Kali

Anniversary

I stood patiently behind the gray doors waiting for them to open. Today I will be showing the scientist a new trick I learned. They told me not to call it a trick, but a new skill. To me, it was. And I hated the fact that I'm excited to show them. I wanted to show them what I was able to learn myself without their help. I stay up late all the time practicing my ability. The dorm I live in is small, so I have little space to maneuver. But I was still able to move the fifty inch tv off my wall and dropped it onto the floor. I ended up cracking the screen, and got scolded by facility members. But I didn't care, at Zorna they gave us television, but only channels that aired boring ancient history documentaries — so it wasn't a problem for me to lose my special privileges.

The intercom above the door called my name, and the doors were opened by guards. They had their guns, of course. I walked into the room they called the testing area. But I called it the Amphitheater. I called it that because the scientist sit high behind six inch thick bulletproof glass in seats that wrapped around the room, leaving a circular stage in the middle. Going inside the all metal room that is brightly lit, I looked up at them. Some stood, and some sat as they watched me with their clipboards and pens in hand. I placed my eyes on Doctor Yadav as I stood in the middle of the room waiting for them to direct me. She sat middle row and watched me with unwavering eyes. When I first met her, she was just a scientist that interviewed us Novirs. Now she's chief scientist. She's in control of all operations in the facility. Over the few years I've been here, the last intimate conversations I had with her was the first year I got here. After her promotion that next year, I barely saw her.

I've been at Zorna for four years. I didn't expect to be here for so long, but I was foolish to think I would be home. I haven't had contact with my parents since then. Doctor Yadav promised I would see them again, but that wasn't the outcome. She didn't lie to me, I finally understood that after the second year here. She said if I mastered my ability, I could be let into the free world again, but over the years, I have struggled with maintaining my power. I would easily go into fits of rage towards the other scientist for the longing test they ran on me. This would cause me to go into something they called a blackout. My temper would call onto my power in an uncontrolled way and cause damage. I never killed someone in the process of this, but I injured a few guards and scientist by tossing objects.

With each situation I caused, I knew it just added on another year of me being here. With it being three months into the new year of, 2036, I've had no accidents. Now that I'm sixteen, I have a small grip on my emotions, compared to my years before.

"Kali Spencer," the voice of a monotone male scientist coming from the intercom spoke. "Sixteen. Black American female. Novir level 2. Telekinesis. Test 400."

400 test I have taken since I've been here and I'm still a level two. Here at Zorna, we are ranked on our power level. The scales are one to five. With five being the highest, that meant one had an ability that is dangerous or too powerful. I haven't met a level five in this facility. Only one through four. I'm not disappointed being a level two — I'm glad I was. I was told by Doctor Yadav that level fives have a harder time containing their skills and most are on lockdown with minimal contact for the rest of their lives.

The scientist took their seats and watched me intensely as they did with my many training showcases before. I don't understand why they anticipated it so much still. They already know what I can do. But still they observed me with unblinking eyes and gripping hands on their clipboards. The doors to the left of the gigantic room opened and six guards pulled a boulder that sat on a platform trolley. I could tell it was difficult for them to pull it from their loud grunts. They placed it in nineteen feet away from me and scurried out the way.

The scientist voice was commanding as I took a few feet back. I felt like it was easier for me to perform my ability when I had great space between an object. I focused my eyes and mind on the massive boulder. I pictured it rising from my command and obeying me, as it would stay floating effortlessly. This image was painted so clear in my mind, I didn't need to shut my eyes. That step was no longer necessary for me. My second year here, I mastered my imagery. It wasn't easy to do, but one day I just stopped closing my eyes. I didn't want to see my ability performance without me witnessing it.