Twisting. Begging. Pleading.

Sheets, mangled; body glistening with perspiration. Heat; maddening heat. Souls escaping, ravaging through nothing. Heaven is so far away. Hell envelops all that can be seen. Cold steel touches moist skin. Stinging, wrenching, pain. Get Away! Stop this madness! Release me! Why do you refuse me to enter your gates of justice? Why not let me in? Save me from the torture which I have brought upon the world and myself included! Spare me!

No.

____


John shook as he slept, nightmares cutting off his circulation and staggering his breaths. His skin burned as if acid and fire had dug deep into him and refused to leave. He didn't even feel the cold compress that had been placed on his brow; all he felt was pain.

"Professor, will he be okay?" Rogue grasped Bobby's hand as she asked her question. Dr. Jean Grey looked up into the girl's worried brown eyes and nodded, "Yes, Marie. He'll be just fine. I can only guess that something terrible wrong went on in there, but we won't know for sure until he comes around and is able to tell us. I wouldn't want to enter his mind now. It's much too risky; I'd prefer to wait."

Bobby Drake shivered. So this was what the Great Pyro had come to- A convulsing mutant on a metal lab table? Bobby closed his eyes and felt that he could share in his friend's agony. But alas, he could not. Secretly, he wished that Pyro had never left. Secretly, he cursed John for being so ignorant. But no. His thoughts were wrong; John was free to come and go as he pleased. Just like everyone else.

But no one else wanted to leave.

What made John Allerdyce so different? What drove him to venture away from the mansion where nothing ever seemed to be safe? If Bobby had learned anything, it was cruelty. It was a shame that someone so young could come to the conclusion that the human race was not one to admire. It was an utter shame that someone so young could be spoiled so quickly, so ruthlessly, just by being different.

Rogue turned as the MedLab doors slid open to reveal Charles Xavier and Scott Summers.

Professor X's wheelchair glided across the smooth surface of the floor and came to a halt right beside Jean Grey. Cyclops paused behind the Professor, and through his ruby-quartz glasses, he peered worriedly at the convulsing boy on the table.

"How is he, Dr. Grey?" Xavier asked.

Jean shook her head. "John doesn't have any physical markings on him anywhere, Professor. I don't understand what's troubling him so. All I can presume is that he suffered some psychological trauma while he was in confinement. Or perhaps it was something else..."

The red-haired woman paused and raised a pale hand to her temple. "Professor," she almost whispered, "may I speak with you privately?" Xavier nodded and both adults made their way out of the room.

Scott's eyes never left John's body. 'The poor boy,' he thought. 'I wonder what happened to him?'

And that same question ran through the minds of everyone in the entire school.

The word had spread that John was back and everyone was eager to see him. Especially Jubilee. Every student had his or her questions to ask him about the "outside world"; how was it? what did you do? was it fun? All questions he could not at the moment answer. His mouth only emitted muffled worlds, inaudible cries. Cyclops reached out his hand to touch his student's when...

Pyro sprung from his troubled sleep and overturned the metal table, which had been his bed. Cyclops, Rogue, and Bobby hastily moved back as the mutant in front of them became raving mad and uncontrollable.

"John!" Scott cried. "John, it's us! Calm down; you're safe now! You're home."

But Pyro did not relent. He went even more insane, his fists beating down on hard metal, his eyes burning with an abhorrent glint.

Xavier and Jean charged into the room a few moments later and Jean raised her hand to steady the rampaging mutant as Professor X wheeled toward him and touched his student's hand. The effect was immediate. Pyro's legs gave out from under him and he collapsed onto the solid floor. He no longer shook, his eyes glazed, and his breathing steadied.

Everyone in the room exhaled slowly as if to be rid of a great burden. Jean and Scott gently lifted up the unconscious mutant and placed him back upon the table. Rogue and Bobby still stared, their eyes distraught as they looked upon their friend.

"Children," Xavier spoke gently, "I must press that you leave now. We will inform you of Mr. Allerdyce's condition later."

Iceman gingerly grabbed Rogue's hand and they both walked toward the door without another word. Yes, they were worried for their friend, but they also had to worry about themselves.

____

The daylight dwindled as the day progressed and a thick blanket of darkness swept over the vast sky. Bright, sparkling stars made their entrances as the sun sank below the horizon and the moon began its shift.

St. John's eyelids eased open as his body joined that of the living and conscious. Taking in his surroundings for a moment, he lifted himself off of the MedLab table and padded softly across the floor.

With a metallic whoosh the thick doors slid open and allowed John entrance into the main hallway. He made his way toward the elevator and pressed the button. A moment or two passed before the contraption reached him- enough time for his thoughts to dwell on the most dangerous thing he could ever think of.

She was hypnotic. The way she moved made him fall into a deep trance and he wanted to join her, to unite with her and whom she was affiliated with. He didn't care about good sides or bad sides; he just wanted to feel like someone really loved him. But the problem was... she didn't really love him. Yes, he knew that. Yes, he knew his friends were the ones who cared for him but... nevertheless, he was intrigued. If this was the time in a young man's life where he was experimental, then God damned it, he would take advantage of it!

But should he?

Yes, yes he should.

But then Pyro realized that this voice inside of him was not that of his own. Something was inside him. Something spoke to him with inaudibility yet... it was perfectly clear. It was a deep and strong thought that flowed into his mind. Something was speaking to him.

Something was in his body.

'Isn't it wonderful,' the voice spoke to him with conviction, 'how I can switch from person to person so easily?'

John felt the blood rush out of his face; he felt like it poured out of his body and onto the floor. He suddenly understood it all.

'Ah, you think so now,' said the voice, 'but you have no idea.'