Gen Two- Chapter Thirty One

Those two solemn words mom spoke lingered painfully in the air. Her eyes darted this way and that, but never got higher than the floor. She waited for someone to say something, for someone to react, but I think the rest of us, at least I was, were waiting for her to keep going. To say it was just a joke. To reveal it actually wasn't that serious. When the silence dragged on until it grew suffocating, I looked to dad. There was no doubt by the stunned expression he wore that mom hadn't chosen to speak to him about this beforehand.

     "Lung cancer?"

Wisp was the brave one to break the tension. Even his soft voice boomed like thunder as the horror was that immense.

     "But..but that's something that only people who smoke and stuff get!" Cerise piped up, her words dripped with denial.

     "It's more common for them, but that's not necessarily true," mom countered gently, "All the horrible bouts of pneumonia I've had are what's done it. My lungs have been weakened so much, it was the right environment for the mutations to thrive.

Gen Two- Chapter Two

The two of them had no idea what was coming for them. They had seen me enter the pool area, but they were so engaged in their swimming and casual chatting that they didn't notice me subtly sneaking over to the diving board. I wasn't a diver by any means. I rather sucked, in fact. What I did excel in, however, was making the biggest splashes in the whole family, which I thought was impressive given how relatively small I was compared to everyone else. I watched in enjoyment when they heard the bounce of the board, their heads whipped in my direction, and another annoyed call of my name echoed out. Unfortunately for them, it was too late. I was already sky-high. The two girls in the water barely had time to clear out of the way before I sent cascading surges of water drenching over them.