Take Me Now

Percy hiked home from school, dreading the moment that he knew would come. He quietly slipped into the house, but not quietly enough.

"Percy!" Gabe yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing, sneaking around like that?"

Percy winced and slowly turned around."I, um, didn't want to disturb you." That was a total lie and he knew it. Unfortunately, Gabe knew it too.

"Liar!" Gabe called Percy out on his bluff. "What were you planning to do, clean the living room without me knowing? Speaking of which, you didn't clean the kitchen last night."

Percy mentally slapped himself. Of course. How could he forget? Stupid. Of course you forgot. You're just an idiot. That was what he had been told by Gabe all of his life, and now he was starting to believe it. Don't believe it. You're more than that.

"I'm sorry, I forgot."

"Of course you forgot," Gabe sneered. "You're just a stupid idiot who never knows what to do, and can't even think for himself. Am I right?"

Percy let himself nod. Yes. That's right. No. Don't think that. You're better than what people tell you.

"Glad you admit it." Gabe moved closer to Percy, his eyes glinting evilly. "But disobedient kids must be punished." Before Percy knew what was happening, Gabe had him pinned to the ground and was hitting him with hard, harsh blows.

Percy lay there for a moment, stunned, before his instincts kicked in and for the first time in a while the foggy, numb feeling disappeared. He surged upwards with all the strength he had gained in swimming and gym class and punched Gabe in the jaw.

Gabe stumbled backwards, surprised, before he grinned. "Well, well, well. Looks like you've been getting stronger. There's one problem, though: you aren't stronger than a grown man." Gabe hurled Percy across the room, and Percy crashed into the window. Shards of glass rained down on him and a particularily long and sharp piece sliced down his side.

Percy cried out with pain and his hands automatically flew to his side, and he panicked when he felt the sticky blood seeping through his shirt. He staggered to his feet and somehow ran into his room, slamming the door behind him, his shaky fingers locking the door.

Gabe laughed cruelly. "Yes, you'd better run! And stay there in your room, idiot!"

Percy slumped against the door, his shoulders shaking as he began quietly sobbing. "Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show. You can't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he hurt you," he whispered to himself, hugging his knees to his chest and rocking himself back and forth. Finally he just looked up at the sky through his window. "Gods, why? Why me?"

All of his hurt and anger at the life he was living flowed into his words. "Why? What did I ever do to you? Why are you letting me live like this? Please, tell me why!" Percy broke down in tears, his body shaking as he sobbed. "Just kill me! Take me now! Don't let me suffer! I'd rather die than live this life!" He buried his head in his arms and wept, whispering one last word. "Please."

After his tears were all gone, he stood and crossed the room, picking up a dagger he had hidden in his backpack. Rolling his sleeves up, he ran his fingers gently along the scars marring his arms. Taking a breath and letting it out, he slashed each of his wrists.

One.

For the day he was born.

Two.

For how many half-decades he had been living this life.

Three.

For the times Gabe had raped him.

Four.

For how many people who liked him.

Five.

For how many times he had stood up for himself.

Six.

For how many months he had wanted to die.

The blood gushed out of the freshly made twelve cuts, six on each wrists. Percy dropped the dagger on the ground as the world swirled around him. He slid to the ground and his breathing grew slower as he let it all go. He let go of the hate. He let go of how he had felt. He let it all go. Life slipped away as the Fates gleefully cut the thread of the boy whose only wish had been to be loved.