Third POV

If there was one thing that Cassius Keen knows how to do, is to run. No, he's not a coward. He would never leave his friends or family behind just for his well being. He would rather get shot a thousand times, just to give a starving human a granola bar.

He runs because it is the best for everybody. He runs because he can't dwell on the idea of causing more pain to the people close to him. He runs because he cares.

It all began with the day he was born. Cassius knew he was different than the other kids, the other human beings around him. His name didn't help him at all to fit with the people he wanted to get along with. As much as he loves his mother with all his heart and soul, he just can't grasp the idea why she pinned her fanatic love of Roman mythology on himself.

Nonetheless, Cassius couldn't ask for a better mother. He couldn't think of anyone raising him except his own mother. His mother was there for him when he catches the cold as a little kid, running her tired hands through his hair and feeding him chicken noodle soup. She would kiss all his scraped-knees or cuts that would cause him to cry his eyes out. She was there for him for every nightmare that made him wake himself awake by screaming his heart out, cradling him in her arms, and singing him a lullaby back to sleep.

His father, he was a strong man. Cassius idolized him, wanting to become the man his father grew up to be. His father would always tease him that he was a mama's boy, taking him out at the back of their farm in England and playing rugby. His father, is the reason why Cassius yearns to be such a caring person. Cassius was told that he looked just like his father. Same smile. Same curly, black hair. Same nose. Same ears and lips. He even has his dimples when he smiles. His eyes however, bright hazel eyes that always seemed to be changing colors between a light brown, green, blue, or even a golden color, Cassius received that from his mother.

These two wonderful people, were somehow cursed to bear a son, himself. He felt such a disappointment, knowing that his parents deserve better than dealing with his 'disorder'.

It first showed up, on his first year in school. Cassius was ready to leave the farm work and actually learn. It all happened so quickly for Cassius, that it was just a blur for him. One second, he was eating his mother homemade chocolate chip cookies, and the next thing he knew, some of the older kids snatched the snack right out of his chubby little hands. Cassius cried for them to give it back, stomping his little feet, but they wouldn't listen. They just laughed and ate the snack right in front of him.

Cassius has never felt so much rage in his entire life. It was like something flipped inside of him. He could feel the anger boiling in his blood, his heart hammering in fury through his ribs. This searing hot heat started to appear on his chest, spreading all over his body until he could feel the sensation on the tip of his fingers and toes. His vision went red.

All that he could remember was people screaming out in fear, a roar passing by his ears before everything went black.

The next day, Cassius found himself in the hospital, with guards outside his hospital room. Apparently, his school caught on fire, burning the building until it was turned coal-black. Luckily, no one was severely injured, just a few minor burns. Unfortunately, Cassius was in the middle during the flames and all fingers point that it was his doing.

There wasn't enough evidence to prove him not guilty. His parents very well knew that Cassius didn't cause this on purpose but it didn't help the guilt that was eating him up. He could have severely injured someone and it would have been all his fault.

Ever since that incident, people would stay far away from him as possible. And the people who didn't, they would tease him and break him down, close to the breaking point. Cassius didn't know why he could create a flicker of flame with just the snap of his fingers or to watch out for his anger, so bad things won't happen. He didn't understand why this had to happen to him.

As much how supportive his parents were towards him, despite the lack of knowledge of what he was capable, he couldn't take it anymore. People kept breaking him, piece by piece. They wouldn't talk to him. They wouldn't allow him to interact with other people. They wouldn't allow him to be near anyone. Hell, he couldn't even talk or hold eye contact with them. They were afraid of him. And when people get afraid, they try their very best to get rid of that fear to feel safe and secure.

Everywhere that Cassius walks, he would bring fear and destruction with him. He was alone and it was driving him insane. Not having someone there for him, made him lonely. It was the worst torture Cassius had to face, being alone. All that pain, all of that suffering soon turn into anger. Angry at the people who labeled him as a freak. Angry that he had to have his parents suffer through lawyers, bills, and cruel people because of him. But most of all, he was angry at himself for being this. For bearing such a curse.

That incident at the school, wasn't the only time he caused a scene like that. He burned a couple of things, sometimes even buildings. His poor parents were financially suffering because of him, from all the bills of the damage he created. He was just grateful that he was labeled him as a pyromania and not Satan's child. But something happened to him, when he was just eight years old when he finally snapped.

School has just ended for him, which he was very grateful. A couple months from being away from his tormentors, sign him up. It was raining outside, dark clouds covering up the bright blue sky that Cassius loves to see. He usually rides his bike back home but because of the dreadful weather, Cassius decided to stay at the library for a bit, hoping for the rain to calm down.

The library was the only place where he feels accepted besides his home. When people decided to ignore you like the plague, you manage to grab a few hobbies here and there. Reading was his favorite pastime to do, connecting with the characters and as pathetic as it sounds, seeing them as their only friends in this world.

Taking off his rain jacket, Cassius rolled up the sleeves of his maroon fleece sweatshirt despite the freezing temperature. His body heat was way above average, the cold temperature doesn't affect him. He could be standing outside in a blizzard wearing nothing but shorts and he still wouldn't suppress a shiver from the cold weather.

Licking his thumb and index finger, he flip an old, wrinkle page of The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. He has read this book about a hundred times. The silence around him was peaceful, a moment of forgetting everything out of his little bubble in his favorite spot. It was in the deepest part of the library that not many go to hangout, making it even more special to him. His little corner, just for him.

But even peace is just temporary. Cassius was so engrossed in the classic book in his hands, he didn't hear the set of footsteps making his way towards him until a shadow loomed over him. Glancing up, he felt his heart dropping to his stomach in dread. He stared at the faces of his biggest bully and his group of followers, Jason Martin. He was your cliche rich jock, with styled blonde hair and baby blue eyes. Even when he has everything, it wasn't enough for Jason. He lives in hurting people. He feeds off from other people's fear, making him feel powerful and unstoppable.

Cassius wasn't afraid of the jerk. No, he was afraid of what will happen when Jason pushes him to his limit.

They stared at each other, Jason sending Cassius a cruel smirk as his group of friends were chuckling behind him. Tensing, Cassius threw his book at Jason, quickly grabbing his things and made a run for it. He barely took five steps before Jason group of friends jumped him. One of them punched Cassius directly in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. He hunched over, dropping his things as he tried to get air back in his lungs. Next thing he knew, two of Jason's friends grabbed him by the arms, trapping him.

Cassius thrashed under their hold but these guys have been in club football (soccer) and rugby for as long as they could hold a ball while Cassius wheeze just taking the stairs. His glared heatedly as Jason walked in front of him, feeling a bit proud when he saw a bruise forming on his cheek. That was quickly wiped away when Jason reeled his fist back before landing it right on Cassius nose.

He gritted his teeth, hearing the familiar crack and throbbing pain. Feeling the skin break and the dark red blood trickling down his nostrils, he knew his nose was broken. Jason crew laughed at his pain, fueling his anger even more.

"That wasn't very nice," Jason mocked him.

"Yeah, so isn't that haircut," Cassius spat at him.

He clenched his jaw when he felt Jason's guys gripping his arms tightly, knowing it's gonna leave a nasty bruise. Cassius head snapped to the side, receiving a hard right hook to the cheek. Pennies filled his mouth, spitting a mouthful of blood on Jason. He looked furious at Cassius action, grabbing him by the front of of his fleece shirt. They glared heavily at each other before Jason chuckled, letting Cassius go and smoothing out his shirt.

"Friends, I believe that we need to teach this bloke a lesson about respecting his superiors."

Cassius face paled as he was dragged out of the library. School was over, no one nearby to help him. No matter how hard he fought back, he couldn't get out of their grips. They dragged him outside to the soccer field, the heavy rain soon turning into a soft drizzle. His feet kept slipping as he tried to get free, getting mud all over his shoes and the bottom of his pants.

His back slammed against the pole of a goal post when one of them threw him roughly against it. Cassius tried to make a run for it but Jason stuck out his shoe, tripping him. He fell straight on his elbows, hissing when they absorbed the impact. He was drenched from the rain and covered in mud. Scrambling back on his feet, he didn't have a chance as they shoved him against the goal post once again, this time the back of his head smacking on the metal. Groaning, he blinked his eyes to hopefully stop the spinning and clear out the black dots.

"Strip him," Jason ordered his followers, motioning his head towards Cassius.

His eyes widen, thrashing uncontrollably underneath their hold.

"No, no," Cassius freaked out. "Stay the bloody hell away from me!"

He screamed and fought back blindly as he felt hands grab him before feeling something tightly wrap around him. Blinking away the mud in his eyes, he panicked when he saw them tying him against the goal post with duct-tape. They all took a step back when they tied him securely, his arms locked on his side so he couldn't move them. Jason smirked at him, making Cassius narrow his eyes.

Despite Cassius kicking and biting feebly a couple of times, he couldn't do much while being tied up. He felt the uncomfortable sticky tape tugging harshly against his bare skin, leaving ugly red burns. Cassius body was tensed, looking up at the sky as he felt the wind blow on his expose body. He blinked back watery eyes, hearing them laugh at him. He was lucky enough to move his hands to cover his private part but the metal pole touching his butt wasn't that all comfortable.

"You did what you wanted to do. Just leave already!" Cassius yelled at them, just wanting to go home already.

"Oh no mate, we ain't through yet," Jason smirked.

Cassius groaned when they brought out a sack full of rugby balls and much to his horror, a handheld camcorder.

They all each grabbed a ball while Jason pressed the record button, facing the camera directly at Cassius.

"Why are you doing this?!" Cassius yelled at him, hoping to stop him.

"Because your a freak," Jason snarled. "And freaks don't belong with us."

With that punch to the heart, Cassius braced himself when he saw the first rugby ball soar through the air. His eyes quickly clenched in pain as he felt that the material of the ball smacking roughly against his bare skin. They continued to assault him with more balls, red and angry marks covering his entire body. Even the slightest twitch, brought a searing pain in his entire body. His shoulders, chest, arms, and legs were soon littered with transforming ugly purple and blue bruises from the blows he has taken. His left eye was swollen, most likely a black-eye forming. His lip was busted and there was a cut right in his cheek.

Cassius closed his eyes, the only thing that he could focus was the sound of rugby balls hitting him, the laughter of the guys in front him, enjoying his pain. It hurt so much. They wouldn't stop. No matter how much he begged, no matter how much he prayed for them to stop inflicting anymore agony on him, they continue like he was nothing.

Tears ran down Cassius face. He couldn't take it anymore. He could feel his body growing tired and Cassius was scared that he was going to pass out. Another ball thrown at him. More pain. More laughter. He started to choke on his own air when they hit him directly in the throat. He wheezed, coughing loudly. Cassius wanted to drop to his knees but the duct-tape was holding him back.

"Please!" He gasped. "Please! Stop!"

They didn't listen. They didn't care. Nobody did for him. They all think that this was just game. They didn't care the amount of pain his is going through. And it's not just the physical pain. They don't understand the mental anguish he is suffering through because they don't have to suffer through it. Nobody would understand that he is drowning in his own anger. The urge to fight back, grasping on the last ounce of hope of getting through this when it just slips through your fingers like sand. You think why do I deserve such a cruel punishment, why do I have to suffer? Why does it have to be me?

"No, no we are not going to stop because you know why?" Jason hurled another rugby ball at Cassius, hitting him directly in the chest. "Because you deserve every single pain. You deserve all of this."

"Stop!" Cassius shouted weakly, his face screwing up in agony.

"There's no happy ending for you, mate. Your a freak and freaks like you don't get to live a normal life. You don't get to live a happy life."

Another blow. More pain.

"I-I am not a freak," Cassius glared weakly at them, his chest rising up and down.

Despite the cold weather, Cassius began to feel sweat roll down his body, his face heating up in red. He panicked when he felt the familiar feeling of heat traveling across his chest and body. His fingers twitched, wanting to release the anger but Cassius couldn't allow that.

"Pl-please. Just go al-," they cut off his sentence as they continue to throw balls at him, one of them hitting him directly in his face.

He could feel his pulse rising, his heart drumming through his ears painfully. His shoulders were rising up and down at an abnormal rate, his breathing coming out in puffs of anger. His body was rigid as he could feel the rhythm on his chest increase by each blow and each word. Cassius was a ticking time-bomb and these idiots lit up the match.

"No, your right. Your not a freak," Jason, gripped tightly to a rugby ball while continuing to record with the other. "Your a bloody monster."

Jason took a step back before launching the rugby ball towards Cassius. They were waiting for another shout of pain to ring in their ears but it never did. The ball never touched Cassius. Instead, it was changed into a pile of ashes in front of Cassius feet. Jason and his crew all took a wary step back as they stared at Cassius, who had his head bowed down.

The temperatures drastically increased that Jason could feel a single sweat rolling down his neck. A heat wave hit all of them, coming out of nowhere. Every little drop of rain that touched Cassius skin, soon dissolve into gas, the sound of sizzling echo on their ears. Their eyes widen a bit when they saw steam radiating off from Cassius body, his skin turning a burning red. Cassius slowly lifted his head up and they all were ready to piss their pants. His eyes. They were on fire.

Before they could breath or bat an eyelash, Cassius entire body was engulfed in flames. All of a sudden, there was a loud BOOM and more flames appeared, burning the entire soccer field. All you could see was fire, the heat rivaling the temperature of the sun. Just as quickly as the explosion appeared, it was soon gone. It was sucked away, the flames entering back into Cassius body until he was nothing but a bright flame.

The fire burned off the tape around him, hell, Cassius managed to melt the metal goal post, leaving only a puddle of liquid metal on the charred grass. He fell on his knees, the weight of his own body being too much for him to hold from how weak he was from the hits. But then again, Cassius couldn't have felt anymore powerful as he finally released all the anger, the fire licking and dancing across his skin like it was part of him. The fire was him.

Glancing around, he felt the fire in him diminishing away as the fire that appeared in his eye sockets went back to normal. The relief was soon changed into fear as he spotted Jason and his friends bodies a couple of feet away from where they were standing. The explosion knocked them out of their feet, literally. Quickly slipping on his underwear and his pants, Cassius sprinted towards them.

He dropped to his knees next to Jason, his mouth wide-open in shock. Jason entire body was burnt, his skin blistered and charred black. He could see fresh flesh exposing in the air, making Cassius sick to the stomach. He caused this. Cassius shakily placed his ear on his ruined shirt. Shutting his eyes, Cassius breathed out a sigh of relief when he heard a soft thump. He was alive.

But Cassius almost killed them. They maybe alive but Cassius severely injured them. They would have scars, never looking the same ever again and it was all his fault. They could have died and it would be on his hands. He was a monster.

"I'm sorry," a single tear slid down his soot covered cheek before scrambling on his feet.

Not even thinking twice, Cassius quickly dashed away. He left his bike and belongings behind. He just needed to get far away as possible. And not just the school. His feet slapped against the concrete street, feeling his feet gaining a couple scrape here and there but that didn't slow him down. When he heard the sirens, he ran faster. He pumped his arms by his side, his legs moving quickly to run faster. His lungs were begging to breathe but Cassius didn't let them. He has to run.

The area soon changed from the city to a farmland. Cassius stopped for just one second, bending over to catch his breath. His hair was matted down because of the rain, water droplets drenching him to the bones. But he was still burning up. He could feel the heat vibrating underneath his skin, waiting to be release once again. Ignoring the mud between his toes, Cassius once again was running.

He finally made it to the farm as he struggled to push open the wooden fence that was twice his size, quickly passing by the family dog, Sam. For once, Cassius was happy his parents weren't home. Because they were financially struggling because of him, they both had to gain two jobs just to keep the land.

Barging through the old, wooden, two-story family house, Cassius ran up the stairs. Everything was a blur a to him. Clothes were flying everywhere, being stuffed in backpacks, mostly likely going the to be wrinkly but he didn't care. He quickly changed into different clothes, not even bothering to wash up the mud caked on his skin. He couldn't waste anymore time. Stuffing all the stuff that were important to him in a single bag, Cassius quickly grabbed a picture frame of him and his parents.

His eyes burned with tears as shaky fingers slipped the picture out of the frame, folding it and stuffing it in his pocket. Slinging on his backpack, he quickly raced down the stairs and to the kitchen. Grabbing a garbage bag, he stuffed food in it. He whirled around in frantic, checking mentally in his head that he has everything that he needed.

With one last thing to do, Cassius grabbed a napkin and pen. He started to write a letter to his parents. Once he was finished writing, reading it over a thousand times, Cassius placed the letter on the kitchen table. He took in a huge breath in, trying to stop his hands from shaking but the wouldn't. Rubbing his face, his eyes red from crying, Cassius left through the back door. Jumping over the fence, Cassius walked up the tall hill, the soft drizzle turning into a heavy pour fall.

When he reached the peak of the hill, Cassius looked back at his home for one last time, being the last time he might see it ever again. Flipping the hood of his jacket over his bruised face, Cassius threw the garbage bag full of food over his shoulder, gripping the plastic tightly in his hands. Turning his back, Cassius began to run for the safety of his parents.