The Truth

They told us we'd be safe here. But of course They said that. That's what They always say, and They're always wrong. I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore. It's like Amy always says - I'm an eternal optimist. I never expect the worst to happen. Funny thing is, in our lives, it always does.

I realize I've probably lost all of you already. The thing is, nothing you know about me is true. They brought us here five months ago. If you have memories of me from before that, it's because They put them there. They can do that, and a heck of a lot more. They can do practically anything, seems like, except keep us hidden.

Argh, I'm not doing a very good job of explaining. It's kinda hard, though, when I can't even make sense of any of this.

Alright, it basically boils down to this. There are two powers in our world. The normal people don't see them, but they're always there. We're talking big, super-mega powers. Like, powers that own Disney and the government kind of powers. One of them is called the Order - that's what Jordan told us they're called, anyway. He's our leader, and the only one who's actually spoken to the head of the Order. The Order is our friend - I think. They've kept us alive for the past three years, anyway. For most of that time, we didn't even have a name for them - we just called them They, or Them. Whatever, you get what I'm trying to say.

Jordan says that the Order is some kind of weird mix between a cult and a company. We don't have any idea how big it really is - they only send one or two of their operatives to us at a time, usually when they've failed yet again to hide us properly. Quite a number of them have died in the process of saving us. I can believe the weird part, too - they've done some crazy stuff in the past in order to hide us. They've got a lot of magic at their fingertips, at least - they've fit us into societies as if we'd grown up there.

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention - magic is real. It'll help us a lot if you just went ahead and accepted that.

We don't have a name for the other organization. We usually call them the Others. All we really know about them is that they're the Order's sworn enemy, and they want us bad enough to kill any and everything that gets in their way. Which is kinda a given if you're a super-mega power, I guess. They've been chasing us ever since the Order found us. Ever since our lives ended.

There are five of us - five refugees. There's Jordan, our leader. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be alive today. Greg is a warrior to the bone. He's probably killed more of the Others' minions than anyone the Order has sent to us. Stephanie is a genius. I mean, I've heard of people being able to cook up bombs and whatnot in their basements, but the stuff she does with science is just downright scary. Amy understands our gifts better than any of us. Sure, that isn't saying much - but she's absolutely brilliant with them. And then, of course, there's me. I'm... well, I'm just me, honestly.

We thought we were normal kids. We all grew up pretty normally, anyway. But the fact is, we're not. It's why the Order is protecting us. It's why the Others want us. Because each of us have a gift. I don't mean a Christmas present - I mean an ability. I call it magic. Of course, Stephanie absolutely refuses to concede that point. She's a firm believer in understandable science. But I think it's magic, and Amy agrees with me. That gives me some semblance of ground for my claim, I think.

We can all do things. Jared can control the earth using only his mind. Whenever Greg gets mad or starts fighting, he turns into a freaking Human Torch. Stephanie is a telepath and a telekenetic - meaning she can hear peoples thoughts and move stuff without even touching it. Amy controls water - it's downright impressive what she can do with it, too. I've seen her create mirages using just the water in the air, tricking people who were chasing us into going the wrong way. She's saved us more times than I can count.

I can control the wind. It sounds cool, sure, but it really isn't. I mean, if I was able to summon up tornadoes whenever I felt like it, that would be cool. As it is, I can scare our enemies away with a very threatening breeze. No, seriously. It's downright menacing.

That's sarcasm, for those of you who can't read in tones of voice.

Gah, Jordan's calling me. We have to move out soon. I just have to finish this up - I'm sorry if it isn't too coherent. Maybe I should start from the beginning - the real beginning - next time. Assuming I live long enough to see another computer again. I'm writing this 'cause you all have to know the truth. I'm sick of hiding this way. Sure, the Order will probably delete this before it ever even makes it up on the net - they own the internet, essentially - but I have to at least try. Maybe, if people know about us, we'll make some friends. And maybe if we have friends, we'll be able to stop running and start fighting. Maybe.

Or maybe I'm just grasping at straws, being over-optimistic. Argh, he's yelling at me, now. I really gotta go. Write more soon (baring gruesome dismemberment or some-such painful death)

James
The Last of the Five