Playing With Fire : Andy Strucker

pRElude

"Leo, do you think they really died in a car accident?" Rosie Endo spoke to her husband as she looked over at the toddler in the crib

"My intuition says no, Rosie. But what is important is that Karen stays safe with us." Leo Endo looked at his wife with a hardened expression.

"I can't believe they're both gone just like that...poor Karen." Rosie spoke once more, now muffled with cries.

"We will do our best to protect her. She is with us now." Leo placed a reassuring arm around his wife's shoulders as he looked at his niece once more.
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"Ren! Can you head to the convenience store to get me more baking soda?"

"Sure Mama!" My aunt Rosie never wanted me to felt like I was not apart of the family and she had me calling her mum the moment I was welcomed into the family. I knew that my uncle and aunt were not my real parents when I was ten. I came across a family photo album in their room. I saw a picture of my real parents and them together, with me and Thomas.

"Hey Tommy, do you want to join me too?" I asked my cousin who was in fact more like a brother to me.

"No Ren.... I'm working on my science project." I saw him fiddling with several Styrofoam balls that were to be used for his solar display.

"Alright if you say so..." I turned back once more to look at him. His right blue iris shone in the light in comparison to his left dark iris, but I could see his expression hardened. Thomas was always getting bullied for looking different. Kids at school were calling him out to be a mutant when in fact his eye colours were just of pure different colouration.

It was ironic in fact when I am actually the one who is a mutant. I first discovered my powers when I radiated an energy blast to stop several bullies ganging up on Thomas one day after school. All three bullies got knocked out. They had no recollection of the incident and my uncle decided it was best that we moved to a different state.

My powers did not resurface again after that incident. I thought it was a fluke. Turns out it was not. My uncle decided to reveal to me that our family had a history of the x gene. He himself had powers too, but he could keep it under wraps. He said it was important to do so as there were bad people both humans and mutants who would seek us out.

It was never confirmed whether Thomas had the x gene. He did not show any signs. Uncle Leo explained that Thomas' powers could still be dormant or even skipped his generation just like it did for my dad.

"I will stop by the diner to get you a milkshake!" Thomas turned his head to me, the hardened expression on his face softened and he broke out into a smile. "Thanks Ren, come back soon."

"Come back safe!" My aunt added as I just stepped outside. I held onto a ring strung on a necklace left by my father. My uncle explained that it came with me the day I was brought to them.

I got onto my bike and started cycling to the convenience store.

"Hi Mr Park!" I greeted the familiar store owner who has been running his business ever since he migrated over to America.

"Hello, Karen! Picking up things for your mum?" He said good-heartedly as he adjusted his glasses.

"Yes, she ran out of baking powder and needed me to get some more." I replied

"They're in the back beside the cans!" I gave him a thumbs up.

"Thanks!" I managed to locate the baking powder and went on to scan the shelves for anything that caught he my eye. Aunt Rosie gave me an extra ten bucks. The store bell suddenly rung and in came a drunkard. Mr Park refused to sell anything to him, seeing the state he was in. The drunkard spat some slurs to Mr Park before walking out.