When Kane Meets Jackson

4- My Parents Go Save a Summer Camp

Dylan Ψ

I took the pen gingerly from dad's palms. I glanced down at it's slim features. It just looked so...normal. Maybe this is just a joke.

I glanced up at him, his bright green eyes were the most serious I've seen them in a long time. "Are you kidding me?" I scoffed. "This is a pen."

"But it's a very special pen."

I rolled my eyes. He's lost his marbles.

But I knew I couldn't let him down. "Well, Mrs.Dodds did give me an algebra report to do so I might as well use-"

"Don't uncap the pen!" dad yelled as I placed my finger over the cap.

"God dad, you scared me," I scoffed. Dad didn't respond. I peeked down at the pen again. Why won't dad let me uncap it? "What's the point of giving the pen to me if I can't uncap it?" I asked.

Dad hesitated. "I-I need to train you first, I think you're ready to learn-"

"Learn what?" I asked.

"How to-"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

WEOWEOWEOWEOWEO!!

I nearly jumped out of my skin once I heard the siren beep through the house.

"Dad, what's going on?" I asked. Dad didn't answer me, he just looked out into the hallway as if he was waiting for something. This alarm was unlike any alarm I've ever heard before. I could feel the sweat trickle down my forehead. What if I'm in danger? I couldn't see any alarm or flames but the ringer kept beeping. What if it was carbon monoxide alarm?

"Dad! What's going on?" I yelled again.

Dad sprinted out of my room and turned the corner, not bothering to answer me question. I knew that I needed to run after him. But why isn't he telling me anything? I glanced down at the ballpoint pen in my palm before I slipped it into my pocket.

I ran into my parents office and saw Annabeth and Percy huddled around a large, flat laptop computer.

"Mom!" I screamed over the alarm that now seemed louder than before. Do you think the neighbors could hear?

Mom didn't look up from the screen, neither did dad.

"Mom!" I yelled again. "We need to get out of the house! There's a fire or monoxide or something!"

My parents stared at the screen, the bright light illuminated their faces, completely ignoring my presence. What if they're zombies?

I picked up a pillow resting on a nearby chair and chucked it at them. It hit my dad in the shoulder but he didn't move. I was sweating more and more now. I could feel my heartbeat- bah boom bah boom bah boom- pounding in my ears, palpitating. What if something is wrong with my parents?

"I thought adults were supposed to be smart! Get out of the house!" I screamed once again.

They just ignored me. My heartbeat pounded louder- buh boom boom buh boom boom bobuhboom buh boombuh. The beats seemed to trip over each other as they thumped in my chest. Now I knew: something is seriously wrong.

The alarm pounded my ear drums. I saw my parents glued to the screen. I felt myself getting smaller. I wanted to cry and scream and kick and tackle my parents till they got out of the house.

I noticed mom typing away on her keyboard. My heart fluttered with excitement. At least she was moving, and we all probably would of been dead already if there was a fire or monoxide poisoning.

"We've lost contact with the camp," Annabeth said in a whisper.

Camp? Why would an alarm be connected to a summer camp?

Her forehead was beaded with sweat that reflected from the bright computer screen.

"What?" Percy asked as if he were shocked.

Annabeth pressed a single key rapidly. "The program is lagging," Annabeth muttered. "I don't know what's going on. This has never happened before."

I knew mom and dad used to go to this summer camp when they were teenagers, but I had no idea they kept in touch with it.

"Maybe the wi-fi is acting up," I suggested, yelling over the alarm.

"No," Percy barked, voice cold and rash. "This is no wi-fi incident."

I glanced back at mom. The crease in her forehead only seemed to deepen. "What if the camp is in trouble?" She trembled. I've never seen mom seem so...scared.

"We need to leave now!" Dad barked as he backed away from the computer.

"Come on Dylan!" Annabeth yelled as she ran out of the office towards the front door.

"No!" Percy yelled, grabbing Annabeth's wrist. "He won't be safe with us!"

"What are you talking about?" I screamed. What's so bad about a summer camp? They didn't seem to hear me.

"He can't stay home alone!" Annabeth yelled. "What if they get him?"

Who gets me? I could feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. Am I being hunted? Why?

Percy bolted back into the office. He sprinted out, nearly throwing me twenty bucks.

"Buy yourself a subway ticket and go to Leo's," Percy ordered.

"But he lives all the way in Brooklyn!" I yelled. Is he insane? I'm only 11, I can't ride the subway by myself!

"GO!" Percy ordered. "And stay with Leo until I say so!"