PROLOGUE:  WHAT HURTS THE MOST

I am not a liar

I am not a liar

I am not a liar…

“Now Chanyeol, you have to tell us what’s stressing you out.” His mother stutters out.

He’s seated opposite his parents, the glass coffee table serving as a cool barrier between the three. “We can’t help you if you don’t tell us the truth. Be honest sweetie.” She continues with a loving gaze.

“I told you the truth….I’m not lying.” Chanyeol mumbles. He doesn’t dare to look up, instead he opts for staring at his little hands. He hears his father take in a deep breath. Chanyeol cowers for he knows that his patience is running low.

“Park Chanyeol,” His father says with a calm tone and an icy glare.”You have a problem. You know you have a problem. Hell even the neighbors know that you,son, are not right in the head.” Chanyeol’s head snaps up at this.

“It’s true! I’m not a liar! It’s not me...i-it’s the fire!” He whines, desperate to get his message across.

“STOP IT. JUST STOP IT.” His mother screams. “WE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH A CHILD THAT BURNS EVERYTHING ON IMPULSE.”

Her voice cracks and tears well up in her brown eyes. Chanyeol can only look on as she breaks down in front of him. His father clenches his jaw and stands up from the couch.

“That was the last straw. You’re going to the clinic son. We can’t have you ruin everything we’ve worked for with this lying. You’ll come back when you get that stupid pyromania cleared from your brain.” And with that he walks away, his wife trailing behind him.

Chanyeol screams. He screams and he screams and he screams. He doesn’t care if his parents can hear him. He screams until his hands become cold and blue. He claws at his hands, trying his best to get rid of the very thing that caused him this turmoil. He pulls his hair, he scratches his arms but he can’t feel anything. He can’t feel the burning.

He doesn’t even notice the orange flames begin to set in. He doesn’t notice the smoke. He doesn’t hear the sirens. It all creeps up on him and he can’t stop it. He most definitely can’t control it.

Everything becomes too cold and he needs to feel the heat he needs it. Anything, anything to warm him up.

Then all at once, it leaves as quickly as it came.

The smoke is choking him and everything hurts.

He can’t control the power. He never wanted the power.

Channel six news reports on a raging house fire in a suburban area. A young boy has remarkably been found alive.