Discovering Shadows (Completed)

Meeting the Family

"What's her name?" Max asks. He's looking at me but I feel like he knows I won't answer so he's asking the grownups. He looks more curious than the others. They all have varying shades of emotions most dominant being fear.

"I...uh..Sh..Well we don't actually know it." Asher stutters. I've never heard him do that before. But now I understand why he didn't want to tell them that. After he said it all the kids are glaring at him. They look so mad. Why are they so mad at him? Because I am here? Do they want me to leave?

"You didn't ask?" Silas questions loudly. He sounds mad because they don't know my name...but that's not fair I didn't tell them. I don't tell anyone.

"She doesn't talk and no one where she came from could tell us anything about her." Fate stated quietly. She was looking firmly at the children like they were being completely reasonable. I think they are all crazy now. If kids talked like that to The Headmistress they wouldn't eat for a month they'd be lucky if that was all. If it was me anything I did resulted in the basement.

Aiden walks forward to stop in front of me. It pulls me from my thoughts. He's taller than me so he kneels down on a knee to see me. I move back but can only take a step because Kevin's legs are blocking me. "You're ok, little one." Kevin whispers.

Aiden frowns at Kevin before looking at me again. "It's ok. My name is Aiden."

He looks surprised when I nod at him like I know that already.

He looks back at the kids quickly and then to Asher.

Hunter asks quietly "Did you tell her about us?" Asher and Fate shake their heads no and they all look at me with the same surprise as Aiden.

"Well little one, you know our names. But we don't know yours. Wanna tell us?" Aiden asks me. I shake my head. He squints at me like maybe, I'll change my mind, or even whisper it. But I won't. It's not that I don't want to...I just can't!

He looks to Kevin who also shakes his head. When it looks like no one will answer him be sighs loudly.

I feel a little guilty. I really want to tell them. But I can never make my voice work. I want to tell them all about me. I want them all to know me. So, I look around at the house and think of what I would tell them if I could speak. I feel like if I concentrate hard on Aiden, he will understand even if I don't use my voice.

My name is Sylar. I am five years old. My birthday was the day I left the orphanage. I'm a little scared. I miss my friend. I always stayed there. Oh, and I'm hungry. I'm so hungry. But I don't want Asher's food. Sometimes it's smelly and looks slimy. But pizza... Mmm I really wished I had some pizza. The pizza Ms. Maggie made was so good. It was cheesy and saucy. Oh, it just always made my tummy bust. It was nice.

Aiden smiled really big. "I think we can manage that. It's nice to meet you, Sylar." No one seemed to think it was weird at all that he magically knew my name. So, when he held out his hand for me to shake and I looked at both sides before putting my hand in his. I didn't think anything of it. But when our hands touched I seen memories.

A little boy sat on the couch in a rundown apartment. His parent talking adamantly to each other. Neither willing to budge in their current argument. This argument just happened to be when their son conveniently made the school think he didn't exist.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!! Momma, please! I was so scared. I just kept thinking. I'm not here. You don't know me. No one sees me..." The little boy continued to cry repeating the same thing over and over.

But the parents... they too became entranced, they stopped arguing and begin their routine. The little boy watched in sadness as his parents forgot about him. They didn't even see him anymore. No matter how much he yelled, or touched them, or tried to undo it. He was forgotten and alone. He was scared.

The memory moved to a big store with lots of food. The little boy was dragging a basket behind him and filling it with food. People started watching him but he just thought to them You don't see me and soon the people passed. When he was ready to leave, the Grownup behind the moving belt and beeping thing called the register asked him where his parents were. But he just said they are right by the door waiting on me. She stopped asking questions and did her job when she was done she told him numbers $15.37 and he dug in his pocket. He pulled out some newspaper scraps and said This is all the money. It's fifteen thirty-seven. He thanked her and left with his bag. He went to the park across the street, sat at a park bench and ate the food in his bag. He was all by himself looking at all the families playing and having picnics. He looked lonely.

A little Max walked up and sat by him. They sat in silence for a while. Just people watching. "Wanna play?" Max whispered.

This began a friendship. I began to see flashes of his life. Fate bringing him home with Max. Asher taking them fishing and camping. Soon each kid joined in the memories and each memory was happy. They were a family.

I blinked and then I was looking into the shocked eyes of each face.

I broke the rules again.

Always stay quiet... Never tell anyone about yourself... Never attract attention.

I'm a secret. Always alone. No one should see me. No one should care. I'm dangerous.

This time it was too late.