The Other Strucker

Chapter 5 - I Like Fire, It's Fun

*Leilani-Lorali*

We ditched the car yesterday, after finding an abandoned building to use as a hideout. Me and Lauren would take turns going out to scrounge up some food any chance we got. We were probably going to have to leave this place soon, we've stayed for three days already.

"I'm back!" I said as I walked over to where Lauren and Andy were sitting, waiting for me.

"Cool! What did you find? Anything good?" Andy chirped, a smile on his face. I smiled at his eagerness,

"I found your favorite... canned chili!" If it were possible, his already bright smile brightened even more. His face fell for a minute,

"How are we gonna cook it? We've only had food that doesn't need to be heated, we don't have anything to start a fire" I looked at Lauren pleading with my eyes.

"Fine," She sighed "Go ahead and do it" I beamed at her. I stuck my hand out, into the middle of our small circle, and focused for a while. Slowly, my hand began turning a glowing orange from beneath my skin. I concentrated a little bit more, and it lit up in flames. I held the can over my burning hand and waited for the chili to cook. 

"I like fire, it's fun" I had a big grin that stretched from ear to ear.

Once it was done, I handed it to Lauren, who made small bubbles, out of her shields, and we used them as bowls. We had to drink our chili, but we didn't mind. Andy finished quickly, a happy smile plastered over his face. I was almost finished when we heard sirens closeby. Lauren and I quickly downed the rest of our soup, while Andy began packing. We rushed to throw our stuff together, grabbing our bags and getting ready to run.

We heard a strange noise behind us and we all readied our hands, to use our abilities if it came to it. We saw a glowing portal open up, and a girl run through. Lauren and Andy immediately lowered their hands, going over to help this mutant woman. I stayed where I was, still on edge.

"Who are you?" She and I asked at the same time. I narrowed my eyes but gave an answer anyway,

"We're the Struckers, I'm Leilani-Lorali, that's my twin Lauren, and this is our younger brother Andrew." I stayed formal with this woman, who nodded her head. She then realized she didn't answer her own name,

"Oh! I'm Clarice," She gave a tight smile. We heard footsteps outside and Clarice spoke quickly, "Listen, I'm being chased by the police and they will want you too. I heard about your incident at the school, so you need to find somewhere to hide. I'll do the same. Do not come out unless I say, alright"

I still didn't trust her, but we all nodded anyway. I made Lauren hide in a closet, in the same old office Clarice was hiding in, and I put and behind a filing cabinet in the same room. I turned myself invisible, feeling that same odd tingling feeling I had gotten on my first day finding my powers. As soon as I turned invisible, two people walked in. Clarice threw a mug at the man, he ducked away.

She threw a coffee pot too and he ducked again. 

"Calm down, alright?" He still seemed calm, but urgent

"You with the cops?" Clarice asked quickly, "I can't go back" It was only then that I realized her prison uniform.

"We're not cops, okay?" He was speaking like he was talking to a frightened animal. "We heard you broke out of the mutant detention center and we came looking."

"I don't understand," Her brows furrowed "Who are you?"

"Just a couple of freaks just like you" Clarice still seemed wary when the woman spoke.

"Look, I'm Marcos, this is Lorna" He motioned to himself and the woman beside him. "We can get you somewhere safe." 

Another man ran into the small room, "Guys! There's trouble" He glanced around the room, his eyes stopping directly on the closet Lauren was in. "Come on, get dressed. You're with us now. Your friends are too." He motioned to the filing cabinet and the closet, his eyes being the only thing in my direction.

-I don't really feel like writing the whole part where they are figuring a way out of the building so I'm just gonna time skip-

We were running out of the building when Marcos was shot.

"Marcos!" Lorna yelled to him. I was so busy looking at Lorna and Marcos that it took me a minute to realize Lauren was shot too. I screamed in anger, at the same time Lorna did. We used our powers to attack the cops. 

I lifted as many cops into the air as I could, flinging them around. I began setting my whole body on fire, ignoring the others yelling at us to get in the van. I burst into flames, my eyes burning with white flame as well. I blasted fire at the car's fuel tanks, making them explode. I was turning around when I got hit by a strange bullet, I couldn't feel my body as I fell to the floor. I vaguely heard Marcos screaming for Lorna, and my sibling screaming for me. I wanted to get up and run, but I was stuck on the floor, frozen. My last thought before I blacked out was,

"I like fire, it's fun"