𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯

Chapter One

"Josie...Josie wake up."

I hear a familiar voice and a warm hand on my shoulder,shaking me slightly awake.I turn on my back and rub the sleepiness out of my eyes.

"Morning Joseph" I say sleepily.I fully open my eyes to see my older brothers broad face with a chin with a bit of a beard and a mustache lining his lips.I smile.

"Its the first Saturday in the summer." I whine."Why are you waking me up?"

The smile drained from his face.

"I need to talk to you" he said."Meet me at the table for breakfast and we will talk"

"Ok" I say. A bit worried.

I sit up and stretch.I breath in the "fresh" New York City air that is coming in through my open window.I take off my covers.I feel the cool air hit my bare legs. I get up, my feet hitting the purple fuzzy rug. I stand up and slip on my moccasin slippers.I walk to the window. I open it fully and slip onto the fire escape.I scan the city and put my hands into the pockets of my shorts.

"Josie!!"Joseph yelled.I groan and slip back inside, shutting the window behind me.

"I'll be out in a sec!" I yell back.

I open up a dresser drawer.I take off my shorts and t-shirt and put on a Newsies shirt that says: Seize The Day!, and a pair of ripped jeans.Yes,I LOVE musicals.Along with all books and Sci-fi and super hero movies. So,yes i'm an nerd. I pull my black hair with a purple ombre into a braid down my back.I walk out of my room and to the dinning table of our small apartment.Joseph was sitting there with bacon,eggs and toast of two plates.

"Where is aunt May?" I ask, looking around.

"Picking up a few things" He said looking up a me from his spot sitting at the table.

Me and Joseph have lived with my aunt May for a few years now. When my mom died, we moved in and she welcomed us with open arms.My dad...well was..no where to be found.We used to live in Wisconsin.Then we took the big leap from there to New York. I yawn and sit down. I start to eat when Joseph starts talking.

"Josie,your not a normal teenager." He said.

"I know,I have dyslexia and ADHD" I say.

"Thats not what I mean." He continues. "I mean you dad was not human and you are not fully human." I look at him as he pauses. "Do you remember every time we go swimming,you could hold your breath for a really long time. Then that time when that bully Jessica was calling you really bad names, And the water just kinda..grabbed her and pulled her into the pool."

Oh I remembered. I was 13, and we at a public swimming pool back home. Jessica was calling me names that a 13 year old should not even have in her vocabulary.

"Yeah, I remember." I say.

"Well, your dad was...a God.A greek God to be exact. Poseidon,The God of the sea.''

"Wwhat....do yyou mean" I stammer as I drop my fork .It makes a *chink* noise at it hits the plate.

"The myths,the Gods, The monsters, They are all real."He says."And sometimes the Gods fall in love with a mortal, then they have kids. Half-bloods or Demigods. You are one of them."
It took me a while to register what he was saying.
" Recently there was a war of the Gods versus the Titans and the Gods won. Poseidon contacted me and Aunt May. He told us that it was ok to tell you now. There is a camp near here and that is the only place safe enough for you."
"What?" I was still very confused
"He wants you to go there. You will be more safe. As a child of the big three, it's better for you to stay there then here."
"No. I don't care if I'm a child of Poseidon, I'm staying!" I stand up.
"Jojo, Your father wants you there. You are going."
I cross my arms.
"You have no choice, you are to meet the head of the camp at 11a.m. Today."
I storm off to my room. I plop on the bed. I think of all the things that my older brother said. I had learned about Greek Mythology is school and it seemed real enough. I hear a knock on the door.
"Pack your things Jojo, it's 10:15." Joseph said.
I groan and grab a duffel bag and started stuffing it with the essentials. I realize that I need to clam down. I take my MP3 player off my dresser and plug it into a speaker. I tap shuffle and a song from Tuck Everlasting the musical starts to play. I had that MP3 player since I was 8. My mom gave it to me before she died. Over the years I downloaded many soundtracks from musicals and movies. I go back to packing.
"Come on Josie"Joseph says. I unplug my MP3 player and grab my earbuds. I storm out of my room.I put my MP3 player and earbuds in my jean pocket. I grab my wallet too with my money I made from working at a cafe downtown and my drivers license that I got the summer I turned 16.I'm 17 and I don't drive around a lot.I sit and put on my black combat boots. I look a Joseph who was smiling at me. I stand up.
"Let's go,I guess" I say.
I was mad. At my dad mostly. He left my mom alone with me and Joseph. At least Joseph took care of me when my mom was working. As we walked to the car our of the Apartment building, a question came into my mind.
"Wait. Are you a Demigod too?" I ask.
Joseph puts his hand on the handle of the car door.
"No. I'm not" We get in the car and he starts it. I feel the vibration of the black Chevy pick up truck as the engine comes to life with a soft purr. "I have a mortal dad, who died a few months after mom had me. Then Poseidon came along and mom had you."
Wow. I didn't realize how tough my moms life was.I reached for my MP3 player to listen to music but I decide against it. I rest my elbow on the door and rested my head in my hand.I watched the city fly by. We turn down a country road. We pull to the side of the road at a base of hill. I look at my watch and it's five minutes to 11. We get out of the car. I smell a sweet sent of strawberry's as a cool wind blows.Joseph goes around the front of the car and stands next to me. He starts to walk up the hill. I fallow as we get closer to the top a man appears along with a... centaur.At least I thinks it's a centaur. They were standing next to a huge pine tree with a dragon rapped around it. Above the dragon a golden fleece hangs of a branch. THE Golden Fleece.
"You must be Josie" said the centaur. I nod. "I'm Chiron and this is Mr.D, we run this camp" he continues. "I hear you are a daughter of Poseidon"
"I herd that too" I say looking at Joseph. I hear a chuckle from Chiron.
"What your brother has told you is true" Mr.D said " Camp is your new home now"
I look at Joseph. "We will let you say you good bye. Then we will move you into the Poseidon cabin." They turn and leave me alone with my older brother. He has taken care of me for the past... countless years. A tear escaped my eye. Joseph pulled me into a huge hug.
"I don't want you to go, but it's for your own good." Joseph says in my ear.
"I don't want to leave you" I say as more tears roll down my face. We pull apart and he heads down the hill to grab my bag. I wipe the tears from my face.The wind blows on my face. The trees wave in the wind. Joseph gets back up the hill and hands me my bag. I take it and he puts his arm around my shoulders. He kisses me on the head.
"I love you Josie."
"I love you too."
One more hug and I rush down the hill to meet up with Mr.D and Chiron.