I've been a runaway for three years now. I'm sixteen, so it should be easy to figure that I left at thirteen. But I didn't. I've been sixteen for over five years. You'd think, hey, that's not much of an ability, but it's not all. I can change things I touch. Not just reshape them, though. Here's an example: I once turned a hamburger into a cat. So, needless to say, I can do this to living things. I've been pretty lucky; I got a job and a decent apartment. But, then, I'm obviously a mutant. My skin is pure white, alabaster, and my hair is pitch black. That wouldn't be too odd, but my eyes… My eyes are gold, flecked with red, and no pupil. You might ask, why don't I change my own appearance? But I can't. I can change anyone else's, but not mine.

"Hey, bitch! Are you listening to me?"

I am suddenly jerked from my pondering by a man, who has apparently been trying to get my attention for a while.

"Sorry!" I say. "What did you need?"

"Move over!" he says, his breath nearly making my throw up. "God…" he mutters, hidden inside a sigh.

I hurriedly sit up, and scoot over a seat. I was lying across three seats on the subway, drawing. Why would I bother drawing, when I could make any picture I think of? To take up time, of course. I have an hour and a half commute, on the subway for an hour, then get a pebble, turn it into my breakfast, and walk to work. Suddenly the loudspeaker announces our arrival at my stop. I hurriedly get off, away from the creepy guy who apparently does not know the meaning of the phrase "mouth closed," and make myself a doughnut. In about twenty-five minutes, I arrive at work. My job is in -you guessed it- a diner. I take off my trench, tie on my stupid pink apron, and go into the back. I'll spare you the gory details, but understand my job involves a lot of dishwashing and other scrubbing of strange items. By the time I arrive home, I go straight to bed, only to be awoken not two hours later by knocking on my door.

Getting up and putting on my sunglasses and trench coat, I stumble to the door, feeling as though I haven't slept at all. I yank it open partway, not taking off the chain, and peer out. A person of indistinguishable gender stands there, with a trench coat on (not as long as mine, of course) with the hood up. I raise my eyebrows and say, "Yes?"

"Good evening. Miss Elwood?" A man's tenor - or a woman's alto?

I repeat my previous statement, "Yes?"

"Of course. I am Chris Alular. I have a business proposal you might like. Might I enter?" Damn. Still asexual. Oh well.

"Alright," I say. "Just a moment."

I close the door and put one of my knives into its forearm sheath. I do this while taking off the chain, and by the time I open the door I can stand aside and make sure it's secure. I do so, and guide my visitor into my living room, just a few steps from the door. I sit in a chair (this is the most comfortable chair in the world, by the way) and gesture toward the only other chair, the not-nearly-so-wonderful one. "Chris" shakes their head, politely declining. Ah, I think, an effort to make me uncomfortable. I smile politely.

"What is this business proposal?"

"Miss Elwood, how would you like a job, well paid and," they say, looking around disdainfully, "free living quarters."

"What kind of a job?"

"This may sound a bit dramatic, but, making the world safe for mutants."

"Let me guess," I say. "Does this involve Magneto, the guy on the news?"

"As a matter of fact it does. We think your gift would be a remarkable addition to our force."

Suddenly I feel completely awake. "When can I start?"

"Right now," is the answer. "Pack up your things."

This seems a little too easy, I think, but I have enough confidence in my abilities that I nod and do so.