Embers & Ice

Conversations - Powers

“What was your first thought when you found out you had powers?”

They sat at their usual table in the breakfast hall. It was a normal day, nothing particularly horrible had happened to anyone just yet. Will and Hunter sat side by side as usual, closer than anyone else. Marcus was with Mosi in the fitness room, Ryo was sitting at the end of their table playing chess with Benji and Chantal sat on the outside with her elbows leaning on the table and her legs crossed daintily. There were two Men in White watching them from the doorway.

“Are you asking the question,” said Hunter, “or do you just want to tell us how you found out?”

Zac’s lopsided mouth twisted into a grin and grey goo seeped from the cracks between his teeth. “Well since you asked, I-”

Chantal let out a moan. “For God’s sake Zac, shut your mouth when you talk, you’re disgusting.”

“Uh, how am I supposed to talk Chantal if my mouth is shut?” he mumbled whilst trying to swallow his food. “But since you asked, Hunter, I will gladly tell you what happened when I found out I had powers.”

“Oh joy,” muttered Chantal.

Zac ignored her and cleared his throat dramatically. For a moment he looked down at his hands in silence, and when he lifted his head, there was a brooding, reminiscent pout on his face. “It was a dark and stormy night…” he said in a low voice, “I was lying in bed listening to the rain pound against my window, because it was better than listening to my dad scream at my mom all night. It all became so loud, I was crying and I buried my head under my pillow. The thunder bellowed and made me jump. I was so scared when I heard the sounds of screaming coming from the kitchen. There was a crash like glass breaking and I scrambled deeper under my sheets when suddenly… I saw a glowing blue light. I honestly thought there was an alien spaceship outside my window.”

“Maybe it was your real parents coming to take you home,” said Ryo without looking up from her game and all of them burst out laughing, except of course Zac who looked furiously at her.

“Ryo, you ruined my story!”

“It wasn’t a story, you were making up crap,” said Chantal. “Besides, I’m pretty sure all of us weren’t thinking about planning world domination when we found out we had powers. I killed someone.”

She said it so casually, but the memory of the night Hunter discovered she had powers took her back to the cold alleyway where the homeless men attacked her and only one got away. Most people would have been jumping for joy to discover they had a rare ability, but to Hunter it was always a curse.

“Jeez, way to kill the buzz Chantal.” Zac stirred his lunch and scooped up another mouthful. “Here’s another question then: Do you think all the Men in White sleep and shower together?”

They groaned, cast disgusted looks at Zac and started leaving their lunch untouched. Zac scrambled out of the bench after them.

“What, it’s a valid question! Where do they go? Do they live here?”

“Maybe you should ask them yourself,” Chantal replied.

“I did one time,” said Zac as they all walked out of the hall towards the common room. “Jamison nearly took my eye out with a plastic straw.”

“That’s because you’re a prick.”

Zac gaped at her. “Hey, yesterday I told you your hair looked nice in that bun thingy!”

“You said she looked like a pineapple,” said Hunter.

Zac shied away from the burning glare Chantal was giving him and ducked away from the slap she was about to give him, then hurried inside the common room.

“Help!” he shouted. “Chantal is trying to take my pants off!”

The two Men in White rolled their eyes at each other. Everyone ignored Zac, and the Men in White were no exception. Marcus and Mosi were lounging on the sofa, their faces pink and sweaty from exercising. The rest of them sat around the sofas with nothing better to do. Hunter kept exchanging looks with Will, wondering if they could hurry down to the guard’s quarters for an hour before Hunter had to go off to the labs.

“Marcus,” said Zac. “Does your brother ever sneak into Mikayla’s cell after lights out and start…” He made uncomfortable thrusting motions while the others looked away in disgust.

“How the fuck should I know?” said Marcus.

“Well… the other night I could hear this really weird groaning coming from the room next to mine, which is Jet’s. It was like… a whale crying or something.” Zac started making loud and ear piercing moaning sounds that made Marcus sit up and push Zac off the end of the sofa. Hunter and the others laughed.

“I’m honestly so surprised that Dr. Wolfe hasn’t pounded your face in by now,” said Marcus as he shook his head.

“That’s because-” Zac stood up, brushed his jumpsuit down and looked at them with his chin raised, “-no one can destroy a face as perfect as mine.”

And with that, Zac twirled on his heels and stalked over-dramatically out of the common room.

“What. A. Twat.” Chantal smiled.