Shattered to Pieces |Percabeth Story |

17

Annabeth

My eyes water at the sight I see in front of me; Percy and Sally in a tight and loving embrace. They love each other so much. Sally must have been so afraid for his safety these last few days. My heart aches at the look of happiness in Percy's eyes.

All the things he's said to me to reassure me that he wanted us to run away together, that he wants to protect me, that he loves me, disappears from my mind and all I feel is guilt; guilt for dragging him into this mess I call my life. I shouldn't have let him be my friend but I now know that deep down I was so desperate for someone to like me, to love me.

I wish someone loved me as much as Percy loves his mom. He adores her. I can tell by the expression on his face and tears on his cheeks. He missed her. He wanted her to keep him safe, which is what a mother does. Who am I to take him away from that love and protection?

I don't even realize that I've started to back away until I'm on the ground. I look at the hard concrete in confusion before assuming I had tripped over the branch laying a few centimeters away from me. I look back up at Percy and Sally and know that they hadn't noticed me back away or fall.

I swallow hard when I feel a tear slide down my cheek and the stab of hurt in my heart before I fumble to my feet. I continue to look at them for only a few more seconds before I turn around and start running. I have to get away from them. I will go to the cops and hand myself in. I won't let Percy take the blame. He didn't kill Ben and I won't let him go down for something he didn't do.

Sooner or later Percy and his mom will see me when they turn to drive back in this direction. I can't let that happen. I take in my surroundings and notice the small jungle of trees that are only a few meters from the road. I walk through the mud and leaves until I'm concealed enough by the trees that I know Percy won't see me.

It's not fair to drag him into this any longer. It's better that we separate now so he can carry on with his life while I go to the police and explain everything to them and hope that they will believe my story and I will be let free.

I know the public are probably horrified with the whole story; a cop is murdered and his niece and the boy next door has disappeared. If I were the public hearing the story I would point the blame at myself, too. Maybe there will be enough evidence to prove Ben's abusive behavior towards me, if not, I don't know what will happen.

I'll go to jail, is my guess.

Walking without Percy by my side makes me very nervous. I continue on my journey with my shoulders tense and my hands shaking. I'm starting to feel cold and hungry. My feet are aching, the lash marks on my back are throbbing and burning. I feel like hell.

With a loud sigh, I drop to my knees and cover my face with my hands. Everything is so exhausting. I just want to sleep for years and years and hopefully never wake up. I give up now. I hate life. I hate my life. The only good thing that has happened is Percy befriending me and, at the same time, that isn't good because look at our situation now.

I'm weak. I'm tired. I'm angry. I'm guilty. I'm scared. I'm nervous. I'm sick. I'm hurt. I'm a murderer. I killed someone - my uncle. I'm foolish. I'm a coward. I ran away. It wasn't my idea, but I went.

People are after me. Some people probably want me killed. No one is going to understand. I'm going to be all alone again. No one will believe my story. The cops will think I'm a cold hearted killer. Evil.

I don't want to be alone.

I want Percy. I love Percy. I need Percy. I honestly and seriously don't think I can live without Percy.

Percy, Percy, Percy.

I'm losing my mind, going crazy. My fingers pull at my hair and then slide down my face, my nails digging into my skin before I curl my hands into fists and punch the ground in anger.

I'm in hysterics, crying and screaming like a mad woman. I don't care if anyone can hear me. I don't care anymore. They can come and get me. They can take me away. They can kill me. I don't want to live anymore.

And then, just like that, I stop.

I relax my fists and notice the blood on my knuckles. All of a sudden I feel calm. I stand back up on my feet and continue walking. I know I can't be too far away from home now. I've been walking without Percy for a while. I've heard a few cars pass on the road but the trees make it hard to see, so I don't know if Percy and his mom have passed.

In the distance, I see a tower-like roof that I know is the church I have never went to. I don't believe in God. Why would someone with such power let people suffer so horribly?

I walk faster, knowing my destination is near. I figure that Percy must've passed by now, and so I move through the jungle of trees until I'm walking alongside the road again.

My heart starts to beat faster as I come closer and closer to home and the police station. My stomach is twisting with dread and fear but I try to keep the fear from showing on my features. I need to be strong. No more tears. This is it.

A few blocks later, I am outside the large building.

There are surprisingly few people crowding the streets, a relief for me. I swallow hard before I climb the concrete steps and reach the large, looming door. I quickly move my hand to the door handle and push it open, my fingers trembling.

The lobby is a medium-sized, plain room with white walls, a few chairs in each corner and directly in front of me is a desk, where sits a woman who doesn't even glance at me but instead continues typing on her computer. I could leave right now, go back to the farmhouse, or run off somewhere else, but I don't want to do that.

So, gathering any courage I have inside me, I take several steps forward, until I'm able to rest my arms against the desk. The woman glances at me for a second before going back to typing, holding a hand up in way of telling me to wait.

I watch as she frowns at the screen before she quickly looks back up at my face, her eyes growing wide. She has obviously recognized me from the news. She opens her mouth to say something but I speak before she has the chance to.

"I'm Annabeth Chase. I'm here to hand myself in for killing my uncle."

So sad why did you do that Annabeth!😭