Proximity Restored

"Are you ready?"

"I was born ready," Kurt replied.

"Remember to grab only the essentials while I distract him," Joe said with a smile.

They were about to rob a bakery because it was the only way they could get food. They had initially asked the owner of the store for a job but the mean old man rudely chased them away and now, they were back to teach him a lesson and get their "daily bread" at the same time.

It was late at night and the bakery was closed but a security guard was patrolling the area during his night shift. He had stopped walking around and sat on his chair that was right beside the bakery.

The boys had been waiting for him to leave but he didn't so they decided to distract him before stealing what they came for.

Joe stared at the window that was closest to the ground and raised his hand in its direction. He closed his eyes and focused on the window for a few seconds and the birthmark on his palm began to glow, and then suddenly, the window clicked open by itself and the guard heard the sound. He got up from his chair and looked around with his flashlight but when he didn't see anybody, he sat back down.

"Alright! Your turn," Joe said to Kurt, "Good luck." He smiled and ran out into the open.

He casually skipped over to the security guard and stood right in front of him with a smile on his face.

"What do you want, kid?" The guard asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just really like your hat." Joe said and snatched the hat right off the guard's head.

The guard stood up angrily, irritated by Joe's behaviour.

"Give me back my hat, kid." He demanded.

Joe began running circles around him while making faces, trying to annoy the guard into coming after him. It worked!

The guard began to chase after Joe and he led him away from the bakery so Kurt could go in and get the stuff.

Kurt ran out from where he was crouched and headed for the window. He pushed it open and jumped in. It was very dark inside the shop so he looked for a light switch and flicked it on and was greeted by the golden glow of all sorts of pastries ranging from doughnuts, loaves of bread, cakes, and all sorts of deliciousness.

"I knew heaven was real but I had no idea that this was it," He remarked happily.

Kurt grabbed a plastic bag and began stuffing it with pastries. He moved quickly and the large bag was full in next to no time. He climbed back out the window and crawled to the top of the building.

He took out a firecracker and lit the fuse. He threw it down and it exploded with a loud bang. Joe heard the sound from where he was and understood what it meant so he stopped running and let the guard catch up to him.

The security guard was out of breath but he took out his baton and threatened Joe with it.

"Now listen to me, you little rascal. I..." The guard was about to say but Joe cut him off.

"You know what? I'm sorry. Here's your hat and I'll be on my way now," He said and threw the hat right into the guard's face.

In that small window of the guard's distraction, Joe ran up to him and bumped into him before running off into the night.

"Hooligan!" The guard shouted after him and quickly realized that he had been robbed of his wallet.

.

.

.

Joe and Kurt reconvened back at their "home" which was the attic of an abandoned building in the busiest part of the city.

Everyone was usually always busy with their own activities so no one ever paid any attention and it made them practically invisible to others.

Kurt got there first and waited for Joe for a few minutes until he arrived as well.

"Why did it take you so long to get back?" Kurt asked.

"Oh, I was just getting us some drinks. Security guard's treat." Joe said with a smile and took out the bag of sodas he hid behind him.

"You jacked his wallet?" Kurt asked with an impressed look on his face.

"Yep! So, what'd you get?" Joe asked and went over to the bag of pastries.

"Score!" They both screamed in happiness and feasted.

.

.

Later that night, Joe sat by the small window that overlooked the city and stared at the street. He had been searching for so long and yet, he'd discovered nothing about his real parents or an explanation for his abilities.

Kurt was asleep on the pile of clothes on the floor and rolled over to the other side. His eyes flickered open and he noticed Joe's posture and immediately knew what he was thinking about.

"I'm sure we'll find them one day, Joe. You just have to not lose faith." He said to his friend.

"Four years, Kurt. Four years we've been searching and yet, we've found absolutely nothing that can tell us anything about who I am...or what I am," Joe said and looked at the birthmark on his right palm.

"What you are is my best friend. What you are is a really great guy and not to mention, you have superpowers," Kurt said with a chuckle, trying to make Joe smile, "you'll find your family. If anyone can do the impossible, it's you, Joey."

Joe was comforted by Kurt's words and he finally let himself smile.

"Thanks, Kurt."

"Anytime, buddy. Now try and get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow." Kurt said and rolled back to the other side.

"Phew! Is it hot in here?" Kurt said uncomfortably.

"Don't worry, I got you," Joe told him and sat up.

He put his palms together and closed his eyes to focus. His palm lit up and his hands became ice-cold. With one swift wave of his palm, the small attic became filled with snowflakes and the hot temperature dropped, making the room cool and comfortable.

"Wow," Kurt said with an impressed look on his face, "When did you learn that?" He asked.

"I've been practising. Who knows the limit of what I can actually do?" Joe said.

"Which is why I tell you not to worry about finding your parents. You can make snow come out of your fingers and you think you won't be able to find a few people?" Kurt said to lift Joe's spirit.

"You're right, Kurt. I will find them and who knows, it might happen tomorrow."

"That's the spirit! Now shut up so I can get some sleep." Kurt said and closed his eyes.

Joe chuckled at his friend's last comment and went to the floor and laid down.

"Goodnight."

*****************

The next day, Kurt and Joe were up early and left to resume their search for Joe's family.

They had been going through so many files of orphanages on the internet but hadn't found anything tangible but, it didn't stop them from trying again.

With the money he stole from the security guard the other night, Joe and Kurt were able to pay to use some computers in a cyber cafe that they went to.

They sat by the transparent glass window, logged in to the systems and began going through the catalogues, trying to find anything about a missing child from seventeen years ago, or records of orphanages in Boston.

After two hours of searching, they couldn't find anything at all.

"This is so frustrating! It's almost like I was dropped off at the orphanage by aliens who went back to their planet. There's nothing at all, Kurt." Joe said in annoyance.

"Let's just keep searching," Kurt said, "We'll find something, I know it."

Joe reluctantly continued scrolling through the computer and Kurt did the same. Suddenly, Kurt found an article that was published about a thirteen-year-old girl being missing and her mother's promise of a huge sum of money for whoever had any information about her whereabouts.

It had nothing to do with Joe so Kurt scrolled through it but just as he was about to, he noticed that the day she went missing was the same day he and Joe escaped the orphanage, and it was stated there that that day was also the girl's birthday, same as Joe.

"Hey, Joe. You gotta come check this out." Kurt said and Joe moved to his side and stared at his computer.

"This girl, Lydia Delibottom, went missing the same day we escaped the orphanage," Kurt told Joe.

"Yeah, so?" Joe asked, not seeing the relevance of that.

"Look," Kurt pointed at the screen, "It was also her birthday, same as you."

It caught Joe's attention but he still thought it was just a coincidence that meant nothing.

"So, I have the same birthday as some random girl, what does have to do with anything? I don't think this is what we're looking for..." He was saying but Kurt cut him off.

"No freaking way!" Kurt exclaimed.

"What, what is it?" Joe asked.

Kurt pointed out the window and Joe looked in the direction he was pointing and noticed a girl standing right outside a shop on the other side of the street.

Joe looked at the picture of the missing girl on the computer and back at the girl on the street and realized that...

"That's her! That's the same girl." Kurt said out loud.

"How, how the..." Joe tried to say but couldn't form the words.

"Still think it's just a coincidence?" Kurt asked him with a raised brow and they both stared back at the girl.