Sandra Jones

16. Unclaimed. Cabin 11.

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Matt moved for quite some time. Taking the long way around meant they had time and though he knew people would miss him in that game, he doubted anybody thought twice about Sandra. “Don’t blame yourself, either. They shouldn’t have put you out there.” Not that he thought it was her cabin counselors fault, he was sure with the strategy they were using that Sandra was in the safest place she could have been. More so, she should have been allowed to sit this one out.

He was careful not to go too fast because while he knew that walking this terrain felt natural for him, Sandra still was adjusting to the life at camp. When they got close to the edge, enough that he could see the faint glow of the sun and the injured campers working their way out of the woods, he stopped. They were close enough the edge they wouldn’t be bothered by monsters, but far enough away nobody would be able to peer in and see them. “Hey,” he said softly, finally putting away his dagger.

His hands reached out like he wanted to comfort her, but once again he saw the blood on his hands. He also saw where the blood had smeared onto her, just from their short time interacting. It was this part of himself that he hated, and he hated that she had to see it so often. “Take a minute. We have time.” His hand dropped to his side and he wondered if this was a good time to quick clean his weapons. He hated letting the blood settle, worried that the tint would stain the celestial bronze.

Take a minute. We have time. Sandra nodded, glancing around at their surroundings. They were alone, but close enough to the edge of the woods she could see campers making their way back out of the woods- laughing, clapping one another on the back, cleaning weapons slick with blood, or helping their injured friends toward the infirmary. Team lines blurred- friends turned enemies returned to friends- and it made Sandra’s mind spin. 

“I don’t get it.” She said, shaking her head. How could these kids fight one another as they had only moment before only to turn around and laugh it off? The hot tears stung at the back of her eyes and with a shuddering breath Sandra let them fall- unable to fight them any longer. Her hands lifted to her face for a moment, the blood on her hands streaking her face before she remembered and pulled them away- nearly retching at the sight, the smell. 

“My hands-” she cried holding out her shaking hands in front of her and staring at the blood on them. “I need to wash my hands.” An irrational thought- perhaps- but shock was slowly becoming a familiar state and the thought was so much easier to focus on than the wave of emotions crashing down around her. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

corinne-asommers‌:

Corinne quickly dodged out of the way, still grimacing from the shriek the other girl had let out. Did she need to be so loud? It was bad enough students were beginning to notice something was going on, but now they were looking at both of them. The Lion had knocked into a few students, causing a small stir to occur. Quickly the blonde turned and grabbed the other demigods arm. They had to get out of there. “When I count to three, run.” She said, glancing back and forth between the girl and front of her and the lion behind her. “Three- run!” She said quickly not giving her a chance to try and stall. As Corinne took off towards the doors, she dragged the other girl with her. 

Corinne didn’t have to tell Sandra to run twice, it was certainly the only option she could think of in that moment and only stumbled a bit after the other girl as she tugged her along. “It- it’s following us!” She said, glancing back over her shoulder to watch the creature bound after them. “Oh my god, it’s following us!” She warned, doing her best to keep up with her new found ally. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

messengersthieves‌:

“I know they got us there in that last half, but you gotta admit, we were doing pretty good for ourselves in the beginning.” Not that Marcus was a particularly good fighter themselves. But part of being a cabin counselor was making sure the rest of the cabin felt good, whether they won or lost. And hell, they’d pass around those good vibes to the rest of the camp too.

Sandra glanced up absently at the sound of her cabin counselor’s recount of the capture the flag game and nodded half-heartedly. “I guess.” She managed before glancing back down at her hands resting in her lap. They no longer shook as violently as they had when Matt had found her, now resting limply with the fatigue weighing down on what felt like every muscle in her body. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Matt should have seen the creature the moment it stalked out of the woods behind the gas station. He should have heard the low growling from a mile away, but he was distracted. He was trying to pay attention to everything, to keep an eye on the man with the roaring motorcycle, to make sure the family got in their vehicle and drove away, to make sure that Sandra was okay. His eyes kept sweeping from one sight to another. From the gas station clerk to the couple who had appeared from the other side of the building, there was too much happening. And even then, he could still hear her, panicked and confused.

It made sense, the overwhelming need to make sure none of this was real. That these crazy things happening was just some prank, or a wild dream. But Matt had learned long ago that this life would just keep pulling you in, no matter how often you tried to deny it.

“Look, mommy! A doggy!” The voice of the small girl snapped Matt out of his stupor, his eyes falling on her before following her little finger. It was on the other side of the building, closer to Sandra than Matt. At first, it looked like a dog. A giant black mastiff, with piercing eyes and it’s teeth bared into a growl. To the others, it probably looked like a feral dog and nothing more, but the more Matt stared the more he could see it for what it really was. Shit.

“Wrap it up, Sandra,” Matt said quickly, his hand moving to his belt as he finally moved closer to her. More than anything he wanted to make her end that conversation then and there, but he knew how important this was to her. Hellhound or no, she should at least be able to tell her Grandpa that she loved him. He started to unsheath his weapon when he saw the creature gear up, before it lunged directly at Sandra.

Sandra felt as if the world was spinning around her as her grandfather continued on, sharing the omitted details of a story he had told a million times. She clutched the phone tighter in one hand, the other reaching to steady herself against the wall of the gas station. “You know.... Grandpa... you know who my father is?” She asked, her words trembling. How long- how long had he known the truth and kept it from her? Had he known from that very day they’d met in the hospital- after the accident? 

His words were slow, careful, as he lingered on details that seemed significant and omitted others that left Sandra trying to piece together his meaning from a context she was only just beginning to understand. It was clear he had done well to repress such unpleasant memories- the most painful of them buried under excuse and explanation Sandra didn’t have time for. “His name- Grandpa- just tell me who my father’s name is, I-” She pleaded desperately, her words cutting short at Matt suddenly at her side. “No- no- a few more minutes, please. I just need a few more minutes...” Her gaze trailed down to the way he drew his weapon and then wildly scanned the gas station, where it came to rest on the monster lurking closer. 

Sandra... Sandra are you still there? Her grandfather’s voice cut through the blood roaring in her ears. “I love you.” She choked out, her voice trembling with fear, frustration, desperation. “I- I have to go.” What’s going on? Go where? Sandra! Sand- The phone dropped from her shaking hand as she watched the creature’s muscles tense and she instead reached to curl her fingers into the fabric of Matt’s shirt. No doubt Grandpa Don heard her scream as the creature lunged and she dove away, stepping behind Matt and the protection of his sword. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

“Not until you’re ready,” Matt said quickly, though he knew that wasn’t entirely true. Some people were never ready and at some point even they would have to go up against a monster. But this camp wasn’t going to just throw their campers at monsters they weren’t ready for. Most of the kids that preferred not to fight– or who weren’t very good at it– wound up either sitting on the sidelines or being in the back of the forces. There was no point in letting them get senselessly hurt for no reason. “Your cabin counselor will make sure you get fitted for a weapon and if none of them feel right, someone from the Hephaestus cabin can help you with a new one.” He could see the panic in her eyes though, something he was all too familiar with. “But they definitely, definitely, won’t make you go up against a monster that you aren’t ready for.” Even if that meant he needed to personally interfere, he would.

Camp activities would continue no matter how much she knew, but there were always steps in place for the new kids. There were ways of testing how much they knew as well as what they were more in tune with. “Training is usually done with each cabin and I’m not sure how the Hermes cabin really handles it,” he started. His own cabin didn’t believe in baby steps, which probably would have terrified her. “But if they move to fast for you, I can help you learn at a better pace? My best friend, Diego, says I’m a terrible teacher, but… I know the learning material at least?”

Sandra should have suspected that Matt was only trying to placate her, to tell her what she wanted to hear so that she might not spiral into a panic attack in the middle of this camp. But there was something about him- a sincerity in his voice- that gave her the impression he meant every word he said. And it was this sincerity that did more to calm her nerves than his assurances. It was so clear that he cared- cared enough to promise that she was safe, that she would learn, and that he would help. “Do you mean that?” She asked, though she was sure he did. “That you would help me, I mean.” 

She hoped he meant it, rather desperately if she was honest with herself. She had only recently met her cabin mates, and while they were nice enough, she knew it would be all too easy to get lost in the crowd of Hermes and unclaimed campers. Somehow, Sandra knew it would be different with Matt. Perhaps she assumed too much of him, or perhaps it was wishful thinking, but Sandra suspected that he wouldn’t forget such a promise should he make one- that he wouldn’t simply forget about her. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

gentlexrochelle‌:

Elle nodded, making a note to check a little more thoroughly the next day. She wasn’t the counselor, of course - and that sometimes left a bitter taste in her mouth but she couldn’t do anything about it - but she could still be sure that Sandra was supplied properly. It was pretty clear that the other girl was starting to feel everything, and Elle waited patiently for a few more moments. She remembered that feeling, which had been both heightened and muffled by the fact that she was so young. Younger even than most of the other campers when they arrived. 

She moved to sit beside Sandra and put a hand on her arm lightly. It took a lot of effort to keep from using her powers at first, but she concentrated until she could manage it. “I know,” she said gently. “There’s so much to take in. I can’t make it better, but I can help if you would like.” Pulling her hand back, she folded them in her lap. She’d have to explain a bit and that conversation was always tricky, but she knew Sandra would feel better, at least for now.

There was something about comfort in the midst of pain that did more to encourage tears than quell them, and Elle’s hand on her arm sent hot tears spilling down Sandra’s cheeks. For a moment, Sandra thought to try and collect herself, swat the tears away and ignore the way her heart ached- but Elle’s soft words washed over her and her resolve melted away. Bowing her head, Sandra’s shoulders shook lightly with her quiet cries. She knew that she was embarrassing herself in front of her new cabin mates, but she was so tired- she couldn’t help it any longer. 

“I- I don’t know h-how you can help,” Sandra cried softly, staring down at her knees. She never liked letting others see her cry, but she wasn’t rude enough to ignore Elle’s kind concern. “I- I wish you could.” Sandra said, sniffling miserably, her head already pounding with the effort of keeping her cries quiet. “but I’m f-fine... I’ll be fine.” 

[sandraxjones-blog]

brightxlu‌:

“It’s usually better to be friendly at camp,” Lux said, after pausing to adjust the speed of the wheel. “I mean, we’re stuck with each other and it’s never good to alienate your allies. But I feel like you won’t have to worry about having friends.” Sandra seemed like the sort of person who would be pretty universally liked. The pottery was coming along pretty nicely and Lux was feeling a bit smug about it. Snorting, she shot a quick glance over her shoulder. Most kids didn’t know much about Greek gods, unless they were demigods.

“That’s one of them yeah,” she said. “Along with music and prophecy and art and medicine and the sun - he’s supposedly up there driving it.” She paused to squint suspiciously at the sky. It had crossed her mind more than once that there was probably some truth to the rumors, and then she couldn’t help but wonder if he ever spied on his kids. Or if he actually knew they existed. “Anyway, he’s got just about everything. I inherited archery and music but don’t stick me in the infirmary. Archery is great though, definitely less intimidating than a sword would be. Just let me know if you want a lesson, and I’ll be glad to give you some pointers.”

Sandra nodded, more to herself than to Lux as the daughter of Apollo was focused on the project before her. It was always better to be friendly. Sandra had never been one to have very many friends, perhaps a good one or two at a time. She was something of an introvert, but no one ever hated the quiet girl at school. She was easily tolerated, sometimes even liked, so long as she kept to herself and didn’t stir up any trouble. She supposed that it would be much the same here as anywhere else. 

“Driving it? The- the sun? How?” Sandra asked, disbelief creeping into her tone. She’d accepted so many impossibilities in the few short days she’d spend at camp thus far, but for some reason the notion of a greek god driving the sun across the sky was far too much to accept. It wasn’t the first time Sandra wondered if her fellow campers might poke fun at her ignorance through wild, untrue, statements mixed in with all of the other fantastical tales they spun if only to make her look stupid if she later parroted them to someone else. 

“I would like to learn.” Sandra was quick to say at the offer of archery lessons. She, too, felt that it would be less intimidating than a sword.  

[sandraxjones-blog]

mrdiegofuentes‌:

“Yeah!” Diego raised his hand for a high five. “Told you you’d get the hang of things!” Suzy was really hauling tail on that rock wall. It was kind of amazing to watch….

Diego didn’t realized they were both watching Suzy climb without saying anything, but he didn’t realized Sandra was lost in her own thoughts until she started speaking again. “Hm? Yeah…there are eight gods on Mount Olympus, but only five of them would have kids running around here…you’re down to Ares, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes or Dionysus.” Diego smiled genuinely at that. “Who knows? Maybe we’re brother and sister.”  His stomach lurched as a distant memory resurfaced. Jordy had been the one to take him around camp just like he was showing Sandra around. They learned they were brothers about two months later, but Jordy had still been Diego’s first friend, first friendly face around camp. It still seemed so strange to be at camp without Jordy…

Ares, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes or Dionysus. After all of these years without so much as a name or even a picture of her father, Sandra was so close to learning the truth and yet so far away. Five Olympian gods and one of them the absent father she’d never known- perhaps one that didn’t even know she existed. It made Sandra feel small in a way she’d never felt before, and she didn’t particularly like it. “Brother and sister?” She repeated before realizing he meant that maybe her father could also be Dionysus. While she somehow doubted that, Sandra couldn’t help but smile at the thought of this kind boy being her brother. “Maybe we are.” She conceded with a shrug “I suppose only your dad would be able to answer that one though, my mom- she never told me.” 

[matthewmurtaugh]

Matthew Murtaugh Moodboard 2/? (Feat. Sandra Jones)

And if you’re homesick, give me your hand and I’ll hold it.

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Sandra took Matt’s hand and even though he had been able to hear the tremors in her voice, this was a completely different thing. It reminded him of his episodes, when the anxiety was too much to handle and all he could think about was the bad, his body would shake almost uncontrollably. He squeezed her hand, sparing one last glance over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t seen. “We’re done playing.”

It was a finite sentence, one that he meant. It didn’t matter that nobody else heard them, nor did it matter that they would be a pretty unusual sight. It didn’t even matter that Matt could see the feint glow of the blue flag, just across the way, close enough he could end the game with a victory. They were done, and that was that.

He let his fingers intertwine with hers so they wouldn’t get separated before he started moving in the direction of camp. They’d take the long way, away from any traps that might be set up from either team. Any leftover ambushes wouldn’t see them, he’d be sure of that. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment of silence, sparing Sandra a glance. His soldier persona still held strong, which meant there was no uncertainty in his voice. “You shouldn’t have had to go through that.”

We’re done playing. Sandra held Matt’s hand so tightly, she feared for a moment it might be painful for him even if she couldn’t bring herself to loosen her grip. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant it, but she held on as if merely letting his fingers slip through hers might allow him to change his mind. 

A deeper sense of relief washed over her as he laced his fingers through hers, an unspoken promise passed between them that they were in this together, the two of them against all the rest. In that moment, his red plume and her blue didn’t matter, they were their own team and Sandra hadn’t felt safer since before the monster attack at the school pep assembly. 

Sandra let Matt lead her through the woods- not bothering to pay attention to their surroundings. She was hopelessly lost and instead focused on watching the ground in front of her, careful not to trip on roots or the uneven earth underfoot lest she slow Matt even more than she undoubtedly already was. it also served as a welcome excuse not to meet his eye as fresh tears threatened to spill down her cheeks at his apology. “It’s not your fault-” she said, shaking her head at herself, embarrassed “I wasn’t ready.” 

[sandraxjones-blog]

xxthornedxrosexx‌:

It sounded almost like an illness, even when Rose said it, which was why she hardly ever used the word. She more simply liked to say that she talked to the flowers, and they talked back. Not with actual words, but with their actions. Some of her siblings were able to do so much more, like make a flower bloom when it had just been planted, or harvest an entire field in one day, but this was enough for Rose. “Not always. It’s something I think I was able to do before I came here, but I never really noticed. I just thought I was a great gardener, which wasn’t very unusual for a family of hippies, you know?”

Sandra laughed lightly at the thought of a demigod with magical abilities attributing her unique talents to her hippie lifestyle. Her Grandpa Don never liked hippies, and would often shake his head or scoff at those he saw in public. To be fair, Grandpa Don was a practical man and hardly a fan of the idea of magic either, but Sandra rather liked this daughter of Demeter so far, and figured whether she was a hippie or not hardly mattered. “So, you had no idea? Not even a little inkling you could do magic before camp?” Her tone was curious, but even Sandra could hear the hope in her voice. Some very small part of her wondered, if not wished, that perhaps she could do magic as well. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

She was so scared, it was so clear. Even without looking at Sandra he could tell that she was petrified and… Gods, why was she even out here? It was her first week of camp and she was carrying a sword that was far too heavy for her. Placed too close to the flag– even if she was out of the way. Really, the fact that she was required to participate in the first place was bad enough, but he wasn’t one to argue about it.

He sheathed his rapier, ignoring the way the blood stained the sheath. He’d deal with that later, it just wasn’t important right then. She was the only thing that mattered at that moment. Quickly, he took a few steps towards Sandra, only looking away when he threw a look over his shoulders (just making sure no one was there yet.) “Do you trust me?” He asked, offering her his hand.

He wasn’t sure what she saw just then. Did she see a bloodied soldier who would do whatever it would take to win in a fight? Someone who didn’t care who they hurt? Or did she the boy he wanted to be– someone who’s first instinct wasn’t to fight. Someone who just wanted to protect. He knew what he looked like, covered in scrapes and bruises, blood all over, dagger still in his other hand. But hopefully none of that mattered.

She should have been terrified of him. Seeing Matt covered in blood with a dagger in his hand- her first instinct should have been to run from him. But she couldn’t. Despite it all, the only thing she could focus on was his hand reaching out to her- a lifeline in all of the chaos around her. Do you trust me? How could she not? Since the moment they’d met he’d done nothing but go out of his way to protect her. 

“Of course” she breathed, taking his hand with both of hers, gripping it tightly and praying he wouldn’t notice the way hers shook. She recognized this feeling from their trip to the gas station only a few days ago- she was in shock- and why shouldn’t she be? She stood lost in the middle of the woods surrounded by children fighting one another with real weapons, causing each other real harm. 

“I don’t want to play anymore.” Sandra admitted shakily, trusting Matt wouldn’t make fun of her for her lack of bravery. Something in his eyes told her that he understood and that he had long forgotten they were on opposite teams. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

xxthornedxrosexx‌:

“The technical term, or so I’ve learned, is called Chlorokinesis. It’s something I’ve adopted from my mom, Demeter.” She definitely wasn’t the strongest in her cabin, nor did she have the ability to summon any special creatures. “It’s… basically magic, actually. It’s just sometimes demigods get special abilities based off of their parents. I can encourage plants to bloom,” and once again as example she let her fingers trail up the stem of a flower, watching as it straightened, “Hephaestus kids can withstand heat pretty well. Hermes kids can sometimes control locks. It’s all touch and go, but sometimes it’s really cool.”

“Chlorokinesis” Sandra repeated, testing out the word. It somehow didn’t sound very magical, but what Sandra saw absolutely was. It was a gentle sort of magic, delicate and subtle, which she found absolutely enchanting. Glancing over her shoulder, Sandra couldn’t hear sounds of anyone else nearby and turned her attention back to the daughter of Demeter before her. “Have you always been able to do that?” She asked, wondering if it was a skill cultivated at camp or if everyone who had powers always knew that they had them. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Wanting to give her some space, Matt turned away from the payphone. A big part of him wanted to shove his hands into his pockets so he wouldn’t look so suspicious just standing there, but he knew he needed to have those hands available in case anything happened so he fought off that urge. Instead, he let them just hang at his side, grazing the handles to his weapons. He wondered what the mortals saw in his belt. The dagger could probably pass for a lot of things, if the mist was heavy enough, but his rapier was so long and it hung at such an unnatural state.

Nobody seemed to pay them mind, anyways, so Matt took a moment to just survey their surroundings. The gas station itself was beat up, a relic of it’s time. It needed new shingles and the paint was cracking from the sun constantly beating on it. The people were another thing altogether, each unique in their own way. The family were just exiting the store, looking scarily like the American dream. A father and a mother held hands as a little girl clutched her teddybear to her, her eyes wide as she thought about all the treats they had bought. Behind them, with a bag in hand, was a boy who had to be older, but not by much. He was dragging his feet and kicking at rocks, clearly upset by something. Matt guessed it was the fact that he had to hold the bag full of their treats.

Besides the family, there was a couple on the other side of the building. While currently shrouded from sight, Matt knew they were pressed against the building and each other. He wasn’t sure why teenagers would come to a gas station to make out, but he wouldn’t question their motives.

Lastly, and the most suspicious, was a man on a motorcycle. His leather jacket and tattoos suggested that he was trying to give off a bad vibe, which was exactly what Matt was getting from him. His sight lingered on that gentleman longer than the others, simply because he knew if anyone– mortal or not– were going to give them trouble, it would be this man.

Donald Jones was not a soft man, but there was a relative softness in the way he spoke with Sandra now and again. That softness had been there the day they met in the hospital after her mother had passed, the father’s day she had presented him with a handmade card, and it was there now as he conveyed his relief at hearing her voice again after fearing the worst. “I’m okay... sort of” she assured him, though she supposed it was all relative.

That softness that had colored his words slowly disappeared as Sandra did her best to explain where she had been the last few days- everything from the Nemean Lion at the school pep rally to running across state lines all the way to a place called Camp Half-Blood. “They’re saying I’m- I’m one of them, Grandpa, a- a demigod.... like the greek myths and they keep saying the gods are real and my dad- they’re saying he was one of them but that’s.... impossible... right?” 

Her own tone had dropped low and urgent, but there was no mistaking the hints of panic leaking through. Even if she had wanted him not to notice, of course Grandpa Don did- he always did. She did her best to breathe deeply and evenly as he chided her to calm down, Sandra but his usual gruffness still hadn’t fully returned, and he only sounded tired. I was afraid this might happen one day. The words sent a chill down Sandra’s spine despite the warm summer sun beating down on her. Her grip tightened reflexively on the phone as she glanced nervously around her. “Wha- what do you mean?” 

Sandra had heard the story before- her mother running off with that no good, deadbeat father of hers. How she went and got herself pregnant despite everything Grandpa had done to try and stop her- the threats he had made. How he hadn’t wanted to make good on those threats the day he kicked her out, but what sort of father would he be if he couldn’t teach his daughter that there would be consequences for her actions. And that was where the story had always ended- until today. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Metal clashed against metal as the two brothers fought. From the start it was clear that they had varying fighting styles– the other Ares camper choosing to use brute strength and force while Matt chose to use his speed and agility. Matt had the upper hand, something he would thank his mother for someday, he was sure. It helped that he had been at camp longer, helped that he chose a fighting style not many were used to. But his defenses weren’t perfect, either. For every strike he got through, another came at him and before long both himself and his sibling were panting, covered in their own blood.

Neither of them would stop, of course. Matt’s anger had gotten the best of him, but there was a kind of pride that came with winning a fight that pushed both of them. There was no doubt that their father would be watching, waiting to see which son would make him proud and which would disappoint. One wrong move and the other would win, but Matt couldn’t afford to lose. He was fighting, not for himself, but someone else, and he wouldn’t lose.

He ducked under his siblings sword and moved quickly, getting behind the other before he could even process what was happening. In one movement he was knocking the other unconscious, watching as his body dropped like a bag of rocks. He didn’t hesitate, turning to Sandra. “We need to go.” The rest of his siblings wouldn’t be far off now.

Sandra felt useless. Totally and completely useless just standing in the middle of the woods shaking like a leaf while she watched the two Ares campers attack each other. It was clear that Matt’s brother hadn’t expected it, though he had recovered fairly well if you asked Sandra, matching Matt blow for blow even if Matt was too quick for him. There were times she wanted to cry out- reacting as weapons cut into flesh and each drew blood from the other- but she remained frozen with the fear that even the slightest distraction might mean Matt would lose. 

She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until Matt’s sibling dropped unconscious to the forest floor and he stood victorious. “Matt” she breathed weakly, shaking her head with the rush of emotions washing over her. Relief that he had won, guilt she hadn’t so much as lifted her sword to help, fear that she still stood in the middle of the woods while the ringing of metal against metal could be heard in all directions. 

“Go?” Sandra asked, her voice shaking as she glanced around them. She didn’t even know where she was, how was she supposed to know where to go? “I- Matt- I’m lost.” She admitted miserably, her vision once again blurring as tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know which way to go.” 

[sandraxjones-blog]

xxthornedxrosexx‌:

Fingers gently moved across some of the smaller flowers, their stems straightening and their petals shaking. Rose still didn’t quite have a grasp on her powers, not quite strong enough to just sprout plants whenever she wanted, but she knew how to make it work at least a small amount. “These games make everyone seriously zappy.” She finally looked up at the girl, glad to see she had lowered the weapon. “And these flowers really don’t deserve to be trampled by a bunch of teenagers. So I’m giving them a little encouragement.”

Sandra watched in awe as the girl before her seemed to breathe life back into the tramped flowers around her. Careful of her step, she gingerly came closer and lowered onto her knees to get a closer look. “How did you do that?” She asked breathlessly- though that was as much from the game as it was the shock of what she had just witnessed. “That looked like- like magic.” Not that Sandra believed in magic. At least, she hadn’t. But then again, considering what she had seen in the last week, she wasn’t so sure magic was so difficult to believe in anymore. 

[sandraxjones-blog]

matthewmurtaugh‌:

Matt let his pace match Sandra’s. While a big part of him wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, this wasn’t his quest. This was something that Sandra wanted to do and he wasn’t going to make her feel rushed while doing it. So he kept up with her, still keeping his eyes peeled. A car drove past them but didn’t slow and though Matt’s hand tightened around his dagger, he was sure the mortal simply saw some kid with a foam sword or something of the sort. “No, it’s okay,” he said quickly. “She did know, but she didn’t tell me right away. I guess she wanted me to find out on my own, to come to camp and go through the motions.” Or maybe she was afraid that Ares wouldn’t have claimed Matt. After all, he was much different from the other kids in his cabin. He shrugged. His story was a pretty typical one, all in all.

The foot traffic picked up as they neared the gas station, though not by much. A few stragglers were hanging around outside, drinking chilled soda from the bottle, while a family inside appeared to be grabbing snacks for whatever trip they were going on. The payphone sat on the corner of the gas station, facing away from the gas pumps and the rest of the town. Matt’s shoes moved across the asphalt towards the thing, but once they were close enough that he was still a bit distant, he stopped. “Go ahead and make your call, I’ll keep watch.”

The conversation quieted between them as Sandra fell deep into thought. If Matt’s mom had known who his father really was, it stood to reason that Sandra’s mother might have known as well. Of course, she couldn’t ask her, but there was someone else she could ask and that very someone was only a phone call away. 

As the gas station neared, Sandra found her pace quickening, her eyes scanning for the payphone and she nearly forgot Matt at her side until he stopped. Make your call, I’ll keep watch. Stopping in her tracks, Sandra turned to him and flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you, I’ll be right back.” 

She practically ran to the payphone- as if to claim it for herself before anyone else might swoop in and take it first when she could hardly wait a moment longer to hear his voice. Lifting her leg, Sandra yanked her shoe off and dumped the spare dime into her hand. She held it tightly in her fist as she dropped her shoe and shoved her foot back inside, the dime was her lifeline back to home and she only had one chance to reach him. 

It was with shaking hands she lifted the dime to her lips, kissed it for good luck, and let it drop in the slot, silently praying that he would be there, waiting by the phone. Dialing the number she knew by heart, better than any other, Sandra held the phone to her ear and counted each ring. Only two before that familiar, gruff “Jones residence, who, may I ask, is calling?” He sounded tired, a sadness coloring his words Sandra remembered from their first meeting when he came to pick her up from the hospital that fateful day. “Grandpa! It’s me- it’s Sandra” She cried into the phone, hot tears of relief spilling down her cheeks that she reached to swipe away quickly. “I don’t have much time to talk.”