Zeds

'Vaccine for the Gifted'

I was finally in line to get my COVID-19 vaccine. Other students were impatient in front of me, but I was really excited. It seemed a weird place to be, though, since it was an elementary school for the gifted. And by gifted, I mean the mutants.
I was one of them too.
My codename was Impulse. I'd shoot a sound pulse as large as I'd like to whoever I wanted to (or needed to) hurt. It didn't cause a lot of damage, but it came in handy from time to time.
-Hi, professor Caesar. How're we doing today? -I asked as I sat down on a chair in front of a book shelf.
Bald, shaved, tanned, and in pretty good shape for a 50 year old teacher, my favorite professor in school applied the vaccine.
-Hey there, Kath. I'm doing good, thanks. What about you? Your brother? -He put on gloves.
-He's around, I haven't seen him, though. You know? I can't believe it's already our turn to get vaccinated. I thought the government would take longer to get to the 18-25 year old range.
-Me too. But it's a good thing. We could use the positive spirit in here, for once.
We were getting vaccinated at the main library of the elementary section of campus. To my right, there were books. To my left, a destroyed concrete wall. And behind me was an old computer, those where we used to play Solitaire in.
-I know. It's pretty exciting after all that's happened lately. Ouch.
He pinched me with the needle.
-Stay calm. -He frowned at me.- It's crazy. I can't think of anyone who would purposefully attack young students. Children, even.
We'd been receiving attacks lately, but didn't know from who. Several gifted children were getting killed. They'd go to sleep at night and the next morning, they'd be dead in the main hall. The only evidence was a small hole on their necks, as if they were slept to death.
-I know what you mean.
Suddenly, a riot was heard on the other side of the broken wall. He pulled the needle out just in time for me to get up and go.
-Hey, stay put. Let me handle this, you just got the shot. -He said to me.
-C'mon teach, I'll be fine. -I felt a bittersweet taste in my mouth and was forced back to my seat.
-No, you won't. Stay here.
He went outside through the wall to check, and saw that some children playing in the basketball court were being attacked by energy blasts from who knew where. Some were yelling, others running away. And I for sure wasn't going to stay put.
I stood up and went. I had to look for my brother as well. I couldn't see anyone clearly, and somehow the scenario shifted. I ended up walking into another classroom next to the library, all alone. It was a bit darker outside, as if it were night already.
-Hello? -I called out.- Anybody here?
No response. I kept walking next to a book shelf.
My mind filled the gaps rather quickly: I saw the school board meeting quietly, discussing the possibility of the attacks being an inside job after all. Only one teacher was missing in that room: Professor Glen Carter.
He was extremely short, bald, and almost always wore a baby blue shirt and tie, with khaki pants. He was also the whinny teacher in campus.
My mind returned to were I was just as I yelped and rolled to the side; Prof. Carter threw a blast of energy at me from the blackboard, destroying the bookshelf behind.
-It was you?! -I yelled at him.
-You kids don't deserve to be gifted! -He threw another one at me as I evaded it.
-But they're just children, professor! What did they do to you?! -I evaded another blast.
By now I was on the floor, squirming between the school chairs to where he couldn't see me. Which of course, was useless.
-You don't get it! This place will soon forget about me while it's filling up with meaningless brats who haven't earned a thing! This world hates us already... -He found me.- And it doesn't need more reasons to.
He pointed his right hand towards me, and I reacted. I put both of my hands on the floor and threw an impulse at his feet, making him fall down. I tried to run but he pulled me back.
-You wanna know how I did it? -He slowly pulled a large black spike that grew from his neck.- Ah, this. One small poach from this, and they'd fall asleep forever. And it's your turn now!
I pushed myself on the floor away from him until I saw no exit. He was going to get me.
I hopelessly covered my upper body with my arms, waiting for his shot, when suddenly all of the other teachers arrived through the wall. They shot all kinds of things at him: energy, wind, lasers, you name it.
-Nice work, kid. -Teacher Caesar said to me.- We got 'em.
Was this a plan all along?
Either way, they'd saved me. The gifted teachers, not so worried about the vaccine anymore, apprehended him with special cuffs. And Glen Carter was going away for a long, long time.