Need for Speed

By: Skycat

Everybody runs. It is a fact of life. What do we run from, and where do we run to? These are questions I seek to answer. Whom do we serve, because everyone is a servant to another, everyone has a master. Master and servant may be the same as master and slave, if the master wishes to treat it as such. However, we have the ability to choose whom we serve. I must be sure to choose my master wisely, or else his whim will be another's demise.

Will I run when I am needed? Where shall I go and what shall I do? How will I survive if I don't have a master? Will my master survive? Where will I find myself? These are the questions I seek to answer.

~~~~~~~

It was too bloody hot to leave the safe haven of air-conditioning. Stepping out of the building, the students hissed as they were enveloped in a sticky blanket of heat. Normally, the signal for the end of year was met with whoops and a thunder of feet as they pushed out of the school's double doors. Not this year, the heat discouraged the most rambunctious of teenagers, and his fur didn't exactly help matters.

Kurt groaned at he stepped outside, already feeling the prickling of sweat to soak his blue fur hidden by the holographic watch. Not only was it over a hundred degrees, but he had to do yard work that day! It was so unfair! The first day of summer should be spent in the pool, or just relaxing as they unwind from the year. Unfortunately, the students at the Xavier Institute had rules. Also, with only four adults and a mansion-full of teenagers, they all needed to pitch in and help with the chores. So, that meant that Kurt's carefree afternoon was going to be spent with the lawnmower.

"Hey, Kurt!" Kurt looked around to find Kitty Pryde waving at him to catch up. Kurt glanced around quickly, then teleported to her side in a burst of rancid-smelling smoke. "Hey, you should, like, be careful, you know? Even though normal people, like, know about us, we should still be, like, careful, right?" said the valley-girl. Kurt grinned impishly. "Vhat's the harm, Kitty? No-one saw, ja?" he asked, his German accent tilting his "w"s to sound like "v"s. Kitty giggled, pushing back some of the sweaty tendrils of brown hair that had escaped from her tie.

"Are you, like, coming to the pool with us?"

"Nein. I can't. I got to do the yard work." He sighed. They had started walked back to where they were to meet Scott and Jean, who were to drive them home. "How hot to you think it is?" Kurt asked finally. Kitty shrugged, not one for much small-talk that was not gossip or something important. The shorter girl moved to push back more sticky hair when something caught her eye. She turned her head to look and screamed.

"Vhat is it, Kitty?" Kurt's voice cut off suddenly as his gaze followed Kitty's. "Oh my god! Kitty, get Jean and Scott! Hurry!" he ordered. Kitty couldn't move. Kurt pushed her slightly and repeated the order. Kitty was only all too happy to obey, pumping her legs as fast as they could go to escape the scene that burned on the inside of her eyelids.

"Scott! Jean!" Kitty called ahead of her, straining her mind to reach the redheaded telepath.

"Kitty? What's wrong?" asked Scott, his hand inches from the handle to his car. Jean turned her head around in the passenger's seat to look questioningly at the heaving sophomore. Kitty shook her head widely, unable to put into words what she had seen.

"You have to come, like, now!" Scott and Jean looked at each other for a moment, then hurried to follow. The trip back seemed to take an eternity. The world had slowed down to a crawl and Kitty counted the cracks in the asphalt, as she was unable to push herself faster and her brain refused to focus on the object of her haste. Finally, she saw Kurt's holographic form waving at her to hurry. Scott passed her as he caught sight of him. He froze at the gap of the alleyway. Kitty stopped where she was, refusing to return to the haunting vision. Jean glanced at her, but hurried on.

Jean was panting slightly as she moved to stand next to Scott's frozen form. Her lagging breath was ripped away as she saw what had frightened them all. Lying in an unconscious heap against the wall was Pietro in a pool of his own blood.

TBC.....