Golden Gooses

7

     Much time had passed, around five years. Evan was entering preschool today. The law where the government began to seize children considered anomalies was in full swing. The Senate had promised that no harm would come to those who drove to one of the local "studying centers" they had set up across the country and handed over their children willingly. But they never specified what would happen to those who harbored magic children without turning them in, and they made sure the public would ever find out. No news coverage or updates ever came from the development. However, none of this was on your average family's mind. The back-to-school season had come back around and everyone was preparing to send their kids off, Miranda and Timothy included.

     Evan stood by the door to their apartment, dressed nicely in a T-shirt with red sleeves, and blue cargo shorts. He wore yellow crocs with a backpack covered in flames. He had grown a lot, having peachy blonde hair just like his mother, and his father's copper eyes. Timothy ruffled his hair, while his mother licked her thumb and wiped smudges of dirt off his face. "Timothy! It took a while to style his hair like that!" Miranda feigned annoyance playfully. "It looks better like this anyway!" Timothy knelt down to Evan's eye level. "Plus, you wanna look rough and tumble, don't you big man?!" He egged on, grinning. Evan gave a wide, goofy grin back, nodding his head. "Uh-huh, uh-huh!" Miranda stood up, grabbing Evan to envelop him in a huge hug. "I'm gonna miss you so much!" She exclaimed while shaking him as he giggled. Timothy pried him out of her arms. "That's enough, he'll miss the bus!" He interjected. He placed Evan on the floor, and he ran out of the door. Before entering the bus, he turned and waved to his parents who were waiting by the door to watch him leave. "Bye honey!" Miranda shouted behind him as he scampered up the bus steps.

     All the kids filed out of the bus, waiting outside of the school for their teachers to come out. Evan looked around at all the kids who had their siblings or their lifelong family friends to talk to, shrinking a bit realizing he was alone. But he gripped the straps to his backpack and shut his eyes, thinking to himself. I can make friends, I won't be alone! He reassured himself. He opened his eyes and the teachers were already in front of the crowd of children. They began calling out names, and he listened for his. "Evan Von?" She exclaimed repeatedly, confused as to why she didn't get a response. Ah! He thought. He scurried over to her, panting. "I'm... sorry!" He apologized between pants. She laughed. "It's alright!" She excused, patting him on the head. He looked up at her after catching his breath. She had light brown hair tied into a ponytail and big, bright, expressive brown eyes. She was wearing a pale white blouse with assorted flowers sprinkled on it. He looked up at her in awe, before glancing around and noticing everyone else was heading inside. He trailed after her, lugging his backpack along with him.