A lovely, cloudless summer day and the breeze blowing from the Windham River was just the cherry on top. In the distance, a couple of tourist boats glided across the water with people snapping photos of Parliament Hill.

Apollo smiled up at the tree he was resting under and thanked it for providing him with its merciful shade. The fact he was still a free teenager didn’t hurt either. I don’t know how much longer this will last, so I might as well enjoy every minute of it while I still can.

He watched a group of children run around the park, laughing as they played a game of tag. Another smile grew on his face when one of the boys tagged another and said, “You’re it!”, then dashed off in a hurry to not get caught. Those were the days.

Apollo yawned, fell back against the tree, and closed his eyes. A few minutes of shut-eye couldn’t hurt, could it? Nope, nope, nope! Apollo quickly opened his eyes. If I take a nap now, I’ll wake up in a holding cell. He took a cautious glance around the park and across the biking trail wrapping around the river. Two police officers riding their bicycles appeared from around the bend of the trail.

One of them was black and built like a rhinoceros. Big, broad shoulders and thick muscular pillars for arms. He must’ve weighed anywhere north of two hundred fifty pounds. His partner was white and athletic looking, rocking a braided goatee that extended all the way down to his chest. Apollo turned his head away as soon as they made eye contact with him. Anyhow these guys approach me, I’m cooked! Act as normal as possible and don’t make any sudden movements. The eggs and sausages he ate for breakfast tumbled in his stomach.

Use your power against them.

Apollo jumped and looked around in a panic. Where was that voice coming from, and why did it sound so familiar? Is that voice coming from me? Both police officers were still looking in Apollo’s direction as they glided across the trail. The black officer slowed his pace to a stop and said something to his partner before getting off. An irresistible urge to run coursed through Apollo’s veins.

You have to kill them.

Apollo swallowed heavily, ignoring wherever that deep, resonant voice came from. It’s got to be coming from me. Now they were dragging their bicycles in his direction, along the grass. Apollo’s entire body tingled, sending a whipping chill up his spine. This was it. This was the beginning of the end. Apollo glanced through the corner of his eye, his breathing accelerating the closer they got. They were only a few feet away from him now.

You have the power to destroy them.

Apollo closed his eyes and tried to tune out the voice buzzing in his head, its words so prominent and clear it might have been sitting beside him. Was this the voice from the hospital? The same one who guided him toward the parking garage?

“How you doing there brother, you okay?” the white officer said, parking his bike next to him.

“Yeah,” the black officer chimed in, “we noticed you looked a bit jumpy when we saw you just now. Is everything all right?” He rested his bike against the tree and took his sunglasses off. The look in his brown eyes made Apollo shiver to the bone.

Kill them.

Apollo swallowed again and then proceeded to lick his dry lips. “Y-yes.” He cleared his throat. “Yes, everything’s okay, officer. Just out here enjoying the beautiful view.” He forced a smile.

“Things didn’t seem that way about a minute ago,” the white officer said, stroking his goatee. “You sure you’re okay?”

Apollo exaggerated his nod. “Never felt better.”

“You don’t have any weapons or drugs on you, do you?” The white officer stopped stroking his goatee and looked at Apollo as if seeking an admission.

“I beg your pardon?” Apollo’s eyes perked up at the question. The white officer quickly rested his hands at his waist, his right hand brushing the top of his gun.

“We’re only asking for our safety,” the black officer said. “We always want to know who we’re dealing with as a safety precaution.”

“Absolutely not,” Apollo said emphatically. “Like I said before, I’m just out here enjoying the view, minding my own business.”

Kill them now.

Apollo did his best not to wince at the suggestion, feeling a sharp pain stab at the side of his head. This wasn’t a good sign.

“And you’re sure you’re not on any drugs or anything,” the white officer said.

Apollo didn’t understand what this guy was trying to get at. “Positive,” he said, nodding. “I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t even take pharmaceutical drugs when I’m ill.”

The white officer chuckled. “So what do you take when you’re battling the flu?”

“Elderberry tea with honey,” Apollo said matter-of-factly.

The white officer nodded his head and made a sound with his voice as if he’d never heard of elderberry tea before. “Do you have any ID on you?”

“No.” Apollo shook his head.

“Stand up for me.” The black officer unclipped his helmet and rested it on the seat of his bicycle. He was freshly bald.

Kill them.

The sharp pain stabbing at the side of his head began to grow in stature, gradually radiating toward the back of his eyes. Apollo sealed his teeth together. He didn’t want to lash out. Not with so many innocent bystanders around.

Tear them both apart.

“Look, guys, I’m just out here minding my own business, enjoying the view. What’s this about?” Apollo slowly rose to his feet, knees shaking. At this point, he wasn’t sure if he was more scared for himself or them. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I’m giving you an order,” the black officer said, shoving Apollo against the tree. “When I tell you to do something, you do it, you understand?” He looked at him for a long moment. “Turn around, rest your hands behind your head, and spread your feet.”

Apollo begrudgingly did as he was told, feeling the strong hands of this power-hungry officer pat down his body from shoulders to shoes. “You don’t ever question an officer’s authority, you got that?” The black officer spun him around again and shot ice daggers from his eyes. “My partner and I spotted you from the trail. We wanted to investigate to make sure you were okay and that there was no suspicious activity going on here.”

“And what suspicious activity would you be referring to?” Apollo did his best not to sound angry or annoyed. The last time two officers tried to inflict their will on him, they ended up in flames.

“When we see you acting all jumpy and twitchy, it tells us you may be hiding something, or there’s something on you that you don’t want us to see,” the white officer said. “We’re all wearing body cameras which records every action you or I make,” he pointed to the camera on his chest, “so if something were to go down, and this was to go to trial, the jury would see all of it and it certainly wouldn’t help your case. It’s nothing personal, we’re just doing our jobs.”

Apollo found that hard to believe, although he wasn’t going to make it known. The faster these officers left, the better it’d be for the both of them.

“What’s your name?” the black officer asked.

“Apollo.”

“Do you live around here, Apollo?”

Why does that matter? “Yeah, maybe about fifteen minutes away,” Apollo said, pretending to calculate the distance between the park and the hotel in his head.

“That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” The black officer said before turning to his partner. “He’s clean.” He retrieved his helmet and snapped it onto his head. “Make sure you remember what I told you,” he hopped back onto his bicycle, “and lose the attitude. You’ll go a lot farther in life if you do.”

“Enjoy the rest of your day.” The white officer nodded before dragging his bicycle back toward the trail.

Apollo watched the two of them ride off, irritated he had to endure something so humiliating. Those who were still around the park looked at him with suspicious eyes. Tragic how an unwarranted visit with a couple of police officers could change the perception of those around you—especially when found innocent. Apollo shook his head and shrugged. Such is life. There’ll probably be a lot more encounters with the police from here on out.

You should’ve killed them both.

“I’m not killing anybody!” Apollo barked. Those near him turned their heads in a fright, speeding up their walking pace away from him.” Apollo rolled his fingers over the sides of his temples. “I-I must be losing my mind.”

You can’t lose something that’s a part of you. You’re growing soft.

Apollo scooted around to the other side of the tree where no one could hear him. “I made a promise to Ma I’d never inflict harm on the innocent. They were only doing their jobs. It’s not like they insulted her like those other cunts back in Sauga.”

Holding back on the gifts you were born with would be a terrible mistake.

“I don’t know who you think I am, but just because I have these abilities doesn’t mean I’ll be going around killing innocents for your own amusement. I’m not the monster you’re painting me out to be,” Apollo said through gritted teeth.

You can withhold your anger for only so long before blood is shed on the streets. And make no mistake, there will be blood. You cannot escape who you are, Apollo Biobaku. The urge to kill is far too strong within you.

A nervous rumble erupted in the bowls of his stomach. What if the voice was right? Killing Donovan and his gang of thugs was exhilarating. The same could be said for ripping Tyron’s head off and watching Cassandra explode into a million pieces. Those were super necessary. But … there’s no way he’d ever do those things to someone who was innocent.

You don’t seem so sure.

“No, get out of my head!” Apollo grabbed it and shook.

You’re neglected and ridiculed ’cause you’re a fucking psychopath.

“No, I’m not!” The thought alone turned his blood cold. Was Odion right? Apollo jumped to his feet and sprinted back to the hotel.

“What the hell is happening to me? I think I’m going crazy.”

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