Z's Past
I was around the age of eight when the tragedy hit. My family and I were at the dinner table, my older brother saying grace. I stared at the candle, watching the flame grow, and the wax melt. I didn't pay much attention to the prayer, I was concentrating on the flame, wondering if there was a way I could carry the flame in my hand.

Mom told me I had extraordinary gifts. I was hoping for some reason that holding fire was one of the gifts. I also knew my other gift. I had wings. Only my mom and my older brother Kyle knew about them. My step dad and my little baby sister didn't know. Mom had divorced my real dad and remarried Charlie.

Kyle took the marriage a little harsh. Didn't like Charlie at all, but put up with him for mom's sake. Mom had divorced dad because of what my father did to me. He had sold me to a group of scientists to do experiments on me; worst part was that he did it for the money. The money that would give him his next high. I despised my father for that. Trading his daughter for drugs? Not only that, but he separated me from my family. I was different from everyone. I knew no one with wings. That was the hard part. I got treated like a normal kid, but I always had an urge to fly, I guess it's the bird side of me. I got teased a lot because of that urge, so my mom put me through martial art training, to defend myself. I was the youngest kid in the class, but with my mature and older looks I could pass it up. I was at the age of five when I started training, but I looked around seven. Even Kyle's friends, who were in middle school, thought I was older and asked me out on dates, when I told them my real age they freaked. So it's sort of a good thing and a bad.

Each day I'm reminded that I'm different, and that I shouldn't be here with my family. Mom only got me back because she never agreed to them experimenting with me and threatened to tell the world about their experiments. Mom was smart enough to change our names and give us new identities. I'm sure that those scientists would have come after us.

Kyle finished saying grace and had asked me if I wanted any mashed potatoes. I smiled at him and nodded. I loved my brother so much it hurt. To me he was my fatherly figure. Then my little sister started crying.

"Sounds like she needs a change," Mom said. I got up and motioned for her to stay sitting.

"I'll do it mom, you've worked enough today," I said. She smiled thanks and nodded. I picked up Princess, that's what we called her, and headed to the baby's room to change her.

I was just about done with Princess when I heard a loud crash. I looked at the door, another crash came, then yelling. It confused me. Even if Kyle and Charlie don't really get along, they never fought each other, they just went separate ways. But I've never heard some much yelling in this house before. I picked up Princess and walked out to see what was going on. When I got to the dining area I saw broken plates and scattered food on the floor. Broken glasses and silverware, all over the place. I looked around and saw that Charlie was on the floor, pain on his face. I panicked, and looked around in search of Kyle and Mom. I heard another crash, coming from the kitchen. I was cautious and slowly went to the kitchen. When I opened the door, my eyes widened. There in front of me was a giant, hairy man. Next to him, a man in a white coat. Just like a science lab coat. I then realized who these people were.

"RUN!" I heard Kyle yell. I looked over at him, and he was fending off one of the hairy men. I saw mom on the floor knocked out.

"MOM!" I screamed and started to go to her.

"DONT BE STUPID! RUN!" Kyle shouted at the top of his lungs. I then saw the hairy man and the scientist coming toward me. Instinct finally kicked in and I turned around and kicked one in the face. It was the scientist.

"DONT FIGHT! RUN!" Kyle was then next to me, pushing me out the door, while fending off the hairy guy.

"But what about you?" I asked.

"RUN!" was all he said. And this time I actually listened. With Princess still in my arms I ran, I ran so fast I don't think anyone could have caught up to me.

Then reality hit. They aren't after my family, they're after me. I looked down at Princess who I hadn't noticed was crying. I tried soothing her, with no luck. I need to protect her, and also go save mom and Kyle, and maybe Charlie. I made up my mind. I ran back to my neighbors' house, banging on the door. An old lady stepped out. She smiled, recognizing me. I handed over Princess. "Can you watch my sister for a minute; my family is in a bit of a crisis."

She simply nodded; we lived in the ghetto so it was only natural to have a family fight. But not our family. We never fought, well not the way people thought.

I ran back to the house, hoping I could save my family, but as I got to the front door, the worst thing possible happened. My house blew up. Not like a huge explosion, just enough to let me know anyone in the house was dead. The neighbors' house caught fire, and I saw their family file out. But where was my family? I darted inside. Hoping to find someone, anyone that I recognized. I ran into the room I last saw Kyle in. Smoke filled my lungs, making me cough hysterically. Then my foot hit something. I looked down and saw my mom's body. All charred up and dead. I choked back tears. I looked around the room and found Kyle's body. He was just like mom, burnt and dead. I looked for Charlie, but he was dead before the explosion, anyway. I could hear sirens in the background. I looked at my family, and the tears finally came.

Why? Why would they do this? Why explode them? I then felt hands on me. I turned around ready to attack, but then I saw a mask. I looked it over; it was in yellow suit made orange because of the flames. A firefighter.

"Are you okay?" they asked. I nodded and they lead me out side.

Once out, the paramedics rushed over to me, analyzing me. I did what they told me to do, follow the light look at their crooked fingers, yadda yadda yadda. I finally got a look at the firefighter that had taken me out of the house. It was a young woman. She asked me who else was in the house. I gave her the names and who they were, I said nothing about the attackers.

"You'll be coming with us," one of the paramedics said. I didn't listen to him; I saw the old lady with my sister and ran to them. She handed me Princess and my sister looked up at me curiously. I smiled back. At least I have her.

As weeks became months they figured out what set the fire, the stove's gas was left on and a match had been stuck. I didn't believe it, but acted like I did. They sent me to live with the old lady as she volunteered to take care of us. But I knew that those people would come back, wanting to get me. I made a decision. It would be hard for me, but it would save the lady and my sister.

So I left without a word. But I left a note with my sister, in her jewelry box I had bought her. The old lady didn't know about it, but Princess did, she played with it. I knew soon, she would find it and find out why I left. I left no trace as where I would go, because honestly I didn't know myself. I was on the run or rather on the fly. I had secretly taught myself to fly. So with my sister safe, and no family to hassle me to come back, I left. Promising myself never to think of the past. Never tell anyone. I wiped away a tear as I realized I may never see my Princess again.

So this is something i've been writing with BoOkWoRm1807, this was her chapter, mine's next, and we'll go on just like that. we've been emailing it back and forth since October, and i finally got around to editing it so it could be posted, so ta-da! like i said, we have at least like twenty chapters so updating will be pretty fast, as long as i get time to edit then post, so yeah, hope you like, please review, cyber-pie for all! luvs!