I do not own Percy Jackson or the Heroes of Olympus!

Chapter One

A surprise

It started out as a normal day. The sun shone the same brightness as it usually did. The clouds were the same dull shade of grey. But something was gnawing at me. There was something I could almost taste in the thick air of New York City. Something that terrified me, yet I couldn't place my finger on it. But there was no one to tell it to who wouldn't sit me down and give me a glass of water. No one who actually cared about what I had to say. So I just shrugged it off, like I usually do.

I took a quick shower. My showers are always less that 5 minutes, mostly because our apartment has no hot water. I pulled on a dark blue shirt and jeans. "Hey, Mom," I called out as I bounded down the creaky steps. "What's for breakfast?"

I was answered by a groan. Probably didn't have her coffee yet, I think. The table is empty, so I pour myself a glass of orange juice and stuff some frozen waffles into the toaster. The juice has a slight metallic taste. That is the price you pay when you buy weird organic generic foods on sale! It is also the price of having a mother who does the shopping in your household.

"Any tests?" Mom says without looking up from her Reader's Digest magazine.

"Yeah...a math quiz, I think." I peek over her shoulder. She is reading an article about home decorations. "I studied, Mom. Don't worry about it."

"I never worry, sweetie," she says, and yet there's a certain panic to her voice, so slight I barely catch it. As if she is lying. When she lies, even a white lie, her voice rises in pitch a half of a step right at the end of her sentence.

Whatever. I have to hurry, or else I'll be late. I shove a sweatshirt over my head, then sling my backpack over my shoulder and dash out the door. "Love you, Mom!" I say absentmindedly, and see the bus starting to pull in. I have to run.

I make it in the nick of time. The bus starts to move, but then Gary screams, "Stop!" The brakes screech and the doors open, and I jog onto the bus.

"Thanks, Gary."

"No problem." He grins, then pats the seat next to him. "So...how about that math test? Did you study?" I shake my head no. Actually, I have no idea why Gary hangs out with me. He's, like, the smartest kid I know. And I'm a straight C student. Sure, I'm more of a jock, but that doesn't mean he has to hang out with me to stay popular. He could have plenty of friends if he didn't talk to me. It almost makes me suspicious, but he's the only friend I have.

"I don't care if I bomb the test," I say, "I just want to get out of this dump."

"What are you calling a dump?" Gary says, "C'mon, Sofi, there's got to be something you like here." He coughs dramatically. "Like a certain friend."

I laugh. Then I look around the bus. "Everything here is so...chaotic. I just wish there was somewhere else I could go." He swallows, almost guiltily. "What? Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Uh...yeah." He averted his eyes. "I'm not coming back next year. My mom found this summer camp for me."

"Wait...it's a summer camp, right? So you can stay during the year."

"No, it's complicated. My mom signed me up for the year round option."

"Why? And how long have you waited to tell me this?!" Instead of feeling upset that my best-and only-friend was leaving, I felt a bubble of rage in my chest. "Where is this camp, anyway?"

"It's a place called Half-Blood Hill." He smiles, almost in a daze. But then he blinks, and grimaces. "You're not thinking of...coming too, are you?"

"Why not? If you can do it, then I can too."

His cheeks flush bright red. "It's not like that, Sofi... it's more complicated."

"Like how?" Suddenly we were interrupted by a scream. The bus driver swerved to the side of the road. "What the...?"

The doors to the bus were ripped open by two...monsters? "OH MY GOD! What are those things?" I stare at disbelief at Gary, who just shakes his head. "You recognize them?" This can't be happening. I mean, can't a person go to prison-oh sorry, school-without being interrupted by mysterious creatures who look like they stepped out of a Star Trek movie? Seriously, get a life! And were they talking in cling-on?

No. I could understand them. The taller one said in a gravelly voice, "Must feed on the demigod's flesh," They sniffed around. "Two of them here, I can smell it."

"Oh, yes!" The other cried out in a weird expression that was most likely an attempt at a smile.

Gary looked as confused as I was. "Two? I thought..." His eyes widened and he looked at me in awe. "Sofi, what do you see?"

"I see two monsters trying to KILL US! Come on Gary! We have to get out of here!" He doesn't take a hint. He won't budge.

"You...you're a half-blood!" I roll my eyes.

"Whatever that means. Seriously, Gary." We both open the emergency door, and everyone jumps out. But the monsters have reached us, and the door closes all of a sudden. I turn around, and realize this is the end. But then, with a flash of bronze light, they turn to dust before my eyes. "A sword? Oh, I see. That's why you're backpack's so heavy. Now would you mind explaining all of this" I gesture towards everything "to me? Because I am reeeaally getting ticked off with you."

He sighs, and begins his story.

Okay, so that was the first chapter! I'm doing to fanfictions at once, so I might not write chapter two for a LONG time. Yeah. Sorry. This is my first Percy Jackson FanFiction, so please don't laugh at me. I'm not really sure about this...

Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW! =)