Brightness. Head aching, menacing, blinding white light is how it all began. I remember it like it was yesterday. My heart beating so quickly I could hear it in my own ears, my head whirring. I clenched my hands, trying my best to blink away the fogginess of my awakening. Where the hell am I? I thought. I bring my hand up to my head, slowly sitting up. Something frigid touches my face. I furrow my eyebrows, bringing my hand down from my head and blinking once more to get a proper view of what looks like a ring on my index finger, the thick metal band wrapped around my finger with a small red light shining off of it.

“Welcome, Kalyke.”

Containment ring. After years of being placed in this wretched dome, I soon learned that it was a containment ring for my “special” abilities. All 26 of the children who were brought here have them on their index finger.

“Next,” Deimos growled, his gravelly voice sending a shiver down my spine as my closest friend, Metis, grudgingly walked into the closed off room with Deimos close on his tail.

We’ll be out of here soon, I think to myself, running my thumb across the smooth ring on my finger. I couldn’t help but let my mind wonder to what they will make me do this time. Yesterday, Deimos and his workers (we like to call them minions,) stuck electroencephalogram receptors on my head, watching the graph intently as they ordered me to crush a metallic soda can with my mind.

Yes, with my mind. The special ability I was born with is called omnikinesis, which gives me the ability to manipulate anything and everything.

As I wait for my turn, I go over the plan that I organized in my head.

Rebellion.

As I will enter the room, my containment ring will be temporarily shed from it’s abilities, giving me access to all of my powers. Then, I will be able to take Deimos down with ease. After I finish off Deimos, I will take the remote that controls everyone’s containment rings from his pocket and shut it off. That will be everyone’s cue to strike Deimos’ “minions.”

The door opens, Metis leaving with a hard expression, sending a small nod in my direction. I exhale, balling my hands into fists.

I walk slowly into the room, passing Deimos as he holds the door open for me. My containment ring shines green, signalling it being shut off.

The room is unwelcoming, with dark concrete walls and a small metal table in the center, along with one chair. On the table is a cube-like figure with a black blanket over it. I cringe at the thought of what’s underneath it. I sigh and take a seat, setting my hands on the cool table. I look up, studying Deimos’ features as he stands in the corner, his eyes sunk into his face with drooping skin and his back in a permanent hunch.

“Take the blanket off.” He orders, tapping his foot impatiently. I take the blanket off, not wanting to give away any resentment or signs of rebellion. I inhale sharply, looking at the small mouse in the cage.

“Your task for today is to kill the mouse.”

I’d rather kill you. I think, smirking at the thought. I pretend to focus on the mouse, but instead, channeling my energy towards Deimos. I close my eyes, directing my mind into his body, one by one shutting down his organs. I look up, watching Deimos as he stiffens and places his hand on the wall. I feel a trail of blood seep from my nose, a reoccurring event that happens after I use my powers. I stand up and walk over towards Deimos, watching him as he cripples to the floor.

“Y-you’re… Making a m-mistake Kalyke.” He breaths out.

“You made the biggest mistake when you captured us.” I snarl back. In the back of my mind, I continue to shut off his blood flow to his brain. I hear the door open, most likely one of the minions who were watching the cameras. I look back, throwing whoever it was towards the wall.

“There’s no… g-going… back.” Deimos finishes. I place my mind in his body once more, shutting his heart off completely.

His body runs cold.

I reach into his pocket and grab the remote, pressing the button to shut off the containment rings. Outside of the room, there is commotion and cheers as the rest of the children use their powers to their fullest potential, taking down the minions.

I stagger out of the room, dropping the remote to the floor as I place my hand on the wall for support.

“Kalyke! Kalyke, hey. Can you hear me?” I hear a familiar voice ask, concern flooding their voice.

Pasiphae.

I nod weakly. I exerted too much of my powers at once.

“It’s all being taken care of, Kal. You did well.”

Another voice. Aizea.

I force myself to open my eyes, my head aching as I look around me. Minions all over the floor, the variety of ways they were killed visible. One is wrapped in plants, clearly done by Pasiphae. Another completely frozen over, by the works of Aizea.

Metis walks over with the rest of the kids behind him, a faint smile on his face.

“We did it.” He whispers.

I smile genuinely for the first time.

“We did it!” Pasiphae yells, throwing their fist into the air. They all cheer, but Metis is completely still with his eyes wide open. I furrow my eyebrows, striding over towards Metis.

“Metis? You okay?” I ask, shaking him slightly.

“It’s… It’s not over, Kal.” He whispers, his eyes still wide open.

Metis’ power isn’t harmful. He has the power to sense what happens in the future. Not necessarily predict or see the future, but sense all the different possibilities and events.

Everyone goes quiet, forming a circle around us.

All of a sudden, there is loud, screeching feedback coming from the PA. Everyone immediately reacts, throwing their hands over their ears, one kid instinctively forming a protective shield around us with their powers.

And then, there’s a voice.

“Congratulations,” a female, robotic voice says. “You have passed task one. Rebellion.”

The dome above us unfolds, the roof splitting into two. I hear my peers let out confused noises as we are exposed to a large warehouse.

“Now, onto task two.”