The Relative

Chapter 5 - The Trials

Thump. Thump. Thump. BOOM. Thump. Thump. Thump. BOOM.

Drums were being played, giving everything an air of mystery. It terrified me. Everyone was outside the mansion at midnight, and the Trials were about to begin.

"Good evening fellow Beginnings." Aunt Lucy called aloud to everyone. Nearly a hundred people, mainly teens, all stood outside the mansion. "Today we find out my niece's abilities in the Trials."
Well that sounds terrifying Aunt Lucy. I thought. "Beginning with the elements, then the creation simulator, and finally the Enemy Simulator. If we can't find anything tonight, tomorrow we'll continue." The crowd whooped and yelled with excitement. "Sam!" I heard my name called through the noise. I turned and saw the chipper blonde running up to me. "Oh hi Jen." I said unsurprised. "Okay now Sam, you're going to do GREAT. Just focus on what you want to happen and it WILL OKAY?!" She yelled. "Why are you yelling?" I asked, uninterested. "I wasn't sure if you could hear me..." She replied. "Um. Okay." I said, turning awkwardly away from her. "Okay!" Jen joined me by my side.  "...And now it shall begin! Samantha Briggs, step forward for your Trial." Aunt Lucy beckoned me to come to her. Boldly, but most likely not, I walked up to Aunt Lucy and stood beside her. She looked at me and took my hands in hers. "Make what you want happen." Then she shoved me into a big pit that I hadn't seen before.

"Ow!" I cried as I hit the bottom. I heard laughter and whooping above me. "Great. I'm a laughing stock and hadn't even been here for a day." I mumbled. "Let the elements begin!" Aunt Lucy cried. Instantly a great wind blew all around the pit, shooting hail at me and rain. A crash of thunder broke through. The storm silenced the crowd above me, everyone holding their breath. I crouched in a ball, shielding  the best I could from the storm. Soon waters began to flood the pit. I felt water rise to my knees. I felt a piece of hail hit my head. "STOP!" I yelled. I felt a pull in my gut and then above me was sunshine. Grass sprouted from the ground. I felt a tickle behind me and turned and saw a little bunny snuggling up to me. I carefully picked up the bunny and held him close. The bunny gave me a little kiss. "I'm gonna name you Smooch, just for that." I said. Above me the crowd was quiet, including my aunt. "Sam?" She called. I looked up to see her leaning in along with Jen and Jason and others. "Yes?" I called. "SAM?!" Jason called, sounding worried. I laughed hesitantly. "Guys I'm right here." I felt anxiety again and pulled Smooch closer. Jen and Jason jumped on the pit and looked at me. "There you are!" Jen screamed with joy. I stood, holding my bunny close. "Uh yeah, I've been here the whole time." I petted my bunny, not wanting to give it to Jen who kept eyeing him. "Where did you get a bunny?" Jason asked, pointing to Smooch. "I don't know. Just kinda happened." I replied. "Jason?! Jen?! Where did you go?" Aunt Lucy called worryingly. "Let's get you up there, Ms. Lucy is worrying." Jen said. Jason grabbed onto me and teleported us and Smooch up to the top. "That's an uncomfortable feeling."  I said. "SAM!" Aunt Lucy enveloped me in a hug. "I've been there the entire time." I said,  wiggling out of the hug. "Where'd ya get the bunny?" A voice called from the crowd. "I don't know he was just there." I replied, facing the crowd. Aunt Lucy turned me towards her, hands on my shoulders. "What did you see while you were down there?" "We'll first there was a huge storm and flood then I just said stop and it did. There was grass and a bunny and sunshine. It was perfect." I sighed, wanting to go back. "Sam you made that. All of it. I started out a small storm, you made it grow into that. We couldn't see into it, it was too strong for us." "You, couldn't?" I asked surprised. Aunt Lucy shook her head. "No. We can always see in. But not with you."

We continued on in the testing. Since I already created, I passed the first two. Finally is the Enemy simulator. I hand off my bunny to Kiera, who received a glare from Jen. I stand ready in a field, feeling then gazes of everyone there. With a flick of her wrist, Aunt Lucy creates a monster. It was seven feet tall, with giant horns. It's fists were the size of boulders and its legs like tree trunks. It wore red armor and its eyes gleamed green. I gulped. "Hello Mr. Monster. Please don't-EEEEEK!" It charged as I was talking, forcing me to run. I turned to the left then the right, trying to zig zag to confuse it. That didn't work. It followed me exactly. Maybe this will work.... I dove into the pit, crouching in the corner. The monster leaped right over it. Solid roof solid roof... I thought really hard, so hard I thought my head was going to burst. But as I looked the monster stood right over the pit, on solid ground. I outstretched my arm and electrocuted the monster right from under it. The air began to smell like pork and burned chicken as the monster lit up from the inside. It kinda looked like a seven foot tall light bulb.
I accidentally let the floor fall out from under it and screamed. Mid-scream I felt whooshed out from there and popped out of the pit onto the edge, still electrocuting the monster. "SAM ITS DEAD!" Aunt Lucy yelled. I felt a cut of power, a giant block in my mind from using any more. Smoke billowed out of the pit, leaving only charred bones beneath. "Did I get it?" I asked. "YEAH SAM!" A voice called. "YOU DID IT!" "WOOOO SAM!" "YEAH!" Whistles and yells came from the crowd as I stood there, stunned. I broke into a smile, a real smile. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged.