The forest is an amazing place during the day. The sunlight filtering through the canopy illuminates the activity of the forest floor. Bird song, animal noise, and the rustling of leaves came together to create a beautiful symphony of sounds that pleased the ear of any traveler wise enough to know its mystery. However, that was only one side of the forest because when night fell the forest became something sinister. Predators of many shapes and sizes stalked through the underbrush preying on any unsuspecting animal that had the misfortune of gaining its attention. The noises that once comforted in the daylight sent chills down the spine of any inexperienced traveler that dared venture into its dark embrace. Unfortunately for the young black haired child that was currently running to escape his torment, this was his only salvation left. The predator that stalked him was probably the worst of all.

The low hanging branches scratched and clawed at the little boys face as he struggled to keep moving forward under the eerie moonlight. The light exposed the ragged blue shorts that covered his legs, scars new and old that crisscrossed his chest and arms, and the tears that dripped from his dark emerald eyes. His breath shot out of him in ragged gasps that condensed in the chilly weather, and the cold bite of the air assaulted his exposed arms and legs. He could still hear the snapping of branches, crunching of fallen leaves and angry shouts signaling that his pursuer was still close and closing in. If he didn't do anything he wouldn't escape. He couldn't go back. Not anymore. Not after what he did.

"PERCY! Get the Hell back over here!"

'No damn it! How did he find me! ?' Percy berated himself as he stumbled through some bushes, 'I was careful! I waited till he was sleep! So how did he know!?'

A sharp pain exploded in the back of the young boy's left leg causing him to stumble and fall into a clearing. Had he had the time or been in the right state of mind he would've seen the beauty of the clearing he just fell into. The beautiful moonlit lake that lay twenty feet in front of him with crystal clear water, the glistening stars in the sky above unblocked by the skyscrapers of the city, and the natural quite that permeated the area. He would've noticed the jagged gash that appeared on his calf, or blood rushing down the back of his leg, or the sharp stone that had caused the wound, but Percy was too busy trying to escape his tormentor to car. He clawed at the frigid earth and pulled himself upwards and began to hobble further into the clearing. His speed was greatly diminished with that blow. It was only a matter of time until the bane of his existence ended it.

He reached the edge of the water and turned, with nowhere else to run it looked like this was the end. He watched in abject horror as his step-father emerged from the clearings edge with eyes devoid of any feeling and a sinister smile on his face. He held a large butcher knife in his right hand that still dripped with the fresh blood. Percy knew that knife all too well. It was the knife his mother had been murdered with.

"End of the line you little shit," chuckled Gabe darkly, "Don't worry I promise to make it as painful as possible when I skewer you."

Percy was gasping for air as he stared into the eyes of his mother murderer, his legs barely support him, his eyes were dull and unfocused as he teetered on the edge of consciousness; the only thing keeping him awake being adrenaline and the threat of dying. An aura of fear surrounded the boy. He didn't want it this to be the way his life ended. Sure he didn't have much to live for anyways, living with the abuse his stepfather caused his him and his mom for eight years hadn't exactly made him happy to be alive and now this, but he had never been one to give up.

"I don't want to go…," Percy gasped out as he caught his breath.

Gabe snorted, "You don't have a choice. Say hi to your mom for me."

With each step Gabe took toward Percy he himself took a step back, wincing in pain every time he moved his injured leg. When he felt his feet in the water a sudden rush of energy flooded through Percy's system. His shortness of breath disappeared, his mind cleared, and had he been looking he would've seen the wound on his leg close and heal, but the greatest change was what happened to the fear. The overwhelming fear he felt not moments ago was being replaced by anger…no not anger. A white hot fury began to course through his veins. He remembered all the years of torture, neglect, and abuse him and his mom had suffered at the hands of his step-father. He remembered the insults and ridicule he received, but most of all he remembered the look on his moms face as she was murdered. With each memory his fury grew and his eyes began to glow an eerie toxic green.

The fury condensed in his stomach and after a brief tugging feeling he exploded. A bloodcurdling roar ripped from the eight-year-old's throat and the lake behind him came alive. Large tendrils of water rose and began lashing around Percy as Gabe watched in shock and fear.

"NO MORE!" Percy growled out, "This is the last time you'll hurt ANYONE!"

Percy thrust his left arm out in a grasping motion and the water complied, mimicking his movements and grabbing Gabe as he tried to escape. Percy yanked his arm up and the water launched him skyward while the knife in Gab's hand fell into the dirt, but before he reached his apex he slashed his right arm down causing another tendril to lash out and bat Gabe to the ground where he landed with a loud crunch. Tears were streaming out of Percy's eyes and a crazed laugh bubbled out his mouth as he began to beat the man into the ground with the water under his control. For five long minutes Percy unleashed his rage.

Suddenly the anger left him, and the watery tendrils under his control succumbed to gravity and fell to the earth. The exhaustion he had felt before began to creep back, but before he passed out there was one more thing that needed to be done. Percy stumbled out of the water and picked up the knife that Gabe had dropped during Percy's assault. He stared at it, his reflection staring back at him with dull eyes then walked to his step-father's prone figure. Gabe was barely clinging to life, bruises covering his entire body as his dull black eyes stared up at the sky. Percy reached down with his left hand and after gripping a handful of Gab's hair yanked him upwards so that they were staring at each other. Percy's knuckles were white as he lifted the knife to his step-father's throat. He pressed it into the tender flesh as he leaned forward to whisper into his victim's ear,

"Burn in hell you fucking monster."

The knife parted the flesh on Gabe's throat with ease as blood began to pour out of the wound, dripping onto Percy's hand and the frozen ground below as he watched as the life left his step-father's eyes.

"It's finally over," he whispered to himself, "Rest in peace mom."

Silently he stood back up and turned back to the lake to wash his hands of blood, dropping the knife on the way. One step was all he was able to take before unconsciousness claimed him, but as teetered forward face first into the shallow water Percy could've sworn he saw someone watching him.