Eliot's fingers hovered over the glowing words on the menu: STATUS, ABILITIES, GUIDE, SETTINGS. He could barely breathe. This wasn't a dream. It was really happening.
He picked the safest option first. "GUIDE," he thought clearly. The menu changed, showing new words, sharp and digital.
SYSTEM GUIDE
Welcome, Host. This System helps you use your natural strengths and interact with things around you. To choose an option, just think about what you want.
STATUS: Shows how you're doing physically, mentally, and what the System is doing.
ABILITIES: Lets you see and manage your skills, both new and old. You can unlock new skills as you get stronger and do certain things.
GUIDE: You are here. It gives you information and how-to's for the System.
SETTINGS: Change how the interface looks, how you get messages, and other System options.
INITIATING BASIC ABILITY TUTORIAL…
A "Basic Ability Tutorial." Eliot's heart thumped with a mix of fear and a strange, exciting hope. He hadn't felt hope in weeks, maybe months. He'd been empty, like a ghost. Now, this impossible power whispered promises to him.
He focused on the new message: "INITIATING BASIC ABILITY TUTORIAL…"
The guide text vanished, and a single, bold instruction appeared right above the small twig he'd tried to move earlier.
FOCUS: Look at the object and think about it. Imagine what you want to happen.
COMMAND: Clearly think or say an instruction.
Eliot swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. This was the moment of truth. If this didn't work, if it was all just in his head, he didn't know if he could handle the disappointment. He looked at the twig closely. It was tiny, no bigger than his pinky, dry and brittle.
He held out his hand again. The faint blue light around his palm grew brighter, a soft glow that lit up the park bench. He focused, staring at the twig. He pictured it rising, floating just an inch or two off the ground. He imagined the effort, the gentle push of an unseen force.
Then, he thought the word. Clear. Simple. A command.
"Lift," he whispered, or perhaps just thought it. It was hard to tell the difference.
For a moment, nothing. Eliot's shoulders drooped. He closed his eyes, a wave of sadness washing over him. Just a trick of his mind, after all.
But then, he felt it. A small shift in the air, a faint whisper of energy. He opened his eyes.
The twig trembled. Barely at first, a tiny shake. Then, with a sudden, almost funny jerk, it rose. Not an inch, but a full six inches into the air, hanging perfectly still. The blue light around his hand pulsed brighter, mirroring the impossible sight.
Eliot gasped, his mouth open. He stared at the floating twig, then at his hand, then back at the twig. It wasn't his imagination. It was real. He had moved it. With his mind. With this... System.
A jolt of pure, electrifying adrenaline shot through him. It was a mix of fear and wonder. He was holding a piece of the world, suspended by an invisible power. He wanted to laugh, to cry, to shout. Instead, he just sat there, amazed.
Then, a new line of text appeared below the floating twig: (BASIC TELEKINESIS: ABILITY UNLOCKED).
Telekinesis. The word echoed in his mind. He had powers. Real powers. The meaning of it hit him hard. His old life was shattered. But maybe, just maybe, this new, terrifying reality held something more. Something he could use. Something to fight back with.
The thought of Sarah, of Richard, of Carol, and Robert's cruel words twisted in his stomach. A cold, strong resolve began to settle, replacing his despair. He still felt the pain, the betrayal, the crushing loss. But now, it was mixed with something else: the echo of power, the promise of control. He had just learned to lift a twig.