(So I wrote this without any intention of taking it further, but if it goes down well and people want me to, I might do some more for it.)
She walked down the empty streets, listening to the quiet sound of heavy traffic, far off in the distance. Flexing her hands as she walked, she wondered if it was happening right now, if everyone else around her was at risk by her just being there. But what could she do? Where could she go? Short of some desert island in the middle of nowhere, there wasn't anywhere she could go where people would be safe. She sighed as she passed an old man sleeping in an alleyway. Was that her future? She didn't know what she'd do, or where the hell she was going, just that she wouldn't be going back.
Twenty-seven people. Friends, family, all dead now. They hadn't realised what was happening until it was too late, until everybody she cared about had died. Because of her. Because she was a mutant, a freak of nature that kills and destroys everything around it, like some kind of plague. That'd be it, she decided. Plague. Just about sums me up.
Plague n a deadly epidemic; pestilence; nuisance.
A pestilence upon those around her. Something in her genes that made her generate some kind of energy. An energy that ate into blood and flesh and organs until there was nothing left but a hollow shell. Later she'd find some way to control the radiation that leaked from her every cell, but until then it was little consolation. She was so lost in her own thoughts as she walked the streets that she didn't notice the jet black mercedes slowly drive up beside her and come to a stop. Nor did she hear the car door open and close, or the hurried footsteps behind her.
"Please, miss? Miss, I need to speak to you." She turned sharply, and quickly spotted a tall man half-submerged in shadow.
"Can't, sorry," she muttered quickly, and started walking in the other direction. She heard footsteps behind her and sped up, but this man was clearly set on speaking with her, whatever that entailed. She stopped and spun around, tears in her eyes. "You stay away from me, you hear? I'm not safe! Stay away." She tried to keep her voice steady but that was becoming increasingly difficult with this intimidating man standing so close. All she could think about was whether or not he was already sick, even though he'd only been there for less than a minute. He stepped back, but he was still close enough for her to have counted the hairs on his head.
"I understand." he whispered, and she frowned. Silently, he pointed to the sun-glasses he was wearing; the lenses were ruby red and covered his eyes completely. "I'm like you." She snorted.
"I doubt that." She turned to leave but he caught her arm. She snatched it back fearfully, and stood with both arms behind her.
"No, listen. You and me, we're one and the same. We're both mutants." She stared at him for a moment, shocked. Encouraged by her silence, he continued. "These glasses are the only things stopping me from blowing this entire street apart. Without them, I can't even open my eyes without killing someone. My name is Scott Summers, and I'm here with someone who wants to help you." He gestured to the black mercedes behind them, and the door opened. Scott paused for a moment as though debating whether or not to leave her, but when she showed no sign of running he turned towards the car. He opened the door and took out a sleek wheelchair, then easily lifted a middle-aged man into it. She stared at him curiously. He was completely bald, but that wasn't what interested her. When she looked into his eyes, it almost felt as though she wasn't the only one looking out. It was unsettling. She stood there as Scott and the new man came towards her.
"Miss Vasquez? It's nice to meet you. My name is Charles Xavier." The wheelchair-bound man announced, extending his hand. Instead of taking it she stepped back, drawing her long coat around her as if that would help.
"How do you know my name?" she asked anxiously. Xavier looked at her kindly, and smiled.
"I detected you using a machine called Cerebro. It formed a telepathic communication with you in which I learned your name." She nodded, slightly overwhelmed. "You have a very unusual mutation, Miss Vasquez. I haven't seen anything like it." When she didn't respond, he continued. "You are a mutant, as my good friend Scott has already told you, but I think you already knew that. Didn't you?"
"...Yeah. Yeah, I did." She drew in a deep breath and paused, thinking carefully, then spoke again. "I was the only one who wasn't sick. It was pretty obvious after a while, what with all that stuff in the news." Xavier nodded, that gentle smile never leaving his face.
"Your mutation has made you...shall we say, for lack of a better word, radioactive? Your own body protects you against it, but unfortunately that is limited to yourself."
"Tell me something I don't know." she muttered. Xavier watched her for a moment, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"I can teach you to control your powers. You need not remain a danger to others. There's a school for people like us, for mutants. There you can live with others like you, and learn to control and use your powers to help, instead of hurt, others. How does that sound?"
"Uh...I..." She crossed her arms and looked down. Surely this was the best thing for her? She would learn how to become normal again, then maybe go back to her old life- No. She couldn't. Not after seeing the faces of those related to the dead. They would never forgive her and she could never forgive herself. She looked up into the kind faces of the men she'd just met. What other choice did she have? She'd heard of Xavier and his school, in fact had thought of going there many times before now. But to actually go would be to admit that...that something was wrong with her. Did she really want that? Was there any choice? She stepped forward, rubbing her arm shyly.
"If I did...would everyone be safe? I don't want anyone else to die." she said, her voice constricted by the sobs she held back. Xavier gestured to Scott who stepped forwards.
"Don't think we haven't come prepared, Ellie." Xavier said kindly.
"Give me your hand." Scott said, and showed her a small metallic device in his palm.
"Why?" she asked curiously. "What is it?"
"This will generate a low-level energy shield around your body. It'll filter out the radiation so that no one near you will be effected." Her head shot up.
"Seriously?" Scott grinned, and held out his hand. She laughed nervously and offered her own. Within moments the device was attached to her wrist, and she felt a slight jolt as something shimmered over her skin. "Is it working? How do I know?" Scott pulled out another device from his pocket.
"With this." He stepped back and moved it through the air. Every few seconds the device clicked. He then brought it near her, but nothing happened. "See? This detects radiation. As of now, there's no radiation being allowed into the air." She lifted her wrist and stared at it in amazement.
"Holy crap."
"We prefer to call it Force-shield Generator. So, Ellie," Xavier started, gesturing to the mercedes. "Would you like to come with us?" She glanced past the two men to the car and frowned. Surely he couldn't be extending all this to her out of the goodness of his heart? The device on her wrist alone must have cost a small fortune. She doubted if his goodwill would extend so far as letting her stay with them rent free.
"I don't have any money..."
"Not necessary."
"Or any stuff."
"You'll be provided for."
"...This is all free?" she asked incredulously.
"Correct."
"So you're just going to help me, without asking anything in return? How come? What's in it for you?"
"For what would I ask?" Xavier asked, chuckling quietly. "Miss Vasquez, I am here to help you and others like you; mutants living in the world without families or homes, without guidance. Hard as it is to believe, all I want is for you to learn to control your powers, and to become a responsible member of the mutant community." Ellie snorted as she heard this.
"No pressure then."
"Indeed. So what do you say?" He watched her expectantly, and all thoughts of politely refusing flew out of her head. She lifted her wrist and stared at the generator for a moment, before biting her lip, and making up her mind.
"Mister Xavier...I'm in."
As the black car drove off into the night, silence reigned the streets again. The only movement was a discarded newspaper fluttering across an alleyway. Quick as a flash and almost unnoticeable, a hand shot out and grabbed it.
"Pathetic humans, stewing in their own filth." an old man muttered, shoving it into a trashcan beside him. Sighing irritably, the figure pulled out a sophisticated looking mobile phone and flicked it open.
"Eric? It's me. This may be more difficult than anticipated."