Sarai Abbott's couch was a nightmare. Her brother and herself had
made sure of that. Tomato sauce stains speckled the blue denim from
countless pizzas ordered when their parents didn't come home and crumbs
from pretzels and chips when money was short were littered on the cushions.
They loved the couch though. It was where they'd sit together to watch
T.V. late into the night. The siblings had a closer relationship with each
other than with their own parents-one of trust, shared secrets and a mutual
understanding. Joshua Abbott cared for his little sister more than his
mother and knew more about her life than anyone. Now she was sixteen and
he was bordering on eighteen, the ages where both could be getting into
serious trouble with a group of drugged-out friends. But they were
different. Good kids by nature, some would say. Sitting on a dirty couch
watching the ten'o'clock news.
A reporter came on, describing yet another mutant incident. This one was back east, in the White House. A long way from Santa Barbara, California. The two's parents were violently outspoken against mutant rights. Strangely enough, their children weren't. Joshua had always been one for letting mutants be. He'd passed this opinion onto Sarai, who, in turn, had kept it from their parents. The anchorwoman's voice was flat and bored as she described the attempted assassination of the president by a teleporting mutant. A video from a security camera flashed onto the screen. Secret Service men shot blindly at a bluish blur moving across the room. Joshua looked sideways at Sarai, who seemed to be concentrating on the screen.
Without warning, a bright white light filled the room and disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving both teens blinking. "What was that?" Joshua asked confusedly, then caught a glimpse of Sarai. She was slumped onto the couch and breathing heavily. "Sarai-you alright?" He leaned over to look at her, but she sat up. "Yeah. Just....feel sick. Think I'll go to bed early tonight. See ya." Joshua scowled, but looking more thoughtful than annoyed, "Okay, 'night." Sarai stood up and made her way up the stairs. She turned at the bathroom and shut the door. Her pale, shaking hands turned the tap and she splashed some cold water on her face. Blinking, Sarai glanced into the mirror. Behind the glinting Star of David hanging around her neck, another object was placed. She straightened and touched between her collarbones.
A miniscule elongated circle, less the size of a dime, was stuck there as though it was a part of her body. It was translucent, filled with a strange sort of glowing white substance. Sarai looked on the brink of fainting. She turned to walk to her room and somehow found herself instantly out of the bathroom. That was strange, she thought, but continued walking. Just need sleep, that's all. She stood in the doorway to her bedroom, not even bothering to flip on the light. Perhaps her parents would be home before she fell asleep and she could ask them to run to the pharmacy. Sarai knew this was hopeless, she could imagine their answer, "I'm sorry sweetie, but your father and I have had a long day at work. Wait until tomorrow and see if you feel better." Sarai moved towards the bed, but, with a rushing sound in her ears, suddenly found herself there. Something strange was going on, but she hardly had time to contemplate it before she fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Sarai hid behind a dumpster until her bus left. There was something she needed to find out for herself. Standing in the shadow of her suburban house, she took a deep breath and waited. Nothing. She stepped forward. Still nothing. Then she concentrated hard on reaching the sidewalk. Sarai barely had to lean forward when she heard the same rushing and found herself on the sidewalk. A million thoughts ran through her head at once. How'd I do that? I'm a teleporter! I'm a mutant! I'm a mutant...I'm a mutant...The statement seemed to reverberate around her mind again and again. What should I do now?
The Mutant Services Center of Los Angeles stood on a gloomy corner downtown. Sarai stepped off the bus and straightened her backpack before going in. The glass double doors led into a large, empty space with a floor of white polished marble. Sarai supposed that it had formerly been something different, but had been changed recently in light of the rapidly growing mutant population. A bored-looking man sat at a desk with a single telephone that hadn't rung since she'd stepped in. Two heavily-armed security officers stood on either side of the circular desk and shot her suspicious looks as she walked in. Sarai wasn't surprised—most mutants discovered their conditions during their teen years. She took in a breath and walked up to the desk. "Yeah?" asked the man, raising his eyebrows and putting down his coffee mug. "I, uh, was wondering-what exactly does Mutant Services do?" The man looked at the guard to his left and motioned. "Why would you want to know?" He said with a sneer. Sarai looked at him, "I'm doing a report." She said coldly. The man motioned to the other guard and Sarai began backing away.
"A report, are you?" he said, his sneer even more pronounced. At that instant, the two security guards grabbed her arms. Sarai panicked for a moment, then remembered. In a flash, their bulky hands grasped thin air and they turned to see the blonde girl sprinting out the door. For two blocks, the guards followed, but she was no where to be seen. Los Angeles' newest mutant had disappeared from under their noses.
Sarai sunk onto the damp cement. The alley she was in was mercifully deserted and dark. How could she go home now? Her limbs felt numb and she was shaking. Miserable thoughts overwhelmed her and she began sobbing into her hands. A somewhat familiar sound coming from the street a block over turned her attention away from her sorrow. It sounded like when she'd gone down to the military base to see the Blue Angels fly. But a jet in L.A. flying that close to the ground? She stood up and began walking cautiously towards the source of the sound, but it was unnecessary. Two figures, adults, appeared at the head of the alley. One was an unshaven man and the other was a pretty African-American woman with white hair. Sarai stopped in her tracks. The woman came forward. "Don't be afraid, we can help you." Sarai contracted her eyebrows. "You—know? How?" The woman smiled, "We have our ways. If you'll follow me, I can take you somewhere where you can be safe."
Sarai was skeptical. "Why should I trust you? You could be part of the mutant services or something!" The man made an impatient noise. "Just come on. We haven't got all day." "Quiet, Logan. She needs some time." said the woman. She extended a hand to Sarai. "I am Aurora. This is Logan, as you already know." Sarai pulled in her chin, but said, "Sarai Abbott."
Professor Xavier was worried. This girl, Sarai, had demonstrated the same mutation that she'd first witnessed on television. It was much too coincidental. She'd arrived nearly two weeks ago and was already settled into her dorm and had made friends with the other girls her age. At lunch, he called her into his office. The tall Jewish girl stood at his door, confused but smiling. "Yes, professor?" she asked nicely. He pushed his motorized wheelchair forward. "Sarai, I was wondering. Don't you think it's a little strange that your mutation is the exact same as another's, one you witnessed when you first discovered you were a mutant?" Her face darkened, "Yes, professor, I've wondered about that. But I assume it's just a coincidence." She shrugged, but an idea suddenly occurred to him. He turned to her, "Go get a colleague of yours, will you?" She nodded, and went out into the hall. She returned with a girl nicknamed Jubilee, one of her dorm mates. Professor Xavier smiled at her. "Jubilee, would you mind setting off a few sparks?" The girl looked bemused, but said 'Yes' and shot a few sparks out of her fingers. "Now, Sarai, would you focus on that power? I would like to see you try it."
Sarai's face suddenly dawned with enlightenment. "Oh! Ok. Jubilee, could you do it again?" More sparks were fired into the air. The small half-orb on Sarai's chest began to glow red. Her face screwed in concentration, but she raised her hands and shot a firecracker into the air. Everyone in the room was silent for a few seconds, then the professor spoke, "It appears you have the gift of imitation....mimicry. If you see a mutation demonstrated, you can perform it as well as save it permanently. Now, I expect you two'll be missed at lunch, you'd better go." Without a word, the two girls left the room. Xavier's face clouded and he looked out the window thoughtfully. This girl could prove to be extremely powerful. In fact, possibly the most powerful mutant on earth. A whole army of mutants, rolled into one.
.........................................................................................................
Across the country, Joshua Abbott was staring out into the night from his bed. After a long silence, he stopped looking and flopped onto his bed. He waved a hand and the light went out.
A reporter came on, describing yet another mutant incident. This one was back east, in the White House. A long way from Santa Barbara, California. The two's parents were violently outspoken against mutant rights. Strangely enough, their children weren't. Joshua had always been one for letting mutants be. He'd passed this opinion onto Sarai, who, in turn, had kept it from their parents. The anchorwoman's voice was flat and bored as she described the attempted assassination of the president by a teleporting mutant. A video from a security camera flashed onto the screen. Secret Service men shot blindly at a bluish blur moving across the room. Joshua looked sideways at Sarai, who seemed to be concentrating on the screen.
Without warning, a bright white light filled the room and disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving both teens blinking. "What was that?" Joshua asked confusedly, then caught a glimpse of Sarai. She was slumped onto the couch and breathing heavily. "Sarai-you alright?" He leaned over to look at her, but she sat up. "Yeah. Just....feel sick. Think I'll go to bed early tonight. See ya." Joshua scowled, but looking more thoughtful than annoyed, "Okay, 'night." Sarai stood up and made her way up the stairs. She turned at the bathroom and shut the door. Her pale, shaking hands turned the tap and she splashed some cold water on her face. Blinking, Sarai glanced into the mirror. Behind the glinting Star of David hanging around her neck, another object was placed. She straightened and touched between her collarbones.
A miniscule elongated circle, less the size of a dime, was stuck there as though it was a part of her body. It was translucent, filled with a strange sort of glowing white substance. Sarai looked on the brink of fainting. She turned to walk to her room and somehow found herself instantly out of the bathroom. That was strange, she thought, but continued walking. Just need sleep, that's all. She stood in the doorway to her bedroom, not even bothering to flip on the light. Perhaps her parents would be home before she fell asleep and she could ask them to run to the pharmacy. Sarai knew this was hopeless, she could imagine their answer, "I'm sorry sweetie, but your father and I have had a long day at work. Wait until tomorrow and see if you feel better." Sarai moved towards the bed, but, with a rushing sound in her ears, suddenly found herself there. Something strange was going on, but she hardly had time to contemplate it before she fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Sarai hid behind a dumpster until her bus left. There was something she needed to find out for herself. Standing in the shadow of her suburban house, she took a deep breath and waited. Nothing. She stepped forward. Still nothing. Then she concentrated hard on reaching the sidewalk. Sarai barely had to lean forward when she heard the same rushing and found herself on the sidewalk. A million thoughts ran through her head at once. How'd I do that? I'm a teleporter! I'm a mutant! I'm a mutant...I'm a mutant...The statement seemed to reverberate around her mind again and again. What should I do now?
The Mutant Services Center of Los Angeles stood on a gloomy corner downtown. Sarai stepped off the bus and straightened her backpack before going in. The glass double doors led into a large, empty space with a floor of white polished marble. Sarai supposed that it had formerly been something different, but had been changed recently in light of the rapidly growing mutant population. A bored-looking man sat at a desk with a single telephone that hadn't rung since she'd stepped in. Two heavily-armed security officers stood on either side of the circular desk and shot her suspicious looks as she walked in. Sarai wasn't surprised—most mutants discovered their conditions during their teen years. She took in a breath and walked up to the desk. "Yeah?" asked the man, raising his eyebrows and putting down his coffee mug. "I, uh, was wondering-what exactly does Mutant Services do?" The man looked at the guard to his left and motioned. "Why would you want to know?" He said with a sneer. Sarai looked at him, "I'm doing a report." She said coldly. The man motioned to the other guard and Sarai began backing away.
"A report, are you?" he said, his sneer even more pronounced. At that instant, the two security guards grabbed her arms. Sarai panicked for a moment, then remembered. In a flash, their bulky hands grasped thin air and they turned to see the blonde girl sprinting out the door. For two blocks, the guards followed, but she was no where to be seen. Los Angeles' newest mutant had disappeared from under their noses.
Sarai sunk onto the damp cement. The alley she was in was mercifully deserted and dark. How could she go home now? Her limbs felt numb and she was shaking. Miserable thoughts overwhelmed her and she began sobbing into her hands. A somewhat familiar sound coming from the street a block over turned her attention away from her sorrow. It sounded like when she'd gone down to the military base to see the Blue Angels fly. But a jet in L.A. flying that close to the ground? She stood up and began walking cautiously towards the source of the sound, but it was unnecessary. Two figures, adults, appeared at the head of the alley. One was an unshaven man and the other was a pretty African-American woman with white hair. Sarai stopped in her tracks. The woman came forward. "Don't be afraid, we can help you." Sarai contracted her eyebrows. "You—know? How?" The woman smiled, "We have our ways. If you'll follow me, I can take you somewhere where you can be safe."
Sarai was skeptical. "Why should I trust you? You could be part of the mutant services or something!" The man made an impatient noise. "Just come on. We haven't got all day." "Quiet, Logan. She needs some time." said the woman. She extended a hand to Sarai. "I am Aurora. This is Logan, as you already know." Sarai pulled in her chin, but said, "Sarai Abbott."
Professor Xavier was worried. This girl, Sarai, had demonstrated the same mutation that she'd first witnessed on television. It was much too coincidental. She'd arrived nearly two weeks ago and was already settled into her dorm and had made friends with the other girls her age. At lunch, he called her into his office. The tall Jewish girl stood at his door, confused but smiling. "Yes, professor?" she asked nicely. He pushed his motorized wheelchair forward. "Sarai, I was wondering. Don't you think it's a little strange that your mutation is the exact same as another's, one you witnessed when you first discovered you were a mutant?" Her face darkened, "Yes, professor, I've wondered about that. But I assume it's just a coincidence." She shrugged, but an idea suddenly occurred to him. He turned to her, "Go get a colleague of yours, will you?" She nodded, and went out into the hall. She returned with a girl nicknamed Jubilee, one of her dorm mates. Professor Xavier smiled at her. "Jubilee, would you mind setting off a few sparks?" The girl looked bemused, but said 'Yes' and shot a few sparks out of her fingers. "Now, Sarai, would you focus on that power? I would like to see you try it."
Sarai's face suddenly dawned with enlightenment. "Oh! Ok. Jubilee, could you do it again?" More sparks were fired into the air. The small half-orb on Sarai's chest began to glow red. Her face screwed in concentration, but she raised her hands and shot a firecracker into the air. Everyone in the room was silent for a few seconds, then the professor spoke, "It appears you have the gift of imitation....mimicry. If you see a mutation demonstrated, you can perform it as well as save it permanently. Now, I expect you two'll be missed at lunch, you'd better go." Without a word, the two girls left the room. Xavier's face clouded and he looked out the window thoughtfully. This girl could prove to be extremely powerful. In fact, possibly the most powerful mutant on earth. A whole army of mutants, rolled into one.
.........................................................................................................
Across the country, Joshua Abbott was staring out into the night from his bed. After a long silence, he stopped looking and flopped onto his bed. He waved a hand and the light went out.