---Unknown Time Later Location Unkown---

‘Ugh what the fuck. Why does my head hurt so fucking much?’ I reach up to cover my mouth when I yawn like I do every morning, but something keeps my hands down. Opening my eyes only to cringe back from a light that seems to be directed right at my face. Slowly opening my eyes I look down this time and see my hands are bound to a metallic chair with leather straps. ‘Kinky’. Looking up I see an empty chair where I assumed someone would be sitting soon.

---Like five hours later---

I was wrong about the soon part holy fuck. I wonder what this room is used for? I hope mom didn’t sell me to some human traffickers or something because if she did I’m gonna be pissed. Suddenly the door slams open and I see a grinning middle aged man walk into the room. ‘That’s never a good thing.’ Last time a middle aged man barged into my room while I was strapped to a chair...nevermind I don't think I like where I'm going with that.

“Hello Tom! I’m sure you are very confused right now. And you are certainly entitled to be, but be rest assured you are in caring hands. Now without further ado welcome to PCC otherwise known as ‘Power Control Center’ let us have fun learning how to control your powers together!” Jeez this man sounds like a total jank.

---A Few Snarky Comments in the Future---

“Tom do you understand why you’re here?”

“I’d have to assume my mom gave me up.” If everything went as I had planned at least. Honestly Mom held on a lot longer than I had thought. I knew the blood would be too much for her and push her over the edge. I hope Daniel wasn’t too upset when I was taken away. He always was my favorite sibling. Its too bad my nightmares started coming back.

“You talk quite eloquently for a five year old you know that Tom. Anyways I’m personally sorry to be the one to tell you that you were given up. Your powers are out of control and need to be reigned properly so no one else gets hurt.”

“Sure, but I don’t believe that my power can be controlled. That’s the drawback of it. That’s its counter-weight that keeps my power balanced.”

“Tom there is always a way to control your power. Passive effect or not. That’s not a motivational speech either it’s fact. And Tom I’m sorry to say this but you might never see the light of day again if you don’t learn to control your powers. You're a hazard Tom. A danger to society to be exact.” The weird man said while keeping his strange smile plastered on his face. He seemed to be trying to get a message through to me but I’m more concerned about Mom. I must’ve had a pretty bad nightmare for it to be the one that finally broke mom. I look up at the man and nod with a deadpan face. This man’s face pisses me off for some reason because it reminds me of the *cough cough* late king’s from back at my old world. It is a little younger and he has a shorter hair cut but his face looks the same; like a mask he wears fake emotions on his face.

“So what will I be doing here?” It kinda pisses me off how high pitched my voice sounds when I speak. Sometimes I forget I’m only five.

“Starting off with the important questions I see. Well there are many various things you will be doing while you stay here. However you probably won’t be able to start most of the other courses and join the other kids because of how young you are. You will be starting our basic education package course. Anything past that may be dangerous so we are still deciding. Anything else you need to ask?”

“Will I ever be able to leave the compound?”

“If you’re a good boy and follow your orders possibly.” He says with his fake grin growing a little larger and a little faker. I’m never gonna get out of here if I don’t do something.

“Mr that doesn’t work for me so I’m gonna leave ‘kay?” For the first time in a while I imagine and actively use my power. I imagine myself disappearing right in front of his eyes and look at him with a dumb smirk on my face. Oh what a dumb smirk it really was.

“Tom are you trying to do something right now? I hope you aren’t trying to use your power because you’re only making yourself look like an idiot. Also it is a criminal offense to use your powers against anyone in this building because this is a government-run facility. If you were trying to use your power right now it is very possible you’d get sent to the cold box.” Suddenly the air in the room grows cold and I feel the man’s eyes bore into my soul. My breath grows a little ragged and the subtle hints he's given me became very clear. Don’t use your power when I don’t want you to. Seeing how this ordeal went they must have someone or something which can nullify powers.

“If you are wondering we have power energy sensors in the building that work round the clock to make sure no one uses their powers... let's say, out of line.” There goes my second question. The hum from the light becomes very clear and at the forefront of my thoughts. ‘Was getting myself kicked out of Mom’s house a good idea? Yes! She would have gone crazy if I didn’t and it’s not like I need to be raised twice. But what’s going to happen to me here? I thought Mom would have put me up for adoption or something but apparently, she sent me to this freaky place.’ Doubts plague my mind and for the first time in my new life my life seemed to be in genuine risk. I calm myself once more and look back to the man this time with cold eyes which hadn’t been there before. Feeling anger rise up and fester into frustration I struggle against the straps that bind my arms and legs to the chair. *Clank* I fall over on my side in my fit of anger, but that just makes me angrier and I struggle even more and I kick the table from my position on the ground. The table pushes into the man and his grin grows to a feral one. My face is bright red but all the color might as well had drained from it.

“A feisty one aren’t you. I thought you were more mature than trying to pull something like that. But I guess you really are still a kid. Don’t worry that will change.” He slowly stands up and walks over to me. Glaring at him as he towers over me I feel like spitting on him but I know that will just dig my trench deeper.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“Get out of the chair within two hours or you’re going in the cold box for a week.” His voice finally turns cold and the mask is lifted. The demon beneath is revealed for what it truly is. He pulls a card out of his pocket and places it on top of the table. Then he pulls a similar one and walks over to the door and looks back at me.

“You may just be a young boy who is caught up in his own imagination, but everyone who comes in this building has to learn who's boss. I’m the boss kid. Not you. So next time you have a fit like that and wrinkle my brand new suit again...well let us just say there won’t be a next time.” He exits the room leaving me alone with myself. The door burst open again.

“I forgot to tell you kid. You can’t use magic. Usually you would be allowed to but you pissed me off. Remember who not to fuck with kid. Times a ticking you better get to work.”

“Fu-”

“What was that?”

“...”

“That’s what I fucking thought.”

‘Two hours. I have two hours to get out of these straps, but how?! There were five straps holding me to the chair in total. One on my chest and the rest were on my ankles and wrists. They were all tightened to the max tightness they could go, and I can feel the leather digging into my skin. I thrash againsrt them again with renewed vigor but all that does is dig them farther into my skin. The cold floor grinds against my skin like sand paper.

I try to jostle myself out of them but it takes what seems like an hour for me to realize I’m not getting anywhere. Hopelessness finds its grip in my heart but I struggle anyway because I’m afraid. Afraid of whatever punishment that sick man is gonna doll out for me. Something tells me if I don’t out of this chair fast my time in the ‘cold box’ is not going to be fun. This is probably punishment for being a murderer in a past life.

My wrists and ankles are bleeding but I’ve still gotten nowhere at all. “This is pointless just let me out! I won’t use my powers wrongly again just let me out!” Desperation tugs at my mind and makes me writhe in my chair. ‘What if I used my power? No! The sensors! But how does one sense power’s do they have specific energy? If so I haven’t heard of it. Is he testing me to see if I’m smart enough to use my power? No that’s dumb. It doesn’t even matter my powers won’t work in here! My thoughts are so fucking jumbled! Ah’ I take a deep breath and assess my situation and like most of goals in life. It’s bleak. My weak five year old muscles aren’t strong enough to rip out of these straps but maybe...maybe I could dislocate my wrists or something. I think I saw someone do that in a movie once to escape a hostage senario. So I should be fine, movies seemed to be mostly trustworthy I think. My consolations are complete bullshit and I know it but I don’t see any other way to get out of these cursed straps.

I tug my hand as hard as I can and it soon starts to burn as the muscles and joints are pulled but I don’t concede. I pull so hard that I can feel the muscles in my hand tear like a guitar getting its strings plucked. But I grit through it and black spots start to fill my vision. I pull harder and I feel my wrist start to separate from where it is supposed to be but some animalistic urge pushes me onward. I pull even harder and my hand completely dislocates from my wrist making it flop downwards. My hand feels like it has a hydraulic press is pushing down on it harder and harder slowly cracking my hand to bits every time I even move it. The animalistic urge to break free from my bonds leaves me and all that is left is ceaseless pain.

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck! Holy shit! Fuck!” My brain goes haywire and I want to spasm out in ain but it holds me firmly down. All I can feel is the pain in my right wrist nothing else, not the cold ground, not my torn up skin, not anything. Just the endless pain. I desperately wish to pass out but I get no such reprieve. I have to lay there in my own puddle of tears crying trying to down out my pain but it does not leave. The worst part is; is that my hands dislocated in a different way than I expected! Instead of being pushed inwards to the point that my fingers pop out of the socket instead, my entire hand dislocated from my wrist making it entirely useless to me. I can’t even move my hand anymore and I don’t want to try to either.

It seems to be hours that I lay there in pain though I know it has probably been around thirty minutes and my suffering has not ended. I have a puddle of bloody tears around my body and my left palm is all cut up from my fingernails digging into it. Time feels like it has dilated to the point where seconds are each an eternity that drags on forever. The door opens and two new figures walk in this time.

“Look what we have here Corty! The little trouble maker, Julian was so pissed at you man I can’t believe he didn’t allow you to use your powers. Haha well that’s your fault anyway so what do I care.” The man walks over to me and crouches above me and I try to stare daggers but even shifting my body sends me into agony.

“You really fucked up kid you know that boy. No one gets to skip punishment around here not even the kiddies. It’s too bad the rules are so strict around here.” What did I even fucking do? Hurt some random old dudes feelings? What kind of bullshit is this! I don’t deserve this. Why didn’t I just stay dead? Why the fuck does God have to pull this bullshit on me and reincarnate me? First he takes my daughter then he fucks up my next childhood because I haven’t already been traumatized enough. What a fucking cuck! ‘What am I even talking about at this point? My life sucks.’

“Corty come pick up the kid we need to bring him to the cold, and fix whatever the dunce did to his hand.” The woman named Corty walks over to me and bends down next to me and undos all my straps. I scream out in pain as she undoes my wrist strap and cry out as she lifts me up and put me on the hard metallic table.

“Kid you should ball up and bite your shirt this is gonna be a stinger.” Before I even get to do as she says she grabs me by the wrist and jams my hand back into the socket. I scream out in pain but my voice sounds distant for some reason and black spots start filling up my vision. My eyes don’t feel heavy or anything but they close unwillingly. Then everything goes blank.

---An Unknown Amount of Time Later---

I open my eyes and instantly I become painfully aware of how painfully cold and dark things are. I must be in the cold box. I rub my arms and think aloud.

“This isn’t too bad.” For some reason an alarm goes off in my head as I say that but I can’t quite understand why.

“Well newbie, that’d be because they haven’t turned on the A/C yet. But don’t worry it will get sufficiently cold to your satisfaction. If you want I can give you a few ice packs to make your experience that much better.” A deep sarcastic voice echoes through the room we were in. From where I can’t tell it is much too dark, but I can clearly see the annoying smirk he has on his face even without seeing him directly.

“When will they be turning it on?”

“Friday at noon.”

“What day is it today?”

“Friday.

“What time?”

“I don’t know precisely but I was thrown in here an hour ago when it was eleven so I’d say just about noon time.”

“You gotta be kidding.”

The faint sound of A/C units starts humming extremely loud throughout the dark chamber.

“Nope.”

“God dammit.”