Echidna

THE LIGHTNING THIEF

ONE

I ACCIDENTALLY VAPORIZE

MY PRE-ALGEBRA TEACHER

'''LOOK, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A HALF-BLOOD. IF YOUR READING THIS BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE ONE, MY ADVICE IS: CLOSE THIS '''

'''BOOK RIGHT NOW. BELIEVE WHATEVER LIE YOUR MOM OR DAD TOLD YOU ABOUT YOUR BIRTH, AND TRY TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE.'''

'''BEING A HALF- BLOOD IS DANGOROUS. IT'S SCARY. MOST OF THE TIME, IT GETS YOU KILLED IN PAINFUL, NASTY WAYS.'''

'''IF YOU'RE A NORMAL KID, READING THIS BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S FICTION, GREAT. READ ON.'''

I ENVY YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THIS EVER HAPPENED.

BUT IF YOU RECOGNIZE YOURSELF IN THESE PAGES-IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING STIRRING INSIDE-STOP READING IMMEDIATLEY.

YOU MIGHT BE ONE OF US.

AND ONCE YOU KNOW THAT, IT'S ONLY A MATTER IF TIME BEFORE THEY

DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.

'''MY NAME IS PERCY JACKSON. I'M TWELVE YEARS OLD. UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO, I WAS A BOARDING STUDENT AT YANCY ACADEMY,'''

A PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR TROUBLED KIDS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

AM I A TROUBLED KID?

'''YEAH. YOU COULD SAY THAT'''

PAGE ONE