Unforgiven: Chapter Two

Chapter 2
Today, the Apollo had sword-fighting with the Hermes cabin. I had quick reflexes, and I wasn't bad with a sword. We took partners. I was paired with a Hermes boy with dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes like his father. He had those turned-up nose and the sly grin like most of the Hermes kids have. I knew absolutely nothing about him was a disadvantage to me since I would be fighting him. I closed my eyes and tried to get my adrenaline pumping.

"GO!" Lee Fletcher called. The arena was filled with flashes of gold. The boy thrust his sword at my shoulder, but I met his in midair with mine and forced it down. He jabbed at my leg, but I side-stepped and stabbed his foot. We continued fighting, and the fighting grew faster and more furious. I could feel the pounding of blood in my ears. I saw red.

The best sword fighter at this camp in a century, Thalia had said.

Suddenly, I was watching Luke fight, not my opponent. Luke was tearing through the sword arena dummies with his sword, Backbiter. Then the scene shifted. Now I was on the Princess Andromeda. "Drop your puny little sword," Luke sneered, "Or I'll have you killed sooner rather than later." I fought as hard as I could against him. my anger overwhelmed me. Murderer. I let go and gave into my instincts---the battle instincts of Ares.

"You'll never leave this boat alive," he told me. I started to gain on him. I hacked and stabbed. His cheek was bleeding, and he was doubling over. His knee had been severely cut by Sunblade. I cut beneath him at the armour on his legs. He stumbled. I raised my sword to kill Luke.

"Stop, Stop!" voices screamed at me. I barely heard them. My hand shook as I brought my sword down. "Claire, STOP!" My vision cleared. I looked at the boy. He had no scar. This was not Luke. I had maimed him. He was badly injured. Blood was all over the ground.

"We need ambrosia and nectar! Hurry!" voices called around me. People screamed and scrambled around me. One took my sword and forced my hands behind my back like I was a criminal. A group of campers carried the boy to the infirmary. Shapes blurred around me.

Soon I was in the Big House where Mr. D. and Chiron sat, deciding what to do with me.

"We could just kill her," Mr. D suggested. "But if she kills other campers, that's less brats for me to deal with."

"We're not going to kill you, Claire," Chiron assured me. He stroked his chin and thought deeply. "I think...Kitchen duty tomorrow night. No s'mores at the campfire for a week, and you'll have to move into the Ares Cabin. Does that sound good to you, Mr. D?"

"Eh? Fine. Whatever," Mr. D. replied.

Why do I have to move, Chiron?" I asked.

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "Well, some of you, er, siblings are a bit---frightened right now, dear, but don't worry. Everything will be fine. The first week of camp is hard for everybody." He dismissed me and I trudged slowly back to Cabin Seven. Michael was waiting on the porch with my stuff.

"Chiron says its only temporary," Michael said. "Besides, its only next door." I looked left and glared at the big red cabin with the boar. My heart sunk. I didn't fit in here.

"Good-night, Claire," he said. Then he went inside, leaving me out in the cold. I carried my sleeping bag and my new stuff from the camp store to Cabin 5. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

A couple big, ugly kids stared back. "Whatcha doing, Punk?" a big, mean looking boy asked.

"Chiron says I'll be staying here," I said in a small voice. "Ares is my great-grandfather."

The Ares kids looked at eachother and started busting up. "Little twerp. Is that the only god blood you got? It ain't much." The kids howled with laugher.

"My father is Apollo!" I said bravely.

"Ooooh," I'm scared," said a girl. "You stupid Apollo kids think you're so brave, don't ya? You're too afraid to fight face-to-face! You have to kill them from a distance, don't you pretty?"

"I can fight," I said quietly. I wanted to disappear so bad right then. I was saved by the door bursting open. Another giant kid walked in.

"Hey," he announced. "Lee Fletcher just told me that one of his little sister almost killed a Hermes twep today! Didn't think Apollo kids had the guts, did you?"

The Cabin was silent. Then the kids saw me. "Holy crap! You're the kid!" he started laughing. "How bad of a sword-fighter was that guy, huh?"

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, MARK?" the only Ares girl bellowed.

"Well, look at her! She's an Apollo kid and she's a girl. She couldn't hurt a fly!"

"Are you saying that GIRLS can't fight as well as BOYS?" the girl screeched. She drew a spear.

"Yeah, Maybe I am! Bring it Clarisse!" The boy drew a sword. I crawled to an empty bunk and hid beneath the covers. The clanging and screaming of swords, spears, and voices seeped through my body. I was barely able to think. I was finally able to chant a melody to the rhythm of the fight, and with a hymn to Apollo, I fell asleep on my second day of camp.

I was scared, humiliated, and alone.

I would never forgive Luke for ruining my life. Never

 Nobody 00:41, March 22, 2010 (UTC)