Octavian jolted awake to the sound of loud thumping. His father was coming up the stairs, fast, and he didn't sound happy. Looking at his clock it dawned on him. Eleven thirty four, eleven thirty four. He'd never woken up this late.
His alarm had gone off earlier, and he had pressed the snooze button. What an idiot. He knew what was coming and he knew he deserved it.
The bedroom door slammed open to reveal his father, red in the face, his expression one of rage. 'Get up boy!' his father screamed at him. Hesitantly getting out of bed Octavian prepared for the worst.
His father walked slowly towards him stopping behind Octavian's trembling body. 'So boy... Explain to me why I woke up this morning to find no food on the table, the dishes from last night unwashed and downstairs not vacuumed?" his father said, his voice deadly quiet.
'I-I-Sorry-I' Octavian stumbled over his words; just to be violently pushed to the floor. Letting out a small whimper Octavian tried to get up only to be met by his dad's foot connecting with his jaw. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
'How do you expect to be a man if you can't even wake up you fucking idiot?!' his father continued to yell at him. Slowly, Octavian dragged himself towards the corner of his room and pulled his knees inwards towards his chest.
Curling tighter into himself he waited for the next blow. Peeking through his fingers he just had time to see his father's foot coming towards him before he passed out.
Most people would call this abuse. But Octavian knew his father was only trying to help him. Trying to make him into a stronger person. He was determined to get better. It didn't matter that he was 10, anyone could be better.
His whole life he had tried to be good enough for his father and he was determined to finally achieve that.
-----
A few weeks later Octavian found himself back at the daunting entrance of his boarding school. He'd been going here since they age of 5, but he still hadn't gotten used to it. He did well academically, he was probably the top student in his year. But being smart wasn't what his father wanted.
He hated the beginning of term. Everywhere you looked there were students holding hands or making out in corners. All of these kids with their stupid relationships. Relationships were ridiculous, they just created unreasonable attachments.
'You only lose what you love' his father's voice seemed to remind him.
Friendship, relationships, even family was useless. They did nothing but hold you back. Octavian was lucky for his father. Not everyone was lucky enough to have someone who pushed them so much. To ensure he at least got somewhere in life.
-----
He'd only been at school for three weeks and he'd already had enough. The bullying hadn't ceased. His bruises from home had only darkened. Half of his clothes had been dumped in the lake. Walking through the corridors people took it upon themselves to ensure he was as late as possible for his lessons by tripping him up or pushing him into lockers.
The incident two days ago hadn't helped either. This term he had took it upon himself to further improve himself by going on a strict diet and working out. In only three weeks he had lost 10 pounds, but despite the hours of sit ups and running he hadn't seemed to have built up any muscle. At all.
Two days ago he had been going for his usual evening run when he started to feel dizzy. Earlier on in the day some boys had taken it upon themselves to punch him until he threw up. But despite that, he had still opted out the bed rest he needed, to continue his regime. Nearly half way through his run Octavian had collapsed. The few students who walked past him ignored the pale blonde boys' body.
And now here he was. In the school's hospital wing because he was apparently malnourished, and he wouldn't tell them where the many bruises covering his body were from.
But Octavian had had enough. The stupid school wouldn't listen to him, he told them he was fine and they still wouldn't let him out; so he wouldn't listen to them.
Clambering out of his bed Octavian slowly crept out of the hospital wing just in time to hear the nurse shout his name. He sprinted as fast as he could for his room. Stuffing his few belongings into a backpack he opened the window and looked at the drop below him. His dorm was on the bottom floor so it was only a metre or two down. Steadying himself on the window ledge Octavian jumped onto the concrete below.
Making his way towards the outer wall he silently thanked his school for being next to a forest. No one would find him now. Shimmying up a drain pipe Octavian made his way to the top of the wall and climbed down into the forest. He didn't look back once.
-----
It was strange to see your face all over the media. Especially when you were presumed dead. It had been six months since he'd run away and so far Octavian hadn't regretted it once. What he didn't understand though was that as soon as he had left the school, nearly every day he was attacked. One time it was a tall man with a huge black dog, the next it was some vampire girl with a donkey's leg. He just didn't understand.
His whole life he had been taught that believing in things like magic and fairytales was a waste of time and pointless. He hadn't grown up with the stories everyone else did, his father had taught him well. Things like that were a waste of time, caring about things was a waste of time, his only focus should be on not disappointing his father.
But now Octavian had to face the facts. When the kids at his boarding school would wake up screaming about vampires and werewolves during the night he had laughed, but he no longer did. Because the monsters were real.
Earlier that day Octavian had scavenged a small cupcake from the leftovers of a bakery. Him running away had come with a sacrifice. Since he'd run away he'd been living rough, for the first month or so he'd lived in the woods, living off the berries and water from a nearby stream.
After that he'd found an abandoned shed on the outskirts of the nearby city, it hadn't taken long for him to sell most of his possessions. He'd used the money to buy a knife, the attacks never ceased so he would have to be prepared.
An old man slowly walked in front of Octavian as he was on his way back to his 'home'. He was reading the paper, and peering over the man's shoulder Octavian could see the date. It was his birthday. Not that that meant anything to him.
-----
He'd been 11 when they found him. Two months after his birthday Octavian had been wondering around a river when he had heard something in front of him. But when he looked up nothing was there. Dismissing the noise Octavian continued to walk. A sweet smell suddenly filled the air and the world suddenly went blurry. Feeling tired Octavian decided maybe he could have a nap.
-----
Octavian woke up to his head throbbing. As his surroundings came into focus he realised he certainly wasn't where he had fell asleep. Looking around he could see he was in a building of some sort; just as he was about to get up a burly man walked in, he seemed to be wearing a purple dress and a large golden sword was sheathed at his side.
'Welcome to Camp Jupiter'.
-----
It had now been six years since he'd joined Camp Jupiter. Octavian was the most hated person at the Camp but he didn't care.
He was the Camp Augur. Many people found it unusual as he told prophecies using the stuffings of ripped up teddy bears, but Octavian found a certain irony to it. It intimidated people, seeing something that most of them had treasured for most of their lives mutilated. But of course for Octavian he had never had the ridiculous attachments to things like that. He'd never had attachments to anything. And he never would.
No matter what the Camp thought of him he still had the power and strength that he had craved all of his life. He didn't need a futile thing like love.
He could see all of the heartbreak around him. He had read the stories of wars caused by love. Something so small and pathetic that caused such drastic things to happen.
After all, all of those years ago his father had been right, you only lose what you love, so what was the point in loving?
YOU ARE READING
You Only Lose What You Love (Octavian)
Fanfiction- After all, all of those years ago his father had been right, you only lose what you love, so what was the point in loving? - Basically telling the story of Octavian's life, from before he arrives at Camp Jupiter until he becomes Augur. TW: Abuse
