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The Punishment

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Ha, it sneered. Worthless. Useless. How many times have I told you Leo? They don't care.

He stormed out of the infirmary, and ran straight into Chiron, who sighed.

"Hello Leo. It's time to discuss your punishment."

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"Huh?" Leo asked.

"Well, you did try to fatally injure one of our campers. This requires immediate and severe consequences." Leo gulped.

"So, you don't believe me either?" He asked.

Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Well, as Annabeth may have stated before, all of the evidence points to you."

" 'Course it does." he muttered.

"We'll finish this discussion in my office." Chiron said, ignoring Leo's sarcasm.

Leo sighed. Now I'm getting punished for something I didn't do? Great.

The two walked towards Chiron's office. Chiron pulled out a manila folder.

"I believe its best if you take a break from Camp." He said.

Leo froze. He was a year-long camper. He had no home to go back to.

"Considering you don't have a current residency anywhere, we're sending you back to one of your foster homes."

Leo had run away 6 times. But he had been through 13 foster homes, 11 of which were abusive and harmful. He prayed that the one he was going back to was going to be one of the two.

He was wrong.

Really wrong.

"We've decided to take you back to Miss Teresa Williams for a week. Pack your things and come back here when you're ready. I'll have a portal ready for you that will take you right to her front door."

The color drained from Leo's face. He bit his lip in an attempt to stop the tears from coming.

"Please, no. Anywhere but there. I'll go to the Nelsons! Or Mr. Murphy! Anyone but her! Please!"

"Its already decided. And the way you're pleading tells me that she'll be able to correct your behavior."

"No! you don't get it! I can't go back there! I can't!" He yelled. He lowered his voice. "Please."

Chiron sighed. "No amount of begging is going to get me to change my mind young man. Now go, pack your things and meet me back here when you're ready."

Leo's hands started to shake. His breathing became quick and shallow. The color drained from his face when he realized what was happening. He quickly nodded in response and sprinted back to bunker nine.

He was having another panic attack.

His hands shook as he ran through the woods, completely ignoring the glares he was getting from his 'friends'.

He was barely able to unlock the door when he stumbled in. The voice in his head took control of his body. He collapsed on the floor, shaking and sobbing.

His hands trembled and he was radiating pure fear. 

You know what you have to do now. The voice said.

Leo's gut filled with dread.

Are you sure? Will it really help?

Do it.

Self-Harm ❌!

His hands shook as he picked up the blade laying near one of the work tables.

He brought it up to his wrist and cut.

One. His friends didn't trust him.

Two. He was capable of killing someone.

Three. He let himself actually believe that he belonged somewhere. That he wasn't a freak.

Four. He was being weak. He was having a panic attack for nothing.

Five. He deserved this. All of it. The blaming, going back, everything. He needed to bleed.

Six. For letting Frank Down

Seven. For believing that he had a real family here. A home. 

Self-Harm over ❌!

Leo's hands stopped shaking, and his breathing slowed. He watched with a sick fascination as crimson blood oozed from his hand. He heard knocking at the door and quickly wrapped his wrists. He opened the door, hoping it was one of the seven here to tell him that this was some kind of joke or prank.

It didn't happen.

Instead, Nyssa was at the door. She dropped a black backpack.

"Your stuff." She said, and walked away. Leo hung his head, realizing that everyone at camp knew what happened. The worst part was that they all thought he did it.

He felt a pang of loneliness as he realized that the only real family he ever knew was casting him aside, like all of the other foster homes he had been throw.

Leo looked inside the bag and saw his meager belongings neatly packed up.

Great. That's done. Now it's time to leave, he thought to himself. He checked the time on his watch and realized it was 10:23 PM already. He walked back to Chiron's office and saw him standing there.

"When I said take your time, I didn't mean try to escape the punishment." He said sternly.

"Sorry Chiron. 'Ya know, ADHD." He added, hoping that his lame excuse would save him.

"I don't want to hear it. Here, Hecate sent this for you." Chiron said, opening the portal. "Go ahead. I'll see you next week."

Leo faked a half-smile and walked through. His stomach summersaulted as he entered the portal. Suddenly, he found himself standing at the entrance to the same house he was at 5 years ago. Chills ran down his spine as he took it all in. 

A cream colored house stood on the side of a private road. Nothing but fields stretched for about 2 miles in all directions. There were flowers growing in the once plain backyard area. All of the lights inside were brightly lit except for one room. Although the place looked pleasant, something about it gave Leo a gut feeling to run away, similar to the feeling he pushed away all those years ago. This house looked perfect on the outside. Too perfect. Nevertheless, he was here, and no attempt of his would magically bring him back to safety. His feet carried him all the way to the front door. He held his breath, and knocked on the door twice.