A Twist of Fate
Sometime in the near future… man evolves. Mutates. New beings with strange powers that the world fears – or envies?
"Sami, you gotta see this!"
Sami Teterann abandoned the meal she was preparing for her roommates and jogged into the dorm bedroom. Jessi and Song Yi were staring at the television where a banner proclaimed "Mutant Attacks White House."
"What the…" Sami dropped onto the bed in shock, staring at the TV.
"Just what it seems, hon," Jessi said around a mouthful of gum. "Some mutant on a tour tried to kill McKenna. He must be either hella fast or hella tough, 'cause he got away."
"The president wasn't hurt," Song Yi assured her. "At least, that's what they're saying."Jessi popped a bubble insolently. "Like they'd say anything else. Last thing this country needs is the world freakin' out about more mutants…'course, the politicians aren't helping, keep rattling on about the World Unity attack at Ellis Island, like they want the creepy teleporting flamethrowing assholes mad at them…" She blew another bubble and rolled her eyes. "Dumb politicians. Maybe they'll do something right for once and pass that Mutant Registration Act – maybe even lock 'em all up, that'd help."
Song Yi glared at her. Her friend John, a member of that feared minority, had been the victim of a mob attack last year. They'd killed him even though his skin had glowed too hot to touch. Of course, the media said nothing. First of all, it was just another mob killing – this was New York City, nothing unusual – and second of all, who would want to generate sympathy for mutants? Song Yi was the only mutant supporter Sami knew of, and the complete opposite of Jessi, who would be perfectly happy killing some mutants herself. Although she had been inseparable from John before they found out…
Sami still didn't know what to think. Certainly John had been nice enough, but others? Maybe mutants were like the Muslims – most were simply people, but the few fundamentalists wanted to cause grief and pain. But the mutants didn't have a religion for an excuse…they just attacked at will…
The reporter droned on and Sami left to rescue their dinner. Attack at will…and who would stop them? Who could?
*******
Months later…
Sami walked arm-in-arm with Andy as they headed back to the NYU campus dorms. They had just finished an excellent dinner and had taken the bus back here. She giggled at the story he was telling – they were both a little drunk – and Sami felt something out-of-place. Before she could comment, a speeding car whipped around the corner, heading towards them.
They were almost across the street – it was one of those times when everything should have been fine except for one stupid mistake.
In his stupor Andy tripped and fell in the street as they were jogging out of the way. The car skidded to a stop – but not before throwing and about thirty feet through the air. Sami shrieked, the rational part of her mind screaming for someone to call 911, while her hand unconsciously dug through her purse for her cell phone. Another car approached, both occupants leaping out with cell phones in hand. The driver of the murderous vehicle ran to Andy while Sami stood in the street, the grief-maddened part of her mind finally winning out over sanity.
He's dead – he has to be –
An eternity later the ambulances arrived, throwing blue and red light over the body of her fiancé – blue blood, red blood, blue blood, red blood –
Sami screamed again – and one of the ambulances flew up in the air, then touched down gently. The car keys of everyone gathered, as well as a few pebbles, flew toward her, then stopped, hovering at eye level. The leaves in the street swarmed towards the hapless driver of the deadly car – but there's no wind – what's happening –
"A mutant! She's a mutant!"Her scream stopped and everything dropped to the ground. She felt a small pain in her shoulder, and looked down at three tiny darts.
The darts were swallowed by blackness as she collapsed.