Closer than Home

Laying there contemplative of everything I've ever thought about, I'm Jessica my son's name is Garrick, he's 16. Garrick is a special boy but I see the terror in his heart. It confuses me how Garrick can hold so much destruction in his thoughts. I mean, I know how his dad used to be and all but I thought he was going to grow up and be a normal boy, it seems like I thought wrong.

His dad, my husband had to leave us when he was 3 it's been 13 years but without knowing how to control his power isn't even going to be the most difficult task regarding him. What about the others, he's to be overpowered. I hate to say this but he's going to be the world's worst fear.

"Garrick come here I have to tell you something about your father, " Jessica announced uneasily, "I know he hasn't been in your life much at all but he's coming back, you know how I said you always had a gift? He's going to show you how to use it."

Garrick looked at his mother with a confused surprised look on his face. "Wait, you're telling me he's coming back? I can't believe this!" Garrick exclaimed with exhilaration in his voice.

I'm glad he's taking this well, I don't want another outburst. Speaking of which I should probably tell you the whole story and how this all happened. It all started 20 years ago.

Bishop hills 1986: That's the day I and Alton met. Our mothers were friends and they had been discussing the work they had been preparing since it's undercover and so was Alton. He has chemically mutated abilities created in his father's lab one day. They always said "The boys' a test subject," in a laughing manner of course even though it seemed true sometimes. He was interesting and reminded me as a human-looking, devil reincarnate. He could make fire appear from thin air as well as melting things by touch. He could control what he destroys but as they say "Great power comes great responsibility." He was very powerful, otherworldly at that point.

His anger built up and he set a whole forest on fire. His parents and colleagues had to set it as a lab explosion to get all the attention off of him. They would put a masquerade over every disaster he caused to make sure he was never found out about. Alton was the only one of his kind until Garrick came along.

Alton and I fell in love and had a non-traditional wedding since Alton wasn't known to have ever existed. It was concealed like his life as a whole. We lived happily and had Garrick 2 years after that. Happiness can't linger too long, it has to go and come back at its own pace.

Right before Garrick's 3rd birthday these large men in suits tried carrying Alton away into a van, so he heated his limbs to the boiling point and got the two agents off of him. He looked down at his arms to see melted metal on his skin. He melted it off and in a quick gaze in between running he looked back to see the armless prosthetic metal frame of what looked to be cyborg agents, 75% metal and computer chips, the other 25% being latex and slick black suits.

They're arms regenerated in 30 seconds flat and they were back chasing Alton. They said they knew who he was and that they'd find his family if he didn't do what they wanted. Alton was not hearing it and obliterated that area, melted the Borgs into the ground, and erupted the earth beneath him. He shot a ball of fire and left and hid.

Thank God I had contact with him throughout those years. Everyone that was after him thought he combusted in the incident. We think that it's safe for him to come back home now. Now we just wait.

I expressed my concerns to Alton and he agreed that it's not safe for him not being able to control them let alone knowing he has these abilities. Garrick was always wondering why I wouldn't let him go to a normal school and this is one of the reasons,

I get a message from Alton saying he's here and it's amazing! I missed him so much. As I start to say "Garrick he's he-," Garrick bursts down the stairs like he already knew and said he knew he was here. We both heard the knock and we both rushed to the door, Alton is there and all of us hug in a tight embrace.

"Alton I missed you so much I love you," Jessica says, "I'm so glad you are home and I can finally hug you again."

Garrick has a few fond memories with his father, he missed him so much. "Dad I love you, I'm so happy right now," he said.

Alton holding both of them tightly starts to tear up from all of these emotions building up awaiting this moment for years. He's so happy he's speechless.

Alton responds through his tears and says "It's so good to be home."

Later that night I’m thinking about things and I tell Alton about the things he had picked up from him. Every time I look at Garrick I would always see Alton. Anything my son would do it would remind me of him. Garrick has his temper, anger, and ruthlessness. There's a lot more than that to him though, he is protective, has a good heart and is determined. He also has his clever brain. Garrick has always been a bright and beautiful boy. My pride for my son never fades.

Alton and Garrick soon begin their training and Garrick is blown away. He can’t believe anything that happening especially at the fact he possesses that power. After Garrick’s first day of training, Alton looks at the stove and it’s 8:36 pm. He walks over to me on the balcony with two cups of tea. He sets down his and hands me one and rubs my back with his free hand.

“He’s a fast learner,” I imply, “he reminds me of someone.”

“Oh yeah, I guess so,” chuckled Alton. “I see myself in that boy,” he said.

The two of them are so similar it’s almost scary.

We have been reunited and have been living together for 3 years. It feels like yesterday when Alton came home. I love them so much and believe in both their abilities to use their powers for good. They're a great team together, the two of them. They accomplish their dreams and goals together and find true happiness while doing it.

They show themselves to the world and take on anyone that comes in the path of them doing good for the world.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” -Paulo Coelho