Fanfiction Collab by TheBestDaysofUrLife a.k.a. Days and DaughterofPoseidon14 a.k.a. Dop and Cutefairy78 a.k.a.Fairy and HunterofArtemis12 a.k.a. Hunter (or Huntay :D) NickyStellar a.k.a. Nicky and SearchingforPaperTowns a.k.a. Piper/Towns. Please please contact one of the following listed- if you are intrested in helping out!
Chapter One (TheBestDaysofUrLife)
The first thing I see is complete and utter darkness. It's cold, goosebumps are popping up along my arms and neck. If you listen carefully you can hear wolves howling off in the distance, shouting and asking where the bright light of the moon has gone. I want to know where it went too.
I slowly turn 90°, squinting and lifting my hand to fend of the mist that has suddenly formed around me.
Terror like knives has reached me, plunging itself into the depths of my mind. My gaze darts first left, then right. My right eyelid has refused to stop twitching. Flash. Was that something moving? No. My mind is playing tricks on me... Crunch. Wait...what was that? It almost sounded like a twig snapping.
"Hello?" I call, trying to sound brave. "Is anybody out there?"
There's no reply. Of course there isn't an answer- I'm in the middle of the woods, I realize. I reach out to touch a small leaf, it's withered and dry. Almost as if this dark abyss has swallowed every bit of light from it. The tree almost looks evil, snake like branches reaching out for me, clawed fingers stretching.
I close my eyes, count to ten.
It's a dream. You'll wake up soon, hang in there.
I know it's a dream. It's not real, but the thing is, dreams become real for me. Whatever I dream is almost like a warning or a prophecy about what's to come.
I bend down, touch the ground feeling the dirt. Somtimes, I can find my way out before I wake up. Usually, it's underground. But no, this is entirely different what I find here. There is an imprint in the soil, I trace it with my finger.
Wolf.
That's what I remember thinking, right before something leaped straight out of the woods and started ripping with it's long sharp gleaming claws.
"WOLF!" I sit straight up in my bed, sheets flying everywhere. I glance around me, eyes darting franitcally.
I'm not in the woods, I'm in my room. Light streams through the cheap window, but it's a window all the same, hanging over my bed. I scrape the rest of the sheets off and lean forward to push the curtains (made from my last pillow case) away.
My breathing has gone done, I realize I'm safe. No wolves, no darkness, no mist. Everything's fine. I tell myself. I slip on my only other set of clothes, baggy pants and a oversized T-Shirt. They look relatively clean to me, besides the dirt smudges and a dead ant in the folds of my shirt.
After I've gone to the washtub and splashed cool water on my face, I find my hunting coat. It's hanging up on the wall where it always is. I find my sword, Anaklusmos in the pocket. Anaklusmos is Greek for Riptide. It's a cheap ballpoint pen for now, but if I uncap it, it will magically expand until it's a Celestial Bronze blade of terror.
To be honest, I've never used it for anything except hunting, I hope I never have to use it for anything other than hunting.
I'm slipping the overcoat on when something hits me. It's the day of the Reaping.
Bitterness like bile creeps into my throat. Two demigods from each faction will be chosen to participate in something called 'The Demigod Games'. It's sounds extravagent, exciting even- but it's not. It's a special little event hosted by our beloved Capitol who rule over us lower people, using demigods as their footstools.
Supposedly they are better than us, and that's why we must be seperated. President Zeus calls us 'servants' often, which I certaintly don't take kindly too. Somtimes, I think I'd like to shove my sword up his nose. Of course, thinking like that is frowned upon here. I've been told the reason we're still around is to entertain the Capitol and provide any article or material they might need.
See, long ago we were all happy and free. I wasn't there when it was like that but I've been told kids got to go to school and get an education. They'd do homework, ride buses and hang out with their friends whenever they wanted. Apparentally, it was called The United States of America which I personally think sounds pretty cool. Mom tells me that her grandma's grandma had freedom of speech. I think it means they could say whatever they wanted and get away with it. After a couple of centuries President Zeus' great great great grandpappy moves in and starts ordering us around.
Can you guess what happened? Not only were we not okay with being bossed around, but our own civilizations were falling apart, forced labor every day with very little pay, too many deaths from accidents that seemed to occur a lot.
We revolted...and lost. About the time of the 24th annual Demigod Games I was born. Present time, we are coming up on the 39th Demigod Games. I'd say happy Reaping day to you, but really no such thing exists.
There are 7 factions- there used to be 8, but we don't talk about that- and I'm from faction 7. We do coal mining and oil rigging. I'm convinced it's the hardest task out of everyones. So, where am I? Faction 6 is all vegetables and fruit, lots of working out in the fields. It could be worse, I suppose. The chain goes on, clothing comes from faction 5 and basic material, like glass and wood from 4. Faction 3, fishes and provides meat and dairy (I wouldn't mind doing that.)
Then there are the 'favorites' of the Capitol, factions 1 and 2. Faction 2 builds military equipment, but it's not all labor for them. They can kick back, relax and live in nice houses, unlike the unlucky 3-7's. And then there's faction 1 who, I've been told grows flowers and other stuff that no one really needs. I'm not sure why they even do it, but I've never left my faction so I'm not sure if it's true.
I grab the handle of the door, look around at the small shack mom and I call home then dissapear out the exit.
I'm running. Fast, faster, fastest. Like the wind, I zip along, zig zagging between houses, avoiding the Peace Makers. I can't get in trouble with them, especially not today.
I arrive at the fence, it's humming. Not like a human tune, no it's electric. I touched it once on accident and I smelled terrible (worse than usual) for almost a week. Not to mention the coursing sting of pain and agony.
Carefully not to electorocute myself again I creep along the edge of the fence. There- it's that clump of bushes were I can get past. I make sure no one is watching then drop to my stomach and flatten out my belly. Once in that horribly uncomfortable position I slide under a small trench I dug with my father when I was six.
As soon as I've crossed the boundary I take off running once more, deeper into the woods, plunging past rocks and tree's, brushing away scraping branches.
When I'm sure there is no one else out here with me, I take Anaklusmos out and uncap it. The magic never fails, it grows until it reaches its full height and stops. I moisten my lips and then grip the hilt as my father taught me then take a few practice swings just to makes sure I've got it.
I don't usually need to look for anything to eat, most of my meals come to me. I'm walking through the woods, keeping an eye out for monsters-yes monsters- when I trip over a boulder. Where did that come from?
"Nice one Seaweed Brain."
I don't answer yet, it's hard to reply when you're face is being crushed into the gravel. I wipe the gravel and dirt from my face, trying not to cough.
"What gives you the right to sneak up on me?" I sit up and turn around.
She's standing about ten feet away, leaning against an Aspen Tree smiling smugly. "Oh c'mon Percy, you would have done the same. Besides I meant what I said, I'd give that dive at least a 9 out of 10."
I narrow my eyes, but I'm not really mad. "Fine, but what would you say if we went to The Cliff and I pushed you off? Then we'll see who had the better dive."
Annabeth smiles, she's reached me by now. She bends down. "Give me your hand. C'mon, I'm not going to let go if you fall again."
I wipe the rest of the grime off my palms and take Annabeth's hand. It's still petite and soft, surprising for the girl who trains so much. "The Cliff then?" I bow mockingly and point north. "After you m'lady."
Annabeth rolls her eyes but starts walking. "Shut up Seaweed Brain and lets go already. I'm in a horrible mood- I hope some monsters come after us."
I can't help but grin myself as I struggle to keep up with her. I don't have to ask why she's in a bad mood, we know each other like that. She's got to feed her entire family (who are convinced she's a she-demon, don't ask me why...of course I never disagreed) and today is the Reaping.
We make to the Cliff with no problem. A rocky outcrop of stones and boulders sticking straight up out of the ground, over looking what used to be faction 8.
We sit down on the edge, our legs hanging over empty air. I'ts risky, we know, but for the past five years we've known each other, we've always done this. I cap Riptide and stare out over the trees.
"Annabeth," I begin.
"Shut up Percy." Her reply is fast, cutting me off.
"What?" I demand, frowning in her direction.
"You were going to ask me about the Reaping. I don't want to talk about it." Annabeth's tone is more than dangerous, it's scary.
"Well...yeah." I shrug. "Why? How many times are you in for the drawing?" I lean back and relax, despite that she said to leave the subject alone. She's knows me, I won't do what she says most of the time.
Annabeth sighs, looks down at her shows. "Too many times, okay? Will you leave it alone now?"
I cast my eyes up at the clouds dancing through the air. "Okay but what if-"
Annabeth jerks her head up from looking at her shoes. "Percy, if I give you food will you shut up?"
I pretend to contemplate then nod yes. My blonde hair and grey eyed friend pulls open her napsack and tosses a small cut of bread at me. And I'm not talking about flat unlevened bread- it's the expensive kind. The stuff only the Capitol and factions 1 and 2 eat.
"Where did you get this?" I mumbled around my food as I chew. It's gone ine four seconds.
Annabeth tilts her head mysteriously. "I have my ways." I demolish the slice of bread and lick my lips.
"Speaking of which, Wise Girl, I got something for you too. You know, happy Demigod Games and all."
Annabeth grins and begins reciting the Demigod Games quote that has always been said for the past 39 years. "And may you live or die, laugh or cry, remember the honor you carry."
I laugh and pull an owl pin from my pocket. "There ya go." I toss it to her.
Annabeth's pin from Percy
She studies it for a moment. "It's beautiful," She finally remembers to breath. I'm happy I've gotten something right for once. "Where...where did you get this?"
I'm about to tell her when she puts her hand up and shushes me.
"No, wait. Don't tell me, I don't want to know."
An almost akward silence. I finally speak up, breaking the ice.
"It reminds me of you."
Annabeth smiles, I can see what might be tears glistening in her eyes. "I love it Percy." She takes my hand, and I blush scarlet but either she doesn't care or doesn't notice.
I hear the horn blow from the town center, it sounds so far off almost like a distant memory. It's our calling, our reminder that we have to go back.
I look over the remains of faction 8, wondering if somehow we could escape there and live without fear of the Capitol. I know it could never happen though, my mom needs me.
Annabeth must have heard the horn too. She sighs almost wistfully looking out into the open air with sadness evitable in her stormy grey eyes. "I guess we should go back."
I glance at her then drop my gaze to the ground. My feet are shuffling like mad. "Yeah."
And then we're up, the tension eased as we race back to the fence, nothing but us the wind and the air. If I could imagine anything like freedom, I think it would be something like this.
The only thing drawing us back to reality, is the horn telling us that the reaping will commence in an hour.
Guys im so sorry for the crappy chapter. I-yi-yi I will do better in the next chapters. see the index page for what i plan on you guys to write!