Feedback is welcome at [email protected]. This is the 7th fiction, and conclusion of this series.

I struggled in my captor's arms, futilely. My captor had responded by squeezing tighter, and growling, "Boy, You're home." I grew cold and disgusted at those words. I growled in my throat, as if a beast had possessed me, and mentally screamed, "NO! I will NOT!"

My captor let go of me in surprise, and shock. "What did you say?"

I stared at him in puzzlement. "What?" I quickly recovered my courage, "I said No. I am NOT going home with you anymore. You are NOT fit to be a parent."

He grew enraged at that, and lunged at me. I wisely vanished in a static burst, to reappear behind him. "How do you like that? You can't touch me anymore!"

Growling, this older man, my... foster father, was surprisingly agile, for his age, and leaped toward me again, catching me off guard, and threw me against the wall, with a loud thump.

I groaned loudly as the wall connected. I slumped to the ground unconcious.

Kevin snapped his head up, and swayed suddenly. "Ohhh T...that was .." He fainted to the floor, with Ami catching him, and bearing his full weight. "Oof, Mom! Help me." She helped pick up Kevin, one arm over her mom's shoulders, and the other over Ami's. They moved Kevin to the couch, to lie down. Ami looked down at Kevin's form, with a worried glance. Ami's Mom murmured into her ear. "It's okay.. I'm sure they're both fine. Now, where did I leave that cold compress?"

It wasn't long until Kevin blinked his eyes, and groggily sat up. "Whoa. What hit me..? BOYD!?" Ami patted Kevin's shoulder, in assurance. "I know. Something's happened to Boyd. We need to help. I don't know where he is."

Kevin sighed in defeat. He remembered some fragment that he saw right before he lost conciousness. "Ami...I saw something before I was knocked out..."

Ami peered at me, "Yes? What was it, Kevin?"

"The Past."

Ami's blood went cold.

Meanwhile, my foster father tossed me over his shoulders, as one would with a sack of potatoes, carrying me back to his place. I was mercifully unconcious, until we had arrived. He plopped me onto the couch, carelessly, as if I didn't matter one bit. I started to regain my senses, and blinked confusedly. As my eyes took in the sight, my blood became ice. I groaned as my head and neck ached. I stared up at the ugly hulking visage that bent over, fiddling with the fireplace. He was throwing wood into it, to stoke the heat higher, and higher.

I sat up suddenly, fired with anger, from a source deep within me, that I didn't know existed.

I said in a quiet tone, "You can't keep me here. Why are you doing this?"

He whipped around, and shouted, "Shut UP!", his electric blue eyes glaring down at mine. He turned back to tending the fire, which was building up higher.

I fidgeted in my seat, as if pinned. I ached to flee, but, somehow...I knew I had to face him. I had somewhat did it already, but something inside me prompted me to finish it.

"Why are you d-doing t-this?", was my stuttered, and tentative question.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up, boy?", was his snarled reply, but he didn't turn to face me.

"Yes. But I must know. Where is your anger from?", was my quiet prodding, with pleading in my eyes, and a touch of fear.

He sighed, his back toward me, as if his anger deflated. "I don't really know. I....I guess I just got too much on my mind, plus trying to raise you. I just got angry. I didn't know how to deal with everything."

Understanding, and a little pity filled my heart. "I see. Well, then why do you still want me here?"

He looked at me with haunted eyes. "I ... I don't...know." He stared at his hands, if as filled with shame. "Boyd...I'm sorry. I don't know what I can do to make it up to you. I've...found a better job. I've gotten to talk to a counselor lately. I'm sorry I surprised you, but my anger got ahold of me again."

I looked at him, trying to be remorseful, when my anger threatened to erupt again. "SORRY?! You hit me. You didn't stop. How can I be forgiving? Maybe I can forgive you, but you have to forgive yourself. I am not going to stay here any longer, to give you the chance to hit me again, when you do get angry." My voice rose an octave, and broke. "I trusted you, then you broke that trust. I'm sorry." I stood up quietly, gazing at him with sadness in my eyes.

"Don't go, Boyd."

"I have to. You will see me again. Probably not for a long time. Make me a promise."

"Anything, Boyd."

"Forgive yourself."

He silently nodded, tears streaming down his face. I closed my eyes, my heart completely light and free, for the first time, vanished in a loud static burst of white light, that caused my father to shield his eyes from the glare. He lowered his arm, and stared at the spot.

"Yes...I will try. Good bye, Boyd."

[fin]