Demigods: New Generation - Matt 2

Matt sat down at the Hermes table with the rest of the crazy Hermes kids. He had changed out of his soaked clothes, into some old worn jeans, his Camp shirt and brown Chuck Taylor sneakers. Matt pulled an old photograph from his pocket: a picture of him and his parents in Central Park, on vacation. His dad with his blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight, matching his blue eyes, laying next to Mat who was only six, with his mom laying on the other side, her brown hair in a ponytail, smiling. Matt lay in the centre, holding his arms in the air, taking the picture.

"Mama's boy." Someone snickered across the table. Matt shoved the photo back in his pocket. He glanced across the dining hall, to the Hephaestus table. David sat, in fresh clothes, laughing with his brothers and sisters. Matt looked around at his brothers and sisters and wanted to be anywhere else. Next, he looked at Jessie at the Athena table. She and two other campers, her little brother Daniel, who wore a black tee-shirt and denim shorts and Josh, an 18 year old son of Athena with a dark blonde mo-halk and baggy black shorts were at the far end, talking and laughing and having a good time. Matt smiled and waved. Jessie looked up and smiled, her face red from laughing. Jessie stopped and waved. Matt smiled, but then realized that she wasn't waving at him, she was waving at Brody, her boyfriend, at the Ares table. Brody smiled and winked at her. Matt looked down at the photo, hiding it under the table. Matt hadn't seen his parents in two years, when his mom had dropped him off at school and never picked him up. His Uncle Sean had taken him home instead.

"Hey," someone nudged him on the shoulder. He looked up at a thin, bruised up kid. "I'm Patrick." He extended his arm. Matt shook his hand. Patrick had deep, brown eyes and thick black hair. "I'm new here. I just got here yesterday. What's your name?"

"Matt." He shifted in his seat, "Um, when did you get here?"

"Last night," he looked around and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a bandaged cut, "a Drakon thing chased me all the way here." The conch horn blew and nymphs emerged from out of nowhere with plates of barbecue, fruit, cheese, bread and all sorts of good things. Matt was hungry from his unexpected swim, but Patrick looked at everything as if it was poisoned or explosive. Matt looked at his expression and laughed.

"Dude," Matt said, stifling a grin, "calm down. The nymphs make really good barbecue. It's food. You must be starving, so eat. You look like a twig." Patrick sighed. He poked the brisket with his fork, mournfully.

"My mom made the best brisket." Patrick smiled a bit.

"Well," Matt got up from the bench with the other kids, "Maybe this will help you find your godly parent." He pulled Patrick up and led him to the bronze brazier. Matt pushed a portion of his food into the brazier. The fire burned with sweet smells. Patrick looked at him quizzically, then did the same. He pushed a piece of juicy brisket into the fire. The fire glowed bright yellow and orange. Patrick followed Matt back to the table, still amazed about the fire. They started to eat and Patrick finally settled down.

"So, I might get claimed now?" Patrick looked up from his plate, which was almost licked clean.

Matt smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "Maybe." Patrick smiled and called a nymph over for seconds.