I’m running for my life. My mom is dead. My dad hit her once and she went down. I wonder if she had some sort of brain aneurysm or something. That would explain why she died immediately. I’ll never know now though.

“Hey kid! You getting on or what? I’m not gonna sit here all day,” the bus driver was an irate and impatient man in his late 50s.

I stepped onto the Greyhound bus and flashed my ticket in his direction before making my way to a seat in way back away from everyone. I put my ear buds in my ear and stared out the window beginning to feel my eyes get heavy.

* * * * *

I woke up to the sounds of screams all around me. I open my eyes to see the bus on fire. I start to panic until I looked down and saw flames coming from my hands. I did this.

I ran out of the bus as quick as I could forcing my brain to think of bringing the fire back to me. I got to the forest edge and looked back. The fire was still burning the bus. I looked down to notice the fire wasn’t coming out of my hands anymore. I ran into the forest willing myself to disappear.

* * * * *

Annabeth

It’s been 24 hours since I watched my best friend run for his life after killing his father. The cops have been at his house all day. I just wish I knew if he was okay. I really hope he’s okay. The cops started making their way over to my parents house and I ran out before they got there. I didn’t want to hear anything about that night.

I just wanted to pray that Derek was alright and never hear or remember what happened that night. I stopped running and looked around. I realized I was in the middle of a desert and I know there isn’t a desert for at least 50 miles from my town. I looked at my watch and saw that only 15 minutes had passed. I looked at my hands and the ground now realizing that my power has manifested. I have super speed.

* * * * *

Derek

I have the ability to burn things. I hate this ability. I want to help others not hurt them. I want to help rebuild my city, but not destroy it. Can the giver of abilities bestow upon me some new powers and take these back? I don’t want this power. It’s fire. You can’t control fire.

I keep walking in the forest until I’m in a clearing. In frustration over my new found abilities, I punch my fist into the earth. The ground cracks a little where my hand hit and lava begins to ooze out the crack.

“GREAT! I CAN CALL UPON LAVA WITH A SINGLE PUNCH TO THE EARTH! JUST WHAT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO!” I scream in anger at the heavens, blaming whatever God up there might be responsible for this.

I collapsed on the ground next to the oozing lava willing it to take me and quickly realizing it wouldn’t because I’m immune to its heat.

* * * * *

Annabeth

Ten years later,

At the age of 16, I was given the gift of empathy and super speed. I used my gifts to help others wherever I could, but sometimes it wasn’t enough. There was always some sort of collateral damage or death I was unable to prevent. Every time there was a death I couldn’t prevent, it killed me a little inside. I hurt for them. I like to think of myself as a superhero, but as the death toll rises on the people I’m unable to save, I think otherwise. I’m 24 now and I’ve been using my abilities to try and save everyone I meet. It’s a hefty task and one that weighs on me every day, but one that needs to be done.

I haven’t heard from or seen Derek since I was 16. I was walking home from school and I saw Derek walking with his head down, a hoodie over his head. I called his name and he walked over.

“Hey Derek! I’m so glad you’re okay! I thought you would be hurt or something, but I’m glad that wasn’t the case,” I was so happy to see him, but he seemed like he was still on the run glancing around every couple of seconds and not hugging me hello.

“Yeah. I’m doing okay. Just trying to get through life. You know how it is,” he was short and still glancing around. He was beginning to put me on edge.

“Yeah. Are you planning on hanging around here for a while? Or just passing through?”

“Just passing through. I’ve actually gotta go. I’ll see you soon or something.”

“Alright. See ya.”

He walked off without another word and I walked home. He was acting very strange, but I was hoping I would see him again.