Eli Parker lay wide-eyed in bed, heart pounding against his ribs. The alarm clock flickered erratically, numbers jumping back and forth as if time itself was confused. He reached out tentatively, the device popping and then resetting itself to the correct time the moment his fingertips brushed the plastic. "Not again… What is happening to me?"
Every time Eli passed a flickering light, it hummed to life, burning brighter than before. A group of students glanced up in confusion as the PA system screeched, then fell silent the moment he walked by. Eli kept his head down, wishing he could disappear, but the undeniable feeling of power surged just beneath his skin.
Without thinking, Eli's hand shot out. The ball stopped mid-air, suspended by an invisible force, before dropping harmlessly to the ground. The kids stared, eyes wide, but Eli just shrugged and muttered, "Weird wind, right?" He hurried away, pulse racing, terrified someone might have noticed.
Eli paced in circles, muttering to himself. "I can’t tell anyone. No one would believe me. What if I hurt someone?" His reflection in the mirror seemed to shimmer, eyes glowing faintly, as if another version of himself was urging him to embrace his secrets.
During a group experiment, the Bunsen burner sputtered and flared, flames dancing higher than normal. Eli squeezed his fists, willing everything to go back to normal. "Stay calm. Just blend in," he whispered, but the nervous glances from his lab partner made him feel exposed and alone.
Eli closed his eyes, feeling the electricity in the air respond to his every thought. For the first time, he let the energy flow freely, sparks dancing between his fingers. "Maybe I can’t tell anyone," he whispered to the empty sky, "but I’m not afraid anymore. This is who I am."
