chapter 1: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1280971543/ chapter 2: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1283711886/ chapter 3: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1305583111/ chapter 4: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1308079408/ chapter 5: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1321671200/ Chapter 5: I finally get claimed. part 1 The next morning, I woke up in the Hermes cabin, tangled in sheets and surrounded by the quiet snoring of kids I barely knew. I waited until most of them had already left before I slipped out and made my way to the dining pavilion. The air was fresh and cool, but I felt heavy, like I was carrying something I could not name. I scanned the pavilion, hoping to spot Jack. He was already at the Aphrodite table, waving, his eyes brightening when he saw me. I hesitated, tray in hand, remembering the rules about sitting with your cabin. Jack just gave a little smile and slid over on the bench, making space for me. I found myself grateful for it. I sat next to him, trying to act like it was normal. We ate quietly at first. Jack nudged a muffin toward me and said, “You look like you barely slept. Is it always this loud in Hermes?” I managed a small laugh. “There’s always someone talking. Or sleepwalking. Or snoring. I kept waiting for it to end.” Jack nodded, his gaze gentle. “It gets better, you know. Once you settle in, it starts to feel like home. Or at least, less like a hotel lobby.” I poked at my eggs, not sure what to say. The sun was rising higher, casting golden light across the pavilion. For a moment, it felt peaceful, almost safe, like maybe everything would be okay. Then I heard laughter behind me. It was the harsh, mean kind. I tensed. Three older campers strolled over, their faces full of that bored, cruel confidence that always seems to find someone who does not fit in. The tallest boy leaned across the table, voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “Well, if it isn’t the lost cause. Hey Jack, are you sure you want to be seen with the reject?” His friend snorted, tossing a grape at my tray. “Careful, Atlas. Bad luck might be contagious.” I clenched my fists in my lap. Jack tried to brush them off, but they only got louder. “You know, most kids get claimed their first week,” the third one said. “Maybe the gods just didn’t want you. Wouldn’t blame them.” Something inside me twisted hard. I felt my face burn. The words stung, but there was something else too. It was like a pressure growing under my skin, a deep, ancient feeling I could not control. I tried to focus on my breathing, but the ground beneath my feet began to vibrate. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but then the plates on the table started to rattle. The laughter faded as everyone turned to look. The stone floor shuddered, a low rumble echoing through the pavilion. Cracks snaked across the marble, curling toward the bullies, who stumbled back, their bravado gone.
Chapter 5: I finally get claimed. part 2 A cold wind swept through the crowd. Shadows seemed to gather around me, thick and heavy. Suddenly, the sunlight dimmed, and a strange silence settled over everyone. Above my head, I saw a flicker of silver and black, the shape of a crown, glimmering and cold. It hovered for a moment before dissolving into the air. Chiron’s voice broke the silence, steady but full of meaning. “Atlas, son of Hades.” No one moved. The bullies were pale, mouths open but silent. Even Jack looked stunned, but his hand found mine under the table, squeezing gently. For a long moment, all I could do was sit there, numb and breathless, as the realization sank in. I had been claimed. The camp finally knew who I was, but it was not the kind of recognition I had always imagined. Everything felt different. When the crowd finally started to move again, I stood up and walked away from the pavilion. No one tried to stop me. The shadows seemed to follow me as I made my way across the grass to the farthest cabin, the one painted black with dark curtains and cold torches by the door. My new home. I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The air was cool and still. The bunks were empty except for one, where my suitcase sat, just like before. I dropped onto the bed, my mind racing. I replayed the bullies’ words, the earthquake, the way the ground had listened to me, and the strange, heavy power I’d felt in that moment. I had wanted to be claimed more than anything, but now I just felt exposed and alone. I sat there for what felt like hours, staring at the floor, trying to make sense of everything. Was this what it meant to be a child of Hades? Was I supposed to be proud, or just afraid of myself? A quiet knock sounded at the door. I didn’t answer, but after a moment, Jack’s head appeared around the frame. He didn’t say anything right away. He just came in and sat beside me on the bed. He offered me a chocolate bar, the wrapper crinkling softly in the silence. “I figured you could use one of these,” he said, his voice gentle. I took it, managing a weak smile. Jack didn’t push, didn’t ask me to talk. He just sat with me, his presence warm and steady. “It’s a lot,” he finally said. “But you’re still you, Atlas. And you’re not alone. Not if I can help it.” I felt something loosen in my chest. The cabin was still cold and empty, but with Jack there, it didn’t feel quite so hopeless. Maybe, even as a child of Hades, I could find a way to belong.
