My sneakers slapped against the wet concrete as I ran down the darkened alleyway behind the abandoned buildings that dotted New Ninjago City.

Rain poured from the heavy clouds above me, stinging my purple eyes. Harsh winds whipped at my face and ruffled my already messy blue hair and a thick fog surrounded me in wispy rings, making it harder to see.

My lungs started to burn as I kept taking shorter, quicker breaths, trying to keep my mind focused and my body steady.

Above me sat the silver moon, fitting comfortably between the black clouds lining the night sky. It cast its silver rays onto the damp cement, bringing the eerie shadows to life.

I darted my eyes back and forth, watching for any movement.

Almost there, I thought. Just a few more feet.

It was colder than normal tonight. My fingers were freezing under the light hoodie I wore and my jeans were soaked clean through, causing my legs to tremble.

It was getting harder to keep my pace and my body was begging me to stop. I needed to catch my breath, let my legs regain their feeling before continuing.

But I couldn't. Not yet.

"Hey!" Someone from behind yelled. I groaned at the sound of his voice; I recognized it immediately.

It was the Golden Ninja; the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master; the one who fought the Dark Lord and brought peace to our broken world.

Lloyd Garmadon.

He was the one who chased me the most. The one who watched me the most and never let even the smallest things I would do go unnoticed.

It was honestly quit annoying but also oddly kind. Kind because someone out there was watching over me, trying to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Too bad he was failing horribly.

"Stop!" another shouted. I could barely hear his footsteps behind me. He was so light on his feet, almost as if he was running on the fog that was consuming us. I knew his voice and movements well: Jay Walker, better known as the Master of Lightning.

"He's got a pair of legs on him," the third muttered. I heard his feet leave the ground for a split second before returning to the asphalt, continuing his chase.

Only Kai talked about me like that. Never cared too much about me before, but ever since Lloyd entered the picture, he's been paying a little more attention to me.

Not something I was overly fond of.

"Must have taken up track or something," said the last. His voice was deeper than the other three, and I knew it could only be the Master of Earth.

Of them all, Cole was by far the most annoying. He was stronger than the rest, but not as fast. Before Lloyd joined, he was the glue that held the team together. He also paid me no mind.

I missed those days.

I miss the days when I could pull my hoodie on, sneak out my window and just enjoy the nightlife without being bothered by annoying Ninja who felt the need to meddle in affairs that had nothing to do with them.

Funny, I scoffed. They can interfere with things that don't really concern them, but turn a blind eye to the abuse I take every.

Blood dripped for the fresh gash on my arm, soaking the sleeve and mixing with the dirt embedded in the cotton, muddying into an ugly crimson.

The wind around me started to pick up and my hood whipped off, leaving my shaggy hair better exposed and my eyes squinting even harder in the already horrible weather.

I rounded a corner, nearly slipping on wet leaves that felt more like patches of ice.

Lloyd was getting closer to me. I could hear his steady breath behind me as he quickened his pace, gaining on me.

Please don't, I thought. I have enough scars. I don't need more.

I knew that what I had done was wrong. Robbing a jewelry store late at night wasn't something anyone (especially a thirteen year old) should be doing. I knew the second that thought flooded my mind I should have shut it out and kept walking. I should have never looked up, never peered into the dark building, never broken the glass (cutting my arm in the process), never climbed through the window, never shattered the glass cases and never should have taken the diamond and pearl necklaces. I knew I should have stopped those thoughts and just kept walking. I should have kept my head down, music up and my mind clouded with forgettable thoughts.

But I couldn't stop myself. Didn't really want to actually.

It wasn't because I was a bad kid though. I just couldn't stand being home. I couldn't stand the fighting, yelling, screaming, throwing, any of it. I couldn't stand being in that house, alone with those people. I couldn't handle the anger that met me the second I walked through the door. I couldn't handle the bitterness that suffocated me every time I breathed.

I couldn't handle Alice Miller.

Spending time sitting in a dark, cold cell was more enjoyable to me than being stuck in a house where hate hung in the atmosphere like a sickening aroma.

A clap of thunder shook the buildings around me, then a streak of lightning stabbed at the night sky for a split second before leaving me to the surrounding shadows.

I turned another corner before my right leg finally gave out from under me. I couldn't even feel it anymore and was surprised it was able to keep going as long as it did.

I rolled, slipping from Lloyd's fingers that were closing in on my arm.

My head hit the concrete first, then my left shoulder. I heard a pop then a sharp pain jolted up my arm.

Ringing sounded in my ear almost immediately. My right leg was too numb to feel and pain ran up and down my arm, spreading over my chest and neck.

All around me I heard the footsteps chasing me cease. Someone kneeled beside me and placed a gentle hand on my arm. My body jerked at their touch and they pulled away quickly.

Nice going, stupid, I scolded. You just broke your shoulder.

"Is he okay?" Someone asked.

"I think his shoulder is broken. Or at the very least, dislocated," the other answered.

I heard Kai's familiar voice curse. Feet shuffled, sounding impatient.

My head began spinning and I could feel my vision starting to cloud. Pain raced up and down my arm and my chest slowly tightened. The ring in my ears echoed now, bouncing around my skull. I felt sudden nausea roll around in my gut and let out a quiet groan.

Don't you dare throw up! I swear, if Alice doesn't kill you, I will!

I couldn't believe I was threatening myself to keep my insides inside of me.

"Well, what do we do?" someone asked. "We can't just leave him here, and taking him to the police station will do nothing for him. Or them."

"I don't know," another responded. "Take him to Sensei?"

Their voices started blurring together and it was getting harder to keep my mind focused and away from the darkening hands that wanted to claim my mind.

I heard the person beside me stand, take a few steps away from me and sign.

"We can't leave him with the police and trust that they will give him the proper medical attention."

Please stop talking.

Silence swept over the alleyway. I heard shuffling feet, moving fabric, quiet signs but nothing else. No voices. No words.

Why weren't they talking?

Blurry thoughts made there way into my mind and I groaned again. The asphalt was chilling and my body began to shiver. Cold water soaked into my clothes and dampened my hair and face.

Stupid Ninja. None of this would have happened if you had just left me alone. Why do you always have to get in the way? Why can't you just leave me be?

"Okay, so it's decided," a voice finally said, breaking the stillness. He sounded far away, like he was walking away from me.

Or I was losing consciousness and everything was starting to fade away.

"We take Jason with us. Sensei will know how to properly tend to his wounds and then we take him back to his parents."

Foster parents. Get it right, moron.

No one said anything, so I assumed they nodded in agreement.

Do whatever you want to me, just stop talking.

I couldn't focus anymore. The ringing in my ears echoed loudly and my mind finally slipped into the black sea that washed over me. My body jerked at the jolts of pain my snapped bones caused but I hardly felt myself moving. My legs were numb and my arm was almost wrapped in a thick blanket of pain. The ringing in my ears echoed loudly and I felt a quiet moan escape my lips.

Feet moved around me and hands gently wrapped around my legs and under my arms. I groaned as fingers brushed against my shoulder, causing stabs of pain to shoot up my body.

I groaned again and let my mind completely fall.

I welcomed the darkness like an old friend and let the warm feeling spread over my skull and down my spine.

A shaky breath left my lips and I felt my mind slowly let go.

Don't take me back. Please