Lily

You don’t like me very much. Do you?

Those words kept running through his head as he continued to give CPR to one of his students. She had collapsed into a puddle about a minute ago, and was not breathing. But he could feel the faint heartbeat. The rain had stopped an hour ago, but the dark gray clouds remained.

“Come on Lily!”

His voice was filled with worry, anger, and betrayal. She couldn’t leave this world yet.  Where the hell was that ambulance? Did she know that she had her whole life to live? She was only 16 years old, barely an adult according to the government.

The government had made sure to keep total control over all “mutants”. Her abilities were considered dangerous, so the government had given her a serum. It made her powers weak; so that way she would never cause any serious damage. But that dreadful serum had a side-effect: loneliness. She was always alone. She knew she was the last of “her kind”. Very few mutants ever survive the age of 16. And she had to survive.

“Breathe damn it!”

Sirens were blaring from the ambulance. Finally they were here. The paramedics gently pushed him away so they were able to do their job. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. She laid there motionless, as electricity ran through her body.

Why do you always ask me that?

A left hand moved. It was her left hand that moved. Her chest bounced up and down. A light red glow covered her soaked body. Everyone stared at her lightly backed away. She opened her slowly at first. As if her eyes were adjusting to the bright lights from the ambulance. Suddenly a flash of red light came and then went.

She survived. He knew she survived. She had to have survived. She can’t die. Die. No. He shook his head. He didn’t imagine her hand moving or the red flash. You can’t imagine seeing things like that. You just can’t. Anyone in their right mind would agree with him. That is, if he was in his right mind. Who ever heard of a teacher losing his mind over the death of a single student? Sure there were news reports of students and teachers dying and it affected the whole school. However a single death over something that has happen all the time; would that have triggered his mind into letting him think he had imagined it all?

Well why don’t you ever answer the question?

The paramedics gently picked the young girl up and took her towards the Nurse’s Office.
However before he could follow them, one of the paramedics stopped him. Damn it!

“I am sorry sir but you have to wait out here. Are you the father?”

“What? Oh! Yes I am her father. Is she going to be alright?”

He lied. He had to lie. Her father was in jail. And here he was, her English teacher. She can’t go back home. He knew that. Her family had disowned her once they had found out about her powers. Her abilities to manipulate fire, metal and liquids, not many “mutants” could control that many elements all at once. She moved from one friend’s house to another friend’s house. She didn’t have a permanent home.

He knew that. He was like her in so many ways. The serum, it was much more powerful than it is now, he was given many years ago nearly killed him as well. But he survived. A classmate of his had saved them. She was now his wife. She wouldn’t mind if Lily stayed with them. They had enough room. And Lily needed to control what little power she has left.

“We have to give another shot of the serum. Other than that, she will be released in a few minutes.”

He looked down at the floor. Thunder lightly being played in the background, a flash of lightning danced across the sky. He nodded.

“Alright I’ll wait.”

There was nothing he could do for her except comfort her. He sat down on the cold, wet cement. The rain had started up again. As it was lightly pouring on his head; he thought about all those times he told her that no matter what happened. He would always be with her by her side. He picked his head up and watched her.

Her blonde hair was drenched from the rain puddle; her clothes clung to her body almost like a second skin. Her dark green eyes were clouded with tears. But her thin lips…those lips had formed a small, timid smile.

He smiled at her.