Rudy hunches his shoulders, clutching his backpack to his chest as laughter echoes from a distant cluster of children. His eyes are red-rimmed and gaze at the ground, avoiding the jeering faces that occasionally glance his way. The scent of freshly cut grass hangs in the air, mingling with the sting of loneliness.

Mason, leader of the bullies, steps forward, cracking his knuckles. "Hey Rudy, you think you can just walk past us like you’re invisible?" Jordan, another bully, snatches Rudy’s notebook and flips through it, scattering pages. "What’s this? Diary of a loser?" Rudy tries to reach for his belongings, but the boys shove him back, their laughter growing louder and more vicious.

Rudy sits on his bed, knees to his chest, the voices of his tormentors replaying in his mind. Tears slip silently down his cheeks as thunder rumbles in the distance. He glances at a battered comic book, fists clenching with longing for the power to change his fate.

Rudy stumbles outside, drawn by a strange humming sound. At the heart of the garden, he discovers a smooth, glowing stone half-buried in the earth. As his fingers brush the surface, a surge of warmth floods his body, and shimmering patterns flicker across his skin.

Mason sneers, stepping into Rudy’s path. "Back for more?" Rudy meets his gaze, voice steady and strong. "Not today, Mason. Leave me alone." As the bullies lunge, Rudy raises his hand instinctively. A shimmering shield bursts into existence, repelling them with a gentle but unyielding force. The hallway fills with startled gasps as the bullies scramble back, fear and confusion on their faces.

Rudy smiles shyly as a classmate sits beside him. Sophie, a gentle girl with a bright smile, offers him a hand-drawn picture. "I saw what you did. That was amazing. Will you show me how?" Rudy nods, hope flickering in his eyes, as sunlight warms his face and the world feels new with possibility.