We all here stories of people who acquired their powers through some inhuman way. Who would fall into a radioactive vat, it’s just not logical, but if you’re born with powers that’s the fun part. Learning to grow up with them is the fun, but it comes with difficulties. I’ve never had many friends because of my unpredictability. I was born with control over the elements, at first it was moving a rock here, or freezing water there. But I’ve had some time to perfect it; now I can create fire just from oxygen or make a vacuum in the middle of a room. Though I can’t keep full control of it all the time. I’ve burst into flames in the middle of class because of anxiety. So, I’ve always been a loner, never many friends except for the select few. The ones who I trust know my secret, but not the full extent of my powers. Now that you’re caught up, I’m a freshman at Baltville High school. My best friend/cousin is Julie, she’s been with me through everything. She’s the only one that knows my full power. But let’s get back to my story. I was in second period when it started. There was a loud explosion and a tremor that ran through the entire school. The teachers became frantic call the office, yelling out to the other teachers. All of the students had no idea what was happening. I looked around outside trying to distract myself. I could not let myself get overexcited. This is not a time to be bursting into flames creating even more panic. Then I heard it amidst the frightened screams, the scream of agony of pain. My mother always told me people would want to kill me if they found out, I couldn’t help but think this was my fault. A man with an assault rifle then burst through the door screaming profanities telling everyone to get on the ground. He looked around at all of my classmates. This is where I want to say I stood up and fought the intruder, but instead I stayed down trying to keep calm. That was until he grabbed my cousin, nobody messes with my family. I stand and face the hostage taker, my eyes fill with rage.
“Let her go”
“Ha and who’s gonna make me, you?”
“Obviously, since I’m the only one standing up” My hands ignite with a white-hot fire. The fear in his eyes was priceless.
“W-w-what are you?”
“Well right now I’m Fire, but I could be Water, Earth, or Air” I looked around and seem fear in my classmate’s eyes; I had to show them to protect my family even if it makes all of them fear me.
“Y-y-you’re not normal, you’re a freak”
“I could say the same about you murdering innocent people in a school, taking children hostage. What happened to you as a kid?”
“Shut your mouth” he lets Julie go and aims the rifle at me
“Go ahead if it makes you feel like a man” As the words leave my mouth I hear to shots, the first was a sniper round hitting the culprit in the shoulder and exiting through his hip. The second was the rifle bullet that hit my stomach. I screamed in pain as I felt like my stomach was burning. I collapsed in agony. I woke up in the hospital with IV’s attached to both arms. I look around to see an empty room, then a familiar face pops out of the bathroom Julie greets me and calls a nurse. I ask to check my wound and they happily oblige, it looks like I wasn’t even shot. Fearing I slipped into a coma I ask how long I was out, she said only a few days. There was no way a bullet wound could heal that fast, unless I had accelerated healing. I’d have to figure out how to test this theory without potentially killing myself. But that’s an idea for a later date.
“What happened to the guy.”
“The bullet killed him on impact.”
“Oh, how are you feeling?”
“You were the one that got shot, and you’re asking me if I’m ok. Really?”
“You got taken hostage. Maybe you’re emotionally scarred or something, I don’t know.”
“No. How are you feeling though?”
“Not that bad actually. Getting shot hurt but now I’m fine.”
“So, you’re kinda indestructible?”
“I didn’t even know I could heal this fast, I guess I’m pretty amazing”
“Shut your mouth.”
The rest of the day went by smoothly. I went home at around 9 o’clock, you think sleeping for a few days would leave me well rested but I fell sound asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The next morning I didn’t have school because it was Saturday. I walked to Julie’s house and asked her if she wanted to help me practice. When I practice we usually go to the woods and she throws sticks up in the air and I use whichever element I want to shoot it. She agrees and we start walking when I hear arguing
“He’s a freak” I knew that voice, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“No he’s not he saved his cousin” at that all the blood drained from my face. The voices were of two of my classmates. The first was Marcus, the second was Sam. Marcus was captain of the football team. He was a typical jock stuffing people in garbage cans and head-butting lockers with his concrete skull. Sam which was short for Samantha, who was the prettiest girl in school, but she wasn’t stuck up or any of the usual popular girl things.
“He lit himself on fire, that’s not exactly normal Sam” I had to say something.
“Well I looked pretty cool if I do say so myself,” You could see Marcus’ muscles tensing.
“What do you want freak?”
“Marcus” Sam whispered.
“It’s not polite to call someone a freak.”
“Well, you are a freak!”
“I’m also human, just like you.”
“You’re nothing like me, you are a freak, I’m actually normal”
“Normal is a subjective term.”
“Come on Aiden, he’s not worth it” I looked at my arms and they were already smoking.
“You right, let’s go”
“Were ya goin freak, gonna start a forest fire.”
“Don’t worry about it gorilla-boy.”
“Wanna say that to my face?”
“I would but I’d like not to lose brain cells from getting that close” I heard Sam giggle
“That’s it” he started lumbering toward me
“I’m not fighting you”
“Oh, it was never gonna be a fight” he swings at me and connects with my cheek. My eyes fill with fire I felt the steam coming from my arms.
“Hit me again and I’m gonna fight back”
“It still won’t be a fight” He swings again and barely misses my ribs. My arms turn dark as I touch the concrete absorbing the rocks into my system.
“You really want a fight, then you got one” I make a shield from the rock and bash him with it. Then a police cruiser turned around the corner. Marcus turned and started running leaving me standing there with a concrete shield. The cop doesn’t even look in Marcus’ direction, he’s staring into my soul with his hand on his gun as if I were going to attack at any moment. He walks over as I disassemble my shield.