Lost Son

Chapter 14 (Percy)

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(POV - Percy)

Gabe really went at it last night. My whole body just hurts to breath. I roll over off the bed and on to the hard, wooden floor. Gabe decided to have some fun in the playroom last night after the unexpected guest had left.

I notice blood on the floor from where I rolled. My back is stinging. I guess I opened some of the new wounds there. I was right about the knives. Gabe took the freshly cleaned knives to the playroom before he got started. My back is now scared with his name. Gabe didn't want me to forget that I belong to him when I leave. I really don't want to leave.

I do want to leave this torture room though, so I head out and grab some clothes from my bedroom. After a quick cold shower, I leave the house making sure to slam the door on the way out. Since Gabe's in the soundproof playroom, or in my mind torture room, I know he won't wake up from the noise. It's one of the few times I don't have to be quiet in the house.

I head out to the park. I found a cigarette that had fallen out of the package in the old tree trunk I hide things in. I lit it up and took a long drag. I lay down in the grass and close my eyes.

I met my real dad for the first time yesterday. I'm just letting the thought settle in. He seemed okay. Mom seemed to really like him. She used to get this far away look in her eye when I asked about him. She really liked reminiscing in the old memories of the time they spent together. Apparently, it was just a little over a year that they had known each other before he took off to school. Mom said he wanted to be a marine biologist. She said he's who I get my love of the water from.

I stopped asking about him as I got older though. The small smile that used to pop up on my mother's face when I asked disappeared. It slowly started to bring tears to her eyes. I never wanted to make my mom sad, so I just left it alone.

Gabe, however, took to implanting ideas. He started to tell me about how my father didn't leave for school but actually left because of me. I didn't think my mom would lie to me, but Gabe said it so much and so often. Then she died. There wasn't anyone left to tell me that there was possibly someone else out there that loved me. So, I took to making my Dad a foreign object in my mind. I didn't have a father, he was lost at sea. I guess it was a way to cope.

Gabe also started to talk about how everywhere else was bad. That I should be grateful for the roof he provides over my head. How my father didn't even want anything to do with me, but Gabe took care of me. That's why I had to help him around the house. I had to be a good boy and do as he said. Its why when money is tight, I have to help pay the bills. If that means loaning me out, then so be it.

I haven't complained. It may be rough, but I have my escapes. One of which being the cigarette that I just finished off. Sighing, I stood up and went towards the café.

I went in the back and grabbed my guitar when I got there. Sitting down in one of the chairs I started mindlessly strumming. Annabeth came through the door a little later with Thalia. They pulled chairs up and watched me strum along for a little bit before starting up a conversation.

"New kid is supposed to come over today."

Annabeth nods to Thalia's statement. There's a lull before she verbally responds.

"I think I might hang out with Percy today."

I stop strumming. I set the guitar down before signing, "My father is supposed to pick me up today."