Taken by Force

{1}

*Annabeth's POV* ~~~

I guess this is the part where I tell you who I am. Hi, I'm Annabeth Chase. I have blonde, curly hair and grey eyes and I'm kind of a nobody. I don't really talk to people all that much because I don't like social interaction, and I have pretty crippling social anxiety. Either way, everyone I live around are either adults, children, or kids from my school, whom I don't enjoy being around.

Well anyway, my point is, I'm not really all that popular. I don't really talk to people and they don't talk to me - that's how it's been all my life, and it's probably how it'll end up staying.

I've always had an interesting life, to say the least, but like, interesting in a bad way. My step mom absolutely hates me, and probably wouldn't care if I just randomly disappeared one day. She's always been quite verbally abusive, though she's never laid a hand on me. My dad doesn't care about what she has to say to me, so I just end up dealing with it and going to my room.

Today was the day my step mom decided to take the lock off my door so she could come in and scream at me whenever she felt like it.

"I want my lock back! You don't have a right to barge in whenever you feel like it and take away my privacy, Helen!" There was no way I was ever gonna call Helen my mom - she doesn't deserve the title.

"I never get a break from you, so why should you get a break from me?!" Helen is screaming at the top of her lungs and I can't take it any longer. I groan.

"Whatever. I'm going to the park." I say it in a calm voice - the screaming giving me a headache - before grabbing my sweater and putting on some shoes. Helen grabs me by the arm harshly.

"You can't just leave whenever you feel like it, Annabeth! We're your parents, you have to listen to us!" She's right in front of me now, her grip on my arm becoming too harsh for comfort.

"You were never my parent, Helen. You never were and you never will be." My voice is calm and I look into her eyes. She wants me to back down but I refuse. It's all a blur, but there's a loud sound and my neck snaps to the side. My dad is sitting off to the side at the table, reading a magazine, when he finally looks up.

I stare at her, not knowing what to say or do. My dad gets up from his spot and I look at him. He looks at me, then at Helen, then to the ground, staying silent.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Helen starts on an apology but I cut her off.

"Save it. We both know you don't care about me enough to apologize. I knew you were a bitch but I would've never guessed you'd bring up the courage to lay a hand on me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the park."

"When are you going to be back?" Helen questions quietly, the floor becoming incredibly interesting to her.

"How could you possibly care at this point? I don't know." I rolled my eyes and walked out.

I walked over to the park. There were a couple of kids hanging around, some with parents and some without.

I decide to sit on a swing since they're open. I contemplate listening to music, but my playlist is a little too much for children and I forgot my earbuds at home. There was no way I was going back to that hellhole.

I grab onto my necklace. My mom gave it to me when I was really young, so young I can't really remember. It's just a simple silver chain with a deep blue jewel. My mom said she'd had it since childhood, and some day it would have the power to take me out of this world - to somewhere safe. I used to hear stories about her from my dad, but ever since Helen moved in we've become really distanced. I haven't had a real conversation with my dad since a few years ago.

A girl about my age drives up in a truck and stops at the park. She looks like she could be from school, but there's never anyone from school here because they all think parks are for small children or whatever.

She gets out of the car. She's not someone I recognize, which is weird because I recognize almost everyone from school. When you have no one to talk to, you notice people. I know pretty much everyone at my school, but I also live in a really small town which might be why I know their faces so well.

A small girl, maybe 11 or 12 years old gets out from the passenger side. I shrug it off and look down - maybe it's her sister or something and they're new here.

In the corner of my eye I see someone walking quick toward me. I turn to see Helen speed - walking after me. I curse under my breath and look around, spotting the girl that got here with what I'm guessing is her sister.

I get up from my swing and grab her arm. "Hey, I see you have a car and I have an evil step mother that wants to murder me. Please, I'm begging you, take me anywhere away from here." She looks at me, then down to my necklace and looks at her possible sister.

The small girl grabs my hand and speaks up. "Come on, we'll take you somewhere safe."

I noticed the older girl's necklace - the same as mine - except her jewel was black.

The small girls necklace was the same too, but a really light sky blue jewel hung from the chain.

I thought back to what my mom had told me.

Some day it would have the power to take me out of this world - to somewhere safe. It sounded weirdly the same as what the girl had just said to me, but I decided not to worry about that. Helen was getting closer. I let them pull me away and put me in their car. The small girl got in the passenger side and the older one got in the driver's seat.

"We're trying to help you, but you can't see this."

She looked back at me, and I slowly became tired and blacked out. I figured they were going to take me to a gas station nearby or something. I guess not.

Great, I only have the best of luck. Maybe my kidnappers will be better people than my dad and Helen.

Welcome to my first chapter for the third time! Yes I've decided to reread and re-edit this book for the second time! Why? I hear you asking in the background. Well, because I'm almost 16 and this book absolutely sucks. So, welcome back everyone. Strap in and bare with me here.

Edited last on: 7/8/19