𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

Chapter 8

The book opens and the chapter title appears
'My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke'

|Sereia: Word of the bathroom incident spread immediately. Wherever I went, campers pointed at me and murmured something about toilet water. Or maybe they were just staring at Annabeth, who was still pretty much dripping wet.|

Annabeth shows her a few more places: the metal shop, where kids were forging their own swords, the arts-and-crafts room, where satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue of a goat-man, and the climbing wall, which actually consisted of two facing walls that shook violently, dropped boulders, sprayed lava and clashed together if you didn't get to the top fast enough.

They look shocked and a few look scared at the climbing wall.

They return to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.
Annabeth: I've got training to do. Dinner's at seven thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall
Sereia: Annabeth, I'm sorry about the toilets
Annabeth: Whatever.
Sereia: It wasn't my fault
She looked at Sereia sceptically.

|Sereia: I realised it was totally my fault. I'd made water shoot out of the bathroom fixtures. I know I could control water as a kid but I thought it was my magic when Hagrid told me I was a witch. But now I don't think it was my magic anymore but I don't understand how I could have done that. The toilets had responded to me. I had become one with the plumbing.|

*4 year old Sereia sits in the bath tub playing with boats made of water. Petunia turns to her and screams. Sereia jumps and looks up breaking her control of the boats and it disappears in the water.*

"That sounds kind of disgusting" others nod and hum in agreement with Susan Bones. "Did you create the boats with your magic?" asks a Muggle-born in awe. She hums while slightly shaking her head which Tom sees and eye her with narrowed eyes. "How old were you?" "Four" Many were in awe of her while Zeus glares at Sereia for her control over water at her age.

Annabeth: You need to talk to the Oracle.
She looks confused.
Sereia: Who?
Annabeth: Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron
Sereia sighs stares into the lake.

|Sereia: I wishing somebody would give me a straight answer for once.|

She looks surprised when two teenage girls sitting cross-legged at the base of the pier, about five metres below, look back at her. They wore blue jeans and shimmering green T-shirts, and their brown hair floated loose around their shoulders as minnows darted in and out.
They smiled and waved to her. Sereia hesitatingly waves back
Annabeth: Don't encourage them. Naiads are terrible flirts.

Poseidon, Triton and Amphitrite frown. "They weren't flirting, they were saying hello to her, as they could tell who she is." says Poseidon. Annabeth nods. The wizards look confused not knowing what he means.

Sereia: Naiads. That's it. I want to leave now.
Annabeth frowned.
Annabeth: Don't you get it, Sereia? This is your home now. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us.
Sereia raises an eyebrow.
Sereia: You mean, mentally disturbed kids?
Annabeth shakes her head.
Annabeth: I mean not buman. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human.
Sereia: Half-human and half-what?'
Annabeth: I think you know.
They look at each other.