Chapter 7
His birthday went like it normally always had. Except for Liz, everyone around him acted completely oblivious to the fact that he was one year older, at least in the eyes of the law. His birthday had just been another thing that the system made up about him. His name, age, and birthday had been guesses made by a group of people. Michael had wondered many times if they had just put a bunch of dates into a hate, and then decided that would be his birthday.
'It didn't matter…….much' he thought, in two more years he would be 18, and then he would be free of the system. He would be able to make his own decisions, go where he wanted to go and they couldn't stop him. Only he worried too, he was afraid because he would be 18 on June 15, and Liz wouldn't be 18 until August 31. Shysie too, although he hadn't seen her in 5 years, wouldn't turn 18 until July 17. Although it was only a matter of months, Michael new that a lot could happen and he couldn't help but think it all would be bad.
"What are you thinking about?" Liz asked, from her bed in the room they shared.
"Hockey." Michael answered immediately looking away from the ceiling he had been pondering for the last half hour.
"You're a terrible liar," she scolded him, throwing her pillow at his head, she added, "and you worry too much."
Catching the pillow before it smacked him in the face, he placed it behind his head. Decidedly he changed the subject, "So they tell you where they were going this time, or just up and leave again?"
"Vegas," she answered giving him a look that told him she knew what he was doing, "they got the checks from the state, for babysitting us and decided to go for the weekend."
"They actually told you all that?" Michael asked with a crooked grin on his face, eye brow raised quizzically.
"Nah, I was eavesdropping." She answered him nonchalantly, "as far as they are concerned, we think they will be home." She lay down on her bed, "They should have at least wished you a Happy Birthday." she added sadly.
"It doesn't matter, they don't mean anything too me." Michael assured her, trying to pretend he really didn't care, "Besides, Tony did say something the other day."
"What?" Liz questioned skeptically.
"He said that now that I am about to be 16 years old I need to get a job." Michael laughed.
"He's a peach." Liz added wryly.
A knock at their window brought both teens back from the pity party they were about to enter. Michael and Liz both jumped up from their beds. Liz started towards the window, but Michael grabbed her and pulled her back.
"Who the hell is it?" Michael asked her in a hushed voice. Liz shrugged looking frightened. Both looked back towards the window as the lock popped open and the window opened loudly behind their closed curtain.
Grabbing Liz and pulling her behind him, he quickly took a protective stance. Raising his arm in front of himself, he was ready to defend his sister and himself, if need be. He could feel his powers collecting within him, the hairs on his arm stood on end from the electricity that he was creating inside himself.
The curtains began to move where the intruder was now entering the house. Soon they could see shoes and then jeans. The curtains hid the interloper, concealing the persons identity. Slowly the curtain was raised over the person's head.
"Oh my God." Michael heard Liz whisper behind him before pushing past him. Enveloping the person in a hug.
"Shysie?" Michael asked, knowing the answer before he joined the two.
They stood there holding on to each other for dear life for a long time. Each afraid to let go, for fear that it was just an illusion or a dream.
His birthday went like it normally always had. Except for Liz, everyone around him acted completely oblivious to the fact that he was one year older, at least in the eyes of the law. His birthday had just been another thing that the system made up about him. His name, age, and birthday had been guesses made by a group of people. Michael had wondered many times if they had just put a bunch of dates into a hate, and then decided that would be his birthday.
'It didn't matter…….much' he thought, in two more years he would be 18, and then he would be free of the system. He would be able to make his own decisions, go where he wanted to go and they couldn't stop him. Only he worried too, he was afraid because he would be 18 on June 15, and Liz wouldn't be 18 until August 31. Shysie too, although he hadn't seen her in 5 years, wouldn't turn 18 until July 17. Although it was only a matter of months, Michael new that a lot could happen and he couldn't help but think it all would be bad.
"What are you thinking about?" Liz asked, from her bed in the room they shared.
"Hockey." Michael answered immediately looking away from the ceiling he had been pondering for the last half hour.
"You're a terrible liar," she scolded him, throwing her pillow at his head, she added, "and you worry too much."
Catching the pillow before it smacked him in the face, he placed it behind his head. Decidedly he changed the subject, "So they tell you where they were going this time, or just up and leave again?"
"Vegas," she answered giving him a look that told him she knew what he was doing, "they got the checks from the state, for babysitting us and decided to go for the weekend."
"They actually told you all that?" Michael asked with a crooked grin on his face, eye brow raised quizzically.
"Nah, I was eavesdropping." She answered him nonchalantly, "as far as they are concerned, we think they will be home." She lay down on her bed, "They should have at least wished you a Happy Birthday." she added sadly.
"It doesn't matter, they don't mean anything too me." Michael assured her, trying to pretend he really didn't care, "Besides, Tony did say something the other day."
"What?" Liz questioned skeptically.
"He said that now that I am about to be 16 years old I need to get a job." Michael laughed.
"He's a peach." Liz added wryly.
A knock at their window brought both teens back from the pity party they were about to enter. Michael and Liz both jumped up from their beds. Liz started towards the window, but Michael grabbed her and pulled her back.
"Who the hell is it?" Michael asked her in a hushed voice. Liz shrugged looking frightened. Both looked back towards the window as the lock popped open and the window opened loudly behind their closed curtain.
Grabbing Liz and pulling her behind him, he quickly took a protective stance. Raising his arm in front of himself, he was ready to defend his sister and himself, if need be. He could feel his powers collecting within him, the hairs on his arm stood on end from the electricity that he was creating inside himself.
The curtains began to move where the intruder was now entering the house. Soon they could see shoes and then jeans. The curtains hid the interloper, concealing the persons identity. Slowly the curtain was raised over the person's head.
"Oh my God." Michael heard Liz whisper behind him before pushing past him. Enveloping the person in a hug.
"Shysie?" Michael asked, knowing the answer before he joined the two.
They stood there holding on to each other for dear life for a long time. Each afraid to let go, for fear that it was just an illusion or a dream.