OK so before you read, this is my first fanfic so pls review and leave constructive criticism. Also i try and update weekly so new chapter every week but i don't have a editor i have to do it all myself so sometimes it might be a little late. This is just a intro chapter the others are going to be longer All rights belong to rick riordan except the plot , and without further delay enjoy. Sincerely Modern Day Hoplite
Chapter 1 The way the world works
Percy
The walk home one of the few times of relative peace before i get to the hell I live in at least it's long walk around a hour and a half of solitude and silence. Peace the end goal of my life, the hope that I can escape the physical and mental purgatory of the reality I live in. the walk home a bridge between two lives, the connector between the façade and the secret life no one knows about, a time when i can lower the walls that separate me from the rest of world. A gentle breeze blows through my hair a calm reminder that the world is still going on outside of my imagination and internal musings. In my mind I walk through the pristine neighborhood looking at what I want but can never have, only to be snapped back into reality, the dark brick crumbling buildings each in a different state of disrepair surrounding me, looming over me like a veil of sadness.
I haven't always felt hopeless in my life I used to be happy kid. Happiness, anger, sadness, love all useless I've come to find, The emotions left me when she left. A small smile pulled the corners of my lips up at the memories of her. Her baking cookies on a random Saturday afternoon. the way her face lit up when I got home, all the silly happy go lucky moments that I love. But it wasn't meant to last the the actions she did to save me only cost her I blame myself for my own weakness, I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling. the image of her eyes burned in my mind and the smile that adorned my face dropped into a grimace at the memory of her fleeting moments. As I pushed the memory to the side my feet moved along the crumbling sidewalk that lead to the apartment.
My apartment building a tall and narrow brick building nestled in between buildings just like it, graffiti and marks cover the once stone steps up to the front door, weeds grow out of control. But this is my home or as close to home as I can get. Stepping over used cigarettes I made my way to the door. I opened the door to the overpowering smell of smoke that inhabited the place, i trudged onward into the living hell that is my life and prayed to any god i could think of.
I opened the green door painted by her, now chipped, scratched, and faded just a distant memory at what life could have been, I tried to open the door quietly but the hinges groaned with protest, well so much for entering quietly. I entered the once vibrant apartment, sky blue walls and white carpet now caked with dirt and grime, scuffs and dents littered the walls the occasional speck of red on the ground from "nose bleeds". The room wreaked of cigarettes and stale beer, cans thrown about the room like a party but this was the house every day. I sighed in relief it looked like he wasn't here.
My relief was short lived as pain exploded in the back of my head and the sound of broken glass filled my ears. Black spots danced across my vision as my head felt like it was getting run over, a small sob escaped my lips as I slowly fell to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. I managed to roll over to see what happened, standing over me broken bottle in hand the devil himself, Gabe Ugliano. I could make out an animalistic rage that shone in his eyes the small smile the was on his chapped lips. My heart pumped as he leaned down next to me and softly spoke into my ear.
"Oh, me and you are gonna have so much fun" he stood back up and it was the last thing i saw.
I woke up tied to a pole in the bathroom waiting at the door with a sinister grin was Gabe.
"Good, good you're finally awake now shall we begin." he said with a large smile.
if possible his smile grew wider. I looked around for a way out a way to get out of the room, my hands were tied behind my back the poll rubbed raw of paint in sections from previous attempts to escape. I looked back up at troy, he had a amused expression as he slowly chuckled to himself at my feeble attempts. A small silver charm bracelet was on his wrist and he started to make is way over to me from the other side of the room.
"Ahh Percy you know you're not leaving here" as he inches closer I squirmed and tried to move away only to find a wall behind me. He reached out and grabbed my chin, turning so I had to look at his eyes. They were pools of hate and insanity, I tried to pull away but his hand stopped me from moving.
" You know this is my divine duty " he looked around quickly not breathing as if trying to listen to something only he could hear." he looked back to me with a cold emotionless stare.
"Now enough talk let's have some fun, master doesn't want me to keep talking " he smiled gleefully and let out a sinister laugh The first hit landed on my stomach knocking the wind out of me, tears grew at the corner of my eyes but I refused to let them fall. Each hit was a stab of pain that eventually formed a tidal wave of despair that washed over body. The torrent of punches and kicks continued, the pain washed away all other feeling and left my head pounding, the next kick shattered what will I had left . I sobbed the tears flowing out of my eyes the dam the once held my dignity shattered against the waves of pain, Forming a sea of despair In my never ending nightmare.
"Shhshh son no need to cry." he sneered I was too busy to listen to his fake condolences.
" you know what, you look just like your mother after I was done with her." he smiled at the memory as if it was a day dream. he leaned down to my ear. "You have her eyes you know, brown full, of pain it looks good on you." he whispered into my ear the last of my willpower to fight left as the words escaped his lips. I feel into a fitful sleep desperate for solitude and silence.
I woke up with after the image of her brown eyes boring into mine. I shook the nightmares from my mind, I could hear the squeaking of mice and the soft snoring of my "step father" after rubbing my wrists I reached up and flicked on the lights to the bathroom momentarily blinded by the harsh light. I shakily stood up groaning softly not wanting to wake Gabe up. As I stood up red and black spots danced across my vision. I finally stood up pain flaring up in my lungs and chest, I couldn't breath I swayed heavily and leaned against a wall behind me I looked up to a site the shocked me. My long black hair was matted and covered with sweat, my one bright sea green eyes now bloodshot, but nothing prepared me for my body, dozens of purple bruises covered my stomach each about the size of a fist most of them connected to for a larger bruise. At the site of the bruises I wanted to puke. I suppressed a sob as I Walked out of the bathroom I tried not to wince with each step the occasional loss of balance made it hard not step on the cans tossed about the hallway. Slowly but surely I crossed the hallway and into my room slowly laying down and sinking into the covers. You can't always choose the hand you're dealt but that's just the way the world works.