Tales of Camp Half Blood

Tale 5. Snitches Get Stitches

July 1999

Michael glanced cautiously around the Apollo cabin. In the dark it was hard to tell for sure whether his siblings were truly asleep, but given the even sounds of breathing coming from all four of them, he could assume he was probably safe. 

Carefully, he stood from his bed, thankful for once to have a bottom bunk and began to creep towards the door. Matthias usually slept like the dead, and Tatiana wasn't easy to wake up once she started sleeping either. Really his only worry was Lee, but as Michael glanced back, his older brother remained asleep on the top bunk of their shared bed.

Not wanting to test his luck any more, Michael quickly slipped outside the cabin door, wincing as the sound of it closing seemed to reverberate through the silent night air.

He didn't dare wait around for long, the threat of them being caught by the harpies was very real and very scary. The last thing Michael wanted was to be dragged to the big house and have to face Mr.D or Chiron- both of whom would not be happy to be disturbed in the middle of the night. And then he'd have to deal with Lee's scolding when he got back to his cabin.

Overall, the plan was not to get caught, because the experience would be anything but fun. Despite that, Michael wasn't scared, if they stuck to the plan they'd be fine. He was confident enough in his ability to sneak around despite what his siblings might say to the contrary (he could be quiet when he wanted to).

Plus the older kids snuck out all the time, if they could do it, why couldn't he?

Michael stalked past the other cabins, keeping to the shadows just in case he'd have to duck for cover at the sight of an approaching harpy. Which he thankfully didn't have to do during the duration of his walk down to the beach.

He found his friends right where they planned to meet, set up with a blanket behind one of the sand dunes so that they were out of sight from the main campgrounds.

"See," Finn Häyhä smirked as he walked up, "it was just as easy to sneak out as I said it would be."

"As if I ever doubted it would be," Michael replied with a raised eyebrow as he sat down next to his friends. The member of their trio who had actually been hesitant to undertake this little excursion was Jake. By the worried crease in his brow, he was clearly still just as nervous as when Micheal and Finn had proposed this idea in the first place.

Jake glanced around carefully, "let's just not stay out long, if we get caught Demetrius will kill me," he said.

"As if he and Beckendorf doesn't sneak out all the time," Michael rolled his eyes. By the shocked look on Jake's face, Michael figured that was actually new information for him. A surprise, given that Michael had known for so long, "don't you know? Him, my big brother, and Selina sneak out all the time."

"Wait Lee? Isn't he like crazy responsible, I didn't think he'd be one to sneak out," Finn said in surprise.

"Forget Lee," Jake gaped, "you're telling me Beckendorf sneaks out. He never breaks the rules!"

Michael smirked, shaking his head, "aww my sweet innocent friend. Sorry to shatter the perfect image you have of your big brother- but he totally sneaks out all the time."

He winked at Jake, noticing quite happily that a light blush covered the other boy's face at the action, "You're welcome. Now if you get caught at least you have a little blackmail to use in return.

"Not me though," Finn sighed, "Unfortunately my head counselor would never be caught breaking a rule, partly because that's not her style, and partly because she can go invisible."

"That's your guys fault for making a self-righteous seven year old your head counselor," Michael laughed, "I still don't get why Katherine was picked when over half the cabin is older than her and she's not even actually a child of Athena! She's a legacy."