She yelled down at her boys arguing over the one swing left in the tiny playground. It was such a childlike thing to fuss over, but she knew if their voices got too loud it would draw attention where it wasn't needed. Roger was a regular-looking, nicely kept boy. Her other son, Matthew, was...different. The doctors still weren't quite sure what happened, but it was clear that he did not come into the world the way that most children had. Matthew had a roundish, bulbous head with large, dark eyes. His skin was greyish-blue; at first glance, most people thought he was wearing an alien suit. He did look like an alien, she thought. Yet, she loved him all the same. He also was sweet and would do anything for his family, which she never really needed. Often, if he did get himself involved in a situation, it just ended up worse than if he had left it alone. Still, here they were, trying their best to keep a low-profile life.
She felt paranoid constantly and thought back to the days when she tried to keep his appearance concealed. It never really worked. Everywhere they went, people looked at them strangely. Kids would snicker and make comments under their breath. Matthew knew this, and he simply did not care. He would play with anyone who was willing to play with him and would talk to anyone who made the attempt to chat with him. Honestly, she feared things would be much worse. Yet, here they were at a park like any other normal family. Kids fussed here, Roger and Matthew were no different than any other siblings. They had finally settled on who would be able to use the swing, it was Matthew. As he kicked his feet, rocking back and forth to climb higher and higher, Roger cheered him on. Then, everything changed.
A series of things happened in that next moment, all within the span of just a few seconds. A bright light punched into the ground right at the entrance to the park. Dirt and grass blew in all directions. Sarah dove toward her children. Roger moved into a ducking position, and Matthew floated in mid-air, right where he had launched himself out of the swing.
“Matthew!” Sarah screamed as she did her best to cover Roger’s body with her own.
“Doctor Sarah Donegal, you are under arrest by the United States Space Force Enforcement Division. Please put your hands behind your head and do not move,” a booming voice said.
The light faded, revealing two heavily armored men standing in the small crater. They moved toward the family, raising their weapons and aiming them at Matthew.
“Get away from us!” Sarah screamed as she pulled Roger closer.
“You illegally removed Subject Alpha from containment and have been a fugitive for years. You will return the government's property and be held accountable for your actions,” one of the men said.
“You can’t have him!” Sarah yelled as she looked up at Matthew.
He was looking down at her, with tears streaming down his face. He knew this day would come, no matter how much his mother tried to push it off. They tried to stay hidden as best as they could, but here they are, tracked and tagged.
“M-mom? What do we do?” Matthew asked while his voice quivered.
“Don’t let them take you,” Sarah said as she looked up at him.
The two men moved closer, and as they did, Matthew put his hands out. He was still floating, about 10 feet above the ground, and the men eyed each other back and forth. Matthew's skin began to glow brightly as he stared at the guards.
“That is enough, come down and let’s do this peacefully,” the shorter man said.
“I’ve had enough of this peace,” Matthew said as his expression turned to one of anger.
The guards screamed as their weapons twisted in their hands, pulling away from them and turning the barrel back into their own faces.
“Matthew, what are you doing?” Sarah said as she covered her mouth in shock.
“No---more---running,” Matthew said as his eyes narrowed.
BANG!
The End?