X-Men-Going Under Diary from POV of Sophie Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom, I fell some more. I love that song and used to relate to it a lot in the latest part of my life. Which is kind of ironic seen as my mutancy, (mutancy? Is that even a word?), is that I have the ability to fly. Also I can bend reality to my advantage, this is a bit weird and I only figured I could do it the other day. It means I subtly change things, like changing the colours of clothes, and maybe if it gets stronger, big things. Also quite useful as it means I can hide my wings, not that I don't like them it's just some people are a little adverse about buying milk from someone who has a massive pair of wings sprouting from their back. I guess I'd better explain.
My name is Sophie Claxton and I am 16 years old. I go to my local school, St. Richards High, I work, (this bit explains the milk thing), at the local Tesco supermarket and am currently studying for a Collage that won't even accept me because of my evolutionary genes. God, they act like it's a disease! Like they're afraid of catching it incase they turned into something as weird as me. Hmm, I actually don't blame them for that. If I saw the real, unchanged version of me walking down the street, I'd cross the road.
I live in a house on the common with my parents, two sisters and one older brother and, of course, my dog Rosie. I have my own room, which I have decorated in such a way my mother won't even step inside there anymore. She says it offends her eyes. She still hasn't accepted what or who I am yet and keeps denying the fact at every opportunity. And as I have put pictures of my favourite mutants, the X-Men, all over my walls to keep me remembering who I am, she totally refuses to even touch my door. She's another who's afraid of 'infection'.
Honestly until I was 11 my life was totally normal. In fact I used to think it was a bit boring, still do somedays when I have time to look back on it. Would I go back to it if I could? Nah, that would mean I haven't accepted who I am and I totally have done. So what most 'normal' people hate me? They don't know what it's like to be able to leap out of your bedroom window at night and skim the clouds, staring down at the beautiful lights below, and they never will. So suck on that, losers!
Ok, so I may sound a little sad and pathetic but I don't care. This is me. Anyway, I'm off out, it's time for school so laters.
Diary from POV of Sophie
Well I'm back from school and never going outside again. A new law has been passed so mutants must wear identification wherever they go so normal people will feel safe knowing who is 'one of them' or not. I have been sent the tag in the post and from now on I must wear it always. Fat chance! As if I'm going to walk around with that on, it'll be like being an animal locked in a zoo! Feel free to come and stare at the mutant, just don't go to close, she may bite!
And I'll lose my job, Tesco's won't want some freak representing them at the tills. As for school, I can't even show my face there anymore. The government bastards, (excuse my language), sent the tag to school so everyone would know who I was, although they claim it's only to make sure I get it! I had to literally run from school, with the word 'FREAK!' being yelled at me time and time again. I almost thought I was going to get lynched, (yes, I am a drama queen), as I ran home. Older students from school had seen me running away and ran after me, intent on showing me what I was worth. It's time like these my ability to change appearances comes in handy and slowly walked past them in the guise of a pathetic old man, even they wouldn't have the guts to hit someone as vulnerable as that.
Although they could happily pound a slim girl.
Narrator
Sophie was sitting scribbling angrily on her diary when she heard the back door quietly open. That was odd, she thought pausing and frowning slightly as she concentrated on the sounds coming from downstairs. No one's meant to be home yet and if they are back early, why are they using the back door? It seems my hearing is developing as well, I never usually notice when someone's sneaking in, Sophie thought smugly.
Hold on, someone sneaking in! "Shit", she muttered to herself, jumping up from the chair she was sitting in and stumbling in panic mode as she desperately wondered what the hell was going on. Maybe it's those people from school, maybe they found out where I live! Or wait, maybe it's the FBI! I've heard about the raids they keep doing on dangerous mutants homes or on mutants they think they could use. I don't want to become a weapon! She cried to herself, before falling over a pile of dirty washing on the floor. "Dammit," she growled to herself, "I really need to stop myself getting carried away. It's probably next door the neighbour's cat on the windowsill again. Now you go to those stairs and get your ass down into the kitchen," she mumbled fiercely to herself, "and show me there is nothing to be afraid of!"
She picked herself off the floor and slowly made her way to the landing, stopping only to briefly to pick up the small table light from her desk. Hell, she wasn't going down unprepared, the cat might have rabies! Yeah, right.
She crept down the stairs and paused outside the door, listening carefully to the sounds coming from inside it. There was a muffled crash and suddenly Rosie's harsh barks leapt out into the otherwise silent house. Sophie let out a little scream and jumped, banging her elbow on the corner of the banister sticking out. "Oh bugger," she snapped loudly, before freezing as she realised the sounds in the kitchen had stopped.
She stared at the door for a second before realising that someone must have done something to stop Rosie barking again. "Roise!" she shrieked, leaping into the kitchen and brandishing the light threateningly at…Josh?
"What are you doing here?" she asked bluntly, dropping the lamp onto the table and taking in the fact Rosie was practically sitting on his lap. She was normally very protective of Sophie and hesitant to interact with other humans, even ones she knew. Josh offered her his easy smile, which had a hint of hesitance in it, and Sophie thought she could see some slight fear hidden behind his blue eyes.
"Hi, yes I'm well thanks how are you?" he asked sarcastically, standing up and gently dropping Rosie's feet back onto the floor.
"Yes well I don't normally have small talk with strangers who have broken into my house-"
"I'm not a stranger!"
"You might as well be! I have never talked to you before-"
"Yes well I'm sorry about that," he interrupted, looking a little ashamed of himself. "I just never had the time", Sophie gave a very unladylike snort, "ok, ok. We weren't in the right scenes to talk to each other."
"You mean I wasn't cool enough for you," Sophie replied bluntly again.
"Yeah well, that was before," he tried, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"Before what?"
"Before I got thrown out of school."
"What are you on about now? And why are you still in my house?!"
"I'm a mutant, Sophie, ok? A God damned mutant who got thrown out of school just like you."
"Oh," was all Sophie could manage just at that second. "Oh."
"That still doesn't explain what you're doing in my house," she said eventually.
"Because we're both in the same situation!" Josh yelped, looking less and less like the guy she had worshiped from afar for all her high school years.
"Woah there! We are so not in the same situation!" Sophie snapped, looking a little overwhelmed at the thought.
"Yes we are! Both have been thrown out of school! Both thrown out of our homes by our family who refuse to accept us-"
"Excuse me but I haven't been thrown out of my home by my family quite yet-"
"Exactly, not yet!"
"Oh fuck off, Josh!" Sophie hissed pushing him away from her as he walked towards her pleadingly.
"I'm sorry but it's the truth! You have got to accept it-"
"I haven't got to accept anything," Sophie yelled hysterically. "Because nothing like that is going to happen to me!"
"Oh get a grip, Claxton! It already has! School is only the start, don't you realise they are slowly crushing us out? Soon there will be concentration camps for us-"
"Don't you think you're being a bit over dramatic?" Sophie piped up nastily.
"No, I am not. I'm being realistic. Oh come on Sophie, you're meant to be the smart one here."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, that's what everyone says,"
"I don't care what everyone says!"
"Then listen to me! We have got to get out of here! My dad is from the government, he's been warning me of movements in the powers for ages! A law is coming soon for all mutants to be rounded up and placed in special centres to be tested on, used for weapons and shit like that! We have to get out of here!"
"Then why the hell are you here? Surely you could have got yourself far away from here by now?"
"I came for you, I can't leave you behind." he stated simply.
"Why not?" Sophie pressed, belligerently.
"We don't have time for this," he snapped, looking very angry now. "Go upstairs, get yourself some clothes and whatever you want to bring with you as long as it isn't too big or heavy. Pack it up into a bag, leave your parents a note if you must and then lets go!" He pushed her towards the stairs and up them, leaving her to pack as he went back down to raid the kitchen for food. "Don't you dare take everything!" Sophie yelled from upstairs, "my parents need something to live on!"
"Then they can go down the supermarket and get some more food, I'm sure they have the money!"
"How are you sure?"
"Look at where you live, the furniture and all that expensive crap in the bathroom."
"When have you been in the bathroom?"
"A second ago when I needed the loo, is that a problem?"
Sophie paused, looking around her room as she half concentrated on what she was saying and what she was picking up. "No, I guess not," she sighed finally.
"Good, now get down here. We have to go now."
"Why straight away? Surely you can wait a few hours?"
"No, we have to get to my house right now to pick up my stuff and then we have to leave."
"Why is it so urgent all of a sudden?" she whinged, walking down the stairs with her backpack full to bursting in her hand.
"That's why," he replied seriously, pointing towards the television. On the screen sat a tall man reading out the daily news against a red background. "And now, finally, a new law has been passed which shows our higher status than all mutants! From now on all mutants will have to wear identification wherever they go and if the police or government suspect mutants of crimes they will be able to arrest and question them for an unlimited time. The new law has been passed by-" Josh turned off the T.V and gently took Sophie by the arm as she dropped her note on top of the sofa. "That law basically means they can do whatever they want with us and no one in power will care," Josh said quietly, frowning.
"Wait!" she said quietly, running towards the kitchen and burying her face in Rosie's fur. "I'm sorry I have to leave you baby," she whispered sadly, "I wish this had never happened, I wish I could take you with me. Oh I wish so many things that will never possibly come true but I really, really wish they would! I love you baby." She said finally, "take care." And stood up and walked away, leaving a worried Roise staring up at her as she closed the door for what seemed to be the last time.
Sophie and Josh walked in silence for a few streets, Josh leaving Sophie time to take everything in and Sophie too lost in her own thoughts to speak. She was walking along in a daze until suddenly she tripped over a loose stone and Josh caught her arm. "Sorry," she said briefly, coming back down to Earth.
"So, what are your powers?" she asked, finding the silence almost unbearable now she was aware of it.
"Nothing that amazing to tell you the truth. I can sort of understand and control some animals, and can throw really far and hard." He shrugged, seeing Sophie's expression, "it really isn't anything that amazing compared with others. What about yours?"
"Oh nothing like that really. I can fly and sort of change reality. But only little things." She added hastily as he turned to stare at her.
"Wow, that is pretty cool."
"I know but then again yours are too," Sophie laughed, transferring her back from one hand to the other.
Josh noticed this and frowned, "why don't you put the bag on your back?" he asked, raising his eyebrows cutely.
"Kinda hard to explain," she muttered, not sure if she wanted Josh to know all her secrets.
"Well we have all day."
"True," she sighed and flexed her back gently. "It's because of these." Josh turned towards her slightly and stared at the two slim wings coming out of her back.
"I've never noticed those before," he breathed quietly.
Sophie laughed, "yeah well," before hiding them once more from view.
They carried on in silence for a while until Sophie asked the question which had been playing on her mind for a long time. "Where are we gonna go?"
"Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," he says proudly, as though waiting for some praise.
"And how the bloody hell are we meant to get there?!" Sophie exploded, stopping dead in the middle of the pavement. "It's miles and miles away! And even if we do manage to get there without being picked up, which I daresay we can't, how do we know they'll even take us in?"
"I don't, ok? I'm only a kid, just like you Sophie! Trying to do the best I can with what little I have. Yeah I could've left you behind and I daresay it woulda been easier for me to get where I want to go without you, but I decided that you needed help to. I thought we could stick together! But if you'd rather go back home and wait to be picked up by the police and taken to some camp or other, then that's fine with me! Go on, go running back home and expect them to look after you like we both know they won't!"
"I'm sorry," Sophie cried, "I just can't do this, I can't! How are we supposed to do this?! It's not fair."
"Life isn't fair Sophie, ok?"
"No, it's not ok," she whinged back, knowing how much this made her sound like a little kid.
"Well, it's going to have to be! Here come on, keep moving, we're almost at my house. It's that one on the left." They silently made their way to front door, a haunted look appearing on Josh's face when he saw three identical posh black cars sitting in his driveway. "They aren't ours," he whispered anxiously to Sophie, before making a quick decision and pulling open the door.
His mother stood, framed in the doorway as she looked down on her son with tears in her eyes. "Oh josh!" she cried quietly, her eyes brimming over, "you have to go! There are people from the government talking to your father, they want to take you away. You have to leave now. Here," she said, handing him his overnight bag and a huge sheaf of notes, "this will keep you going for a while and I packed all your stuff that you would want to take with you. I just can't let them take you honey," she whispered, tears running down her prematurely lined face, "my only son."
"But mum! If they find out you've helped me-"
"I don't care, as long as you're safe sweetie. As long as your safe my life is perfect."
"Josh, we have to go," Sophie whispered to him nervously, appearing from the shadows on his left, "I've just seen them through the living room window, they're coming out!"
"Go now, Josh! While there is still time!" his mother cried frantically pulling her son into her tight embrace before pushing him away again.
"But mum!" he cried struggling, tears falling free from his eyes now as Sophie began dragging him away.
"I'll be fine dear, just fine. The keys for your dads new Jaguar are in the garage, take that and go. I love you, Josh."
"I love you, mum," he whispered as he finally allowed Sophie to pull him away in the direction of the garage. He began walking quickly now, his anger fuelled by adrenaline as he pulled open the cars doors and swung himself down into the drivers seat. Sophie threw herself down next to him and soon they were speeding away from his house, leaving the trouble behind.