Diverse (The Darkest Minds)

Chapter 1

(I don't own this pic above. All credit goes out to the original creator. This is the cabin I imagined Ember and her family living and hiding out in.)

I held a lightbulb in my hand and it lit up.

"Whoa!" Azel gaped softly at the sight, "We probably won't need a flashlight after all!"

"Maybe," I shrugged.

Turns out Azel and I survived the virus. Mom and Dad hid us by faking our deaths fearing that the PSFs, Psi Special Forces would notice us and take Azel and me away from them. PSF are like cops, but who target Psi's, kids who are enhanced. And the PSFs are a bunch of bastards. Mom and Dad got information on what the government was doing with the Psis. It's revealed that the kids are placed in camps, almost like the concentration camps during Nazi Germany.

Plus, there was a resistance group called The Children's League, who were against the lockup on every child. My aunt Hilary, Dad's younger sister is a part of the League. She joined them sometime after her daughter, Mandy my cousin died from the virus and wanted to find out what became of the surviving kids. She sent Mom and Dad the information on the real truth about the camps and that was what motivated them to hide Azel and me.

I imagined joining the League to help free every kid and destroy the camps. However, my parents didn't like the idea of me becoming a soldier fearing that it would get me killed.

Shortly after Azel and I got contracted with I.A.A.N., Mom, and Dad moved all of us into a cabin deep in the woods when it wasn't safe to stay in our old house since it was in the suburbs and people were more likely to take notice of things. No vehicles nor choppers can land anywhere close by. One would have to hike on foot to get to the cabin. It used to belong to my grandparents before they passed away some years after I was born. Grandpa had been an outdoorsman and mountaineer and was suspicious of anything government-related that he built the cabin far from civilization. He hunted and harvested his own food and occasionally went into town to trade and get supplies. Our family had Grandpa's skills memorized to where it became second nature.

Talking about Azel's and my capabilities, I wound up developing multiple powers such as pyrokinesis, mind control, electrokinesis, superintelligence, and telekinesis. It was weird since most of the kids who survived the virus had developed just one ability.

The first power I developed was telekinesis. A couple of days later, superintelligence. Mind control happened a week later when Mom, Dad, Azel, and I were on our way to the cabin. My little brother and I were hidden in the very back of the car when a PSF pulled us over. When the PSF got suspicious and wanted to check the back, I grabbed the soldier, wiped his memory of having seen us, and had him allow us to go. For almost a year, I refused to touch either my parents or Azel fearing that I'd wipe their memories. Though they had assured me that no matter what, they were there for me.

A year after arriving at the cabin, I developed pyrokinesis while I was helping collect firewood. We were careful of setting up fires thinking it would get the attention of tracers, bounty hunters who tracked down kids. Another year later, electrokinesis occurred during a power outage.

Azel, on the other hand, developed just superintelligence. He gained a better understanding of why we all moved into the cabin. I had sensed Azel wished he had the same multiple powers as me before. However, he had always been a super genius even before the virus.

Mom and Dad were able to get information on our capabilities from Hilary. Azel would be categorized as Green. As for me, I wasn't sure what category I was in since I displayed every capability as Red, Orange, Gold, Green, and Blue. So, I called myself Diverse, almost like Divergent. It seemed to fit me well. The PSFs probably won't know what'll hit 'em if I get my chance to fight them off!

Six years after moving into the cabin, I was able to practice using my abilities since there was plenty of space. Plus, we had to be careful about using the Internet since we could be traced easily. Azel, who developed a knack for computers and hacking was able to secure our Wi-Fi fully. I had a feeling the Children's League could use a hacker like my little brother.

Dad would head out to the nearest town to get food and supplies while Mom stayed with us in the cabin and homeschooled Azel and me. Part of the time we learned to harness our abilities. It was how it went for the past few years.

I placed the lightbulb on the table and it shut off.

"How are you guys doing?" Mom smiled.

"We're good," I replied.

"Ember was able to light a lightbulb in her bare hand Azel remarked.

"That's cool," Mom said turning to me, "You're doing a lot better with your abilities."

"Thanks, Mom," I nodded, "Dad still out?"

"Yes. He'll be back before you know it."

I picked up the lightbulb again and like before, it lit up. Mom had both an astonished and proud look.

"Mom? Do you think things will go back to normal again?" Azel asked.

"I'm not sure sweetie," she replied.

"Hopefully when every kid is freed from those prison camps," I added angered at the thought of every child locked up when they did nothing wrong, "And when the government realizes that they've made a huge mistake in separating kids from their families."

"Maybe someday Ember. It could take time and when someone speaks up."

"I sometimes picture myself destroying every camp around and freeing all the kids."

"That might happen soon. I can see you and Azel doing something like that and going to places."

Mom wrapped an arm around me. Azel too joined us in a group hug.

Just then, Dad entered the cabin carrying a full sack.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Never better," I replied.

Dad removed the contents from the sack and set them on the table. I saw that they were canned and dried food.

"It was as much as I could get," he said as I picked a can of peaches and read the label on it.

"They'll work Greg," Mom nodded and hugged him, "We're just happy you're back safe."

"I know Lydia. A Tracer approached me as I was leaving town asking me if I'd seen any kids around."

"What did you say?"

"I told her no."

Azel and I perked upon hearing of Dad having met a Tracer. If anything were to happen and we'd have to evacuate the cabin, we'd stay in the woods as long as possible and only go into town if our supplies were to run low since Tracers stuck to the main roads and towns.

"However, she got suspicious of the bag here. I only told her that you and I barely go into town and planned on stocking up for the winter months," Dad added to Mom.

"Did she buy your story?" I asked.

"She bought it, though we can't take any chances if she was also a PSF," Dad responded, "I better check on the traps." He then pulled out a few sets of tools and headed out the door.

During our first year in the cabin, Dad built a series of booby traps in case the PSFs or tracers found out about us. Azel and I helped him put together some of the traps.

"Dad? You need any help with 'em?" Azel asked eager to assist him since Azel himself came up with the booby trap idea.

"Not this time kiddo. Don't wanna take any chances in case that bounty hunter followed me back here and saw you or Em," he replied and exited.

Azel nodded understanding every word.