Wavering Future

Chapter 2

Jay waved as Pharzuph left with Scott and Jean before turning back to his friends. “So when do you have to go back?”

            “Why? Do you want us to go?” Angeni joked.

            “No, but I don’t think your parents would like it if you were late and I know Professor X wouldn’t like it if Ashling was late getting back to the school.”

            Ashling sat down in the grass beside them and handed them both some punch. “Your mom gave this to me, she said she wants you back inside in a few minutes… it sounded like they were packing things pretty quickly.”

            “What?” Jay glanced at her. “Do you think we’re going on vacation?”

            “I’m not sure… they kind of rushed me out pretty quickly…”

            Jay stood up. “I’ll go see what I can find out.”

            They nodded and Jay jogged towards the house and paused before opening the door, his father froze in the middle of carrying a suitcase to a pile that were by the door and wiped the worried expression quickly off his face. “What’s wrong Jay? I can get you more punch.”

            “Dad… what’s going on?” Jay glanced towards his mom as she started taking more things from his room to pack. “Is something wrong?”

            Alex kneeled down and put his hands on Jay’s shoulders. “Of course not… this is just a-a vacation… Don’t worry.”

            “Where are we going?”

            “It’s a surprise.” He stood up and started taking the suitcases to the car, leaving Jay to his own devices.

            Jay watched him go, still doubting what he’d been told, he was about to go ask his mom about the ‘vacation’ but a scream from outside made him turn the other way and run out to see what was happening. What he saw terrified him; a large robot like thing landed across the road from their house and started to walk towards them, as he ran he could feel the ground vibrating beneath his feet.

            “What is it? Why’s the ground shaking?” Ashling whimpered as she tried in vain to see the heatless, walking, weapon coming towards them.

            “A giant robot!” Angeni shouted and started pulling her away. “Come on we have to out run it until I can teleport us!”

            “Wait, I can’t leave my parents!” Jay stopped running and turned back towards his house. “Just hurry back for us!”

            “Jay wait!” Angeni yelled and tried to grab him but he had already ran out of arms reach.

            “We have to help him.” Ashling said.

            “We can… by getting back up come on.” Angeni slowed her pace down and concentrated on the Professor Xavier’s office before teleporting her and Ashling.

            His mom saw what he was doing and caught his arm before he could get any closer. “Stay back Jay. Run, we can take care of this.”

            “But…” Jay glanced around her to see another robot land nearby while his father was trying to lead the first one away. “I can help…”

            “No.”

            Jay tried to protest again but his mother hushed him and gently turned him around and pushed him towards the direction his friends had gone. He started to leave only to look back as she ran to help his father, he couldn’t just leave his parents though so instead of leaving completely he tried to stay a safe distance away, almost moving towards the fight unconsciously. It wasn’t until he was at the edge of the road that one of the robots turned and targeted him, forgetting about his father, which it dropped after seemingly trying to pop off his head, to that Jay could guess that’s what it wanted to do, and now it was coming for him. Jay backed up but the robot towered over him by at least nine feet and it only had to take two steps to catch up and swat him into a tree trunk. He lay on the ground dazed before seeing the giant robotic foot coming down to crush his and hastily rolled to the side.