Cause we're so traumitized, it makes you wanna cry
I never really wanted to join Kronos- not until the battle of the Labyrinth. Lee had gotten his head caved in by a giant. And yeah, that should've made me NOT want to join, if anything. It wasn't that that made me join, though.
It was what happened afterwards. See, Lee had been a summer camper, which meant he'd go back home for school. His mom, Margeret, hadn't been informed. It was supposed to be Chiron's job to tell the parent's if their kids died, but the awful truth was that oftentimes, he'd forget. Me and the rest of the Apollo cabin didn't even know that she didn't know until after his funeral. We'd been shocked to hear a phone ringing in his bunk, which they hadn't gotten the courage to clean out yet. We'd thought his mom had been in denial and needed to actually know, so when Micheal, their new head counsellor had answered and she'd asked for Lee, he'd told her, confused, that he hadn't made it out. I could still remember the deafening silence from the other end before a sob tore through Margeret's throat, and we'd realised the horrible truth. She hadn't known her son had died.
The worst part was, her and Lee, unlike most demigods and their mortal parents (and godly ones) had a great relationship, so to hear the sobs, knowing that they could've at least broken it to her easier...well, that wasn't fun. Micheal had gone to Chiron, along with me, who'd been 8 or 9 at that point and asked what the fuck was wrong with him. Now, his words rang in my ears.
"What the actual FUCK Chiron?" Micheal had growled, his voice dangerously low.
Chiron had shifted uncomfortably, in his centaur form. "I thought I had made Mrs. Fletcher...." He seemed to struggle for words. "Aware of her son's...predicament."
"Well you didn't, and now we have one of the few GOOD parents sobbing her fucking ass off because she wasn't told when it happened and therefore couldn't come for the fucking funeral!" Micheal had snapped.
I'd been just as furious, wanting to punch Chiron in the face. Chiron had levelled his gaze with Micheal's. "Micheal, I understand your frustration, but we must move on." He'd insisted.
Micheal had gritted his teeth so hard I could have heard it from outside the Big House. "How can you expect us to fucking MOVE ON? The infirmary is overrun. Will's been healing so much his whole forearms are burned, which I didn't even know could happen, Fern has had to start healing and he's 7." His voice broke. "Some of us couldn't even go to the fucking funeral."
A deep pit of despair had opened in my stomach. I remembered the broken, silent sobs I'd heard from Micheal's bunk after he'd learned he couldn't attend the funeral. The infirmary simply had too many serious cases that couldn't be left alone for that long and someone had to stay. Micheal had believed it was his responsibility, as head counsellor.
Micheal's shoulders had hunched. "She couldn't even go to the fucking funeral. She didn't get to say goodbye." He said, in a voice that made my heart break.
Chiron's face had softened with pity, but his eyes were still hard. "I'm sorry, Micheal. But we can't change the past."
Micheal had turned to me, reminding me of why I'd been allowed to come along in the first place. "Tell him, Kayls."
I'd glanced at Chiron, biting my lip.
"I- we thought it might be... easier if we could show the campers they weren't hurting alone." I said, glancing between Micheal and Chiron.
Chiron stroked his beard. "What do you sugest?"
"A counselling session. We'd talk to the counsellor's and they'd talk to their siblings, show they aren't alone."
Chiron shook his head. "You're half-bloods. Demi-gods. You're half god. You should be able to deal with a battle." He'd said.
He sounded so certain of himself, if made me sick to the stomach. People who were too young to get their licenses were going into fucking wars, and he wanted us to be fine with that? As if.
Micheal growled under his breath. "The actual fuck, Chiron. These kids can't even drive, and they're going into war. Of course they're gonna get PTSD and anxiety attacks! What's wrong with you?"
Chiron's expression hardened. "I'd watch your tone, Mr. Yew."
Micheal snorted. "Come on Kayls. Let's go."
I followed him out of the big house, rage burning in my chest.
That was almost a year ago now.
I was snapped out of my memories by a knock at my door. I opened the door and saw Lou-Ellen, blood streaming from her nose. "Hurry Kayla...it's started."