Different DNA, Chapter 1

     "Ah!" My brother screeched. 

     I chuckled. "It's just water, Max."

     The brown haired eight year old gave me an annoyed look. "Yea, but it got in my eyes." He started fake crying. 

     I rolled my eyes. I got out of the pool, making sure to keep all the water I could collect on my feathers. Max gave me a looked over at me as I spread my wings out. His face was priceless as I flapped my 12 foot wings, spraying water everywhere. Max  ducked underwater, avoiding my watery spray.

     "You can't avoid me that easily!" I jumped into the air, flapping my tawny speckled wings. I went as high as I could in the small, caged in pool area. "Canon ball!" I screamed before tucking my wings in and plummeting into the water. 

     Max stuck his tongue out at me in a silly, brotherly way. I stuck my tongue out back at him. 

     "Mallory," My mother, who was sitting on the patio, sighed. I rolled my eyes, knowing what was coming. "You can't just 'fly' inside a caged pool area, or any pool area at that. You can't let people see you."

     I was genuinely annoyed at that point. "Mom, no one's looking. It's fine."

     "You never know." She murmured, before returning to her magazine. I could tell she was still nervous, her twitching fingers and uncomfortable shuffling around in her green patio chair gave it away. 

     I got out of the pool and stood by her, my wings hung lazily by my sides, held down from the weight of the water. "Mom," I started. "Don't worry about it. The Parker's will understand, they're like our family now. It won't change how they see us." I reassured her. Yep, I'm the family therapist most of the time, especially with my older sister, Madison, moping around. Complaining about how she is never included or doesn't want to move. "They already think I eat way too much." I said, trying to lift up my mothers spirit a little. 

     She chuckled. "Yea, it'll be-" before she could finish the door bell rang. 

     I looked at her, extremely confused. "That can't be the Parkers. They're way too early." I blurted out. 

     My mother put her magazine down and stood up. "Let me go and see who it is." She sighed. "Mallory, go put some clothes on, just in case."

    I moaned but didn't complain. It could be those suited men again. They always came to our door at least once a week, always asking if we've seen anything unusual lately. They used to never come, until my father died. I dunno who they are, but they are extremely annoying. 

     I shuffled inside with my towel wrapped around me and my wings. I made it to my room and got dressed, fitting my wings into my pajamas, snapping the opening slits shut using the buttons my mother sewed into them. My, were they handy. 

    I remained in my room, listening to the conversation my mother was having with the guest that the door. 

     "I haven't seen anything unusual this past week." My mother said, annoyance in her voice. " I actually did see a snake in my garage. We had to get it out with a broom." She said, stalling. Typical mother. I chuckled. 

     The guest at the door (probably one of the suited men) cleared his throat. "Alright ma'am, thank you."

     My mother then shut the front door. I heard her sigh in relief. She was worried about something, but I wasn't sure what.

     I walked out of my room, my mother was outside watching my brother play in the pool. 

     "Mallory," I heard her say.

     I gulped. "Yes?"

     Fear was in her eyes. "They're looking for you, I just know it."

     "You don't know that." I tried to comfort her. 

     "No," she said, her stare blank. "Those are the same men who tried to take you and 'make sure you were healthy' in the hospital. I know it."

     I took a step back, remembering the story my mother has told me when the strange men had first started appearing at our door. I didn't know what to tell her, I couldn't lie, because I think deep down, that's what we all knew. That those men where her for me. 

     I sighed. "Can I go out for a fly?" I asked, almost pleading.

     "No, no you can't." My mother stated. I was about to make a snappy remark when she said. "Not in those clothes." I almost jumped for joy. 

     I ran back inside and changed into my jean shorts and my Fennekin shirt, being it was blue, it would blend in with the sky. Unfortunately, I had to slash holes in all of my shirts because of my wings. But I guess it's better to be able to fly then to have shirts with no holes in them.

     I was about to bolt out the door when I heard my mother yell from the other room. "Be back before the Parkers get here!"

     "Okay!" I agreed and flew out the door (see what I did there?).