Chapter Text
Percy was trying to fall asleep, but he couldn’t. Gabe was screaming again.
The 6 year old Percy had grown used to it, the man lost his job and had gotten more violent recently. It still scared him though, so he huddled into the corner of his bed, hiding with his teddies he’d named Lemon and Louis. They’d keep him safe, his bears. One of them he had since he can remember, the other one his mother had given him for his 5th birthday. Completely hidden under the duvet he curled up, praying that the man would stop screaming soon and his mother would come to hug him, when he heard it.
A different sound, another scream. His mothers voice, shouting out in pain, before the was a slap, then a loud ‘thump’ as if someone fell. A few seconds later there was the heavy thud of a door slamming, Gabe had left the apartment.
In the silence that followed, Percy snuck into the kitchen,still clutching Lemon, his bare feet not making a sound. “Mom?” he whispered, not seeing her at first, then spotting her on the floor. He rushed to her, but he slipped on something wet and warm, falling next to her. It was blood, a lot of it. Even at 6 he knew that that much blood wasn’t good. He started crying, burying his face in her shoulder.
“Per…cy” Sally’s broken weak voice was almost unnoticeable in the quiet. Her strength was draining fast, as her blood poured out of her artery that Gabe had cut. “Wa-ter. Protect….you. Love…you” she croaked out, weakly tapping his chest, right over his heart. She gave him one last loving look and squeezed his hand, then her body gave out and her breathing stopped.
Percy sat next to her body for a long time, calling her name until his voice gave out. He shook her, even slapped her, trying to make her wake up, but she didn’t move. After what felt like hours for him, he got up, stumbling back into his room. He grabbed his backpack, cramming a tshirt, some socks and his toothbrush into it, before tucking Lemon and Louis atop. He gave his mothers still warm body one last hug, trying to remember her scent, before he opened the door and ran.
Water, he thought, Mom said water protects.
He ran through towards the closest river, The Harlem River, not questioning his mother, and jumped right into it, fully trusting her last words.
It should have been cold, it should have been wet, it should have hurt. But the water seemed to catch him, wrapping around him like a hug, protecting him. It pulled him along its current, away from the City, the pain. But Percy didn’t notice any of that, still crying, curled up in despair.
The Harlem River eventually merged with the Hudson River, and after a while washed him ashore on the soft mossy floor of a distant forest, the Bear Mountain State Park. But it didn't just dump him on the shore, it gently set him down, guiding his feet until he stood safely. It pushed him up and gave him a gentle nudge towards the trees. Go, it seemed to whisper, You are safe here.
Completely exhausted, the 6 year old didn't look back. Like a Zombie he walked into the forest, and walked until he found a massive tree that was hollow at its base. It was a small hole, but he crawled inside. He curled into a ball, pulling his jacket around him and rested his head on his backpack. With a last effort he pulled out Lemon and Louis, clutching them to his chest, and started sobbing again, until his weakened body gave out and he fell asleep.