Come on!" Mum called. I grinned. "Yes! I cream!" I said excitedly, small feet padding on the tiles as I followed mum into the kitchen. Dad was making dinner and mum was rummaging around in the fridge. The cold air from the fridge made me shiver slightly. I moved away to the warmer side of the kitchen and pushed myself up onto the counter.
"Happy 5th birthday to me" I sang. Dad looked up from his cooking to grin at me. His blue eyes locked with mine. He pushed back some of his brown curls so they stood up in a messy bundle again. He winked at me before stirring the pasta again. The smell of it made me smile. One of my favorite meals. Birthday treat.
"Here you go Aidan" Mum handed me a large bowl of ice cream. Also a birthday treat. I thanked her as she swept a stray curl of blonde hair behind her ear and winked at me with her emerald green eyes. I had a mixture of my parents looks. I had blonde spikes of hair and blue eyes. I never really cared about my appearance. I mean who cared what others thought? I had been told multiple time that I really was a handsome little boy but did I really care? No. I was 5 for goodness sake!
Mum handed me a spoon and I welcomed the reassuring feel of the cold metal in my hand. I heard the hiss of dad flipping the pasta over and I dug my spoon into the ice cream. I lifted up the spoon to my mouth and tipped it into my mouth. Strawberry. My favorite. Mum laughed at my delighted face. Dad chuckling as he served the pasta onto three plates. I was an only ice cream melted in my mouth. Releasing all the beautiful flavor.
"Can I see Beth today?" I asked through a mouthful of ice cream. Bethany was my best friend. It was funny really. We were complete opposites. She was shy and very insecure although I told her she was pretty every day. She was also my next door neighbor. She was really sweet and...
I was jolted out of my thoughts by banging on the door. The sound was so loud that I dropped the ice cream. The ceramic bowl smashed on the floor and broke into pieces. I made a mental note not to step there. The spoon clattered to the ground. I covered my ears with my hands and curled into a tight ball. I wasn't usually like this. I was usually confident and brave. Now I realized with a smile I was doing what Beth would do. In fact she curled into a ball and cried when it was the first day of school. I, on the other hand had strolled in with confidence made made lots of friends. Beth had hung back and became all shy. However I pulled her (literally) into the group. We had a lot of fun times together.
"We are the ASC" a man yelled. His voice was gruff and menacing. If I ever came into company with him I decided not to argue with him. "We know your savants in there, open up!" savants? "We just want the kid" a softer female voice added. I looked up at my parents, removing my head form hibernation. Their faces were pale and their eyes wide. they knew what was going on. They were keeping something from me. "The Against Savants Community" Mum whispered. ASC. So that's what is stood for. "Beth!" Dad shouted. Beth? What had this got to do with Beth? had Beth done something wrong? No she would never do anything bad. She was Beth. She was scared everything would explode in her face. I mean. This was Beth we're talking about here. "Use telepathy to warn her parents!" Mum ordered him. He nodded in response. Telepathy?
I saw mum scribbling something down on a ripped piece of lined paper as dad zoned out. What the? Mum dropped the pen and it rolled across the floor as she was shaking so much. "Take this and read it as soon a-" she was cut off by a ripping sound and a bang.
Curious, I jumped down form the counter, stuffed the paper in my pocket and ran into the hall. I stared at what I saw. These people had just gone down in my bad books. My heart beat accelerated. The door lay flat on the floor and about 20 soldiers in black army uniform with badges that said ASC on them.
I shared a horrified glance with mum who now had her hands on my shoulders. A lady with kind brown eyes and short hazel hair in a pony tail reached out and grabbed my hand. My eyes widened at the sudden gesture. I looked up at mum who had tears in her eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Nothing we can do now" she whispered as the lady tugged me away.
As I stumbled away I kept my eyes fixated on her pain stricken face. Then something tore my attention away from her. A scream. A scream full of fear. I heard sobs. Sobs full of sorrow. I looked over to see a man in the black uniform trying to catch a small 5 year old girl with scared eyes and brown hair. It was Beth. Not Beth. Oh god. It was Beth.
She had tripped and was flat on her face. Nose bleeding. the man was gaining on her. I tried to wriggle out of the firm grip I was being held in. I had to help her. However a taller figure sprinted past the man. His black spikes of hair pushed back with the wind. Dark eyes sparkling. Ryan. Beth's older brother. Overprotective older brother. 9 years old. He gave the man a shove so he fell over. he smirked and ran to help his screaming sibling. Beth now looked up at me. "Aidan" she screamed. Her worry for me warmed my heart but I was already stumbling down the porch steps and being tugged towards a blacked out van. I watched as Ryan gathered her in his arms and ran before anyone could see them. I let out a sigh of relief. She was safe.
I glanced over at the doorway. I gasped. Two lifeless figures lay there. Beth's parents.
I couldn't see anymore as I was shoved into the back of the van. I winced as I hit the hard carpeted floor with a thud. There was a small light above my head so as the door slammed shut I could still see. I pulled out the note mum had given me.
Dear Aidan,
You are a savant. You can move things with your mind. Talk to other savants in their minds. You have the power of invisibility and night vision.
I love you. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you.
Love your forever loving mum x
