SYOC -- A.G. Donnell

Here is the response to my SYOC that someone wanted me to post. I really liked it, and hope you do too

It was my third day at Camp Half-Blood, and I was already sick of it. None of the other kids seemed to find me appealing. I was too sarcastic for them, or, in the instance of my cabin mates, not sarcastic enough. My mom had been very excited when she had announced the camp to me, and so had I. Though now I was nearly sick from being lonely, and desperately wanted to see my mortal friends again. "Laurel." Chiron's voice jolted me back to the present world, and I nearly fell from the apple tree I was sitting in. I regained my balance, and climbed down slowly, hoping that I did not have tears in my eyes. Chiron navigated his wheel chair around a large ant farm, and stopped in front of me. "Don't cry," he said gently, "Come, I think I may have found someone you'll get along with." I started to ask, who, but he cut me off before I had even opened my mouth wide enough. "Just follow, no questions. It may do you good to listen and not bother with questions that will soon be answered." He began wheeling himself over the smooth grass, heading towards the volley ball net. "This is Nico," he said, pointing to a sullen looking boy with dark hair. I stared. This was cruel. Of all the people to point me out to, Chiron had chosen the saddest, and most disturbing, boy he could find. I blinked, furiously angry, but not wanting to be disrespectful. Then, as it always did, my sarcasm got the better of me, welling up in me till I finally had to say something. "I don't feel like being friends with a depressed midget," I snapped, holding back the tears that threatened to penetrate my wall of emotions. Chiron clearly did not care if I wanted to be friends with this boy or not. "Nico," he called, "I would like for you to meet Laurel Jimenez. She has been here for only a few days, and I was wondering if you could possibly show her around, maybe take her to see Annabeth?" The boy stared at me, his black eyes doubtful. I glared back at him, resisting the urge to run the other way. "So you're new?" he asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. I huffed loudly, "Well, obviously. Who would be so bird-brained that they would need someone to show them around after they had already been here for a while? You, maybe? Is that what you did your first day?" Nico appeared unfazed by my sarcasm, and instead sighed, as if he dealt with people like me a lot. He started towards me, his black shirt, which was to big on him, flapping like bat wings in the wind. I backed away from him. "Don't touch me, or come near me," I said, holding my hands up, "If you do, I swear I'll get Chiron to horse-chop your-" He snickered, and I looked around. Chiron was no more than a tiny speck, sitting on the porch of the Poison, or whatever it is, cabin, talking to someone. "Come," Nico had reached me, and quickly wrapped his cold hands around my wrist, as though he were a child taking me to my mother to say I had been bad. Well, I thought, that would be better than staying at this stupid camp. I was already very tired, and the homesickness that was growing to a full-burst blast of near depression prevented me from saying anything. He led me along, his footsteps, and mouth, silent. As we neared the row of cabins, I suddenly realized how dumb this would look, having a boy lead me around. I shook my wrist free of his cold, clammy grip, and stalked beside him. I thought I saw something of a smile flit at the corners of his mouth, but I was not sure. "This," he said, stopping at the edge of the cabins, turning around to face the pond behind us, "Is a pond, and behind me are some cabins. That over to the left of that pink cabin, is the lava wall. So, really, that's all there is to see. Although, if you would like to see something more interesting, I can show you this one place." I couldn't resist it. With one quick swipe of my hand, I knocked him to the ground, using the sarcasm swipe that I had seen my cabin mates do. I had o idea what it did, but I figured it would probably be better than what he was going to show me. He lay on the ground, his body still. My stomach rolled over, and I stared at him. Maybe it kills you, I thought, I might have just murdered someone. He suddenly rolled over, and looked up at me. He had a nosebleed from falling, but other than that he seemed fine. He opened his mouth, and mouthed something at me. I stared at him, puzzled. Maybe he though mouthing words to me was revenge. He shut his mouth, and fingered his lips. Suddenly it struck me, the spell-thing shut people up. I snickered, then burst into a fit of laughing. I hadn't laughed this hard since my friend, McKayla, had gone around town, laying those sticky coins all over the sidewalks. It felt wonderful, and I suddenly didn't feel so homesick. "Sorry," I choked out over my giggles, "I didn't know what it would do. I can try to reverse it." Nico shook his head frantically, and rubbed his head with frustration. "No, really, I think I know what I can do to help you," I held my hand up, and he flinched. Ignoring the twinge of guilt that rippled over me, I swept my hand the other direction, left. I focused on placing all my sarcasm into it, all my feelings into that one quick swipe. This time, instead of collapsing, he began choking. I tried not to freak out, but my friend's little brother had gone into a choking fit, and it scared me ever time someone else choked. I dropped to my knees, and patted his back. "I'm fine," he swatted my hand away and coughed loudly, "Now, if you're done cursing me, lets get going." This time I followed him willingly, though I was also worried he was going to get back at me. He led me down to the pond, and over the plank bridge that was slowly sinking into the murky green water. I clutched the rope handles as the bridge sunk further under my weight. Bubbles began forming around my feet, and I resisted running. It was probably some fish that found my tennis shoe string interesting. Then several sets of slimy blue hands lifted the bridge out of the water. Nymphs, I thought, this camp is crazy. "Come on," Nico called, "Ignore the nymphs, they'll pull you into the water if you don't hurry." At that, I scrambled across the bridge, slipping through the planks, and nearly toppling myself into the bubbling algae pot. Nico motioned for me to follow him, and started down a stone path through the woods.I followed, trying to wipe pond scum from my shoes to the grass. We hiked along for quite sometime, though Nico did not seem to tire. I, on the other hand, needed a break. I had never been in shape, and this was taxing work for my achy calves. "That," he said, pointing towards a mossy cliff in front of us, "Is what I want to show you." He walked along the edge till he came to a set of stairs built into the sheer wall of stone. I followed, reluctantly, my legs screaming in agony at me. We set up the stairs, Nico calmly and brisk, while me, my legs trembling with fatigue and fear of heights, followed slowly behind. The top came much quicker than I though its would, and what I saw was reward for a few aches. Behind me, the cliff dropped off into, well, I don't know what it dropped into, since I was to scared to go see. The whole forest lay spread out for me to see. The tops of trees, and the stream that wound through the woods like a continuous blue snake. Then, on the surface of the cliff, was the real stunner. A small cabin, that looked as though it had popped out of a fairy tale sat nestled amid ferns and dogwood trees. I approached it slowly, worried I might somehow upset the perfect little home. "Do you like it?" Nico asked. I nodded, "Of course I do, can't you tell I do?" "No," he said, "Not that old cabin, I mean that cabin." He tapped my shoulder, and pointed to my left. Behind several trees, and just barely visible, was a large, black cabin. "That where I go when I'm stressed or angry, or both," he said, "No one else knows about it, but you looked like you could do with some cheering up, so..." He stopped talking, and nudged his toe in the soft earth, blushing. I was touched that he had shown me his private little nook, and quickly set down the dirt trail that led to it. Cabin was not quite the word for it. More shack-made-out-of-something-that-looks-like-super-valuable-metal. I climbed up the set of stairs, and pushed open the black door. What I saw next shocked me. The interior was humungous. In front of me was a giant foyer with sets of stairs that led to balconies, doors that nearly lined the walls (don't ask me how that was possible, but I think the place was magic so a row of doors was possible), and slides that led from the balconies to the floor. Nico smiled, which looked odd on his weary face, but also gave an almost brotherly look to it. "I really don't spend much time doing all the fun activities that this place has, since I'm not really into those kinds of things. But they do have nice beds and an unbelievably large library. So if you like any of that, you may feel free to any of it."