• His lungs exhaled the cold air as he his feet hit the cement. After all, this was his ninth robbery and he could hear the sirens ringing close by. Curving out of the street he hid in the bush. Watching the cops drive passed him filled him with relief. And to think that he was a nerd a year ago. He waited until the sirens were far away and stepped out. Digging in his pocket he pulled out a stack of one hundred bills. After counting it he seemed satisfied and jammed them back. His sneakers squeaked on the wet grass as he made his way back to the road.
    Fire banded, that’s what they called him, he smiled just thinking about it. ‘What they don’t know is that I don’t light a match to start those fires,’ he thought. He stuck his hand in front of him and concentrated, after a few seconds a small fire started to appear in the palm of his hand. The warm flame lighted his face. Beautiful colors played on his face and this intrigued him, it was so…breath taking. No one knew about what he could do, if people knew, then they’ll probably think his a freak so why try. He wasn’t always like this you know, just before his family moved to LA he had perfect grades and was a good kid. No one asked his parents to move. That’s what they get. Ever since they moved he was always picked on or pushed around.
    It was about four in the morning and everything around him was dark, except maybe a few street lights. He moved from his parents as soon as he turned eighteen and made a living by stealing. What else was he supposed to do, work at a fast food joint all his life? His apartment building was in the ghetto at the far end of town. He knew that he could live in a way better place but this was were he found out that he had powers.
    It happened a little over six months ago when he came to visit a friend. Two guys he knew from school cornered him in the dark alley and beat him until his mouth filled with blood and the pain of fists became numb. He didn’t know why they did it, maybe jealousy, but he did know that after laying there on the street covered with bruises and blood he felt warm and relaxed. His eyelids opened slowly to see the two guys laughing at him “what a twerp” he heard one of them say.
    The sickness of being picked on all the time overwhelmed him and he saw the ground underneath him turn red. At first he thought it was from having his head hid against the cement but then little flames started to form all around him. He got up, feeling a little dizzy, and saw that his hands were surrounded by flame. The two boys saw that he got up and started back toward him. They grabbed him by his shirt collar but he turn with strength and placed his hands on the enemy. The kids were surprised and then pain hit them. Kevin learned that day that the world is an unfair place and all you’ve got is what it gives you.
    His keys jingled as he stuck them in the lock and walked into his dark apartment.
    “Honey!!” a girl with reddish-brown hair jumped from the couch and wrapped her hands around his neck.
    “How did you get in here Lorene?” he asked. Funny enough he asked her this question every time he came into his apartment.
    She gave him a puppy eyed look with those big green eyes.
    “Your so mean you know that Kevin?” she let go and sat down back on the couch.
    “Besides its not like I was going to miss the chance to see you after the big hit.” He rolled his eyes and went to the fridge to get himself a soda.
    “Go home doll” he said. A fury grew on Lorene’s face. She was the sister of his best friend. The round face and the unfortunate H body type made her look like a child. For some odd reason she enjoyed spending time were there was danger.
    “Fine, I’ll just come tomorrow” she got up and went out the door. You could hear her footsteps banging furiously against each step.
    One thing that he hated about being able to actually start fire is the after effects. His head hurt and his body felt like it was dragged through sand paper.
    Leaving his half full soda on the table he got to his room and just collapsed on the bed. Closing his eyes, he sank into the night. Then it happened again, the dreams, he usually didn’t understand them just that it was mostly darkness and then some one breathing slowly. All of a sudden there was a ear piercing scream and then all was quite.
    His alarm on the foot of his bed went off. He hit the snooze button and drifted back into the comfort of his sleep. Just as he totally relaxed it went off again.
    “Ugh” he knocked the clock to the floor in an attempt to turn it off, but it just kept ringing. His eyes shot open “piece of s**t!” He got up and threw it against the wall. After everything went back to silence, Kevin got comfy in his covers. And then it rang again.
    “Whatta F…” he threw his covers back and picked up the clock from the floor. With rage his hand, with the clock still in it, caught fire and all was left were ashes of the damn alarm. He sighed stretching as someone knocked on the door.
    “Coming” he yelled, but the banging persisted. Who ever it was wanted him to hurry.
    “I said I’m coming!” he made it to the door and before he could open it his friend Troy flew in.
    “Oh man, we’re in deep s**t!” There was a frightened expression on his face. He held his head and just mumbled things.
    “What is it?” Kevin asked.
    He stopped holding his head but the frightened look was still there.
    “Cops man, they were after me… and you know that thing with the rape charges last year…I had to man…”
    “What did you do?!”
    Before Troy could answer the question sirens filled the air.
    Kevin looked back at him who now was sitting on the couch, his head was down looking at his feet.
    “What the hell did you do!?”
    “I’m sorry man, I had no choice.”
    Panic grew as Kevin’s mind raced for possible options. Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Kevin rushed to his bedroom window down to the fire escape. He leaped down as fast as he could trying to hold on to the railings. Adrenaline filled his body as he ran. He knew these streets well, cutting through a dead ally way he made it to a iron fence. Scrambling to get free he started to climb and that’s when something hit him. It was like his whole body went numb and he fell down with a ‘thud’. Everything went black after that.