Rebel Young

Part 1

"Make a wish Annabelle," Mum grinned from behind her disposable camera.

Annabelle scrunched her eyes closed tightly before blowing the candles out on her cake. It wasn't much to look at, a stale sponge cake with thin icing and six candles evenly spaced around the edge, but it was all we could afford with the war rations.

The war is stupid, no one can remember when or why it started in the first place, but we keep fighting. It'll start to look like the end is in sight, then some bright spark will make a comment about religion or government and the fighting escalates again. It's a vicious, never ending spiral. Luckily I've never witnessed the fighting for myself - a rarity at my age. Mum tries to keep her daughters shielded from the outside world, but that can be difficult when all they broadcast is death and destruction. Annabelle is still thankfully oblivious. She doesn't know about the enlistment of our older brother Ethan or our father. One day she will find out, but we'll let her stay a child for a bit longer.

"April would you like some of Annabelle's cake?" Mum asked, offering me a plate.

"Sure," I smiled politely and accepted the cake, knowing full well that it probably tastes of sawdust.

I glanced over my shoulder at the ancient grandfather clock.

"Mum, I have to go," I said hurriedly as I collected my bag from behind me.

She glanced at the clock before nodding.

"Don't stay out too late, if we have the curtains closed you'll have to use the passage out back," Mum warned as I hugged her goodbye.

"I won't, you know that," I sighed as I squeezed Annabelle's shoulders.

"Happy Birthday," I whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek before leaving through the back door.

I pulled my jacket tighter around my body as I tiptoed through the backstreets. The abandoned housed leered at me as I passed. Their windows reflecting an eerie malice. I shivered and continued my task. Twice a week the local teenagers patrol the alleyways and backstreets, looking for secrets.

A clattering noise on my right caused me to jump. I turned quickly to see a fallen wheelie bin in the front yard of a seemingly abandoned house. A dark shape shifted in the front window. Shakily I unhooked a pair of modified glasses from the belt loop of my pants. When active the glasses allowed me to see in my choice of infrared, ultraviolet and night or X-ray vision. I flicked the switch to activate the X-ray function, scanning the house. There was definitely someone inside, but I didn't want to find out who. Knowing my luck it would probably be some kleptomaniac with a vast collection of used murder weapons. I paged the Lab my coordinates and waited for a response. It came shortly after.

"Thnx A, Sending Sum1 now," I read.

Breathing a sigh of relief I read over the twenty character message again. I would have help soon. Not many people know this, but I hate being alone. And being alone in a backstreet full of menacing, abandoned houses, not my idea of a good time.

"You called for help," a masculine voice said from behind me.

I'd been trying so hard not to panic that I hadn't heard him approaching. I jumped slightly and turned to face him.

"Thanks, the house just across the road. I could see a person in the windows," I explained to the boy.

Looking up to meet his eyes, I saw them fixated on my features. I cleared my throat and turned away from the boy, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear to distract myself from his own features. Sure, I'll admit he was good looking. All big, sharp chocolate brown eyes sparkling with intelligence framed by long, full lashes, a chiseled nose and smiling, full lips. His smile hinted of mystery and secrets, the kind of secrets I just had to discover.

"So, how do you plan on assisting me," I awkwardly tried to initiate a conversation.

"I'll infiltrate the building and search for any illegal goods or fugitives, the usual," he shrugged and walked towards the house.

"You coming?" he called over his shoulder as he went.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I mumbled and followed the boy."

"Jack," he said and held out his hand in an impromptu introduction.

"April," I answered and shook his outstretched hand.