The Mech-man

Chapter 3

Anger boiled inside Max as he ran, memories of his friend flashed by him, the time when they got into trouble together, the time when they pranked Mr Beckon and got away… If he didn’t help his friend, all the happy memories would be gone, the only thing that mattered to him would be gone. Max felt his hand start itching as he charged inside the dusty living room of the orphanage. He tried to calm himself, but he felt a stronger power urging him to feel more and more angry. Mr Beckon, the man he had always hated, had hurt his friend. That was enough. He screamed and charged.

Max felt air rushing by as he charged to tackle Mr Beckon, automatically scanning Mr Beckon’s weakness. Mr Beckon, seeing Max charge, waved his arms as thick as an elephant to fend off Max. Max dodged and punched Mr Beckon. Blood, as red as a cherry, spilled out as Mr Beckoned screamed in fury. “What the hell are you doing!?”

He backed away holding his injured arm. Max stared at Mr Beckon coldly. He couldn’t calm down, as if his hate had been magnified a thousand times. With a surprisingly strong jump, Max lunged at Mr Beckon. He would have succeeded if four orphans hadn’t pulled him away at perfect timing.

“Max, listen to me!” A worried and terrified voice washed Max’s anger away. It was Lucas. “Max, are you okay? You’re hand…”

“Max –” his friends called, the voice seemed faraway, almost as if it was in a dream. Max felt his consciousness slipping from him. His vision darkens and he fell unconscious.

“Max, we have good news!” A woman that Max didn’t know exclaimed happily at him as she walked through the wooden door. Max looked around; he was in a house nothing like the orphanage. The walls were pure white, with beautiful paintings and pictures hung on the wall. The furniture looked like it was never used, clean and not a speck of dust. Plants well kept stood in the corners as if they were a part of the house. The house was bright even though it was night. A decorative light shone white light. Everything looked so beautiful.

“What good news mum?” The sound made Max jump. He quickly turned around and found himself looking at a boy identical to him, only a bit younger. Max suddenly realised the truth, the boy behind him was him when he was young.

“And that woman is my mum?” Max wondered out loud, but no one seemed to care about him or even see that he was there. Another realisation dawned on him, he was invisible. He didn’t belong there.

“Guess.” A man wearing a formal black suit. He almost resembled Max, those dark, black eyes, dark hair.

“Dad.” Real Max muttered to himself, “That was my dad.”

“Did you buy me a toy helicopter?” Young Max guessed.

“No!” His parents replied at the same time.

“Um, did you win the lottery?” Young Max guessed again not getting anywhere close.

“That would have been great, but something better.” Young Max’s mum said.

“Fine, I give up, tell me!” Max’s eyes sparked with curiosity.

“You remember the blood test you did at school?” Young Max’s dad asked, not giving away the secret.

“Yeah.” Young Max replied, a bit impatient, “What was it for? I felt it was useless!”

“Well, I was for the Protector Organisation to test for children with the potential to join the squad. Now it was getting very rare to find one!” Young Max’s dad continued.

“Wow!” Max whispered and made a brave guess, “It can’t be that I got potential! I heard it's as rare as one in a hundred thousand!”

“Well, the good news is that you are the one in a hundred thousand! Congratulations!” Young Max’s parents cheered at the same time.

“You’re not kidding, right?” Max asked, suspiciously.

“No, Max, no. Its all true! We just got the news from The Protector Organisation!” Young Max’s dad said, smiling.

“I just want your permission to train at the Protector’s headquarters, you think you want to?” Young Max’s mum asked.

“This is too good to be true!” Exclaimed Young Max, wide-eyed, “Of course I want to! That’s my dream!”

Young Max’s parents smiled. But something lit up the whole house. Real Max gazed at it horrified. It was a high-technology rocket bomb, made to destroy and kill.

BOOM…

The whole house collapsed, the ceiling fell as fire, blood red, exploded around the house.

“Ahhh!” Young Max screamed as everything went dark.

The second time.