Child of Zeus {Interactive Story} (PJO/HOO/TOA)

THREE: Camp Half-Blood

My mind clouded over as we walked along the road in silence. There was forest to our left, and farm land to our right, and the sun was only just dipping below the horizon. My body ached, I knew I was still shaking. I forced myself to stop thinking. I focused on my footsteps; right, left, right, left.

It wasn't until the first star came out that Johnny spoke.

"Do you want to stop for the night?"

I looked at him. He wasn't smiling, but he didn't look upset either. It was more like his shock hadn't worn off yet. The Furies's image was still burning in my mind.

"Where?"

"There's a treehouse a little way in the forest here. We can camp there tonight."

I didn't worry about how he knew this, I nodded and followed him back into the woods. The further in we got, the darker and colder it became, until I was shivering and holding Johnny's hand so I wouldn't lose him.

"We're lost." I told him. "A little way in, you said. Johnny, it's not here."

"I know," he sounded nervous. "I thought it was...ah, never mind. I found it."

Johnny raised my hand and pressed it against the rung of a metal ladder. I didn't like the idea of going first when I couldn't even see my own hands, but I climbed up nonetheless.

It wasn't very high up off the ground. I felt wood and pulled myself into a seated position with my back against a cool wooden wall.

"Johnny, come up now."

I could hear a 'clang' every time his hoof (sheeeeeeep) hit a rung, and soon Johnny was sitting beside me with his furry legs pressed against mine.

"Is there a door to this tree house?" I asked. Johnny grabbed my hand again and pulled me into a standing position. I held my other arm out in case there was anything to hit in the dark. We skirted along the wooden floor until Johnny pulled me inward. In a matter of seconds, a light was on and I could see again.

The treehouse was also very big, for a treehouse. There were three sleeping bags rolled into a corner, a bag of pop cans that weren't open, and a small supply of sour keys. The walls were worn and a faded red, but Johnny seemed right at home as he picked up a sleeping bag and threw it at me.

"About back there," he said as he started to unroll his own. "Good job. I mean, those Furies scarred me for life, but we probably would've died if you hadn't lied about being a Weasley."

I laid my blue sleeping bag on the floor and sat down on it. Johnny mirrored me, and handed me a can of Coke and one of the bags of sour keys.

"I don't like Furies." I told Johnny as I opened my drink. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until now, and I drank three cans of soda and ate two dozen sour keys before we spoke again.

"We'll get to camp in the morning, alright? I'll stay up and watch for monsters, you get a good-night sleep, okay?"

"Wake me up if you get tired." I told him as I got into my sleeping bag. "Then you can sleep too. You'll need to be well rested, because tomorrow I'm going to be asking you a lot of questions."

"You'll get your answers." Johnny smiled and reached for the light switch.

"Leave it on, would you?" I asked.

He nodded. "Of course. Goodnight."

I put my head on my arm and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I fell into a dreamless sleep.

~

Johnny shook me awake after what felt like hours. The light in the treehouse had been turned off, but the sun had only just risen so it made no difference.