STRANGE // hs

28

Harry and I'd been in the countryside for a while hiding out while the world settled down around us. The news of Strange was still echoing around the world and the nasty, degrading response from Normals wasn't unexpected but it was alarming. So we hid until life out there in the real world settled down.

Gemma joined us in our safe haven away from civilization as Great Britain and many other European countries debated "outing" known Strange persons to their communities. My mother, Sienna, even stayed with us, much to my own annoyance. But having Gemma read Sienna's thoughts made me more comfortable and less threatened having my bat shit crazy mom around.

It was a witch hunt in the United States.

We experienced incredible amounts of blame and bloodshed over the last month. Everyone was pointing fingers at suspected Strange without any real context of who they were or what they were capable of doing. It was everyone blaming everyone...

...until Dr. Topalli and other government officials created a test.

They found a way to see who and why Strange were different than Normals. Everyone around the city and in the suburbs were getting the test. They were giving it out at the local pharmacies and grocery centers. Even schools were giving it to students and families.

It was a mandated test by the government and we were under a state of emergency. Everyone was ordered to take the test. The penalty for not taking the test was jail time. The only indication if you were tested was one round scar the size of a pinky fingernail at the top of your spine. And those who were strange received a second one right behind the right ear.

So we incinerated round scars on our spines to fake our "normalcy and complacency" when we appeared in public. It didn't take long for the scabs to heal and turn into the scars we saw on everyone else.

Near the end of February, it was getting closer to the start of spring. I was feeling claustrophobic in the tiny cabin with just Harry, Gemma, and my mother accompanying us. The routines were getting old and I was starting to lose my mind. I needed to get fresh air away from them, away from the routine and the hiding we were getting too accustomed to.

And I did something bad, but it felt so good.

Harry and I went to the supermarket in town like always. We kept to ourselves and didn't make unnecessary eye contact or conversation with civilians.

I told him I was using the restroom when I left the building and hot wired an old car that had been parked there for weeks.

I needed to see Matt and Lillie. I needed to make sure they were ok. If anything happened to them because of me, I would never forgive myself.

So I drove far and hoped I wouldn't be spotted by any Normals. First, I drove to my old apartment with Matt. Harry told him to leave town a while ago, but I wasn't convinced Matt would listen to Harry's advice.

I parked the car, leaving it running, and ran up the steps to our front door. Matt's car wasn't parked anywhere I saw, but that didn't mean he wasn't here. And if he wasn't here, maybe something inside would help me determine where I could find him.

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Matt?" I called out.

It was silent. Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Matt! It's Mia!"

I heard footsteps approaching finally. My stomach swirled and I began to feel my excitement brew with seeing my ex-roommate's charming face. But the door cracked open and a petite woman stood in front of me. Her dark hair covered most of the milky white skin on her face and she looked up at me with her chin pointing down.