Prologue: Cops and Pyro
Racing down the sidewalk, my old black converse slapping against the concrete, I ran with all I had. I could not get caught, not now; not after all I had been through.
I was rushing past people, knocking some to the damp walkway, not daring to stop and apologize. I searched for an easy retreat, only finding alleyways with dead ends. They would provide me no hope, as I would get trapped, and then I would surely be caught.
My breath was hard and uneven, my mouth going dry as my tongue had turned to sandpaper; it washed down my windpipe, with bitter cold air and unfair gasps, making my insides turn icy and dry. Lungs ached inside my chest, gasping for oxygen, aching for what it had lost. My shoes were soaking up the rain water as I splashed through puddles. My heart thudding wildly in my ears, only adding to my stress.
The sky was dark and the air was cold, biting at my face.
I didn't know exactly why the cops were chasing me, I had saved those innocent people from getting shot. I suppose it was my use of fire that drove them after me; cops have never been very fond of mutants, from what I've seen on the news.
Ever since my "incident", I was able to control the element fire; create and control it. But I got something else too, something far more destructive and dangerous.
I could feel her pushing at her boundaries, implying that she'd help me. She was very cunning and manipulative to be trusted. I shook her away with all the force I had, trying not to fall for her schemes.
"No! Go away!" I shouted in my mind.
I felt her snap at me from within. It only drove me faster, my legs pushing quicker; they were blurred by speed, but I could feel the fatigue setting in. She was a killer and I wouldn't let her loose on the city.
I couldn't.
With the new found speed I was able catch, I ran ahead, not by much, but enough to hide. I ran down an alleyway and dove behind a dumpster. Curling up in the corner the dumpster and the wall made, I leaned my head on the side, closing my eyes.
I sucked in needed breaths as quickly as I could, trying to be quiet. I held my chest as it ached and I could feel my heart pounding beneath my palm. It hurt too much to simply ignore, as my body started to catch its breath and recuperate.
Once they had decided to find me on another route, I fled; climbing up the fire escapes to go above instead of through their search area. I was glad I didn't show my face, or they'd be knocking on my door, which would prove difficult and stressful to escape. I made my retreat to my apartment, slowly, watching every movement.
I laid down on my couch and turned on the news, my heart still racing; my adrenaline still pumping. They talked about the bank robbery, and how a mysterious girl (or more specifically, mutant) had saved some people.
They called her Pyro.
I liked the name, it fit. Only, that would be the only time they would ever see Pyro. I couldn't risk another sighting. I was trying to find a cure, not become some hero. That was the last thing I needed. It would only put everyone at a higher risk.
And the one thing I couldn't risk was Predator escaping. It had been two years since my last incident. I wasn't going to let it win. I couldn't let it overtake me.
I wasn't a monster; well, I didn't want to be.
