The Third Camp Trilogy: The Chaotic End

Chapter twenty one: Carrie

It took me a while to put Sophia's death behind me.

Luckily I had to catch up on how to act in front of the press for the tech expo, and what the press knew about me.

Okay, I'm going to be straightforward with you. I hate expos. It's just a stupid way to show off how wealthy and famous your company is. Sadly I'm the only Martin that can go. The press doesn't know about Chris and both of my parents are shipped off to some war-torn country.

But apparently there's a demigod that the searchers can't get to.

"... And that is why you need to go to the expo with Neptuna." Grace finally finished.

I raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't listen to a word you just said." I sighed.

"Wow." She crossed her arms.

"Sorry."

"Fine. I was saying that the searchers can't get to the Demigod, but he'll be at the Tech Expo. You could collect him from there and take him to Camp Ops. And that is why you need to go to the expo with Neptuna."

"With Neptuna?" I frowned. "She wouldn't want to go to that. Why does she need to come?"

"Reasons." Grace rolled her eyes.

"Like what?"

"First, it'll be adorable. Second, you and her haven't gotten much time alone together. Third—"

"We wouldn't be alone. There would be tons of people there. As well as the press."

"Third," Grace continued, ignoring my interjection. "She could help you if you got into trouble."

"'Got into trouble'?" I laughed. "What am I, two?"

Grace snickered. "No, but you act like it."

"Not as much as Chris." I pointed out.

"True. But still, you need to take Nep with you."

"Alright, fine. But you have to tell her it's a black-tie formal event. Emphasis on formal."

"I'll try." Grace sighed. "Honestly, it's like she doesn't even care what she looks like."

"She doesn't. But she still looks good, in my opinion." I shrugged. "And if the press thinks that I'm dating her, who cares anymore?"

"I think she'll love that."

"Love what?"

"The press finally knowing about you two."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess you're right." I blinked. "So when's the expo again?"

"Tomorrow."

"Alright."

A scream cut through the camp. I jumped up, my bow in hand.

"What—" Grace stared at the door.

"Notify Neptuna. I'll go find the source." I ordered Grace, before going to search.

Every few seconds or so the screaming would start again. Now people were starting to notice.

As I was running to the source of the screaming, Neptuna appeared beside me.

"Horror movie?" She asked.

"Horror movie." I nodded and froze. "Oh gods. Natalie!" I yelled.

Natalie was tied against the tree, head lulled to the side.

Neptuna swore. "What the heck happened to her?"

"The top cabin." I rubbed my face. "I should've known, the ten year olds started class ten minutes ago, today they were to go into the woods."

My eyes drifted to in front of Natalie, on the ground there were sticks in a person-like formation, I'd only seen this formation once before... on a movie poster.

The Blair-Witch project.

"Get Alivia down here. I have to go save those kids."

"On it. Good luck." Neptuna nodded and rushed off.

I took a deep breath.

Heading out to find the kids, I began to remember watching The Blair-Witch Project.

Chris had forced me to watch it with him earlier this summer, with Neptuna in tow. Neptuna had been so terrified that she had hidden her face in my chest (Which had been incredibly adorable) and was shaking.

I finally found the kids, in the middle of the woods, shaking fearfully from the strange noises they had been hearing in the woods.

"Kids," I spoke gently. "Let's go. The senior cabins are playing a prank."

"...P-prank?" One of them stuttered.

"Yes. It's a prank. Come on, let's go."

I led the kids out of the woods and sent them to the healers, who would help them with their shock.

The older kids came out and glared at me.

"You ruined the fun!" One of them, who was almost a foot taller than me, complained.

"Yeah!" Another crossed his arms.

"Let's beat him up." The tallest, who was a foot and a half taller than me, cracked his knuckles.

I sighed.

The tallest dove in and drove a punch at my face. I dodged to the side. The first one to speak grabbed me and tried to put me in a headlock, and I flipped him over my shoulder.

Neptuna wasn't going to be too happy that I was engaged in a fight.

"Hey!"

Speak of the devil.

Neptuna had appeared, with Alivia and a back-to-normal Natalie.

The tall, older boys ignored them and kept trying to punch and kick me.

"STOP!" Neptuna yelled loudly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her stomp her foot in anger.

BOOM.

When her foot landed, the ground shook.

Trees swayed.

People fell to the ground.

All but Neptuna.

I stared at her. She was still up on her feet, staring in shock at what had happened.

Had Neptuna done that?