The school gates felt taller now, like prison bars dressed in concrete and wire. Armed guards stood posted on either side, eyes sharp behind tinted visors. Everyone in town knew the new protocol—daily scans, ID checks, no exceptions. Ever since the awakenings began, fear had moved in like fog.
Von joined the line, head down, backpack clutched tight. Around him, students murmured nervously. A girl ahead of him got pulled aside after her scan turned red. The guard didn't even look at her twice—just barked an order and sent her away.
Von's hands started to sweat. He felt the pressure building in his chest, his heart trying to outrun the moment. What if they knew? What if someone saw what happened near the lab?
But the truth was... no one had.
He was a nobody. Just another face in the crowd. Too quiet. Too invisible.
The scanner buzzed as it passed over him. Green light. Cleared.
"Next," the guard muttered, waving him through.
Von stepped past the gate, feeling like he had walked through a wall of glass. His legs wanted to stop, to turn and run, but he kept walking. Somehow, being forgotten was the only thing keeping him free.
Von's hands began to perspire. His heart was trying to outrun the situation, and he could feel the pressure rising in his chest. What if they were aware? What if someone witnessed the events close to the lab?
In actuality, though, nobody had.
He was a nobody. Just another person in the crowd. Too silent. Too undetectable.
As it went over him, the scanner buzzed. All clear. Cleared.
The guard waved him through and muttered, "Next."
Von felt as though he had passed through a wall of glass as he passed the gate. He continued to walk even though his legs wanted to stop, turn, and run. The only thing that kept him free, somehow, was forgetting.
The school was a prison disguised as a classroom.
There are security cameras everywhere. Posters that say:
"FOR YOUR SAFETY, REPORT AWAKENED ACTIVITY."
"THE GIFT IS AN UNCONTROLLABLE CURSE."
Some pupils adorned their necks with colored tags.
"Blue" meant "cleared."
The color yellow signified "watched."
Red denoted "suspected."
At lunch, no one sat with him.
The silence felt heavier now, though not as much as it did before. As if his very presence posed a threat.
He was followed by whispers.
"Isn't that the child whose mother passed away?"
"He blew up his house, I heard."
"He has undoubtedly woken up. Observe his eyes—they twitch.
Von's hands shook as he attempted to eat. Before he knew it, a fork lifted a little from the tray.
He pushed it down.
Not in this place. Not right now.
Two students began arguing across the room. One pushed the other, and the child who was shoved froze, his whole body turning to ice.
Everyone became motionless.
The frozen child is now imprisoned in the cold.
The boy did not run after using his powers.
He simply stood there, in fear, refusing to move.
Until the guards showed up. Quick.
In a matter of minutes, he was gone.
Von remained silent, his stomach knotted.
The new world was this.
No heroes. No security.
It was a crime to have power.
He was already guilty, too.