Lyrissa's Sparkles

“Oi! No fair, you can’t fly over to the goal… it’s no fair!” Kiera almost screamed across the sewer tunnel. “Yeah, no flying in football!” Max agreed; stomping his food, and splashing water everywhere. “Ew.” he giggled.

Kiera and Max were twin brother and sister, only eight years old. They had been living underground, for about a year; ever since they found out they were “Special”. They lived in a small colony type setting with several other special people like them. It was mostly kids living down there, and the “adults” weren’t exactly grown-up. The oldest one was only 19 after all, but they took care of each other.

“Lyrissa, tell Jamie he can’t fly in football!” Kiera demanded. Lyrissa was the oldest of the underground colony. “It isn’t fair to fly in football, or soccer, unless there are other people on the other team that can fly. Kiera and Max can’t fly, so Jamie I need you to please stop flying.” she laughed. “It’s soccer, we’re not playing Football ‘cause you said we’d get hurt!” he replied. Jamie was only six, but already knew how to use his special abilities extremely well. He could fly over 85 miles an hour at least; which always made the older kids laugh, because the only thing you could see when he few so fast, was his fiery, orange, curly hair making a blurred streak as he went by. “But Kiera, and Max are from Europe, and they call it football over there.” she explained softly. “…oh. Okay!” he grinned and threw the ball back to Max. “I guess it’s penalty then huh?” he asked with a smile.
“Nah, we’ll just say it didn’t count. Besides, isn’t it time to eat Rissa?” he asked. Most of the kids called her Rissa as a nickname; or Sparkles, but that was mainly a joke about her hair. Long black hair that came down to the middle of her back, that sparkled like someone had sprayed Barbie-girl glitter hairspray all over it; only her sparkles came naturally. “Yes it is, and you’re gonna love it. Come on.” she answered, and led them through the sewers back to their home.

“Wow! Pizza!!!” Jamie screamed as he saw the stacks of pizza boxes on the table. “Courtesy of Uncle Charlie.” Lyrissa smiled as she watched the twenty-odd kids attack the pizza. None of the others knew who Uncle Charlie was. He was an old friend of her father’s, when he died Uncle Charlie took her in for a while, but she ran away after she found out she was special. He told her all about what she was, and helped her control her powers, but by then she had already taken responsibility of the kids and couldn’t go back; so he decided to help her in any, and every way possible.

“Heads up Sparkles!” someone yelled. She turned just in time to see a piece of pizza flying at her head. She ducked as it stopped just above her. “No food fights.” Andrew stated firmly. Andrew was like the second in charge. He was 17, and second oldest. He was quite good looking too; former high school football star, athlete build, light brown hair that fell just to his shoulders, and near perfect skin. He had always kept his hair short, but there aren’t many barbers in the New York sewer systems. “Yeah! Don’t waste food Dante!” a very young girl squeaked from the corner.

Allie, onlly four years old, was the youngest of all the underground kids. She only had a white nightgown, which matched her abnormally light blonde hair perfectly; and made her look like an angel with her huge, crystal blue eyes. She was an adorable little girl. When her dad had found out about her powers, he had physically thrown her out of the house; dead middle of winter. Andrew found her, and brought her to Lyrissa to take care of. She somehow was able to make everyone feel better. If they were afraid, she’d be able to take away their fear; and do the same with pain, hate, and anger.

“Shut up Allie.” Dante frowned; he hated getting in trouble just as much as any other kid. “Dante,” Andrew had started a warning but stopped suddenly as he felt someone coming. “Move! Everyone away from the wall. Get over here!” he shouted. Lyrissa couldn’t tell what was going on, but when Andrew was worried about something, it meant there was something to be worried about. Allie had started crying because the fear from everyone was too much for her. Lyrissa had found out months ago she was able to feel emotions from people too.

Lyrissa, Andrew, a fifteen year old girl who called herself Jazz, and a fourteen year old boy who she had named Box, stood in front of all the other kids protectively. Jazz created a purple glow around her hands and prepared for a fight. Box grabbed a baseball bat he had found, Lyrissa stood seemingly relaxed, but Andrew knew her better than that, and he had grabbed the pizza cutter, and a knife as his weapons. “Love your choice in arms Rew.” she laughed. “Bite me.” he retorted nervously.

It seemed like hours went by in the minute and a half that passed before the wall burst apart revealing an army of heavily armed soldiers. “Oh my god…” Jazz gasped. “We can’t fight these guys!” Box screamed as they opened fire. “RUN! Rew grab some and run, Jazz, Box, you go together and grab some. I’ll take the rest, lets go!” Lyrissa ordered over the fight. Jazz had thrown up a shield that was holding off the bullets for the time being, but they all knew it wouldn’t last long. “Who do we take?” Jazz shrieked as a bullet broke through and went past her head. “Don’t care, grab them and run!” Lyrissa spat and left with seven of the twenty kids. The others followed her lead, but split off group by group. Soon it was just Lyrissa, Max, Allie, Dante, and four others that she hadn’t had a chance to get acquainted with yet. Allie couldn’t keep up, so Max had picked her up and carried her piggy-back as they ran.
“Max, you’re going to exhaust yourself, give her to me.” Lyrissa sighed as they ran. He nodded while panting for air, and gave a terrified Allie to her. They had to stop for a breather, because she was afraid they may collapse. They had found a small hiding place, and huddled together silently; Lyrissa trying her best to muffle Allie’s sobs. “Keep moving guys, they’re coming!” Jamie screamed as he whizzed by. “Just keep moving Jamie! We’re coming, just keep moving!” Andrew shouted as he ran by their hiding place. “Let’s go, I don’t think we’re too safe here guys.” she sighed as they joined Andrew’s group.

Shots rang out behind them as they ran. Suddenly Dante screamed and hit the ground holding his leg.

“Dante!” Lyrissa gasped as blood poured from his leg. “It hurts! I can’t run it hurts, and they’re coming!” he cried. Andrew’s group was already too far ahead of her and couldn’t hear her screaming for help. She had no idea where Jazz and Box had gone, and Dante was right, they were coming; and fast.

She screamed in frustration, as the soldiers were shouting and getting closer to them, Allie was sobbing and pulling her arm begging to leave, and Dante was crying in a pool of his own blood after being shot.

Suddenly a loud crash rang out as the soldiers started firing again. “Jazz!” she screamed, thinking the crash was one of her explosions she caused from time to time when she lost control. “Hey kid, get a move on!” someone shouted as the fight got closer. She watched in awe as a man with very strange hair fought in front of her, with metal claws coming form his hands. She recognized him immediately as Wolverine; she had met him once while living with her Uncle Charlie. “Come on Sparkles, please?! Please can we go, I’m scared!” Allie screamed through her tears.

Lyrissa couldn’t take it and let out a scream of her own. Everything was too much for her. As she screamed, Wolverine stopped fighting and stared blankly along with the soldiers he had been fighting as her entire body turned as black as her hair. Her eyes started to give off light, but it was dark, like shadows; but somehow still light. As she screamed harder while losing all control, black wisps surrounded her and extended through the sewer in all directions; knocking out every soldier in her range.

“Sparkles!” Allie shrieked suddenly; pulling her back to reality. Lyrissa tried to focus on her, but all she could see were shadows as she blacked out.