I look at Percy with a confused expression.

"Just watch."

"Be good, Percy. I'll see you tonight," a woman I recognize as Sally says.

"Okay, mommy."

I hear a door close.

The boy's smile fades, replaced by a look of fear. He runs into another room, locks the door, and gets under the bed.

He, then, reaches into a box and takes out a knife.

"Where are you? You can run, but you can't hide," a male voice says.

"όχι,"the boy says.

The door opens.

Wasn't the door locked?

The man grabs the boy's arm and drags him out from under the bed. The look in the man's eyes is murderous. He looks at the knife in the boy's hand.

" Did you think that you could cut me with this?"the man asks.

"N-no."

The man takes the knife and cuts the boy's arm, tears streaming down the child's face. He does it again. No noise just tears. He drags the boy out of the room and into the kitchen. Then, he shoves the boy's back against the hot stove. The boy screams.

I look at Percy. There are tears streaming steadily down his cheeks, his eyes dark with tredipation.

"What did I tell you about talking?"

"N-not t-to."

"Exactly. So shut up." Then he throws the boy on the ground and kicks him multiple times.

"P-please s-stop."

"Go get cleaned up. Your mother will be here soon." And the man walks away as the boy drags himself into the room from before and onto the bed. He quickly cleans up and lays back down on the bed.

A stray tear escapes his eyes.

I'm all aloneno one can seeall the pain in my eyesThere's no lock to this key."please help me I'm broke. But I can't be fixed. Please help me I'm hurt. But I can't be healed. Please help I'm drowning. But I can't be saved. I'm hopeless, I'm dangerous, stay away I don't want to hurt you. Don't save me from this nightmare, or you could get hurt too," he singsquietly.

"When was this?" I ask Percy. He looks up at me from where he's sitting.

" my fourth birthday. My mom couldn't get the day off so I was stuck with him. it wasn't the first time, but it wasn't the last either." He closes his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"He threatened to kill me if I did. I was three at the time, so of course I didn't tell. I was scared. And he doesn't joke around like that."

Lucas's POVAll of a sudden, I open my eyes.

"He's awake!" I hear Austin say."How are you feeling, bud?"

"I feel okay. A little sick, but okay. Why? Where's my mom?"

"Riley, get Annabeth on the line." The girl disappears and comes back with a phone.

"Hey. We got great news."

Silence.

"Here you go, bud," Austin says, handing me the phone.

"Hello?"

"Lucas?!"

"That's me." I hear her start to cry.

"All this time I thought you were dead. I can't believe it. Do you want to talk to your father?"

"Yeah."

"Hello?" my dad says.

"Hi daddy."

"Oh my gosh. Lucas?!"

"Yeah. I miss you. And mommy. When will you be home?"

"We're not sure yet, but we'll try to be be back soon. Okay?"

"Okay."

"We have to go, sweetie. But we'll call you back soon, okay?" my mom says.

"Okay." and she hangs up.

I hand the phone back to Austin.

"Will they be okay, Tintin?"

"I'm not sure, bud. If I know your parents, and I do, they can survive anything. μην ανησυχίτε. don't worry." And he walks away.

But there's a feeling that they won't be okay.

I had no idea how right I was.

Happy Holidays everyone! Hope you have an amazing day and have fun!46and78 out!όχι means no in Greek. μην ανησυχίτε means don't worry.