From a bird’s eye view, you could see the metropolitan city, Tello, waking up as the migratory birds started their journey towards the south. Grey skyscrapers with too many windows to count had their top graced by the warm beams of the orange giant, warming us up from another chilly morning. Rush hour was starting you could see on the roads the iconic light blue taxi barreling towards its destination trying to get their passengers there on time.
As the red ambulance turned it’s sirens on as if it was Moses splitting the red sea, it cleared the path rushing to its destination. On the walkways, you could see all kinds of colours from people rushing to their job. Green, black, grey, and even a few nurses' light reds. You could see a purple car parked with sirens on it. A pair of matching dressed police officers in purple clothes stepped out of the purple car. Starting their morning foot patrol ensuring peace is held up even in the chaos of rush hour.
You could see a few cyclists passing next to the purple police car doing their commute. a pair of cyclists from the mass are using some city bikes in their all-white colour. The smell of gasoline and pollution mixed in with pizza stands and food trucks preparing for morning service.
Turning off the main street you would see a few human-shaped blankets they were homeless people thanking or cursing god that they have survived another early autumn night. Hoping that winter will not be as harsh as last year's. At least it was dry yesterday they thought hoping it won’t rain today. They are preparing for their morning commute as well to get to their usual spot for begging, though their life has become even harsher ever since the new legislation made begging illegal if they ever get spotted by police they will get thrown in a holding cell, some have abused this system on especially cold nights to get free food and a dry place to sleep.
I live in the outskirts of Tello in an area that is American styled family houses anywhere you look there are just copied and pasted houses all of them with their light blue roofs white doors and grey exteriors the only differentiating parts are the cars parked they are all variations of colour from black, white, and grey. The only colours they sell to us. even if the car model is the exact same, I still couldn’t remember what brand these cars are but I know everybody uses them. in front of the house, everybody has a small porch garden sometimes hosting purple or pink flowers, maybe even a blue one. Unlike our own red and yellow flowers in our small porch garden.
(Sarah)
Groggily coming to I realized I was awake. I immediately shoot up to sit. Realizing that I am not in the void. Relief passed through my body in waves. I checked outside my window and saw that it was morning. Relief was shoot through my body in waves almost having me melt back into my bed I forced myself to stay sitting.
Thirsty I reached for my water bottle, and it flew to my hands. Not realizing what just happened I took a deep sip from the water bottle and tried to place it back on my night desk, I looked at the night desk and saw it almost on the other side of the room. I stopped confused. ‘wasn’t this on my night desk?’
Focusing on the water bottle was just a normal plastic water bottle with a label on it and some leftover water. I tried squishing the water bottle and just as you would expect a plastic bottle to crunch it did. Seeing and feeling nothing wrong with the water bottle I awkwardly placed it on the floor.
Focusing on myself alarmed I had a new sense, It was hard to describe I could feel the outlines of all objects in a range around me. Mildly alarmed I tried to test it out. I could sense the outline of the night desk the discarded water bottle and the rest of the furniture in my room. I could also sense my clothes, the blanket I was using and my pillows. I felt like I could interact with these objects. I tried to do something with the water bottle and propel it upwards.
The next second the water bottle launched itself upwards into my ceiling exploding on contact the remaining water in the bottle flew everywhere you could hear a loud bang echoing in the room as the water bottle exploded. Shrieking, scared and drenched in water, I looked up at the ceiling only to see a large dent at the place of the explosion. Afraid if what just happened.
‘Mom is going to kill me if she finds out.’ What just happened? Did I do that?
As I was going to continue testing I could sense a human-shaped figure move towards my door.
“Sarah! What was that?! Are you alright?!” It was mom, she must have heard me shrieking and the loud bang.
Slightly panicking and trying to think up an excuse I said “I just fell off the bed, nothing is wrong!”
“Open the door then, let me see you!” She barely not screaming said.
Not knowing what to say, embarrassed and slightly afraid of mom finding out what I did. All the while trying to cope with my new senses I said “I’m naked!”
“What?” She asked bewildered both of our brains paused for a second. Realizing what I just said.
A few seconds later trying to come up with a response she said. “I’ve seen you naked plenty of times what's different now?”
Embarrassed, afraid of mom finding out. “Just let me get dressed first quickly!” I said as I tried to come up with a way to hide my mess.
“Alright fine just hurry.” She said relenting.
I got out of my bed mildly panicking I grabbed a few shirts I didn’t like and started scoping up the water from all around my wooden floor after my shirts were soaking wet I threw them into the bottom of the wardrobe making sure to not forget about them. I also gathered the remaining bits of plastic from all around the room. After I managed to gather everything I could, I deposited them in the bottom of the wardrobe as well.
I double-checked making sure there is nothing left to indicate that a bottle exploded here.
‘The hole!’ I thought looking up and seeing the impression on the ceiling, which I can only wish that mom wouldn’t notice.
I moved to my door and unlocked it for mom, she burst into the room and started inspecting me from head to toe as she said “What was that Sarah, what did you do?”
“I told you mom I just fell off the bed.” I said trying to block the vision of the impression on the ceiling with my taller self.
Stolen story; please report.
“Are you sure?” She stared into my eyes as she said that. Her soul-searching eyes hit me, how intense it was for those few seconds I could barely mutter out a “Yes.”
Satisfies with my answer she let me go and started making her way out of my room “Alright sweetie just don’t scare me like that again.” she said while starting to leave the room. “Also come down for breakfast I made some pancakes”
She most likely thought I needed some extra space because of yesterday when I fell unconscious again. It was honestly getting tiring at this point. Would I fall unconscious again today? I hope not.
Checking the time on my phone it was around 8 AM mom would have to leave for work shortly.
After the excitement of exploding a water bottle, it was an unremarkably boring breakfast we both made some small talk and both of us left last night unsaid. Soon she had to leave for work.
“I have overtime today, I won’t be home until night, here's some money order something you like.” She handed me some money while giving me a hug before leaving.
And again I was home alone, as loneliness was starting to set in again I heard my phone ringing. Grabbing my phone I saw it was Hugh.
“Hey, Hugh what's up?” I said curiously why he would call me.
“Hey, Sarah so when are we meeting up?” said Hugh. Ohh, shoot I didn’t send him the text yesterday.
“How does in 1 hour sound? At Tangerine park, it’s the one next to the hospital with a black fence.” I said.
“Alright, I’ll meet you there.” Said, Hugh.
“Okay see you there!” Saying that I hung up. and started getting ready.
I took a shower and packed a light blue backpack I found with some essentials. Like a flashlight, a nervous tick passed through me as I checked to make sure it was still sunny out. It was still bright outside, calming my nerves.
I got dressed in a light blue sundress and some black shoes. I got everything ready and I set out with my trusty backpack. I decided I would walk it wasn’t that far around a 15-minute walk.
I arrived at the park and ahead of me was a large menacing black fence with a pair of open gates. Inside I saw a few wooden benches lazily thrown around dirt pathways with a calming pond while a few ducks were lazily drifting on its surface. I looked around and saw a man walking his dog and a loving couple having a picnic under a large tree giving them plenty of shade.
It was still early autumn the weather was still nice even if it was turning a little bit chilly, and the leaves of the trees haven’t begun to turn orange and fall yet. They were shining vibrant green as the morning sun hit their leaves. I could hear a few of the migratory birds around singing, it looked like they are taking a break in this park.
After these last few days, it was really nice being able to enter such a relaxing place and take some time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. In the distance, I saw the imposing building of the hospital that had a light blue paint line vertical line going through the left side not far off. It was St Louis where I woke up after falling unconscious at least if anything happens the hospital isn’t far away.
Slightly guilty that I left home I kept reassuring myself that nothing will happen. I really hope mom won’t find out. I noticed a few nurses in light red just arrived as well deciding to take their morning break here to take a stroll around and chat. Looking around and not spotting Hugh. Seems like I was a bit early. I decided to take a seat on a bench overlooking the lake. With nothing better to do, I started reminiscing about Hugh.
We’ve known each other since kindergarten, he is my best friend. We went to the same Middle and High school and now are studying at separate Universities. He is like a little brother to me. The best way to describe Hugh was that he was a kind of nerdy guy, he was shorter than me and thin like a stickman. He always wears a large hoodie since he always has been embarrassed by how thin his body is.
I’ve tried in the past to help him gain some weight but it never really worked out. Hugh likes to spend a lot of his time reading superhero comics, a hobby which I acquired as well. He is super obsessed with all superhero-related things. He has a few posters of Superman and a whole shelf of comics at home, when we were younger he would always bring a comic and we would read it together during lunch breaks. I heard that he has a small group where they like to roleplay and play DnD with superheroes. I could never get that into it but comic reading has become one of my hobbies, I have a few comics hidden at home that I for sure didn’t take from Hugh.
Superheroes brought back memories of what I did in the morning. The new sense I could tune out as I’ve done for this whole morning. Starting to focus on the surround sense I gained I could feel a few loose rocks around me the calm water of the pond only disturbed by the ducks. My range didn’t extend to the other side of the shore but a few ducks were in my range. The man walking his dog just passed in and out with his dog, it was a weird feeling I could sense the outline of people and objects but I couldn’t see inside them.
I decided to test it out again, thinking about what I could use and try not to be noticed I found a few pieces of loose gravel under my feet. I tried moving a piece of the loose gravel up to my hand exerting as little power as I could. Visually it was amazing like an invisible hand it grabbed a piece of gravel and it slowly lifted off from the ground and flew to my hand.
Thinking how neat this is it would be so easy to clean my room now. Smirking happy with myself. It clicked wiping the smirk off my face I have telekinesis. Shocked beyond belief, I have a superpower? Was I imagining things again? Am I high? a million questions popped into my mind not believing what I just did.
I tried moving the piece of gravel down to my feet and it worked, I did this a few more times before relenting that yes I wasn’t imagining things. I had telekinesis.
Slowly it morphed into excitement with a huge smirk on my face. I wanted to test out how strong I can launch something I lifted a new piece of gravel and focused on launching it, at first nothing happened it just floated in front of me. Then I realized I have to exert some force into it like with the bottle accident. I was aiming the piece of gravel into the water as I put as much power as I could into it. I really didn’t think this through did I?
The gravel piece shoots forward with a shrill screaming sound like a firecracker going off next to my ears but 5x louder. My ears were starting to ring from the shrill sound, hurting my ears. Faster than I could process the small gravel piece passed the sound barrier and it hit the surface of the water it opened a hole in the water, like a black hole with nothing in its centre.
The gravel piece was displacing a lot of air and water as my dress was both fluttering and failing to defend me from newly created rain. The shockwaves of air hit me with cold striking my body. Within a few seconds, my body was assaulted by cold air and then a slightly chilly morning turned into a summer rainstorm. Completely drenched, I stared at what I’d done.
I could spot an unlucky fish being hit by my rock as its midsection disintegrated. As if time stopped the water refused to budge before flooding the artificial hole. As water flooded the hole ears rang, and my clothes were drenched in cold water. I started to process what just happened.
The nurses not far off were shrieking most likely scared of whatever just happened over here. There went my plan of being unnoticed. Quickly I got up and scrambled to the entrance of the park before anyone could stop me. Looking back at the water I held back the vomit, I could see a fish head floating in the water with blood oozing out of it. I quickly averted my eyes and tried to forget what I just saw.
Pretending like I just didn’t obliterate the midsection of a fish and create fresh rain with a small piece of gravel I stood at the entrance in shock, not knowing what to do.
After a few minutes of calming down, and sorting through my thoughts. I saw the man with the dog coming towards me. He was in his mid-thirties bald in all-black sports clothes. You could see on his face that he was slightly afraid and curious about what happened at the lake, before coming over to me he already talked with the nurses asking them if they know what happened and calming them down.
“Hey, are you alright? What happened over there?” He asked concerned for me.
“Yes I’m fine I don’t know I was just sitting there. When the water just erupted.” I told the man. As my sundress was dripping with water.
“Do you need some help? You are quite drenched. I’m a police officer I am just off-duty” He said offering to help.
Alarm bells went off in my head police officer? The government will capture me and treat me like a guinea pig. “No! Just leave me alone!” I said on the verge of screaming afraid of being found out.
“Alright, Alright I was just trying to help.” said the man seeing the fierce look in my eyes. He started to back off.
I might not have been that intimidating as a woman in a completely drenched dress, I was lucky he probably thought I was just angry. I’m glad he didn’t push further I wouldn’t have known what to do.
After the off-duty police officer left and I had time to think through what just happened. the excitement hit
‘I have superpowers!’ Oh my god, oh my god. Like a kid on his birthday getting what he wanted I was beaming with excitement. Smiling to myself and imagining the possibilities.
‘Am I a superhero?’ I thought trying my best to ignore the floating fish head and the water clinging to my dress.
“What happened to you?” A voice suddenly said behind me I turned to face the voice seeing Hugh. In a grey hoodie and light blue jeans, asking slightly concerned.
“Hugh! Yes, I did it!” I quickly hugged him drenching him as well and then brought him with me to the lake.
“What?” asked Hugh you could see the confusion on his face.
“I’ll show you.” I said while a devilish grin was forming on my face.
Hugh felt like he just made a pact with the devil immediately regretting asking.