memories | j.grace

002 | visitor

nobody said anything. it was clear the campers saw phoebe and annabeth as their leaders. they were waiting for the pairs verdict.

"he needs to go straight to chiron," annabeth decided, phoebe nodding in agreement. annabeth looked at her best friend. "phoebe, would you take jason?"

phoebe sighed, then turned and started walking. jason hurried to catch up to her.

"i'm, uh, sorry if i seem like i'm an enemy, or something. everyone was acting like i was lying, but i swear, i don't remember anything." jason started, not knowing what to say, but for some reason wanting the girl to trust him.

for a second, jason was worried he'd said something wrong. a look of pain spread across the girls face.

phoebe paused her walk, then ever so slightly smiled. "yeah, well, sorry i was a bitch before. it's just i wake up one morning; my twin is gone. no trace of him. i'm told to find the boy with one shoe, and instead of him, it's you. no offence." phoebe sighed. "sorry, i'm dropping this all on you. anyways, chiron is sort of our guide and camp director. he's an... interesting guy."

jason couldn't help but think that phoebe was pretty. piper was pretty in the way that she was uncomfortable about, toned down purposely; phoebes beauty was natural, untouched, almost like she didn't even know it.

as soon as the pair reached the big house, jason knew he was a dead man.

"well, here we are," phoebe said, a sad smile on her face as if she was remembering better times here. "the big house, camp head quarters."

it didn't look threatening, just a four story manor painted baby blue with white trim. the wrap around porch held lounge chairs, a card table, and an empty wheelchair. as he listened to the nymph shaped wind chimes, he couldn't help but imagine old people coming here for a summer vacation, sitting on the porch and drinking prune juice while they watched the sunset. still, the windows seemed to glare down on him with angry eyes. the wide open doorway looked ready to swallow him. on the highest gable, a bronze eagle weathervane spun in the wind and pointed straight at him, as if telling him to turn around.

every molecule in jason's body told him he was on enemy ground.

"i am not supposed to be here." he said.

phoebe frowned at him. "what do you mean?"

before either could say another word, jason heard footsteps - no, not footsteps; hooves.

jason backed up so fast he almost tripped. rounding the corner of the porch was a man on horseback; except he wasn't on horseback—he was part of the horse. from the waist up he was human, with curly brown hair and a well-trimmed beard. he wore a t-shirt that said worlds best centaur, and had a quiver and bow strapped to his back. his head was so high up he had to duck to avoid the porch lights, because from the waist down, he was a white stallion.

chiron started to smile at jason. then the color drained from his face.

"you..." the centaur's eyes flared like a cornered animal's. "you should be dead."

"chiron?" phoebe asked.

the centaur looked at the girl next to jason and immediately his face softened. he had always had a soft spot for the fierce daughter of poseidon. she was undoubtedly one of his favourite campers, and he hated seeing how distraught her and annabeth were at the disappearance of percy jackson.

"my dear phoebe," chiron greeted. "i must... chat with jason alone, please. go back to your cabin, you may come back to escort jason to the campfire tonight."

"what? but chiron..." the centaur only shook his head.

phoebe frowned, looking almost disappointed, but nodded and slowly walked off.