All I could think was that it was all over. The snake was still there, and I would die at any moment if I wasn't already dead. That enormous demon was right in front of me, ready to kill me. Its teeth weren't like a snake's; they looked more like a shark's, if sharks had three rows of teeth.
There was no one else around, and I couldn't move. My body was burning as if I had been in the sun for so long that my skin was starting to peel, and my body wasn't responding, even though I tried to run or scream. It was just the two of us, the snake and me.
It looked at me with those green eyes and backed away as it gathered speed to jump on me. Finally, it opened its jaws to kill me with that bite that could surely crush a car without any problem.
I wake up screaming, touching my body to check that it's still there. Was it a dream? No, definitely, but my arms still hurt from the snake's last blow and my body still burned like a sunburn.
I look around and don't know where I am. The room has solid gray walls and the ceiling lights are on. Besides the bed, there isn't much else in this room: a chair, a bucket, and a toilet. And there's only one door, with a darker gray. It looks more like a prison than a hospital, although I can't be sure since I've never been to either of them.
I get out of bed and walk toward the door when a voice stops me.
-We would prefer that you not try to open that door, or we will be forced to take certain countermeasures. - The voice belonged to a man who probably smoked, judging by the sound of his voice, but the authority with which he spoke made it clear that he was in charge. -So please just stay seated on your bed. -
The voice came from a speaker that I hadn't noticed until now, next to a camera. In fact, looking more closely, there are cameras in every corner of the room.
-Sorry buy, could you tell me what's going on? -My voice came out raspier than I expected, sounding as if I hadn't had a drink of water in a long time. -We need you to wait a little longer and everything will be cleared up- He said this, but it didn't seem like he was trying to comfort me. -My name is Commander Baxter, and I'm in charge of you for the moment. -
- So, this is a prison? -
-It's more like a holding cell, there are no bars as you can see-
That didn't reassure me at all.
And really, what is the difference between one or the other?
The result is that I am undoubtedly under arrest. Furthermore, he said he was a commander, but why is a commander in charge of watching me? Why is there someone in charge of watching me in the first place?
-Sir, I mean commander, - I quickly correct myself, the last thing I want is to upset him. -This must be a mistake, I haven't done anything, what happened at the gym was the fault of a snake demon. -
-We know that what happened at your school wasn't your fault, you're here for different reasons. In a few moments someone else will arrive and we'll go see you, until then we'd appreciate it if you didn't move from your bed. –
-Can I at least have some water? -
Everything was quiet for a while, for what seemed like about 10 minutes, before the door opened. The man who opened the door had a well-groomed but long beard, wore a uniform, and had a gun on his belt. In his left hand, he held a plastic cup.
-Don't move. I want you to stay in that bed. - The voice was the same as the one on the speaker, so this must be Commander Baxter. -I'm going to leave this cup on the floor, and you can come and pick it up once I've left the room. Understood? –
-Yes, sir. - My response was quick.
Why was he so careful? Was it part of protocol? I wasn't sure, but I think if I had moved, he would have pointed his gun at me. After leaving the glass as he said, he left the room.
The water tasted bad, it tasted strange, but I was so thirsty that I didn't care, so I drank it all. After that, I decided to lie down on the bed and wait for the other person who was coming to arrive so that they could finally explain to me what was going on. After two hours, I decided to speak again out of pure boredom.
-Shouldn't I be allowed a phone call or something? -
-That only happens on television and doesn't apply in this context- He said this seriously, but I could tell from his voice that he was tired too- That person has already arrived in the city, but said that had to buy something before coming-
How long had Commander Baxter been watching me? Had he really been doing that for the last two hours? He must be as fed up with this situation as I am.
After about 15 minutes, I heard from the commander again.
- Is finally here. We're going to head over with you. Don't move from that bed until we open the door. Understood? -
-Understood. –
After a few moments, the door opened once again, and Commander Baxter entered, wearing the same uniform I had seen him in last time, accompanied by the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was undoubtedly like a model, her hair was blonde but it wasn't normal, it was as if it changed color depending on where you looked at it. Her lips had no lipstick and yet they were a perfect reddish color. She didn't seem to be wearing any makeup, but there were no imperfections in her skin and her eyes showed an uncommon beauty, they were innocent and shrewd at the same time. The rest of her body was just as stunning. Even though she was wearing a blue blouse and simple khaki pants, she wore them as if they were some kinds of luxurious dress that only served to highlight her beauty.
I was speechless for a moment. Was this the woman we had been waiting for?
She took a chair and sat down in front of the bed where I was sitting.
-I apologize for being late, but as you can see, I didn't want to come empty-handed. - Her voice was sweet and soft but not cloying, and it certainly matched her appearance.
It was then that I noticed she had been carrying a fishbowl from the beginning. I was so surprised by her presence that I hadn't noticed. She was now handing me the fishbowl with the goldfish in it, and I took it, somewhat confused.
-I'm sure you have a lot of doubts and questions, and I'm here to answer as many as I can, - she said, smiling at me. -My name is Eve, but please call me Nanny. I know this guy hasn't been very talkative, but that's just how he is. Don't worry about it. -
-Can I ask you some questions then? - I said, somewhat uncertainly.
-Of course, but I also have a few questions for you, so this will be more like a conversation. -
- What is this place and why am I here? Why can't I call my parents? Do my parents know I'm here? -
- This is a detention center outside your city. You can't call your parents because of the rules, but they do know where you are and that you're okay, - said Nanny. -As for why you're here, that's a bit more complicated. -
She paused and then continued.
- Do you know why shelter cities exist? - She asked the question as if it would answer mine.
-They are cities designed for people with powers to live in, since they are not allowed to live with the rest of the people- This is something they explain to you from a young age if you live in these cities, so I answered without thinking too much about it.
-Exactly, as expected from someone who lived in a shelter city, you know about it- She said this cheerfully- So I guess you know what heroes are-
-Sure- I replied as I nodded.
Everyone knows what heroes are. Among the people who live in shelter cities, there are thousands of powers, and those with strong powers are often recruited to become heroes. Heroes are not well regarded by the inhabitants, as their main function is to travel the world, capture all the people with powers they can find, and send them to the cities. The term "heroes" was given to them by the government in an attempt to make them more acceptable to the inhabitants of the shelter cities.
-So, do you know anything about the disease of madness? - Her face changed to a more serious expression.
-Yes, - I said, although it's something they teach us in high school. -Madness disease is what happens to ordinary humans when they see someone using their powers. After a while, they fall into madness. As far as I was told, it can take months or years to develop, and there are even those who never develop it in their lifetime. -
-Ooh, so they teach you more than I expected. - She started smiling again.
-Will this answer my question? –
-Yes, that's what I'm getting at, - she said without losing his kindness. -As you know, there are many types of people in the world. Humans who do not possess powers are the vast majority. The 'powered,' as people who possess some powers are called, represent only 3% of the world's population. And the 'powerless' are those who are relatives of the powered and do not possess any power, but are not affected by the disease of Madness. -
What was she getting at with this explanation? This is something that everyone in the cities knows. Was she trying to tell me something? It was at that moment that I remembered. During the snake's attack, I felt my power awaken.
Could it have something to do with the fact that I awake so late and went from powerless to powered?
-Well, among the population with powers, only a select group of people possess more than one power. These people are considered a miracle of nature and represent only 5% of the population with powers- She was saying this with a smile on his face- That group of people are called 'overpowered'. Each of the different types of people with powers is abbreviated with an acronym: PP for the powered, PL for the powerless, and OP for the overpowered. -
Is she saying that I'm an overpowered person? One of those select one in a million? I always dreamed of being special. This is a dream come true. My heart is beating a mile a minute. I can even ignore the burning sensation in my body.
-Am I an OP? - I said with a look of obvious happiness and expectation on my face.
-Wait, I'm not finished yet. - Those words stopped me in my tracks. -Yes, you've just awakened your powers, but that's what I'm getting at. -
Her face was still smiling, but her eyes showed a slightly different emotion that I couldn't grasp.
-There is a special type of power, one that is not taught in schools and that in fact few people know about, - she said in a more serious voice. -In each generation, it is estimated that only two or three are born worldwide. They are born among humans and people with powers alike. It is so highly confidential that I can only tell you its acronym: CP. –
The emotion began to grow in me again. A unique type of power, even rarer than the OPs, whose name is classified.
She turned to look at me with those eyes whose emotion I couldn't understand. Was it sadness?
-If OPs are miracles, then CP would be the opposite. - She was no longer smiling. -Their characteristics are very clear. To begin with, their powers cannot be nullified by any known method. Second, their mere presence completely destroys the veil that allows people to hide their powers. And finally, their powers cause a special kind of madness. As you said, the disease of madness takes years to show symptoms and only affects humans, but the madness caused by CP affects both humans as well as powerless people and those with little power, and worst of all, it ends the lives of those affected in the matter of hours. -
My body froze, my blood ran cold in an instant, and a chill ran through my body. I understood that look she had been giving me from the beginning. She felt compassion and pity for me.
-No, it must be a mistake, - I said in a faint voice.
-I see you've already figured it out, - she said in a tone that was sadder than before. - You awakened a CP, and now you're classified as one. That means you're no longer human. -