WHAT I WANT YOU TO LEARN: Exposition is a tough thing to do without coming outright and saying it, I want you to exposit something about your story, without directly telling me.
THE PROMPT: A man has magic powers and his friend walks in on him using them. What happens next?
"Kindled Curse"
Erin stared down at her hands, heart thumping. Tendrils of blue light flickered between her fingers and began sparking off her skin. She tried to press her palms together, to snuff out the glow, but it only pulsed brighter, crackling with a strange warmth.
"Erin?"
She froze, the light vanishing in an instant. Slowly, she turned around to see Sean standing in the doorway, one eyebrow raised, his expression a mix of amusement and... something else.
"What was that?" His voice was a whisper, but his eyes were wide.
Erin forced a laugh, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Nothing. Just, uh... static, I think." She took a step back, bumping into the edge of the table.
Sean didn't look convinced. He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze fixed on her hands. "Static doesn't look like that, Erin. I saw—" He broke off, swallowing, eyes wide. "You looked like... like you were holding lightning."
Her mouth went dry. She glanced at her hands, feeling the strange warmth lingering under her skin, like it wanted to escape. Like it wanted to be used.
Sean took another step forward. "Show me."
She clenched her fists, shaking her head. "I can't."
"Please." His voice softened, the hint of a plea in his tone. "I'm not going anywhere. Just... show me."
She hesitated, searching his face, but his gaze was steady. Finally, she sighed, pulling her hands from her pockets. She opened her right palm, holding it up between them.
At first, nothing happened. Then, with a deep breath, she let herself focus. Warmth swirled beneath her skin, and a soft blue glow bloomed in her hand, faint but unmistakably real.
Sean's mouth fell open. "Holy—" He stopped, blinking hard. "How long have you been able to do that?"
"A week. Maybe two." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don't know why. It just... happens."
His hand hovered above hers, fingers trembling. "Does it hurt?"
She shook her head. "No. It's warm, but... I don't know what it's doing to me." Her eyes flicked to his, pleading. "It scares me, Sean. I don't know what I am."
He let his hand drop, but his gaze stayed locked on hers. "Can you... can you do more?"
She hesitated, then nodded. Wordlessly, she turned to the row of candles on the windowsill. She extended her hand, fingers spread, and exhaled. A single spark leapt from her fingertips, landing on the wick of the nearest candle. It flared to life, the tiny flame casting shadows that danced around the room.
Sean stared at the candle, his face pale. "That's... incredible."
She wrapped her arms around herself, glancing down at her still-tingling hands. "Or dangerous."
Sean shook his head slowly, almost entranced. "Are you kidding? This is amazing. We could figure this out. Together." He reached out to her, offering his hand.
Erin looked at his hand, then slowly took it. As their fingers intertwined, a shiver ran down her spine. For a moment, she felt safe, like he could somehow anchor her, keep her from losing control.
Then, a flicker of blue light sparked from her hand and crackled along his skin. Sean's eyes widened, his mouth parting in a gasp.
"Sean, I'm sorry! I didn't—" She tried to pull her hand away, but he held tight, his grip like iron.
"No, Erin, wait." His voice sounded different—low and rough, as if something had shifted in him. His eyes were fixed on their joined hands, and she watched in horror as faint blue veins began to spread beneath his skin, tracing up his wrist, winding around his arm like roots.
"Sean?" Her voice quivered, barely above a whisper.
He looked up at her, and she saw it—his eyes had changed, his pupils dark and dilated, rimmed with a faint blue glow. "It's... inside me now," he murmured, sounding almost awed. "I can feel it."
He released her hand, and blue light flickered across his fingertips, crackling with the same eerie glow she'd seen on herself. She stumbled back, heart racing.
"Sean... what's happening to you?"
He lifted his hand, watching the light dance along his skin. "I don't know." A strange smile crept across his face, his eyes never leaving the glow. "But I think... maybe I was meant to have this."
Erin shook her head, backing toward the door. "No. No, this isn't right."
He took a step toward her, eyes fixed, unblinking. "Maybe it's not you who has the power, Erin," he whispered. "Maybe you were just... keeping it warm for me."
A chill swept over her, a sense of something ancient stirring behind his gaze. As he took another step forward, she turned and bolted from the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Behind her, she heard him laugh, low and soft, his voice ringing with a new, unsettling edge. "Running won't help, Erin. It's in me now. It has joined the others."
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