what she was saying until Callista suggested we go back to the fire so Elsa could tell her classic scary stories which nobody but Callista heard before.

"There once was a lady, who was unhappy with her marriage and life. She took her two children and drowned them in the bathtub. After that, she went and killed herself, jumping off a bridge. Her spirit was vengeful and hunted young men that she could kill, and they nicknamed her the Woman in White. So one night, two guys went to go find the woman in white so they could kill her. She lead them to her house and almost tried to kill one of them, but thankfully they performed an evil satanic spell and she was sent back to hell. The end," told Elsa in one breath, leaving everyone around the fire with our jaws hanging wide open.

"You do know you just summarized the first episode of Supernatural, right?" interjected Aella, staring at Elsa unimpressed.

"Hey, it's my favorite show," she retorted, looking around at the rest of us.

After Elsa spoke, the fire stopped burning. The source of heat and light was shut off like an electrican turning off a switch because you didn't pay your electric bill. A gust of wind blew over the crowd, and I stood up.

"What in the name of Zeus is going on?" exclaimed Rowan, clutching onto Kade.

Everyone looked to Elsa, who had a small snowflake illuminated over her head. Her skin turned paler and her hair whiter, ice crystals jutting out of the ground beneath her. The wind picked up and swirled around, snowflakes coming down profusely from the clouds above.

A blizzard. Elsa just created a blizzard by standing there.

"Khione," whispered Savannah, teeth clattering because of the cold. "A child of Khione."