Hey, guys! This is just a short one-shot that I decided to write. I hope you enjoy! Percy should be about 7 in this story. Just thought I would let you know.

I walk into my apartment building hoping that I wouldn't run into Smelly Gabe.

I was so close. I could see that door to my room. So close until I heard, "Hey! Get back in here, you spoiled brat!"

Smelly Gabe. Makes me sick to even think about. I know what you might be thinking. It is not nice to call people that, but it's the truth! He calls me worse names all the time. Brat is one of the nice ones.

I drag my feet back into the living room. I see empt beer cans all over the place. I try not to gag as the smell hits my nose full force. Gabe stands straight up when I come into his sight. I can tell that he is drunk from the
way he sways from side to side while walking over to me.

"What're you doing here?" He spats out.

"School's over. In case your drunk mind forgot, I live here too!" I spat back.

That's when Gabe got mad. Like really mad. Like his face was turning red mad. I must've happened really face because the next thing I know is I'm laying on the ground with my face stinging. I quickly blink the tears from my eyes
and look up. Smelly Gabe was standing over me with his hand up. He just smacked me!

"I meant why aren't you with your Mommy, idiot?! I don't want you here! Your just a bother to me and everyone else in this world!"

The reason I'm not with my Mom at the shop is because I didn't want to bother her. I know she would disagree on that, but she always worries about me and I don't need to be in her way. I told her I would be fine if I went home. I don't
need to tell her about the slap. She doesn't need any more about me than she already does.

"No wonder your Dad left you. Doesn't surprise me. Who would want an annoying, sassy, jerky kid around with them. Especially someone who is useless as you. Idiot. Get out of here. Now!" Gabe finishes and I
don't move. Finally, he gets ticked and marches over to me. He grabs my wrist and yanks me over to the door. I yell out at the harsh treatment but he just ignores me. He opens the door and throws me out. "Come back
when your not such a pain!" He finished and slammed the door in my face.

I sat there for a minute in shock at what just happened. The words he said still repeating in my head. The words about my Dad. Is that rally true? It's not like my Dad has done anything to prove him wrong. He hasn't been
there my whole life. Why wouldn't Smelly Gabe be wrong? It's really the only explanation. Too late to change anything about me now. It's just who I am. Who needs my Dad anyway.

I stand up and start marches out of our apartment building. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I'm definitely not sitting outside my apartment building waiting for Smelly Gabe to come back out and do something else to me. I'm not going to my
Mom's work either. I can still feel the hand print on my face and I will not allow my Mom to see it.

I walk for what feels like forever until I finally stop. It's dark and kinda scary, but where else can I go? A couple people pass me, giving me sympathetic looks. I don't need their sympathy. I'm doing just fine.

The minutes keep passing by. It's getting late. Less and less people are passing and trying to go to bed in their homes. Unfortunately, I can't go to bed because I still think that Smelly Gabe is awake and still waiting for me.

I finally see one man waling down the street I'm at. No one else is on the street. If I'm lucky he will just keep walking by. Of course, luck isn't on my side.

"Hey there, little boy. Are you lost." The man asked when he is up in my face.

I force myself not to gag. I can smell the alcohol on his breath. "No, I'm not. I know where I am."

"Is your Mom and Dad around."

"My Mom is. She's inside that building right now. She talking to her friend. She'll be down any minute now." I lie smoothly. I can tell this guy is a creep. I might be young, but I can tell who a bad guy is. This
guy is worse than bad. He's going to kidnap me and I will not let that happen. I can take care of myself. I know my Mom says not to talk to strangers, but I can take care of myself. My Mom taught me well. She taught me
who bad guys are and to never tell people that I'm alone.

"Hey, while you wait, why don't we go get some ice cream?"

"No thanks, I'm good."

"Aw, c'mon. Have some fun." He slurs.

"I said no. I'm waiting for my Mom."

"Well, too bad." He says angrily. He grabs my wrist and yanks me towards him. I try to scream, but he claps his hand on my mouth. I try to pull away and fight, but he has me overpowered and picks me up.

Just when I think I lost the fight when I heard a deep, loud, and angry yell, "Hey!" Where did this man come from?

The man quickly turns around and drops me. I get a good look at the man. He looks strange. He is wearing and Hawaiian shirt with raven black hair. His green eyes seem to glow in the dark.

"Is there a problem here?" The strange man asked, his eyes glaring at the kidnapper. He steps between me and kidnapper, which I'm really grateful for.

"Nope. Not at all." The kidnapper says. He looks around the strange man and gives me a glance one more time before he walks off.

When the kidnapper is finally out of our eyesight, the stragne man turns around and looks at me. He looks worried. He looks me up and down a couple times before he asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I say. I try to keep the shaking out of my voice, but I don't think I succeeded very well.

"Where's your Mom?" He asked.

"In that building. I'm waiting for her. You can go now." I say. That last thing I need is to be talking to another stranger. The man gives me a look and I can tell that he knows I'm lying.

"Let me walk you home, son."

"No way! I don't know anything about you! You could be a psycho for all I know! I'm also not your son! Just leave me alone."

"Well, I saved your life from that psycho." The man stated, not unkindly. "Just let me make sure you get home safe."

"Fine." I state glaring at the man.

"Good." The man states and starts walking in the direction of where I live.

"Hey! How do you know what direction I lived in?" I ask.

"I saw your foot move in this direction so I assumed that you lived that way." He says to me. Some kind of emotion was on his face, but I couldn't tell what, though.

"I don't think I did!"

"You said think so even you don't remember."

"That's not true!"

"Then what happened?"

"Um…" Darn it this guy is mixing me up. Now I can't remember what happened.

"See? You don't remember. Can we go ahead and get you home then.

"I guess." I sighed.

The walk on the way home was silent. The strange man kept shooting glances at me. I couldn't figure out why, though.

"Well, this is my stop. Thanks for helping me out back there."

"No problem, I'll do it anytime." He smiles. "So, where is your Mom if she isn't in that building you said she was in?" The strange man was glaring at the building I lived it. I could have sworn that I saw his jaw clench
and hand clench and unclench when his eyes land on the window of my apartment.

"Oh, yeah, she's at work."

"So…your just staying in the apartment by yourself?"

"No, someones up there with me."

"And this person just lets you walk around the dark streets by yourself."

"Um…I guess." I say and look down.

"Huh."

"What?" I ask.

"Now that the light is better here I can see what looks like a handprint on your face. I didn't think I saw that person slap you. Looks kinda old."

"Well, you weren't there the whole time. We've also been walking for a while."

"Not that long, though." The strange man's voice got deeper.

We were silent for a second.

"So, who's staying up there with you anyway? Your Dad?"

"No!" I spat and the strange man gives me a surprised look.

"Gabe's not my Dad thankfully. He's my step-dad."

"Oh." The man didn't push my Dad issue. "I'm guessing you don't like this Gabe guy."

"Ew. Not at all. I hate him." I say and the strange mans eyes' wrinkle in a smile. Who knows why this dude is smiling.

"Your a special kid, Percy. Your going to be a hero one day. Your Mom and Dad are proud of you. I can tell."

"Ha! Your funny! I kid special with ADHD and dyslexia. I'm sure. I also don't even know my Dad. He didn't want me. If he was proud he would call me and tell me that. No one wants a son like me." I say sarcastically.

"No, you are. I know it. Those will help you one day I know it. And trust me. Your Dad is proud of you. I know it."

"Sure. Wait… you said my name! How do you know my name?"

"You told me remember. It's late. Your getting really tired. You should go ahead up. Your safe now. From everyone tonight." The strange man said the last part and glance up and my apartment room window and
glared again. "Goodnight, Percy."

The mantas about to walk away when I called after him "What's your name?"

"Poseidon." He finished and walked off.

This Poseidon man was right. I was safe from everyone. Smelly Gave was asleep when I walked in and I finally got a good night sleep for once.

Please let me know if you liked it. Thank you fro reading!