Super Ultra

chapter 1: Insert Power Here

I realized I was different when I was eight. The kids in my grade were developing differently than me. Walking from my classroom to the bathroom, I saw a faint red glow coming from the janitors closet. I approach the door to see a girl by the name of Suvin was in there, and I could see her hands getting redder and redder with a look of fear on her face. In shock, I closed the door and ran to get a teacher. Suvin went home and later our teacher told us about how we were changing and soon will be developing powers. After that, I wondered what my powers would be. I played with matches thinking I could manipulate fire. Almost drowned trying to breath under water. Then, I turned ten and everyone else from my knowledge got their powers and I didnt. My mother told me I couldn't tell anyone. By then I knew that because my father left and mother told me he might have been normal too. She remarried through, and now I have a brother. However, my stepfather doesn’t know about me and I can't ever tell him. He works in the lab under the people that take normals away.
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Ready. I place my feet down to grip the dirt. Set. I lift my legs up straight to brace myself for start. Go! I run as fast as I can as the dirt and gravel push from under my shoes. One mississippi. Two mississippi, three mississippi, four mississippi.
“Come on Esta!” Mom yells, “ You can do it!”
Five mississippi, six mississippi, seven mississippi, eight mississippi, nine mississippi, ten mississippi. Stop.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” I say heavily under my breath as tears of frustration fill in my eyes. I put my hands on my hips and walk back over to my mother.
“It’s okay honey. Its okay,” she says as she holds me in her arms.
“It’s not!” I push away, “I can’t get any faster.”
“We can try something else,” She tries to reassure me.
“We’ve tried everything!” I breakdown, “their going to take me away tomorrow.”
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I live in a world where it is outlawed to be normal. 14 years ago a nuclear wave hit Earth and the people here evolved and gain powers. Some were average like simple floating abilities where they would slightly lift off the ground. Some could mimic things they just saw, or start a little fire lights from a finger tip. These people are called Supers. Others, fewer people gained stronger abilities, like intelligence, mind control, telekinesis, strength. They were called Ultras. After eighth grade kids powers would be tested to see which highschool they would go to, which is why they didn't get the name Super or Ultra until they went through the testing. If you tested into super you got to go to super high, near where you lived and could live a normal life. But, if you tested into Ultra, you went away to an academy to further develop your gifts. They would be groomed to lead and some become future leaders they'd say. Very very few people gained nothing and were taken away with the government shift. The new Government was called Elizon. Still to this day, there are normal ungifted people with no powers, but they live in the shadows hiding from the government. Even some power people still birth normal children.  Most give them up to the government to go away to some place for them. Others hide them and some can fake ability just enough to pass into super to where they can go live a normal life.
I am normal, or so the kids my age say, “normie”. And soon is Elect day at school. After eighth grade, children go through a trial were they show off their abilities to be placed in the normal power high Super, or if they are deemed extraordinary, and placed in the Ultra. That was the rarest group. Elect day was how some power parent’s normal children were found out. But some may pass if they can get good enough at something to be deemed an average ability. I haven't become good enough at anything to pass. The last thing I’ve tried was speed. If only I was just a bit faster. My mother, since she found out I was normal has been practicing ways for me to fake an ability but nothing has stuck enough to be deemed super. I train everyday like a warrior but I never developed the God given gift of a power.

I laid on my bed that night and wondered what I should do. I could just turn myself in. No one really knows what they do to those normies. Maybe if I do just turn myself in, they’ll go easy on me. I’ve ran out of other options.
Smushing my face in my pillow, I screamed into it and it began soaked from the tears. The cushion from it acted as a soother to my face.  
“Esta!” my brother Atlas barged into my room. He was carrying wires and a black thing in his hands, “I think I can help.”
“Help?” He knew?
“I know your secret,” he looked me in the eye.
“I’m smarter then you think,” he conteninued, “you were always training and never really saw that in others. Others rely on their ability alone and somewhat work at it,” he lifted his head, “But you, you trained like it was your only hope.”
Atlas was a future Ultra. Though he was only ten right now and wouldn’t be placed yet, he has extraordinary intelligence that got him on the watch list by the Elizon. This was good for him, but bad for me being an under average sibling to him.
“Attie, we’ve tried everything,” I sat up as he put what he had on my bed and sat down beside it. It was a device with a button that was connected to wires that led up to a strap.
“I didn’t want to tell you or mom because I wasn’t sure if it would work but I think I fixed it now,” he began pulling the wires straight, “This device should give you just enough electricity to flicker a light. Just enough to get into Super.”
“Oh my gosh,” I hugged him, “You are Ultra.”
“Don’t hug me just yet,” he said, “we still have to get it in you.”
“What?” I questioned as my eyes jolted open.
We had to insert the device into my arm, just below my skin. So, it wouldn’t be detected. Although it was just above the skin, it was still fragile so I had to be careful with it. My mother inserted it because, along with bring a super, her every day job was a Doctor. Our Father worked in the labs at Elizon but that was all he could tell us about that.
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The day of the Elect, the halls were filled with chatter. Roaring voices of nerves and excited, with fant tones of fear for the one’s with something to lose. Some, if not placed in Ultra like their parents would lose the respect of them but for me, being normal was the biggest thing to lose. I know not of any other normals but who would dare to proclaim that even with one we’d keep closest to us. This was a big year because we are the first generation raised completely under Elizon government to attend the day of Elect. We are an important class(finish editing)
All students went to their designated homerooms but instead of lessons, we got introductions and informationals on what today was about and what we would have to do. As I entered the class, I placed my thumb on the student scanner. That was how we took attendance. My picture can up on the virtual wall table. “Esta Menster. Here.” I walked to my seat. One of my classmates leaned over to my desk and started talking to me but, I lost focus over the sound of the clock on the wall, haunting me with every tick. Hours drawing closer and closer to elect time.
“So, I know I’ll be in super and I’m okay with that because I come from a family of supers,” he went on, “what about you? Esta?”
“Oh huh?” I turned my head to the sound were my name was called from.
“What about you? You’re rank?” He reiterated.
“Oh um super. Very basic ability, Avi, very basic.”
“Cool,” Avi continued, “maybe will be in the same Super classes.”
“Yeah sure,” I said directly. I think he got the idea that I was preoccupied and not paying attention to his conversation but he finally stopped talking and sat back down. I continued to stare at the clock as our teacher began talking.
“Okay, today is a very big day. We will start with roll call. She begins looking around the room as she holds up the tablet to scan faces. It beeps and she places it down, “Veena Elish?” she calls out and we look around, “Neeren Vic?”
You were not aloud to miss school on the day of Elect. Soon as you do, an alert goes to the police and they are at your door because you must be hiding something.
“Veena? Neeren?” She calls again as she walks to her desk to get ready to report it. Before she sits down Veena comes rushing in.
“Sorry, sorry I’m late,” She places her thumb on the scanner.
“You're just in time,” Ms. Valin says, “is Neeren behind you?” we all look towards the door.
“I’m sorry. No.” she responds as she takes her seat. The whole class looks around nervously as Ms. Valin types something into her computer, “it is okay everyone. We need to get on  with today’s information.” I grab my right arm lightly and try to breathe as I go back to looking at the clock.
“When the bell rings we will all stand and go out into the hall near the gym. There are benches to sit on for the wait. When your name is called you will go in and they will give you further introduction. The names will be called at random so don't go too far and make sure you’re listening. Failure to answer went your name is called is highly problematic. But before all of that happens, you will watch this video the school has for you about today…” she goes on and starts it. 
When the time for Elect, everyone in my class and the other orientation classes walked out into the halls. Some were practicing their powers, and others sitting quietly waiting for their name to get called.
“Hey,” someone said tapping me on the shoulder as I was walking out of class. I quickly turned around. It was my friend Dezi holding a cup of water.
“Are you ready?” she said as she wiggled her pointer and middle finger in the air around the cup, causing the water to swirl at her fingertips and lift out the cup.
“As I’ll even be.” I replied pushing myself up in the chair I sit down in.
As I try to focus on our conversation, I overheard another conversation behind me.
“Yeah, he’s probably normal,” one voice says.
“He ran definitely,” says another. They're talking about Neeran.
“You know, I’ve never seen your power,” Dezi starts, “oh you probably have something really good, if you don’t flaunt it.”
“Bs!” a voice yelled from further down the line, “B.S.” a boy known as Zaven stood up and walked over to us, “she probably just has a really lame power and that’s why.” He stared at me.
“It wouldn’t matter,” Dezi interjected, “just so long as a person has one.”
“Wait,” He looked me up and down, “Do you even have one?” he questioned.
“Shut up Zaven!” I rolled my eyes, “Of course I do.”
“You're probably just like Neeran. I heard the police got him,” he says.
“You dont know if he is or isn't!” I start.
“You’re defending him so much, yeah, you definitely are one,” he spits.
“Oh shut up, Zaven.” I shout.
     “Normie! Normie!” He chanted.
“Shut up!” I yelled and stood up.
“Stop Zaven!” Dezi came in between us, “that’s not even a funny joke.”
“Nomie! Normie!” He continued.
“Stop!” I screamed and charged at him pushing him down.
“Get off me!” he shouted as Dezi pulled me off of him.
“It's not worth it,” she tells me as she moved me to the corner, “he’s the head master’s nephew.”

As I calmed myself down, Zaven looks at me with a face full of rage, “Get a load of this!” he said as he shoots out a fireball from his mouth. It caught on to the sleeve of my sweatshirt and started to travel up my arm.
“Esta!” Dezi shouted as I started trying to pat out the fire, “hang on!” she said as she began to craft a ball of water with her hands from her cup.
“No!” I tried to stop her but before I could she throws it at me. It hit my arm and stops the fire but also, a shock went through my arm. The pressure of the water ball hits the device, “No, Nooo, Noooooooo,” I run to the bathroom and into a stall.
I pulled my slightly burnt, slightly soaked sweatshirt from over my head to check the device. A dark red mark was up my arm along side were the device was put in. I couldn't tell if it was broken or not but I was running out of time. Tears began to form in my eyes. This is not happening.
I heard the door open and I hurried and put back on my sweatshirt. The footsteps stopped in front of the stall I was in, “hey?” Dezi knocked on the stall, “they're calling you up next.”
“Okay,” I said, trying to sound alright, “be out in a minute.” Her footsteps got fainter until I heard the door shut.
I pulled out my phone and called the house. There was no answer so I left a voice message, “Hey mom, dad. Attie. I love you guys so sooo soooo much. And no matter what happens,” A loud bang hit the bathroom door, “I’ve gotta go. Love you.” I hung up and wiped my eyes.

The gymnasium was lite brighter then I thought could be possible as I walked in. A women in all white stood at a table in front of the platform for the tester to stand. Behind her stood five men and women in all black. They did not move or budge but just stood there behind her. I got onto the platform.
“Hello Esta Biomear, we’ve heard alot about your brother Atlas. So we can’t wait to see what we get from you.”
“Well, as you know. Both my parents are of average ability and so they were lucky with my brother,” A knot sat in my throat, “but sadly for me, I am featured more on the average side as well.”
“I see,” she nodded and wrote something down, “when your ready.”
I took a deep breath in and slowly click the button hidden in my hand. Nothing happened. I maintained a calm face but eternally my body was trembling. I clicked and clicked and clicked.
“Esta, this is no time for games,” she said sternly.
“Just give me a minute. I promise.” I said frantically.
The woman turned her head to the side and made a quick motion with her fingers to the guards. They started to walk to the platform.
“Wait, wait,” I said panicky.
All the guards started walking towards me as a shock went up my arm again and then a light began to flicker, and another. And another.
“Stop.” The woman raised her hand at the guards as all the lights in the gym started flickering and shaking. They hauled as some began to burst.
     Then, everything stopped. Silence filled the gymnasium and the woman in white stood from her chair.
Her eyes were wide but her face remained straight, “Your Ultra,” she said.
No. No. Noooo. My heart dropped into my chest.