Maria felt the connection instantly, and as the boy’s life force started to drain out of him and his breathing slowed, flashes of his life hit her. *Flash* Pushing a younger boy to the ground in the playground, others around him cheering him on. *Flash* Roaming the streets with his gang as a teenager tagging walls and other public property. *Flash* Breaking into a house, a young girl cowers in the corner protecting a younger boy behind her, watching as they ransack the jewellery box. *Flash* The parents come home to find the boys in their house; the boy pulls out a knife and grabs the young girl by her hair. “Please don’t hurt my baby” the woman sobs. Suddenly Maria was thrown out of the boys mind, as if the last vision triggered something burried deep within her. *Flash* “Kill me, but please don’t hurt my baby” a woman whispers. Three tall dark men loom over them, arms envelope her and Maria stares into the face of her mother. The voices around her become clearer. “Kill the human, Kill the hybrid freak” They were yelling it about her Back in the forest, Maria jumped back from the boy as if burned. Staring at his now lifeless body, she glanced around her. Eyes darting in fear. It couldn’t be true. Maria knew how her parents had died, her mother had been murdered by alien hunters, and her father, mortally wounded had carried four year old Maria to his brother’s house, soon following his wife into the afterlife. Human? She was more alien than any of them, even Michael. Her Uncle Jim was an alien, and her father and their father…and their father’s father, right back to Necedo, one of the first aliens to come to earth. But her mother… She knew almost nothing about her mother’s family. Amy, came from the West Coast her uncle had told her, her family was back there. What if her mother was human? That would make Maria… No, it was impossible, Not only were Other Worlders forbidden to fall in love with humans, but there was no such thing as half human-alien hybrids. Behind her, someone was approaching, but Maria was too consumed by her own thoughts to hear. If it were true…she would have to leave everything… Uncle Jim…. The gang….And Michael, she’d have to leave Michael. Maria’s throat constricted at the thought. From behind her she felt a hand on her shoulder Maria took off, running hard and fast through the trees, towards the city and her Uncle Jim, the only person who could give her the answers she needed. Michael stood dazed watching her retreating figure. TBC

Part 2