I arrived in Canada a few days later, having been picked up by a truck driver, who was kind enough to offer me a ride. I was a little scared at first as I gazed about the new place, wondering where I should start. I spotted a hotel, and headed towards it. (Luckily I had taken all the money I had saved up and then some from my so called parents.)

I reserved a room, and then went out to find something that I could eat. I headed to the nearest Ingles, where I just got a few necessities. Then, juggling grocery bags, I went back to the hotel room and stored it in the small refrigerator they provided.

I somehow felt uneasy as I sat down on the sofa. Like...like in those horror movies where the music swells and you just know something's gonna happen. Like that.

Anyway, I slowly reached for the TV remote, feeling like any second I was gonna get jumped or something. Then the feeling faded, and I switched on the television set to the news.

"Mutants are now believed to be multiplying," came the announcement. I shuddered at the way the reporter said the word "mutants", like it was some kind of curse. And I suppose it was, to a lot of people. I switched the channel to the AMC channel, where they were playing old movies.

Suddenly, the feeling returned. I swallowed, looking all around, but saw no one. Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. I whirled around, trying to slow my beating heart, and opened the door.

"You ordered some bed-sheets?" asked the bellboy. My pulse eased. "Yeah, thanks."

"You need anything else?" the boy asked. "No, thank you," I answered. "Well, I need something," came a low, gravelly voice. I watched in horror as the bellboy slowly transformed into a blue-skinned, yellow- eyed...creature? No. Woman? Partly.

"You're...you're..." I whispered, horrified. "One of your kind," the thing hissed at me. "Yes. You're to come with me. I can help you to control your powers, and teach you valuable things."

"No, thank you," I said, trying to back away, but she grabbed the collar of my shirt and lifted me off the ground a little. "Sorry, Kitty-it's not an option," she said.

"Au contraire," came a voice from the door, and suddenly I was flung from the thing's grasp and I landed on the ground. As I looked up, I saw three people wearing black suits, two women and one man. The thing that had assaulted me had immediately jumped up and was starting to combat with them. Suddenly, two other creatures leaped in from the windowsill.

I screamed with terror, and ran to the bedroom, locking the door. Sounds of fierce battle came from the living room for several minutes while I huddled in the closet, trying to make myself look as tiny as possible. Then I remembered.

I slowly went through the woodwork, and landed with a thud in the lobby downstairs. The manager stared at me, horrified, and I could tell what he was thinking. "Mutant!" I could almost hear his thoughts.

I looked around, and I ran, out of the hotel, into the street, trying to frantically decide where to go.

"Kitty!" a woman's voice called me. I looked at the hotel entrance, and the three people wearing black were waving to me. "Kitty, wait! Please wait!"

But I couldn't wait. I was too frightened. I ran into a restaurant, searching desperately for someplace to hide. I eventually settled in the restroom, trying to make myself as invisible as possible-which didn't really help.

Because soon my stall door flew open and I saw a red-haired woman staring down at me. "Kitty," she said gently. "Please. Come out."

Something about her tone cajoled me out of the stall and next to her. I stood there, looking her straight in the eyes, breathing hard. "What do you want?" I asked her harshly. "I want to help you," she answered softly.

"How?" I asked bitterly. "You are one of us," the woman answered. "There is a place, a school, you might say, where you can be taught how to control your powers and still learn your basic subjects taught in public school, only without risk of being labeled a freak because of your gift. There are several there who are like you. I am like you."

I thought about this for a moment, and said wryly, "I don't even know your name." The woman smiled. "Jean Grey." "I'm Kit-"I stopped myself. "Well, actually, you apparently already know my name. How?"

"I'll explain later," Jean answered, and took me to the front of the restaurant, where the other man and woman were waiting.

"This is Cyclops and Storm," she introduced us. Cyclops, the man who had a sort of sunglass/shield type of thing over his eyes smiled and nodded, Storm, the African-American woman who had white hair, smiled and shook my hand.

"Quickly," Cyclops said. "Magneto's forces will return in greater strength. We must leave immediately."

"Is the helicopter ready?" Storm asked, in a slight Jamaican twang. Jean moved her hand, and then said. "Now it is."

So, we headed out to the helicopter, and we left the town quickly.