Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 10

"It doesn't matter. Please just leave," Percy begged. 

"How exactly?" Juniper asked. He pointed behind them towards the window. "Come on, you can't be serious." 

"He could come back here at any moment..." Percy trailed off. Grover placed his hands in his pockets to hide the fact that they were shaking. He didn't know how Percy was staying so composed. Clearly his best friend was under an immense amount of stress, and Grover knew he would have had a breakdown by now.

"Why are you so worried? He can't really do much more than yell at you," Juniper said. Percy stared at her in disbelief. Heavy footfalls interrupted their conversation. Without thinking, Percy shoved the group into his closet.

Annabeth yelped as Juniper and Grover fell on top of her. Percy ignored her and closed the door, laying down on his bed, acting like everything was normal. The three were able to watch through the slits in the doors.

Gabe opened up the door and threw the phone at Percy. It missed, landing on the pillow. Percy jumped and looked at Gabe.

"I thought I told you, just me in your contacts. Who the hell were all those other people?" Percy hunkered down. 

"I-I don't-" Gabe growled, silencing his step-son. Juniper tensed up, clamping her hand over her mouth. 

"Stand up," Gabe said, his tone flat. Percy got to his feet. Gabe grabbed the phone back off the bed. "Whoever this Grover is, he's fuckin' blocked now, along with everyone else in this phone."

Percy nodded, praying to every god he could think of that Gabe wouldn't hit him. Not until they all left. Of course the universe wasn't on his side. Growing tired of the silence, Gabe grabbed Percy's throat and slammed him against the wall. Grover gasped.

"What the hell was that?" Gabe asked looking around. 

"What was what?" Percy whimpered, trying to keep his attention. Grover clamped his hands over his mouth as well. Annabeth gripped a random hoodie she happened to be laying on. 

"That noise," Gabe said, tightening his grip. Percy grimaced, struggling to breath. 

"I didn't... hear.. anything," Percy struggled. Gabe quickly looked back at his stepson. 

"Worthless." As he got angrier, his grip tightened. Soon Percy was unable to speak. His eyes were closed tightly and he clawed at the large hand around his throat. Tears burned his face as they flowed over scratches and cuts. 

The three stared in horror, not sure of what to do. Gabe dropped Percy to the floor, disgusted with the shade of purple he had turned. Percy coughed, gripping at his throat, hoping it would help get air back into his lungs. Like always, it didn't seem to help.

"I know I heard something, now what was it?" Gabe asked. He crouched down, meeting the young boy eye to eye. 

"I don't know," Percy whimpered. Juniper knew he was lying, she just couldn't understand why he didn't rat them out. Gabe brought his fist fist down on the boy. Annabeth whimpered upon hearing the sickening crunch.

Gabe shot up looking around. "I know you are in here. Come out!" 

"There's no one else here," Percy said, hand holding his nose, blood spilling between his fingers. Grover was nauseous at the sight. Gabe ignored him and started walking around the room. He looked under the bed. He then walked to the closet, ready to open the door. Percy stared in horror as Gabe opened the door, revealing 3 absolutely terrified teens. 

"No one else here, huh?" Gabe glared down at the three. "Not a fucking word of this to anyone," he growled.

"Oh yeah? What's stopping us?" Annabeth asked, being the first to climb out of the closet. She stared Gabe down, her arms crossed. Gabe walked back over to Percy, yanking him up by the hair.