Mara noticed things.
She noticed when Kane was pretending not to be hungry.
She noticed when Kade had been somewhere he shouldn't.
And she noticed when Kian became unusually quiet.
That evening, Kian had barely spoken.
He sat beside the window, watching the street below while Kane and Kade argued over a broken radio.
"I told you not to touch it," Kane said.
"I was fixing it."
"You don't know how to fix radios."
"I was learning."
"You broke it."
"I didn't."
"You did."
Kade pointed at Kian.
"Ask him."
Both boys looked over.
Kian didn't move.
"I wasn't watching."
Kane sighed.
"See?"
Kade folded his arms.
"You're both against me."
"Because you're usually wrong," Kane said.
Kade opened his mouth to argue.
Then Mara walked in.
"Enough."
The boys immediately went quiet.
She placed a small bag of groceries on the table.
Kade looked inside.
"Is that meat?"
Mara smiled.
"Yes."
Kade's entire face changed.
"I love you, Mama."
"You loved me five minutes ago."
"I love you more now."
Kane laughed.
Mara shook her head.
"You three are impossible."
For a moment, everything was fine.
Then someone knocked on the door.
Mara's smile disappeared.
She wasn't expecting anyone.
She walked over slowly.
"Who is it?"
"Open up."
A man's voice.
Mara looked at the boys.
"Stay here."
She opened the door only halfway.
A tall man stood outside wearing a dark jacket.
"Mara?"
"Yes?"
"I've been looking for you."
She didn't answer.
The man glanced past her.
"I heard you have three boys."
Mara's hand tightened around the door.
"Who told you that?"
"People talk."
"About what?"
"About mutants."
The word hung in the doorway.
Mara's expression hardened.
"My children aren't your concern."
The man smiled faintly.
"I didn't say they were."
He stepped closer.
Mara immediately pushed the door shut.
She locked it.
Then she turned around.
Kane was standing.
"Who was that?"
"Nobody."
Kade frowned.
"You looked scared."
"I'm not scared."
Kian was still sitting by the window.
He looked outside.
The man was walking away.
Kian watched him until he disappeared around the corner.
That night, Mara didn't sleep.
She sat beside the boys while they slept, staring at their faces.
She remembered the first time she had seen those eyes.
Red.
Blue.
Green.
She had spent six years telling herself that whatever was different about her sons would stay hidden.
But secrets rarely stayed buried forever.
The next morning, the boys went outside.
Kade challenged Kane to a race.
"To the end of the street!"
Kane shook his head.
"You're going to cheat."
"Only if you're slow."
They ran.
Kian followed behind them.
Halfway down the street, Kade suddenly stopped.
A bicycle had fallen in front of him.
He tried to jump over it.
His foot caught the wheel.
He fell hard.
Kane turned.
"Kade!"
"I'm fine!"
Kade tried to stand.
A group of older boys nearby started laughing.
"Look at him!"
Kade brushed dirt from his shirt.
One of them walked closer.
"What's wrong, little boy?"
"Nothing."
The older boy grabbed his shirt.
Kane stepped forward.
"Leave him."
The boy laughed.
"Or what?"
Kane stared at him.
He didn't answer.
The boy shoved Kade again.
Kian suddenly appeared beside them.
"Let him go."
The older boy looked at Kian.
Then he laughed.
"Three of you?"
He grabbed Kian's shoulder.
And for one strange second—
Kian wasn't there.
The boy's hand passed through empty air.
He stumbled forward.
"What the—?"
Kian was standing several feet away.
Kane stared at him.
Kade stared too.
Kian stared at his own hands.
"I..."
He didn't know how he had gotten there.
The older boys backed away.
One of them whispered,
"Freaks."
They ran.
The three brothers stood silently in the street.
Kade finally spoke.
"Did you just..."
"I don't know."
Kane looked at Kian.
"Do it again."
"I can't."
"Try."
Kian concentrated.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Kade scratched his head.
"Maybe you imagined it."
Kian looked at him.
"I didn't."
Kane glanced toward the street.
"Then we don't tell anyone."
Kade nodded.
Kian swallowed.
"What about Mama?"
Kane looked at him.
"We tell her."
The three brothers walked home together.
But before they reached the door, Kane stopped.
Mara was standing outside.
She had heard everything.
And from the look on her face, they knew immediately—
she already understood.