Mistakes

In the year 2100, science has advanced much more then we believed. Cancer has been cured, a new clean energy was found, even body modifications are possible. Like science, humans have also evolved over the years. Some people are born able to move objects with their mind, create fire out of thin air and other odd abilities due to being able to use all 100% of their brain power. While many welcomes such changes, there are those who oppose such things fear that it will make them no longer “human.” The story follows the life of Eli, a orphan who was adopted by Al.


“Eli! It’s time for dinner!” Al shouted

“Ok...” Eli says quietly as he walked down the stairs

it has been about 6 months since Al has adopted Eli. During this time they have grown rather close. Al may drinks a lot and sometimes do and say things he don’t mean to, but he is still a kind person.

“So how was school?” Says Al

“I-it’s fun there... I made many friends...” Eli smiles nervously

“Thats good to know, you were so shy around people that I was worried” Al said with a kind smile

Eli just nodded his head and continued eating

“ah-” Al tries to continue the conversation but also ran out of topics

Seeing how there was nothing else to talk about, Eli and Al just keep eating in silence.

Buy the time they were done, it was already dark.

“Did you finish your homework yet?” Al asked while turning on the TV

“Not yet... I’m going to finish it now.” says Eli and he walked back up the stairs

As Eli go into his room, he could finally relax.

“What’s his problem, wanting to know everything you do”

“y-you’re wrong, he was just worried about me that’s all...”

“Worried? HA! He is just like the others, he only cares for you so he doesn’t get in trouble.”

“go-go away! He isn’t that kind of person!”

“You knew as well was I that I can’t, remember, I am a part of you... that will never change...”

After that, Eli’s other half finally went quiet. He is something Eli had to deal with for a very long time. Since as long as Eli could remember, he has been adopted and abandoned over and over again. All those who adopted him became afraid of him sooner rather then later. Sometime during cycle, he was born, a split personality that is the complete opposite of Eli.

“Al is a really kind person...” Eli whispers as he continues his homework.

Some more time past by and Eli has finished his homework. Just as he was about to go to sleep, he heard the TV downstairs still running. It was Al, he was still watching the late night news.

*Studies have shown that the birth rate of mutants have dramatically increased these past few years. Since the government still understand very little of these mutants, the government suggests to report to the local officials if someone you know is a mutant. Now back to you.*

Mutants... *hic* those crazy things should be locked away in a zoo! *hic* It was Al drunk on the couch talking about how much he dislikes mutants.

Eli walks down to Al and called out to him

“F-father?”

“eh? oh! El-*hic*i, did you sle*hic*ep yet? you have school tomorro*hic*w...”

“I’m going to sleep soon, you should too...”

Eli propped Al up against him and walked up the stairs with him

After reaching Al’s room, Eli tucked Al in and went back into the hallway where the sound of the TV was still clear.

“You know he will find out sooner or later.”

“I k-know that... but I think he will understand!”

“pft it’s amazing how you can trust him even after all the others you have trusted all betrayed you. Not to mention how much this one seem to hate people who has powers.”

“ya... but still! He may be afraid of them but if we just talk to him about it, he will understand right? r-right?

He was quiet. With that, Eli looked at the TV, turned it off and went into his room for the night.

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“So! Everyone should bring these back and get them signed  by next friday! Those who don’t won’t be going on the trip so remember to bring them! Class dismissed!” Says Eli’s homeroom teacher.

“Hey! Eli!” shouted Kyle

“Are you going to go on the trip!? It looks really fun!” Kyle says grinning

“maybe, I’m not sure if father has time...” Eli says quietly

“Of course he will! It’s not like he can’t take a break from writing his book~”

“I don’t know... I really don’t want to disturb his work...”

“Oh you worrywart~, just go and ask him! Here! I’ll come with you!”

Saying that Kyle grabbed Eli by the arm and run off towards Eli’s house.

“Mr. Alex! Are you home!?” Kyle shouted at the house

“Ya! wait, wait just one moment!” Al said as a big clang came out of the attic

When Al go to the door he was covered in dust

“Were you cleaning Mr. Alex?” Kyle asks

“Ya, I wanted to clean the attic for sometime now.” Al smiles

“Welcome home Eli” Al says kindly

“I-i’m back” Eli said

Seeing this Kyle laughed again

“Oh Eli~ you are just as shy at home as in school!”

“Come on in you two and get some snacks” Al waves them in

After Kyle and Eli had their share of snacks, Kyle finally started talking about the trip

“Next month our class is going on a trip to the mountains! Can Eli go too!?”

“Of course he can!” Al exclaimed

“Can you come too?” Kyle asks

“Me? hum...” Al was deep in thought

“Maybe... I would have to wait and see... But if I’m free I’ll will definitely go.

“Hear that Eli? You can go too!” Kyle jumps up and down happily

“ya!” Eli replied

It was the day of the trip. The sun was shining, clear skies and a nice breeze blowing. It was the perfect day for a trip to the mountains.

“Everyone! Get to your groups! You will be camping with the people in your group here on the mountain for 2 days and 2 nights! Make sure you bring all the supplies with you! But most importantly don’t forget the emergency flare!. In case of any trouble or injuries, fire the flare like in the instruction booklet and a teacher will come and pick you up! Any questions!?”

The teacher looks around

“Alright! Go up this path and you will reach the campsite by dusk! Have fun and be safe!”

With that, the students, teachers and parents who can come all went up the road to the campsite.

“Awwww, so Mr. Alex couldn’t come?” says Kyle

“ya... he had to go to a meeting...”

“... Cheer up!” Kyle said with a grin

“My parents couldn’t come either! So we will just have to do this ourselves!”

This made Eli laugh a bit

With all the chatting they did, they reached the campsite before long

“Wow that was more tiring then I thought!” Kyle said gasping for air

“Y-ya... it seemed... so much... easier...” says Eli just as out of breath

They both laughed at how out of breath they are

Afterwards they started to build their campsite.

“Where should be build them Eli?”

“anywhere is fine with me..”

“Anywhere?” Kyle looks about

“How about over there!” Kyle said while pointing at a giant oak tree

“sure, that looks good”

“Alright! Let’s start building!” Kyle seemed very excited

By the time they were done it was already dark. So they had dinner and got really for bed.

“Hey Eli? you still awake?” Kyle said

“ya... I can’t seem to fall asleep.”

“you too? hehe, neither can I”

“So have you told your dad yet?...”

“no... no, not yet...”

“you should really tell him... it’s not right to keep him in the dark.”

“you’re right... but how can I tell him?..”

“I’m sure he will listen to you... I haven’t seen him as happy as he did with you since his wife died...”

“I’ll think about it... I really want to tell him too...”

“Kyle?” Eli looked at Kyle and Kyle seems to have fallen asleep already

“thank you...”




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“Hey! Eli! Wake up already!”

“how can you be so loud this early in the morning... *yawns*”

“hehehe, unlike you I’m not lazy” Kyle says smiling

“Oh by the way breakfast is ready! We have having biscuits and ham today! Also we are going to pick some mushrooms later! So make sure to bring your bag with you!” Kyle said cheerfully

“alright... *sigh*”

After  they finished their breakfast they gathered their things and went off to pick mushrooms.

“hey Eli”

....

“hey Eli!”

....

“...HEY!” Kyle shouted

“waah!?”

“Are you ignoring me!?” kyle says with her cheeks puffed out like a bruting child

“o-oh, nothing... I was just thinking.”

“? Thinking about what?”

“how I should tell father... seeming how much he hates mutants...”

“... it will be fine... I’m sure of it. If it’s you I think he will accept you...”

“thanks Kyle...”

just as Eli finished saying that the ground under them caved in

“AhhH!!!!!!!!”

The two of them fell into the river below

“KYLE! You alright!?” *cough cough*

“y-ya! Sort of! We need to, find a way up!”

“The sides are too steep! we can’t climb it!”

“Kyle! Grab my hand!”

Eli extends his hand and Kyle was able to grab on

What can I do!? Eli thought to himself, as he looked around he saw a branch that is just long enough to reach the river.

Eli closes his eyes and concentrates, on the branch. The branch started bending as if it were magic. The two was able to grab onto the branch and climb to safety.

“well, that worked” kyle said

“... but where are we now? We got washed quite the way down stream...”

“Hey I know!Let’s use the flares!” Kyle says as she dug reached for her bag, but her bag was washed away.

“...”

“... even if you had it, it wouldn’t work... it was wet and it wouldn’t light up anyways”

“w-what should *sniff* we do?” Kyle said with watery eyes

“wa- hey don’t cry! we’ll be fine! we didn’t get washed down that far!”

*sniff* “you sure?” Kyle said as she wiped her eyes

“...let’s go then or it will get dark before we get back to camp...”

“*sniff* ok.” says Kyle

So the two of them started to follow the river up, hoping to find the campground. But what they didn’t know is that even though it was a camping ground, there were areas that are fenced off to keep the wild animals out.


Eli looks up in the sky, it was already past noon.

“hey, Eli, do you really think we can get back before the teachers get worried?” Kyle questioned

“... I don’t knew... but we should be close right? We have been walking for some time now...”

Just as Eli said that, a sound came from a berry bush.

“hey! maybe it’s someone from class!” Kyle said as she ran towards the bush

But it wasn’t their classmate, it was a bear, and it was mad that Kyle disturbed it’s dinner.

The bear chased them all over the forest, but somehow they were able to lose the bear.

“well, now we are really lost...” Eli said as he looks around

“s-so now what? are we going to die in the forest?” Kyle started to get teary eyed again

“n-no! of course not!” Eli said trying to convince Kyle

“*sniff* you don’t sound very convincing...” Kyle said looking at Eli

“eh....”

As Eli frantically tries to calm Kyle down, he noticed off in the distance was a trail of smoke.

“Kyle look over there! There’s smoke!”

kyle looks up at where Eli was pointing and was smiling again

“What are you waiting for!? Come on!”

Kyle grabbed Eli and ran towards the smoke.

Luckily the smoke was from one of the camps who started to cook dinner.

When they got back the teachers were worried sick and the two got an long scolding from the teachers. But, since it was all over, they just patched the two up and let them finish the trip.

As the two was going home

“hey, kyle”

“hum?”

“I’ve decided to tell father about me...”

“really!? Thats great! He will surely understand!” Kyle smiled

“thank you...”

However the other side of him disagrees...

“Are you really that stupid?! Do you really think he will accept you, a freak like you?”

“... Al is a good person, I believe he will accept me... just like Kyle”

“You’re kidding right? Have you forgotten what we have been through? Were they nothing to you?”

“o-of course I remember... but just this once, just this once I wish to believe again...”

“Well suit yourself... I warned you.”






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“Father, I’m home.” Eli said as he walked in.

But there was no answer

“Father?” Eli shouted, but there was still no answer

As Eli walked into the living room he saw a piece of paper

“Eli, if you are reading this, I will be gone for a week or so. There is food in the fridge and money in the drawer. My parents in the First District is sick, I’m going to visit them for a bit. Be good and look after the house ok? Oh and remember to do your homework and sleep on time!

From: Al”

“Hahahahaha, Just as you made up your mind, that guy isn’t here!”

“sh-shut up! I trust him! i’ll just have to wait a bit longer.. thats all...”

“suit yourself~”


But a week passed and Al did not return. Then two weeks, then three. The weeks turned into months and the months turned into years. Al never came back. There was no news, no letter, nothing about Al. He just vanished. Five years have passed since Al disappeared. Eli, was was only only twelve is now seventeen. During these 5 years, the villagers gradually found out that he was a mutant, but no one was really not against it. To find his father Eli thought to himself that he must become stronger. So he trained his body and his powers for 5 years. Then he wished to leave the 2nd District in search for his father.

“You better not disappear like your father Eli...” Kyle says with tears in her eye

Eli smiles “don’t worry, I will come back... thank you and everyone for these years. Without you guys I wouldn’t be here right now. So stop crying ok? I’m not that shy little kid anymore.”

Kyle nodded and joined the others waving goodbye.

As he left, the villagers bide his farewell and gave him some money and freshly baked bread.


After about 3 days of walking Eli arrived in the First District. It was nothing like the 2nd, for it was very new and everything looked very advance. There are drones cleaning the sidewalks, Self driving cars, Robots doing shopping for people, it was something Eli saw on TV before, but never seen it in real life. Instead of looking for a place to live and a job like the elder suggested, Eli spent the entire day looking about the city. So logically, when night fell, he still haven’t found a place to take shelter. He walked about the city and was able to find a park.

Since he had nowhere to go, he decided to stay there for the night.

After saying good night, Eli drifted off to sleep... but was shortly awoken.

“STOP!” Shouted a voice “ST-OP! IN THE NAME OF THE LA-W!”

The person who was getting shouted at ran pass Eli

“Stop? Are you stupid?! Who would stop if you told them to stop?”

“I-will-get- youuu *deep breathing* I will - catch you-!”

“um... officer, I think he is getting away...” Eli says as he watches this comedy play out before him.

“I-I-I know that!” The officer says out of breath

“Would you like some help?” Eli asked

“wh-what can you do, *huff puff* you’re just a civilian.”

Eli waved his hand in the direction the they who the officer was chasing went

and from the distance came a yelp for help.

“There you go~” Eli said smiling

When the officer went over to see what was going on, she found the robber suspended in midair.

She gasps “you are a mutant?”

Eli scratches his head “is that bad?” he questioned

“N-no! That’s wonderful!” the officer said amazed

Eli was sort of thrown off by her odd reaction and could only blush

“Hey come with me!”

“ok- wait what!?”

“Come with me to the police department! You’re not doing anything anyways, besides I need to take you in for a statement too”

With that said, she grabbed Eli and the robber to the police car.

When Eli got in, he thought to himself, “I seem to get dragged around a whole lot...”

“yes you do”

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“So what’s your name?” she asks

“e-Eli”

“Eli? What a interesting name for a guy” she says as she let out a little laugh

“I am Marry, I just joined the police this month!” she says happily

“So what are you doing here and why were you sleeping in the park?”

“I thought this was going to be a statement for catching the thief...”

“Oh it’s fine!”

“AHEM”

Marry jumped in her chair and turned around.

“I-i diddididn’t see you there chief.” Marry squeaked

“How Many Times Have I Told You This Is Not A Game!?” the chief boomed

“a-a lot...”

The chief sighs and turns to Eli.

“So I heard that you help this newbie catch the thief am I correct?”

“uh, yes sir...”

“And that you are a mutant as well?”

“y-ya...”

“How would you like to join police force?”

“...wait what?” Eli said looking very confused

“Our previous psychic user retired, so we need someone like you. Seeming the way you look I’m guessing your new here and doesn’t have a place to live nor a job. The pay isn’t the best but you can live here. So what do you say?”

“A normal citizen can just join the police force just like that?”

“Well, no, you would have to go through training first but it isn’t that hard. It will take a month at most. So you interested?”

“S-sure! It will be my pleasure!” Eli says happily

“GOOD!” went the chief with him thundering voice

“Here is the address for training, go there and just say Chief Luke sent you. They will take care of you from there.

“I think I just got suckered into this...”

Marry quietly nodded.

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It has been a while since Eli join the police force. With his powers, he was able to help many people and catch criminals that others couldn’t. But one thing still sits heavy on his mind.

Where did his father go? Also that he was still unable to tell him the truth.

One day while organizing the archives Marry found something.

“Hey Eli! Didn’t you say you were looking for a guy named Alex?”

“Ya, did you find something?” Eli looked over

“I think so, is this him?” Marry hands Eli a folder with the name Alex on the front

Eli was surprised, it really was his father’s full name.

As he opened the folder he found out why he never returned...

He was killed in a traffic accident the day before he was going to come back.

Within the folder he also found the possessions Al left behind.

There was his favorite pen he uses to write his books with, a photo of his late wife and also a odd looking disk.

“Marry, do you know what this is?” Eli said showing her the disk

“That’s a hologram recorder, are you going to listen to it?”

Eli nods and starts up the playback.

Eli, happy birthday, I don’t have the courage to talk to you face to face but, if it is a recording, I can do it. I have known for a long time that you were a mutant, but I couldn’t say it to you since you knew how much I hate them... But after I met you, I started to change, you are you, mutant or not. I just want to say, Happy birthday Eli, and I love you...”

The hologram ended and so did this story.



(In case if you are wondering why the story seem to be missing many thing, it was because I thought it was supposed to be a 25k word paper, not 2500. So the story was made around the idea that it would be 25k words. After finding out it was 2500 I had to cut out many things to make it fit the requirement.)

Comments (2)

Margaret Hohenstein (Student 2015)
Margaret Hohenstein

The sci-fi in this story is believable for sure. I think there could have been more explanation about it though. Why are some people mutants and some aren't? This story succeeded really well with character development because of all of the dialog. I am wonder a lot about what the world is like though.

Betty Louis (Student 2015)
Betty Louis

The science fiction behind the story was quite interesting. Since it is in the setting of 2100 I can picture there be mutant or some type of different alien form living among us. It sounds believable. This story succeeded in telling a lot about the setting and giving the reader a lot of dialogue and action to work with. SInce this is only part of your story I kind of want to read the rest!