Short, Light, Free

Chapter 82: I Have Superpowers

Extract A:

“Hey! Do you guys know? I have superpowers!” I shouted.

No one entertained me.

“You don’t believe me?” I asked.

“You are the worst in the whole school, superpowers. What a braggart,” Kid A ridiculed.

The other four started whispering in each other’s ears.

“You don’t believe me, eh? I can predict the future. Look at that road juncture. Xiaohong will pass by, carrying a bag of apples and even give one to me. Wait and see,” I said before quickening my pace.

Indeed, at the aforementioned road juncture, Xiaohong appeared, struggling with a basket of apples.

I waved to her and she put her basket down. She took an apple out and handed it to me before continuing on her way.

“See? I can predict the future,” I boasted, holding the apple up proudly.

“Wow! How did you do it?” Kid B asked, amazed.

“I have superpowers. Each night, when I go to bed, I’ll dream about the things that will happen the next day. 100% accuracy.”

“But earlier you said a bag of apples. She was carrying a basket?” Kid B asked, puzzled.

“Do you think I’m a fool? Xiaohong is from your class and her family sells fruits. She’d bring some home every day, see you on her way home, and give you one when you wave to her. It’s all been calculated, hasn’t it, braggart king?” Kid A asked.

“Pfffft. Braggart King,” the rest chimed in before scattering away.

I stood on the spot, mumbling, “I really do have superpowers, why won’t you guys believe me?”

...

Extract B:

“Ahh...”

I was startled awake.

Xiaoming committed suicide!

That was the first response that appeared in my mind.

Yes, I dreamt it.

I dreamed that Xiaoming had jumped. My superpower couldn’t be wrong.

The next day.

I rushed to class and Xiaohong was sitting in front of me.

I hadn’t expected her to be that early. There were only the two of us in the classroom at that point.

“Hey, Xiaohong. Follow me, will you? I dreamed of something last night,” I said. I stood up and walked out of the classroom and toward the stairs.

Xiaohong followed behind me as I went up to the roof.

“Someone will jump off from here.” I pointed at the edge where a warning sign stood.

At a loss, she asked, “How do you know?”

“I saw it in my dream,” I answered nervously before going over to look down.

“What a joke. How can you take your dream seriously?” she asked before joining me and looking down.

Eight stories high.

“Right, I forgot who’s going to do it. It could be you, Xiaohong. I think I dreamed of you jumping down,” I mentioned before giving her a little push.

She instinctively grabbed onto the railing and screamed, “What are you doing?”

Without a word, I gathered all my strength and pushed her over the edge.

Not daring to look down, I rushed off, intending to go home through the back gate.

I repeated in my head: I have superpowers.

...

Extract C:

I skipped school the next day.

Mom and Dad called my teacher.

I figured it shouldn’t matter since I was performing poorly in school, but they insisted that I attended classes.

I sat in the back row, trembling as I stared at the empty seat in front of me.

I asked my deskmate fearfully, “Xiaohong isn’t in school today?”

“Who’s Xiaohong? You’re the only one who hasn’t been in school,” he answered, confused.

“Just me? No, Xiaohong, the girl sitting in front of me. Where’s she?” I asked, trembling.

“What trick are you playing? There’s no Xiaohong in this class!”

“Then why is the seat in front of me empty? How do you explain that?” I asked, surprised.

“Is your brain fried from studying? It’s been empty for half a semester now! Don’t you remember? You kept tugging the ponytail of the girl in front of you and the teacher sent you here. You then started jabbing the male student in front of you with your pencil, causing great disturbance. Frustrated, the teacher reallocated him and kept the seat empty since then,” he explained.

“Impossible. There’s no way. Then why are you still sitting with me? Am I not disturbing you?” I asked, cold sweat drenching my uniform.

“I think you’ve really turned silly! You’re the last in class and I’m the second last. I’m afraid I’ll have to take over the bottom spot again if you stop coming to school.”

“Why’s this happening?” I asked.

“I can relax now that you’re back.” He grinned.

...

Extract D:

“I really have superpowers,” I shouted from the rooftop.

I remembered that this was the place where Xiaoming had jumped off from.

It was also the place where I had pushed Xiaohong down.

Could it be that I have no superpowers?

“I have it for sure.”

I jumped up.

I’ve succeeded.

I floated in the air.

See?

I have superpowers.

I feel my power advancing.

I could fly.

I kicked hard and flew out of the planet.

There was no oxygen but I could breathe.

I have superpowers.

...

“What sound is that?” Kid A asked.

“Did you see? Someone jumped!” Kid B shouted excitedly.

“Who? Playing suicide in school?” Kid A dragged Kid B out of the classroom to join in the commotion.

“What? Isn’t this the braggart king? He was just boasting about his superpowers a few days back!” Kid A commented.

“He’s from class 3 right?” Kid B added.

“Do you remember his name?” Kid A asked.

“I think he’s from grade 6, name’s Xiaoming,” Kid B answered.

Three minutes ago...

I jumped up. I’ve succeeded.

I floated in the air. There was nothing beneath my feet.

Gravity and acceleration pulled me downward.

Guess I can’t fly after all.

As I plunged from the eighth story, I thought about something.

I was the person in my dream.

I have superpowers.