Preface

I decided to follow some huge foot prints in the

snow. They led to an unusually large bush. I was about to
go to the bush and see if the prints continued when I
heard a chores of low growls.
 Hellhounds
My day had sucked even before the hellhounds had
attacked me; my girlfriend broke up with me. That was
just the beginning. After being dumped the bell rang it
was the end of the worst Friday of my life. I was headed
home- glad it was winter break so I didn’t have to deal
with ‘that Monday’ for a while- when I found some huge
paw prints in the snow and decided to follow them and
see what could have been that big. They led to a huge
bush. I stopped in my tracks when I heard a chores of low
growls. I stepped back and saw 10 giant dogs looking at
me with dark red eyes. They resembled the Greek dogs
what were their names again? Then I remembered the
name – hellhounds - . I had learned about them earlier in
the year. They were from Greek mythology- not real.
They all sprang at me at once. I automatically raised my
hands to cover my face and two of the strangest things
happened. The first was my best friend jack came
running from the trees behind me with a sword yelling
curses in ancient Greek and I somehow understood.
Second thing the hellhounds all froze mid air; yelped
shank, turned red, and sank into a fault line that had just
opened on the ground. I watched in disbelief as the fault
line closed then magically disappeared completely. After
a long moment I turned to jack to ask him if he knew
what just happened but his expression stopped me. His
expression was a mix of confusion, concern, disbelief and
awe but mostly awe. “How…. What… oh no!” he said
sounding like he was being strangles at the end and his
face lost all confusion. “What just happened if you know
you better tell me or I may end up in a mental hospital
because I’m crazy. Were those… I mean how…. Those
were?” I stammered as he went over to where the fault
line had disappeared. “Hellhounds yes and a pack of
them at that. Very rare to find a pack they usually kill
each other by the 7 week mark and the strongest one
lives but I guess not this one. They smelled half-blood
and came for us or you my scent isn’t that strong
Asclepius so probably just you then me after but never
mind about that. Until this afternoon I could never tell
how powerful you were I mean I had no idea I’m so sorry.
I….I.” “Are you going to try and kill me now too?” I
asked a little weary by the sight of his big sword but then
thought about it and realized the answer, NO, of course
not he was my best friend after all. “And how did you
know where to find me?” I continued cutting him off as
he tried to answer. He looked at me and a shadow
crossed his face “I am supposed to be your protector this
isn’t supposed to happen with me around...You’re a
demigod. I wasn’t sure till now but now I am….You are
half god half human and it seems you’re a more powerful
one than I’ve ever seen too. That looked like magic
Hecate but the fault line that would be Hades but you
can’t be both you would be full god on Olympus or in the
Underworld with Hades.” He said though it sounded like
he was trying to reassure himself more than me. “Wait
so what? Are you a demigod too then? Jack you got to
give me some answers man please.” I said “I did--” he
started to speak but I cut him off again. “I don’t
understand this jack what do you mean exactly?”I was
even more confused now at why he was so reluctant to
give me answers. “Yeah I’m a demigod too. For powerful
demigods we send satyrs so we don’t attract any more
attention to them till we can get them to camp half-
blood because we are low on satyrs these days. But
you…. You’re different I’ve never been able to tell just
how powerful you really are I thought Aphrodite or
something less but this afternoon when Mary dumped
you that was the first time I saw just how powerful you
are I have to get you to camp! Now come on!”He said as
he grabbed at my hand but I yanked away and said
“What? No! I have to go home. My mom must be sooo
worried. Oh my gosh mom! Will those kind of things go
for her too?” he just kept shaking his head and looking
around. “Dude” I said grabbing his shoulders so he had to
stand fairly still though he didn’t like it. “Will my mom be
ok?” I said saying each syllable slowly so he would listen.
“Yes as long as you listen and come with me your mom
will be fine. You are what those things want they will
come for you not your mom. Now come on!” He said
grabbing my hand this time successfully “We have to get
you to the bus station to get to camp before any more
monsters catch your trail.” I went with him. He said my
mom would be safe. I may be adopted but I was positive
(whoever my parents really were) they weren’t gods or a
god. We got to the bus station and jack bought us 2
tickets to long island New York. We would get there in 10
hours and I was convinced that I would make him explain
everything or else but when he started he started with
‘which ever god is your parent’ so we sat in silence for 8
of the 10 hours 2 of them I was on the phone with my
mom telling her don’t worry, I’m ok, this is what I have to
do, etc. When we got there jack called a cab. When he
pulled a 50 from his wallet and told the driver some
address I got kind of worried. Where had he got that
much money did he rob a bank? Or his parents? The cab
ride was just as quiet as the train ride had been except I
couldn’t help tapping my fingers on the window so there
was a noise this time. My ADHD meant I didn’t like sitting
still that much so I kept tapping my foot too. We finally
got there a few hours later so I figured I was 12 or 13
hours from getting home with no money and a delusional
friend that says one of my parents was a Greek god so If
one of those hellhounds came I was screwed unless I
could figure out how I beat those ten at home which I
still couldn’t logically explain. We got out of the taxi on
the base of a huge hill and I could smell fire and see
smoke. I shot a worried glance at jack but he was too
busy paying the guy and assuring HIM that there was just
a chimney and it wasn’t anything to worry about but
something about the way he kept shooting glances at the
top of the hill and back to the cabbies face while he
talked made me not so sure. When we finally ditched the
cab driver I asked him myself what was up with the smell
of fire he said “you’ll see in a minute just keep walking.”
Camp half-blood
When we got to the top of the hill I saw 25 or so cabins
but one was on fire. “Hephaestus cabin” jack murmured
“can’t go 2 minutes without fire well at least the
Poseidon cabins helping.” I then noticed some kids they
all looked my age shooting water from the river on it. I
tried to remember the Greek mythology lessons I had
had earlier in the year but I didn’t get much Poseidon
was god of the sea, Hephaestus was like god of medal
and fire or something like that but that didn’t make
sense it was just story’s the Greek made up to explain
the forces of nature like lightning and thunder and the
seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall and winter) and
why things like that changed. How were those kids
shooting waves at the cabin on fire? And why were the
others just watching why not go get more water to help?
None of it made sense! I was about to burst when jack
pointed to a large house in the middle of a clearing to the
west and said “Come on. Come meet Mr.Jason and
Mrs.Dodey the head counselors of the camp” he also said
something about them being son of Hecate and daughter
of Aphrodite but I just ignored that comment. I already
knew he was nuts it didn’t surprise me that he wouldn’t
drop the whole parents being gods thing. Maybe the
head counselors would help me maybe he was some kind
of mental head case that they had been looking for and
he had stole all the money from here but of course I was
wrong. Dead wrong. They