About half an hour away in an old abandoned cabin a loud fight about the events of the night could be heard.
"Are you completely stupid? Do you want them to come kill us?" The boy yelled, waving his six arms frantically at me.
"It wasn't Shadow's fault! She just lost control! We all have at one point or other! So just calm yourself!" The six armed boy's sister yelled at him.
Shadow, the name I've called myself since leaving home. It suited me now I suppose. My past was an illusion to others, every time I had to leave a town I leave nothing, not even memories, like a shadow. I'd rather be the name my parents named me, but I was no longer that person. I looked around at the others in the old abandoned cabin. There were about seven of us all together, none older the age of sixteen. Me, the twins and Derik were the oldest. The twins, having six arms each, were Zach and Jenny. They were kicked out of their home by their stepfather. Derik and his seven year old sister Megan, had wings, talon like nails, and feathers on there heads instead of hair. They left home because they were afraid how the rest of their family would be treated when their small town neighbours realized what they were. Diffuse (she wouldn't tell us her real name or story) could control light and make herself invisible. She could have passed for normal if it weren't for the halo of light around her head and the fact that her skin was luminous (which came in handy while on the run and flashlights were scarce). We guessed her to be about thirteen. Greg was amphibious, able to breathe under water and swim amazingly because of the webbing between his fingers and toes. He was very strange looking, with his toad eyes, frog skin and newt, webbed, fingers; but we got used to him. It's easily to get used to ones appearances when you have to depend on them if you wish to live. He was sick of his life in the circus his parents forced him to join, so he ran away. And then there was little Leah, my garden angel. She was only six and had been through so much. She had the ability to produce food by photosensitise and grow plants at alarming rates. Her amazing gift cursed her by turning her green. Her parents had beat her and thrown her in the garbage. At this moment, she was sitting on my lap, looking up at me with her ivy green eyes. It was too late for her to be up, for any of us really, but we had some decisions to make.
We're all misfits. We all don't belong. We are all mutants.
We came together gradually after leaving our homes. Some how I had become the leader and responsible for this group. I've tried, Lord knows, I've tried to do the best for them, but it's never been enough. I've failed them and haven't been able to protect them from the world that hates them because of their mutation. We've been chased out of towns before, nearly starved on countless occasions, and been hunted by different people who hated us. Sure, we survived. But we longed to live.
This had been our longest home together, this old cabin. I got a job as a waitress and was in charge of buying necessities with my little pay. I had to do this because I was the only one of us who looked human enough to go out into society. My strange silver eyes could pass for contacts and my mutation didn't affect my appearance in any other ways. I know, I've felt, the jealousy and resentment from Greg and Diffuse because of my normalcy. Everyone felt just a little way about me subconsciously, except for Derik and Leah.
What really sucks about being a psychic is that you always know exactly how people think about you, even if you don't go looking.
Yes, I'm a telepath and have telekinesis. I can tell the future, sometimes, or at least have strong feelings if something good or bad is about to happen. My powers….scare me. I hear people's thoughts without trying, I move objects as large as boulders by a thought, and can make people thinking they are burning alive or some other horrible idea.
That's the problem right now.
I had blown it again for these kids. Sure, living here in this cold old cabin and barely having enough to eat each night wasn't ideal, but at least they felt safe. I put them in danger when I lost my mind and showed to humans (it scares me that I no longer think of myself as a human) my powers. They'll be hunting for me as we speak. Once again, we're on the run from the world.
"Lets think this over," Derik's calm voice brought me back. "Everyone in town knows that your boss is a drunk, so maybe they'll think that he was just hallucinating."
"Uh, that would work except I kind of tied him up with all the diner's furniture. And, uh, another person saw me." I looked down in shame.
"You've gone and doomed us." Zach moaned, holding his head with his many arms.
"We'll just have to leave, right away." Jenny stated.
"I'M TIRED OF RUNNING!" Diffuse screamed, her halo glowing so bright it hurt our eyes.
"We're all tired, but what other choice do we have?" Greg asked. Nine years old. He should be teasing girls, playing sports with friends, going fishing with his dad and eating cookies his mum made for him. Not running for his lifeé
"The Institute." Derik suggested quietly.
We all exchanged a glance. In Derik's home in Alberta, one of his friends was learned to be a mutant (this was before Derik and Megan developed their mutations). A day after, he was gone .Rumours flew that the government took him away, but Derik got an email a few mouths later talking about where he was. Something called the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. A place where mutants could learn and live in peace, and learn how to control their powers. It sounded like a dream (what I wouldn't give to have these kids in a place like that, safe!). But it was probably just that, a dream. It could be a trap to catch mutants or just a non existent place.
I've felt these kids dream of this place, but no one actually believes in it, except for Leah.
"We've been over this Derik!" Jenny gave an aggravated sigh.
"I know, I know! But Diffuse said what we're all thinking! We're sick of always running, not knowing where we'll be next or if we're ever safe. Don't you think it would be worth looking into, if the result would mean we'd have a home?" Derik coaxed.
Everyone thought this over, but said nothing. All their thoughts were being thrown at me, they were thinking so loud and so much. While I wondered how to get from Northern Ontario to New York, Leah interrupted my thoughts by pulling on my arm.
"I want to have a home." She said in her sweet voice. "Please, Shadow?"
My heartstrings were tugged, I embraced the small girl.
"I can't run away any more. I can't." Diffuse said. I could hear her trying to not cry. Diffuse never really liked me, because of my mutation not changing my appearance like hers had and how she thought I used my powers to get whatever I wanted; but still I really felt sorry for her.
"I'm in." Greg said confidently. "If this place is not real or whatever, we have to leave anyway, don't we? This way we'll just have a destination to head towards."
"I'm going wherever Derik is." Megan announced, trying to sound a lot more grown up than she was. Poor thing, forced into adult situations before her time. She trembled a little, but stopped when her older brother pulled her closer to him.
" I still think this "Institute" is a trap. Me and my sister aren't going to hand ourselves over for whatever hell they have planned for mutants." Zach snarled. "If you want to go, fine. But me and Jenny aren't that stupid."
"I'm going with them, Zach." Jenny was now standing beside me with her arms crossed.
"What? No!" Zach grabbed his twin and pulled her aside. "Jen, we have to stay together. We're all we have."
"I know. That's why I want you to come with us." Jenny said quietly, touching her brother's shoulder gently. "I don't want to run any more. I know this is dangerous, but what if this place can really help up? I'm willing to take the risk."
Zach's eyes softened. Jenny was the only one he ever gave in to. One more quick look into her eyes, and then Zach murmured. "We're both in."
"And we already know Derik's vote." I said. "You guys pack everything up, I'll try to find out if they are after us yet and figure out how to get there. Greg, Leah and Megan? I want you guys to try to doze while we work. I'm not sure when you'll be able to rest again."
"I'm not tired, and I can help pack!" Megan insisted, but I saw the bags under her eyes.
"Hey, I'm way older than those two! I don't need to sleep like a baby!" Greg said, insulted that I consider him a kid. A whole nine years of life and apparently he is ancient.
"Go to sleep Meg, I can pack your stuff. Its not like we have much." Derik told his sister. Seeing his falcon eyes, so much like her own, Megan gave in.
"Come on Leah." She took the younger girl from me and led her to the old couch we rescued from the dump for the two girls to share when we first came here.
"Uh, I'll just watch over them. You know girls, they'll probably cry or something." Greg followed them.
At this point I didn't care what excuse he used, as long as he got some sleep.
"Jenny, maybe you should get some res-" Zach started.
"If you try to put me down for a nap, I'll break an arm." Jenny threatened.
Seeing the others get to work, I went out side. I tried to focus on thoughts around the perimeter. I sensed none except for the cabin. We were still safe for a bit. Now, how would we get to New York? Maybe I could mind meddle with a trucker. Oh God I hated doing that though. Whenever I entered someone's mind, a part of their mind stayed with me. I've only been a mutant for a year and a half, and I've never met another mutant with my powers, so I had little control. Little control, lots of power.
Suddenly I sensed a mind above me, but I relaxed when I sensed the familiarity.
"Hey Derik." I called softly, looking up into the tree above me.
"So what do you really think about going to New York?" Leave it to bird boy to cut right to the chase.
"Honestly? I think it's a sham and it's going to be nearly impossible to get there. But we need to leave here, so we might as well try to put some hope in these kids. Ha, these kids. I try to sound so old. Sixteen should be nothing." I sank down, leaning against the tree. "I pray to God that this place is real and will take care of them."
"Them? You're not planning on sticking with us?" Derik jumped out of the tree, using his grand silver brown wings to slow his fall.
"I-I have plans, stuff I need to work out." I couldn't meet his eyes. If only he knew what my past was, why I had to do this. "But I'm not abandoning them or anything, I won't leave them until they're safe."
"Oh good, so you're never leaving." Derik tried to joke. Safety, what a great joke.
Derik came closer to me, taking my hand. I knew he really liked me. Not only because I was psychic but because of how he treated me. It was nice, sort of. I never had a boy like me before. But the main reason he liked me was because I was the first girl mutant that wasn't his sister he met. I guess that had a lot to do with it. I liked him too, but I couldn't be dating and frolicking about when I had these kids to look after. Distractions like falling in love were one of the few things that weren't on my to-do list.
I pulled away. "Um, a car is coming done the road." I said quietly, trying to ignore the hurt look on his face. "You go get everyone and meet me by the road. I'll work a little mind meddling and get us a ride."
With that, I flew into the night.