Magic Children

Chapter 23 Lyons, Colorado- 14 years earlier - Aurora

I'm sorry it's been a while----are you all right?

Arthur's voice waking me up should be more disturbing than it is. It used to be, admittedly. But at this point it's excessively welcome.

"Where are you three?" I hiss. It's been two months since I last saw them. I go out every night, and sit on the roof. Walk through the park. Stare at the glowing lights of the facility through the trees. Sometimes I even go in the day, trying to catch a glimpse of them in the yard in those horrible jump suits.

They moved us to a different facility the day after we last saw you. We're well across the country they're doing tests on us. Blood tests that type of thing. I've been trying to find your mind but it isn't easy

"Okay don't, that's fine, whatever, I'm glad you're okay," I say, quickly. They were supposed to run away by now. We were going to go now, in winter, when they could be bundled up in coats. Angel and Sam and I look old enough to be off on our own. We were going to go north and try to make it into Canada. Pretend to be college students going hiking, and having Arthur mind control people as necessary. We were waiting so that I could buy a car. I don't have one yet, but I should by Christmas my uncle is ready to sell his old one to me.

Yes they are going to bring us back. This isn't easy at all sorry is there anything else? We should be back soon I think

"Sam will punch me if you're bleeding out," I say, smiling a little. Sam is very protective of him.

I should actually stop— we'll be back soon. Angel loves you with all his heart and soul he didn't ask me to tell you that but it's true anyway he's mostly just been growling at me to make sure you're okay? So you're okay?

"Yes, I'm absolutely okay," I lie, he probably knows it's a lie too. "Take care of yourself."

Nothing. He probably was bleeding out, the little worm. They took them away for testing? That's inconvenient to say the least. How long is soon? I'm assuming he doesn't know Arthur is very good about telling me things he knows. But how long? Not that I have to know but soon essentially needs to be this week or the next.

I thought that hiding my pregnancy would go much better than it is. Not long after the boys disappeared I became fairly certain I was pregnant. A stolen drug store test a week later confirmed it. And still, no lost boys tossing rocks at my window and bickering about who can or can't throw without telekinesis (Arthur and Angel can't Sam can because he's coordinated).

And now it's been eight weeks, I'm probably past my third month, which was my main goal. I thought hiding it would be easier than it is. Needless to say, I have to keep up with school and all. But I'm exhausted and hungry all the time. My mother has noticed the change in my eating habits, so I've started to hide food in my room. She found that as well and throws it away. I'm down to fitting into only two pair of sweat pants and three old baggy sweatshirts. That is it. Everything else and I look like I have a tire around my middle. The bathroom scale that my mother hides in the back of the cabinet confirmed I'm a good twenty pounds heavier than I ought to be.

I quickly realized I wasn't going to be able to completely hide the pregnancy, however I figured I could misdirect my parents long enough for the boys to escape and for us to run away. That was when I thought they were still being held here and just figured that they were busy or unable to slip away (that did happen at times). I just want to tell Angel myself. I know he'll be happy along with freaking out about protecting me and his child. All he's ever wanted is to have a family again. And I'm perfectly happy to be that for him. But. I wanted to tell him when we had a good six months to get ourselves out of the country and to safety somewhere in the wilderness. Be hippies who ran off because we don't like the war and work on a farm or something in exchange for someplace to stay.