Luminescence

Fourteen.

To clear up any confusion for you readers—
Everything in italics is an old memory that happened in Mara's past. Hudson uncovered it with his mind abilities, and now it is replaying in both of their heads. Again thank you for reading! :)

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"Mara! Come out of your room for dinner!"

A younger me, just seven years old at the time, comes running out of my room in our apartment. And the look on my face said it all—I was as happy as a butterfly in a meadow.

Life really couldn't have gotten much better back then. They were caring, loving, and most importantly supportive.

I loved them.

My mother was gorgeous. With brown, silky hair she could be the world's most prettiest model if she wanted to be. My father was a very muscular lady magnet that seemed to capture the heart of every girl who came in his vision. But his eyes were only set on one person—who just happened to be my mother.

It was a quiet evening in our apartment. The three of us were finally sitting down for dinner, as I happily sample some of my mother's soup that she had offered me to taste. She was making my favorite dinner because it was my birthday.

My mother's smile never faltered when she was around me. Seeing my parents' face so clearly in this memory... almost brought tears to my eyes.

I remembered that we had many neighbors who we were friends with. Often, I was allowed to go play with some of the kids. But I was never allowed to leave the building.

Ever.

Earlier our neighbors had come over for a birthday party, hence the mess around the apartment. Cups lied scattered across the counters as pieces of food littered the floor in an array of messes, begging to be cleaned up.

My father walked in the door, with a massive smile on his face which lightened our moods even more. He had just come back from a long day of work, and now was holding a present in my hand just for me.

"Daddy!" I exclaimed and ran over to him, as he embraced me in one of his big dad hugs.

"Hey, sweetheart. How's my little birthday girl doing today?" He asks, handing me the present in his hand. "Open it. I designed this specially for you."

With my tiny excited hands, I quickly tore the paper tissue out of the bag, floating it in the air as if it were a butterfly. Happily, I pull out the contents of the gift and inside was a simple box.

"You got me a box?" My younger self giggled, taking the tiny box out of the bag and giving it back to my dad.

"Sweetie," he chuckles. "There is so much more than just a box. Let's open it together." He grabs the box with a big smile, and places one hand on the bottom so that I could open it with my two delicate hands.

And as the box opened, I saw the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. It was a sun. One that was so simple yet delicate, and had metal beams emitting off of it.

My eyes glowed with nothing but pure joy. "I love it!" I could barely shout, as excitement was getting the best of me. I turn around so that my dad was able to put it around my neck, and with one simple latch, it was on me.

Quickly I ran to the window to look at my reflection, while my parents hung around in the kitchen to greet each other happily.

But as I looked at my reflection, something wasn't right. In the dark shadows of the night, there was a buzzing sound, and a small, red blinking light. Right outside our window. And since our apartment was 37 stories off the ground, this wasn't normal.