Tales of a Forgotten Past (2)

He was less than an inch from the window, his nose nearly touching the cold glass. His eyes scanned the forest outside, where the trees swayed under the morning sunlight. It had been two weeks since he escaped the laboratory, but fear was still a constant companion, nestled deep in his chest.

Especially because sometimes, he felt people lurking around the forest. He wasn't sure if they were soldiers from the lab. Probably were, considering what Papa was like. On those days, he'd curl up under the bed and prepare himself. To fight and kill again. Those were the worst nights, robbed of sleep until Mary came into the room, calling him for breakfast.

Other than that, life at the Harringtons' house was paradise. There, he could eat until his belly hurt, sleep without a set time to wake up, and watch TV — so many fun cartoons that he didn't even know which one to pick, switching channels every few minutes. He also got to wear real clothes for the first time, so different from the hospital gown from the lab.

No more punishments, needles, or collars. No one forced him to use his powers or stay connected to wires for hours, being watched by cold, contemptuous eyes. It was like living a dream. So perfect that, sometimes, he feared closing his eyes and waking up back in that sterile white cell.

Thankfully, that never happened.

"Oh, you're already awake."

He turned and saw Mary entering the room, holding a steaming mug of chocolate milk. The sweet smell made his stomach growl. He was crazy about that combination, so much so that he begged Mary to make it for him at least three times a day.

"Another sleepless night?" She frowned when she saw him standing there, a mix of concern and mild irritation in her voice. "We've talked about how important it is to rest."

"I just woke up, Mary," he said, walking toward her, eyes fixed on the mug.

Mary lifted the mug when he reached out his small hand to grab it. "What did you just call me?"

He stopped, feeling the expectation radiating from her. "I meant to say Mom."

"That's right." Mary smiled, satisfied, and lowered the mug for him.

Seven took it with both hands. He blew on the steam and took a sip, the sweet taste filling his mouth. For a moment, it was just him, the mug, and the pleasure that drink gave him.

He had to work hard to convince the Harringtons to adopt him. Since his powers couldn't make someone simply like him, he had to make them truly feel it. Mary was easier. She wanted a child. She already had the desire to be a mother and the fear of never being able to. He only used those feelings to his advantage.

James, on the other hand, was a challenge. His distrust was a tall, solid wall, always undermining every bit of progress Seven made. That's why he had to keep influencing him constantly: a touch of calm when James's fear peaked, a softening of the anxiety when his eyes locked on the 007 on his wrist.

Seven knew why the man was like that after seeing his memories. James was, above all, selfish. Everything revolved around himself—his desires, his convenience. Helping someone? Only if there was something in it for him. He didn't even truly love Mary, his memories revealing a trail of betrayals. The only reason he stayed married was money, afraid of losing everything in a divorce. And since Seven had nothing to offer besides problems, James wanted him as far away as possible.

But little by little, with the influence of his powers and Mary's persistence, James stopped talking about doctors or authorities—and eventually, he agreed to adopt him.

"Is that good?" Mary asked, running her hand through his hair.

He closed his eyes, savoring the cafuné along with the warm milk. "Wonderful."

"I'm glad."

********

[Three days later]

Seven stood in front of the bathroom mirror, his fingers adjusting the collar of the button-up shirt that hung loose on his body. He tugged at the fabric, trying to close the last button, his heart pounding in his chest. Today wasn't just any day. It was the day. The most important one of his life. He and the Harringtons would travel to Chicago to pick up the papers that confirmed his adoption—the documents that would make him, officially, part of a family.

He didn't know how James had pulled it off. Something about a friend with connections, old favors, arranged paperwork. The details didn't matter. Because from now on, he could go outside… today he… he would finally… "From today on I-I..." He stared at himself in the mirror, eyes shimmering with tears beginning to fall down his cheeks. "From today on, I will be Steven Harrington. A-a normal child, with a normal life. Not a number. Not an experiment. Just… a person."

The tears fell freely now, but he didn't wipe them away. They were tears of relief, of victory. He could leave the lab behind and have a life. Steven smiled at his reflection—his first real smile, the first of many, he hoped.

"Steven, are you ready?" Mary's voice echoed from downstairs.

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, taking a deep breath to pull himself together. "I'm coming."

As he came down the stairs, he found Mary in the living room, holding a folded blanket in her hands. "We're late. Let's go."

Steven followed her to the garage, where James was already in the driver's seat, the engine purring softly. Mary opened the back door and looked at him, her expression serious. "Just like we agreed, okay?"

"Yes," he replied, lying down in the back seat. Mary then spread the blanket over him, covering him completely. That was necessary because the story James and Mary had told their friends and the community groups in Hawks was that they were going to adopt the son of a distant cousin of Mary's, who lived abroad and had died in a tragic car accident. A simple narrative, but effective enough to ward off inconvenient questions and avoid suspicious looks.

"All set?" James asked with a low grunt.

"Yes, let's go," Mary said, settling into the passenger seat.

********

Steven had never ridden in a car before. It was disorienting at first—the sensation of movement, the unpredictable bumps, the way the sound of the road kept changing—but it soon got boring, especially since he couldn't see anything.

"You can come out from under that blanket now. We're well out of town—"

Before James could even finish the sentence, Steven tossed the blanket aside and sat up, pressing his face to the window. His eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw how the world opened up in vastness.

Golden fields stretched all the way to the horizon, rippling under the wind. The sky, a deep shade of blue, embraced everything, dotted with white clouds. In the distance, a line of low hills curved gently, and the sun shone brightly, casting long shadows that danced across the earth.

In that moment, Steven understood just how big and beautiful the world was.

***

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.