In a desperate attempt to achieve world peace, governments ordered scientists to genetically modify human genes to make love a more powerful feeling. They create “the soulmate gene”, which makes you emit a blue glow from your chest until you are around your soulmate, then a red light will emit. Now, years later, nearly all wars have stopped and nearly all humans have inherited this gene.

Hurtful slurs fill Elliot’s ears as he rushes past the group of boys who stand outside the boys’ toilets. Elliot tries to ignore the boys, but they follow him.

“Don’t ignore me, freak,” sneers the leader. One of the group’s members kicks the back of Elliot’s knees, causing them to buckle, and him to plummet towards the ground.

“Time to teach you some manners, freak,” the leader exclaims while pulling Elliot off the ground by his collar. The leader readies his fists just before their visions are blinded momentarily. They slowly open their eyes and a red light shines between them. The leader drops Elliot harshly to the ground and the red light discontinues just before the rest of the group sees.

“Why didn’t you punch him, Sam?” questions one of the members of the group to the leader.

“Oh . . . um . . . h-he was nearly crying, the f-freak,” Sam, the leader, stutters. “It was too priceless to stop.” The group beings to walk away, and Elliot feels his life crumbling with every step.

The weeks go by as Elliot starts to notice Sam’s absence from his group. The day the light shone between them still fills his body with pure terror with a single thought of it. One morning, Elliot sees Sam. He wears a dark hoodie and dark tracksuit bottoms. Elliot begins to approach Sam and just as he nears him, Sam’s dark, bloodshot eyes meet his from under his hood

“Get away from me, freak,” Sam growls at Elliot.

“You can’t ignore this forever,” Elliot blurts out, his voice filled with new confidence. Sam’s fist swings at Elliot as a crowd starts to form.

“You are weak!” Elliot shouts

“Shut up!” Sam screams, clutching his ears.

“You are ashamed,” Eliot screams

“Shut up!”

“You are a coward, too afraid to y-” Sam grabs Elliot’s face and pulls it towards him. Their lips touch as the light closes the gap between them.