Ebony Wings: Chapter 12

'''Chapter 12 '''

'''Christopher '''

Deciding it was too early to sleep and that he wasn’t tired anyway, Christopher decided to unpack.

Not that he had many things to unpack, a few pairs of pants; t-shirts and undergarments. All he had was a haversack after all.

He knew that he never had a lot of things, but this was ridiculous. If he was going to stay here for a long period of time, how was he supposed to ration 2 pairs of pants, 5 t-shirts and a jacket?

He hadn’t honestly expected to be staying wherever the letter brought him for too long, thus the lack of clothes.

Well…a pair of pants could last him a week, provided that it didn’t get ripped open and 5 t-shirts for 5 days. He wondered if he could steal a few more camp T-shirts…

Did they have a laundry machine is camp? Would it be a normal machine or a weird, ungodly hybrid of mechanical dragon and washing machine?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">So many questions yet so little answers.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christopher pulled out the other objects he had brought along, a book, passport and the letter that had started this entire journey.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;">''<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0cm;">Want to find out about your family? Take the plane. ''<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;">''<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0cm;">~ D ''

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The letter still said the same thing it had one he first read it, no magical changes to it unfortunately. On the back was the address of Camp Half-Blood, again no change there.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He set the note aside, it currently had no purpose. It had brought him here and in a way informed of his family. He was a child of an old ancient Greek god, which god however was still up in the air.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The extra room in the big house actually had a shared closet. Funny because the cabins didn’t have one as far as he knew (he had stuck away and gone into one of the empty cabins. Hera’s if he remembered correctly.)

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The problem with the shared closet was that it was occupied with some of Theresa’s things. A fact he didn’t know until he opened it. He didn’t touch the drawer, fearing what he would see in there.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bottom of the closet was actually empty so he made that part his own, the space having plenty of room even after he had placed his clothes.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The note he jammed inside the drawer of his bedside table. It would be a weird conversation to have if Theresa asked about it. Not that he would have an answer for her, he was as clueless as her.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally at the end of his packing routine, he laid flat across his bed, propped a pillow to support his neck and open the book he had brought along, Oliver Twist.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He had always liked reading, escaping reality for a brief moment in time and just being lost within the lore and rules set by the story. Reading was also one of the reasons why words were his weapons of choice, combine that with his quick wittedness and sarcasm; and you had a recipe to be proficient in a battle of words.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He had just reached the part where Olivier that escaped his orphanage when there was a knock on the door.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Come in!” He called out.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena peeked through the door. “You decent?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yeah.” He closed the book then cursed under his breath when he realised that he had not remembered the page he stopped at.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You guys didn’t come down for dinner so I brought you some.” Silena pushed the door open, bringing a tray that had steak and an empty cup on it.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Wow, steak huh?” He took the tray from her. “Thanks, but what’s up with the empty glass? You got thirsty on your way here?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“No, it’s a magical glass. Stay what you want and it’ll fill up with the drink.” Silena explained.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to say ‘just kidding!’ but she didn’t so he gave it a try.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Milo.” He told the glass and it filled up with a light brown liquid. He smiled; content with his decision.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“What’s Milo?” Silena inquired.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“It’s a malt drink; it’s a chocolate-esque drink basically.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“So it’s hot chocolate?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“No, you drink hot chocolate when it’s cold and you usually drink it hot. Milo you drink hot or cold and it’s usually drunk in the morning as a substitute for coffee for kids.” He picked up the glass and took a long big gulp. Perfect.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Where were you from before you came to camp Chris?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“So we’re using pen names now huh?” He set the glass down. “Well I was not from America, I can say that.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“But where?” She folded her arms.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Somewhere.” He avoided the question, digging into the steak that had been brought to him.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You didn’t answer my question.” She frowned.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Neither did you when I asked you yesterday. So I guess we’re even.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena sighed and dropped down to his bed. “Alright, I’m sorry okay?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“But you’re still not gonna answer my question?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“But I’m still not going to answer your question.” She agreed.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Then I won’t answer mine either.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“It’s not my place to answer it.” She continued. “If you want to know, you have to ask Theresa or wait for her to tell you herself. You two are getting close after all.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yeah, I guess.” Christopher leaned back in the bed rest. “So what’s your story?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“What do you mean?” She questioned.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Where did you come from, immortal parent, all that jazz.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena shifted on his bed to get comfortable. “Silena Avelyn, 16 years old, daughter of Zeus and twin of Michael Avelyn.” She redid her ponytail because some blond strands had come loose. “Up until a year ago I never existed because of the ‘Great Prophecy’ and all that.” She air-quoted.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Great Prophecy?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yeah, up until a year ago the big three; that’s Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, vowed to never have children. There was a prophecy that said that a child of the big three would either save or destroy Olympus so to stop that they vowed to never have children.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“But they had children anyway.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yup, gods were never good at following rules, even their own.” Silena agreed. “Anyway, Zeus got some house in the middle of the woods for my mom so that she would stay hidden, since you know he broke the rules. Supplied us with an infinite amount of food and a protector to ward off monsters.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Last year another child of the big three, Percy Jackson fulfilled the prophecy so now we don’t have be hiding anymore.” She finished.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“How about your mom and that protector? What happened to them?” Christopher asked.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“My mom is still up and about, she took over our grandfather’s business, accounting.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Eww.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She laughed. “I know right?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I’m assuming you’ll follow in her footsteps?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I don’t think so; Mike will probably do that though. He’s always being a sourpuss and is boring most of the time.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chris chuckled. “So, what about your protector?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena turned her green eyes towards him. “She’s here and there, sometimes closer than you think.” Silena tapped on the jewel she was wearing on her necklace.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christopher raised an eyebrow and waited for to elaborate on it, but she didn’t so he didn’t press her for answers. If it wasn’t something she wanted to tell him outright, then it wasn’t something she wanted to tell him just yet.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Hey Chris?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Sup?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena turned to her friend who was sleeping soundly on her bed. “Don’t – don’t hurt Theresa okay? She’s- she’s been through enough. All the girls bullying her for being unclaimed.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I wasn’t planning on it Silena and I’ve defended her twice in the span of two days. I’m not going to hurt her or let anyone else hurt her.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Good because you’re going to be lightning-cooked if you do.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He smirked. “Daughter of Zeus so you control lightning?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yup, Mike only controls the air.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“So twin children of Zeus, one controls one aspect of Zeus and the other controls another. Cool.” He noted.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“So anyway, I’m going to head out. We’re having a sing along with the rest of the camp.”  Silena stood up. “Unless you want to come?”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christopher weighed his options. He could stay in this room with a white-blond sleeping girl and read the book that he had to look through the pages because he had lost it or he could follow the yellow-blond awake girl and join her in a sing along with the rest of the camp and actually socialize.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I’ll join you, wait up.” He set the book down and stuffed whatever was left of his steak into his mouth.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Silena rolled her eyes. “You boys are slobs.”

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He smiled; mouth full of steak and all. Of course he didn’t attempt to speak, that would just be rude.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christopher double checked Theresa, making sure that she was okay. Yup, still sleeping soundly.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;background-position:initialinitial;background-repeat:initialinitial;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Hurry up, we’re gonna be late.” Silena called out from the doorway.

<span style="font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;">Christopher turned off the lights before he left, after taking one last look into the darkness of the room; he closed the door and followed Silena.

<p style="text-align:center;">Ebony Wings Main Page

<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;">&lt;---Previous Chapter Next Chapter---&gt;

<span style="font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;"> For the stronger the Light; the thicker the shadows that fall.  15:13, April 11, 2014 (UTC)