text: Adrian Freak. Monster. Demon. That's what I was. I mean, who could blame them? Nobody wanted a super freak like me in their family. "You're a disgrace to us!" The slap was as loud as a clap and it stung my face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Just below my eye was a small cut where the ring had caught me. I staggered backward, clutching my face, eyes watering. "You have brought nothing more than shame in this household." I looked at the corner through my blurred vision only to see my mother crying as she holds my little sister in her arms, my sister weeps as she holds onto my mother tightly looking away from me. "Look at me you little piece of shit!" My father whipped me with a belt and I fell onto my knees in agony, my little sister's sobs became louder with every strike of the belt hitting against my skin, "Stand up!" I choked up as I stared at the man who I no longer recognize as my father, "You're hurting me." "I said stand up!" He bellowed. With all the strength left within me, I stood up. In the far corner of my eye, I could see my mother caressing my sister trying to calm her down, "I don't know what's wrong with me!" he whipped me again. "You, Adrian!" he barked, and slapped me again, "You've ruined this family!" My breathing was short, and my mind was in a whirlpool of emotions, with every whip, and with every word I could feel something boiling within me. "I wish you were never born!" It's like something sparked within me and in a flash, everything blacked out. My vision was fuzzy the moment I woke up, my head was throbbing and my ears were ringing. I tried looking around only to smell fire. I blinked my eyes repeatedly and when they finally regained their focus, I was met with an egregious sight. Before me, laid my father whose face was completely burnt. Horror filled my insides as I turned my gaze to my mother and sister. My heart broke as I saw in my sister's hand, the pendant that I have gifted her on her birthday, I collapsed to the floor, tears staining my face. They were right, I am a monster . *** I walked around town, with my head hanged low. People were scurrying about trying to get out of the rain, I continued to walk in silence whilst being drenched in the rain. As I was passing by the town's bar I heard the news reporter on TV. "Good evening. My name is Natalia Waters reporting for tonight's News." I stopped in my tracks and slowly wandered my gaze to the TV, "This is just in, a fire explosion has broken out in the Suburb part of the city, unfortunately, the family who lived there didn't survive." Images of the place I once considered my home appeared on the screen. "The cause of the explosion is yet to be explored." I closed my eyes, not wanting to hear anymore and walked away. Tears threatened to escape my eyes but I held them back as I made my way to the bar's alleyway. "I'm a monster," I whispered to myself as I looked down at my palms, "I don't deserve to live." Tears stung my eyes, as I punched the wall, "What is wrong with me?!" I chanted as I punch the wall multiple times, that bruises started to form on my knuckles. I slumped down, my forehead against the wet, rocky wall, and cried. The more I wail, the harder the rains were, the night was cold and I was famished. Everything I have loved became everything I lost. What's the point of living when I have nothing else to live for? "I should kill myself," I sneered, "Maybe then, the pain will be gone." I looked around the old alleyway and something glistened near the dumpster, it was a shard of broken glass. It felt like my body was in a trance as I picked up the shard of glass. My thumb traced the edge of the sharp glass, the demons in my head were whispering to me "There's no point in living anymore, after all, you are a murderer..." "You're worthless." "You're a freak." "No one would accept you." "Just die already!" With shaky hands, I positioned the glass close to my heart. I closed my eyes and just before I pierce the glass through my heart a shadow from the dark spoke. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." My eyes flew open to the sound of the voice, I scanned the area only to find a dark figure standing there with a black umbrella above her head, "Who are you?" my voice came out raspy due to the lack of water intake. "I'm Ruby Hopkins," The shadow figure emerged from the darkness only to reveal a female whose hair was as black as the night sky and eyes as clear as the seas, she wore a gray business casual suit and she had a kind smile plastered on her face. "Trust me," She began to speak, "Nothing good comes out when you end your life." I snickered as I pointed the shard to her, "What do you know?" I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, "You don't know anything about me or my life!" Her eyes saddened seeing me in the state I am, "I know you're hurting." She ambled her way towards me, "I may not know what you've been through but you should know that suicide is not an option." "Don't come any closer," I warned her, she had a questioning look on her face. Her eyes started to roam around my body, examining the bruises that my deceased father gave me. "But you're hurt." "It doesn't matter!" I tighten my grip on the shard that I feel it slicing through my flesh, "I'm a monster." The dim light in the alleyway began to flicker as the rain became heavier, "I deserve to die anyway." "You're no monster," I looked up through my long lashes as she proceeded to come closer to me. "Believe me, I am." She continued to walk, her heels splashing against the pavement, "I can kill you, you know." She stopped, "You wouldn't." I snorted as I look down at my palms then back to her, "How are you so sure?" "Because you're scared." She held my gaze, "You're scared and alone, and you want to end your life because you feel like no one understands you." I lowered my gaze to the shard, I could see that there was already a mark formed on my palm. It hurts, but not as much as the emotions that I'm feeling. "It doesn't have to end like this, I can help you." She crouched in front of me, and she held my hands, "You just have to trust me." I met her gaze, they say the eyes are the window to your soul, you can see everything. But for some odd reason, as I gazed into her eyes it's like she saw the goodness in me and that I could trust her. I loosened my grip on the shard and she tossed it aside making the whole alley echo. She smiled at me warmly, "Don't worry, you're safe with me now." She hovered the umbrella over our heads, and that's when I started bawling all of my emotions. She hugged me gently as I held onto her for dear life, she caressed my head as I continued to cry all the emotions that I bottled up earlier. She was so patient with me and her gestures were warm, I've never experienced this kind of feeling before, not even with my family. My family never treated me with this much kindness as this woman has. A small smile crept on my lips, this woman was not like the others. *** "What is this place?" We entered a place that I've never seen before, it was enormous and bright. People in gray suits were working here and there and children around my age were running around the place laughing. "It's a place for kids like you." She smiled as she continued to walk down the hallway, with me padding behind her, "It's a place where kids can understand themselves better." I raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean-" Just then something zoomed passed by us making me lose my balance, "What was that?" I asked in astonishment as I regained my balance. Ruby chuckled, "Come see for yourself," I excitedly trailed after her. The more we walked down the hall, the more I was amazed by what I saw. In some groups, there were people teaching children how to transfigurate material things into plants, some were talking to animals, some had telekinesis, and some were even flying! "Wow..." "So which one are you?" I turned my head towards Ruby as she peered down to me, "Which category do you fall in?" I stared at my palms, "Pyrokinesis." "Fire, huh," I looked at her only to see a smile on her face. "I think I know just the person who can help you." She leads me to one of the vacant glass rooms across the facility, she softly knocks on the door twice, and soon after a figure revealed itself. It was a young man who had ash gray hair and amber eyes, he glanced my way and sent me a goofy grin and he returned his gaze to Ruby, "Newcomer?" she nodded, "Well, come in, come in," he ushered us inside. In the middle of the room sat a black table, "So, what's your name and what type of firepower do you have?" "I'm Adrian," I timidly said, " and I have pyrokinesis." The man looked at Ruby as she stepped aside, I eyed the two of them. He smirked at me and suddenly he was on fire and he disappeared. My eyes widened as I searched around the room, "Pretty cool, isn't it?" I whipped around only to find him leaning against the wall with arms folded, "You're like me?" I asked, bewildered. "In a way, but not entirely." I tilted my head, and he chuckled seeing my inquisitive state, "I have Pyroportation," he explained, "I can teleport and move through fire." I looked at him in amazement and turned back to Ruby who had her hands shoved deep in her pockets, "Do you have firepowers too?" "Oh, honey no," She tittered, "I don't have powers," she said, "I'm just a social worker here helping kids to understand themselves better." I nodded my head in silence, "So, what do you say kiddo?" I returned my attention to the guy, "Are you ready to become a superhero?" I averted my gaze, "I'm no superhero." The room fell silent, memories of my deceased family flashed through my mind, I thought I was about to lose control when I felt a hand on top of my head. "You can be your own superhero," I gaze up to Ruby and she grins while ruffling my hair, "Maybe you can't change the world, but you can change someone's life." I furrowed my eyebrows and she crouched down to my level and faces me, "We all have the capacity to be a superhero." She begins, "In order to become one, you have to find your unique power or ability and exploit it for the greater good. The cape and the mask are optional accessories," she chortles, "But a kind heart is essential." "You really think so?" She grabs my hands, "I know so," She ruffled my hair one more time and stood up, "Alright Chris, you can take care of him from here." "Alright, let's get to work, kiddo." "Aren't you coming along?" I asked Ruby, as Chris takes my hand, she stood there as she wears a sad smile. "I can't, I have some work to do," hearing that made me sad, "But I'll see you around after I'm done." She waved at me and exited the room. "Where is she going?" I angled my head to Chris, he smiled and gaze at Ruby's retreating form. "She's got some saving to do." I followed his gaze as I watched Ruby's figure disappear, I recalled the events from earlier and smile appeared on my face. If it wasn't for her I'd probably be dead by now. "Are you okay, kiddo?" He peered down at me, I looked back at him and nodded. "I just hope I'll get to see her soon." "You will," He spoke, "After all, she is your superhero." I smiled at that thought. Now, I realized what she meant by saving someone's life. My smile grew wider as I recalled what she said, indeed, she is my superhero. An original story by Atraeu Kirsten Corpus