Lanson Gate and the Spirits of Mischief, Chapter 1

A Mysterious Case of Missing Possessions
“I can’t believe it’s gone!” Marie yelled as she searched her purse for her diamond necklace the fifteenth time in twenty seconds.

I scratched my head. “Maybe it’s at your mom’s house?” Christopher, Jennifer, and Aldrea nodded in agreement as we all brushed the eternally falling snow of Boreas Cabin off our shoulders.

It was a cool Thursday October afternoon, and the gang and I were going to go practice for the new annual canoe race tomorrow evening. Both Marie and I had been at Camp for about two weeks (we had called Marie’s mother last Monday to inform her where her daughter was, and she explained to us that she knew that this day was coming and allowed Marie to stay at Camp for the rest of the summer) and were equally enjoying the place. I had received a letter from Saint John’s (how it reached me, only Hermes knows) telling me that they had officially expelled me. Now I stay at Camp fulltime and live in the Undetermined Cabin until I get claimed.

“It’s not at home,” Marie replied, searching under her snow white bunk. “I remember wearing it yesterday.”

“You don’t think someone has stolen it have you?” Christopher asked, but Aldrea answered.

“I would’ve heard about it in Hermes Cabin. We usually know if someone has stolen something from other Campers.”

Jennifer frowned. “Actually, this has been going on a lot lately.”

“Really?” I asked.

She nodded. “Katie Gardener’s shoes. Harley Torque’s baseball card collection. Mike Gere’s pajamas. And that’s not the last of them. People are losing things that were there yesterday. Even my favorite quiver has disappeared.”

Christopher frowned. “Now that you mention it, I couldn’t find my acne cream this morning – uh, not like I need it or anything.”

Aldrea laughed. “I thought Children of Aphrodite didn’t use acne cream. Anyway, I haven’t lost anything yet.”

I nodded in agreement. “Me either.”

Marie let out a sign of exhaustion. “You guys are so not helping. That necklace belonged to my grandmother. If my mom finds out I lost it…”

I frowned and crouched next to my friends. “Don’t worry, Jack Frost. I’ll go and ask around Camp if anyone’s seen it right now. I promise.”

“But what canoe practice?” Marie wondered.

“Hey,” I said. “We’re a good strong team. We’ve been working hard all week, and if we keep working we won’t have any strength for tomorrow. We can skip practice.” I waved goodbye to my friends as I walked out the door.

“Be careful, bro.” Chris called after me.

“Hey, Detective Gate is on the case. What could possibly go wrong?”

Everything, it turns out.

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