The Path of a Hero

(Chapter 1 of 6)

Dustin was born to rich, snotty parents. Most of the time his parents didn't know he existed. He was took care of by Flora, who was a house maid. Flora was there for Dustin as best she could. Unfortunately one tragic night, Flora was fired (for reasons unknown) and Dustin was sent to a strict private school. Rich kids would run around, set things on fire, and once Dustin showed up, they found their perfect scapegoat. While the school was strict, most of the time, they looked away to school bullying. The eldest of the kids would pound Dustin's face in, Dustin's room was found to have matches and fire crackers. Dustin disassociated from himself, wanting to escape. Dustin turned into an automated robot; while Dustin's consciousness was so buried nothing would come out.

Some kids would feel bad for Dustin, while the evil kids would find happiness in this new automated Dustin. The school teachers noticed this and flew in a psychiatrist to examine Dustin. That was the day Dustin discovered something new about himself, something that would change his life forever.

"Dustin, tell me, why do you set things on fire, is it to get attention?" The psychiatrist asked oblivious to the truth.

"I do not set things on fire, I am blamed for the fires though," Dustin responded in a monotone voice.

"I see, and how do you feel about being blamed for this?"

"Indifferent, there is no point in denying when the real people who do those things, plant evidence in my room." The psychiatrist looked alarmed.

"Um, what about the fights?"

"I feel no pain. I phase out what is happening to me." The psychiatrist starts to breath heavy.

"I see, and why is that?" Dustin looks up at the psychiatrist.

"Isn't it obvious, you surely must know? As you appear to be nervous."

"I uh-" The psychiatrist looked even more alarmed.

"Go ahead and ask what you want to ask."

"Do you have a conscience?"

"I do, I do nothing inappropriate, and I harm no one, why do you ask?" The psychiatrist jumped from his seat and ran outside. "Aw, shucks, and we were doing so well too."

"Mr. Appleton where are you going?" The school principal asked as he saw the psychiatrist running down the hall.

"The demon child, can't be fixed, kill him, kill the demon child." Unfortunate, a senior School mate overheard this.

"Well, now I have an excuse to beat up Dustin, this is going to be fun."

Hours later Dustin was sitting on a bench, the senior school mate stepped up from behind the trees with his posse.

"I heard it from the psychiatrist. Dustin is a demon child, with no conscience, and even the psychiatrist said we needed to kill him." The school mate took out a crowbar and held it close to Dustin's head.

"Hey Billy, shouldn't we start light and then go heavy?" A kid asked the senior school mate

"No Ricky, but you can hold him for me." Billy replied. Ricky went over and grabbed Dustin by the hair. Dustin didn't struggle, in fact he willingly helped get in position. Billy aimed and struck Dustin on the stomach causing him to fall on the ground. However something in Dustin snapped. His consciousness fled back into his mind.

"Are you stupid?" Dustin said in a weak voice. This enraged Billy and Billy told Ricky to hold him again. Billy aimed, and what raced through Dustin's head was escape. Suddenly without warning Dustin found himself in his room.

*Thwack* Dustin heard a nasty bone crushing sound coming from his window. Dustin looked outside and saw Ricky on the ground motionless. Billy dropped the crowbar and got on his knees and cried out. Also without warning police came out with their guns pointed at Billy and his group. Billy held his arms up in shock. It took eight minutes before an ambulance came and took Ricky to the hospital.

Days passed and no word about Billy or Ricky ever came out. Though there were rumors, that Billy got sick of Ricky and attacked him without mercy. Until the school principal came in with a sad look on his face.

"I'm afraid I have bad news, Ricky passed away late last night due to complications of his unfortunate attack, it is a shame and tragic event. Billy, the person responsible for this, plead guilty to manslaughter, and was sentenced to fourteen years in prison. Things have happened in the last few years, and from now on, if you are caught doing something against the rules, you will be expelled, and you will forcibly be removed from school grounds. Dustin, follow me, we have something to discuss." Dustin got up shaking and followed the principal to his office. Dustin was ordered to sit down.

"Um, sir what is it?"

"Billy also made another confession, he said he was responsible for those fires, and he framed you, I am getting those acts expunged from your record as we speak."

"That's good news, right; see I told you I was innocent." The principal's stern expression did not let up.

"Our policy was lax, three strikes and you would be expelled. Those fires only had you at strike two. One more fire incident and you would have been expelled."

"I don't understand."

"Tell me Dustin, what happened out there on the field?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Don't lie to me boy, I was the one who called the police, and when I called them I remember you being there, on that bench."

"I don't know, I just don't know" Dustin never understood what happened on the field and he was unsure of what to tell the principal. The principal then excused Dustin. After Dustin left, the principal dialed a number.

"Hello, is this Thompson? You told me to call you if any of my students exhibited anything unusual, well it appears something has come up, I was wondering if you'd like to come over to the school say next Friday."