Not Your Ordinary Superhero

Prologue

13 years ago...

After all the running, I attempted to catch my breath, placing both arms above my head and straightening my posture. My chest heaved, and I glanced at Mel; her face was flustered.

Somehow they managed to catch up to us. And sure enough, their shadows were there as I peeked through the narrow slit of the aperture. I closed it, scared as shit, but I didn't want to show it. Not in front of Mel.

The steady-paced of trampled footsteps came from the hallway.

I became more distraught when knowing they were getting closer. I thought of ways to escape, to find a better place to hide.

...Maybe the closet or under the bed?

I had to laugh.

I shouldn't have thought of both specified spots.

Have you seen the number of times people got caught within those areas?

An idea suddenly hit me when my eyes darted up at a window. Of course, I had to rethink that since it looked meager. But, on the other hand, it was the right fit if one person were to go at a time.

"How's your teleportation?"

Mel winced when the door knob started to rattle. She wrapped her arms around my legs, which made me feel helpless, knowing that fear got to her.

"I only tried it once." She said quietly.

She pulled away from me and tried various ways to create a vortex to fit us both. I held onto her hand when she reached it out to me. Closed both my eyes and felt all the molecules in my body buzz and the air suction.

But it left quickly, right before it proceeded.

I scrunched my eyes tight and waited a couple seconds before opening them. Only to find us in the same place.

And came another method. Mel used both hands to create a circle that made bursts of colors that would appear and diminish. But, again, nothing happened, regardless of how many times she tried.

I could see how hard she was focusing, then the concentration left when someone started to bang on the door.

Which brought her back to where we are.

When the sounds intensified from behind the door, I started to panic.

She sniffled, wiping away her tears. "It doesn't work right now."

"Yeah, I could see that."

I started to breathe heavily, pacing back and forth and combing through my hair. Then, out of frustration, I began to talk more to myself than Mel. "Fuck. I don't know what to do."

Mel seemed hesitant, she was about to speak, but someone beat her to it.

"Cio?"

I froze the instant I recognized that voice.

"Mommy?" Mel yelled out, pushing herself off against the wall and then towards the door. But, before she could do so, I pulled her back towards me.

Both of us looked at each other. I had to be sure it was our parents, but my shoes were glued to the floor. This had to be some type of trick the scientists pulled; they might just be the ones who held our parents captive.

"Yes, baby. It's me." There was despair in her voice.

I didn't know what to believe anymore.

Mel turned to me. "Cio?"