The first thing I noticed was the steady electronic beeping. I slowly opened my eyes to the brightly lit room that I slowly recognized as the infirmary. From what I could see tubes that carried a glass-clear liquid connected from my forearm to a high-tech machine with bright blue lights and an array of buttons and levers. I ripped the oxygen tube that was stuck into each of my nostrils. Pain rippled through my shoulder and down to my knuckles. Anger coursed next as I attempted to sit fully up, this time my entire upper torso tensed up with the strained agony. I plopped softly back onto the bed’s uncomfortable mattress as the memories came flooding back.

“Aw damn” I mumbled to no one in particular as began to fully become aware of the state I was in.

“Good to see you’re awake Chase” A familiar cheerful voice came as the door opened to the opposite of my bed (which was near a desk filled with knick-knacks and forms).

The same nurse that injected me with the serum now stood next to my bed checking a chart this time though I noticed her name tag which read Ms. Terise.

“Terrible” I answered with distaste as I tried flexing my arm without any discomfort but to no avail as what felt like knives digging into my muscles and bones.

“Looks like you got hurt pretty bad out there” She commented as she put down the chart and started to check my pulse. Not knowing how to respond I just nodded my head in agreement and sat there in silence.

Several minutes ticked by as Ms.Terise went through different tests onto me, she shined a light onto my eyes, checked my breathing with a stethoscope, checked my blood pressure, until I broke the unnerving silence.

“What’s the time” I questioned as I looked around the infirmary looking for a clock which ended unsuccessfully. Like why isn’t there a clock in here?

After checking her watch she answered, “almost four”.

A few realizations hit me at that moment as I considered what that meant. First, it meant that I missed my first class today (which started at two and ended now). I’m normally ecstatic when I miss a class but this was different, this was something I needed to be at if I wanted to learn more about being a super and what it entails. Second, it meant that I was in the infirmary for several hours as I was comatose since the beating around nine. Which was a long time, especially since I was the only one in here. Which worried me.

“But what about my class? It ends like, now” I exclaimed to Ms.Terise who was now poking my toes with a small needle. She looked up momentarily and around as if searching for something.

She then pointed to a stack of folders on the small table next to me (Which the heart monitor also lay on).

“Everything gone over in the class is in the folders where you can review them.” She answered as she seemingly finished with her tests.

“Anything else?” She questioned sincerely.

“Does that mean that everyone else in the program was fine after the uh- time in the control rooms?” I asked with some hesitation.

“Yes, the rest of the members received minimal healing afterward and were able to continue through the day.” She answered once again, her eyes seemed to twinkle in pity as she looked at me.

The seed of doubt that was buried deep within started to sprout as I contemplated what that meant. Does this mean everyone else was strong enough to go through what I did and walked it off? Were they more resistant to the drug, or could they take it better than me? Does this mean that everyone was just stronger than me, or just that I was so weak that I was the only one that needed intensive healing?

She clasped her hands together with a new smile plastered on her face “It’s ok for you to go now since you’ve been healed of your more intensive injuries there may be some slight symptoms so be careful” She exclaimed, now back into her cheerful voice.

I grabbed the desk onto my left pushing myself into the up position, my body tensed up a new wave of pain pulsed through my sore body. By the time I was in the sitting position I was panting heavily.

“Oh sorry! I forgot they prohibited the use of painkillers for treatment” She said.

“huh” I glanced at her in confusion as she facepalmed herself.

“The painkillers and the serum we give you could have a chemical reaction which induces-“ She stopped herself “it doesn’t matter, her let me help” She walked around the bed to my side and grabbed my hand. Even more confused now I watched her as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

After a few moments, I noticed it, from her shoulder a small glow appeared that intensified as it traveled down her arm and into her hand. The light showed there for a moment until to my surprise it traveled into me and throughout my body. Instantly my body started to relax, muscles unclenched, and the pain resided to a dull throbbing.

“Woah, thanks!” I said as I stretched my arms grinning as I had more or less full usage of my extremities. Which I was very thankful for.

“Your clothes are in the bathroom so you can change out of your robe”

I glanced down for the first time noticing the robe that wasn’t covering my body too much. I quickly grabbed the folders and headed to the bathroom on the other side of the infirmary. I used the bathroom and changed quickly but I used a few minutes to center myself. I splashed some water onto my face and got ready to meet Julian and some other people.

As I walked out of the infirmary I decided to head to the commons. While I walked I started to skim through the files. From what I could tell the start of it was just covering what they’ll go through but there were some interesting articles included about supers that I’ll be definitely reading later. After a short trek through the grounds, I finally made it to the commons.

I closed the files that I was reading and tucked them under my arm as I opened the door to reveal the common room. More than a dozen others milled around the room, some watched the tv while others were talking animatedly.

My eyes swept across the room until I found my target. Julian was sitting with surprisingly a girl, and coincidentally Julian noticed me. I closed the still open door behind me and started walking forward to meet Julian who has already stood up.

When he got there Julian spoke up first “Hey, where were you? You missed lunch and our first Class!”

“I was in the infirmary after I got beat up but I’m fine” I answered jokingly, there was no reason not to look strong. Especially not in front of a girl. I glanced back at the girl that Julian was recently talking too. And hot damn, she was beautiful.

“Ok cool” Julian visibly relaxed.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” I asked Julian with a smirk. He fiddled with the bottom of his shirt as he looked back at Ashely.

“Oh yeah, this is Ashley. Ashley meet Chase. Chase, Ashely” He gestured to her than me.

I stook my hand out and she shook it “Nice to meet you Chase” She said with a smile.

A silence stretched out as I dropped myself into a chair to the opposite of Ashely and Julian as well as putting my folders down next to me.

“So how’d you guys fare in our delightful torturing,” I asked jokingly to both Ashely and Julian.

Both Julian and Ashely glanced at each other like they were sharing an inside joke. I raised an eye quizzically at Julian.

“Well nothing special happened to me but Ashely on the other hand…” He trailed off.

Could she be…

She blushed scarlet red, something I found immensely cute.

“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything but yeah. I’m now technically a Super” She beamed with pride.

“Can you describe what happened?” I asked while leaning in as I got interested.

“Sure. I was a few minutes though as I was told after but to me, it felt like forever. I was… I was hurting pretty bad in my stomach as I was kicked a few times by a masked woman.” She grimaced at the thought but kept going on. “I was getting desperate, the woman then grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed me into the wall. That was the moment I felt something just click like a missing puzzle piece was finally being reunited with the rest of the puzzle. And what I call my tentacles just came out!”

I blinked wondering if I heard right.

“Your tentacles?” I asked tentatively.

“Yeah want to see?” She grinned mischievously.

As I nodded she stood up and raised her arms to shoulder length like she was about to conduct an orchestra. A few seconds passed by as me and Julian waited. Then ever so suddenly two tendrils snaked up from her torso, around her arms, and passed through her hands elongating until it was at least four feet in front of her floating in the air. The tendrils or tentacles I should say was beautiful in its own way. They were colored like molten gold, shining like the sun above us.

“Woah, so you’re an energy manipulator?” Julian questioned in awe. Apparently, he knew she was a Super but didn’t ask to clarify what kind of Super she was. A group started crowding around us watching the spectacle.

“Yeah, when I was tested they found I can use them like whips or used to wrap around someone. Kinda like a boa constrictor wrapping around its prey!” She explained cheerfully.

“But I’m also having trouble with more than two right now.” She added.

One of the guys behind me spoke up “Do something with it”

“Okay” She grinned obviously enjoying the attention. She looked around a little bit until she looked down at me and my chair.

“Wait what’re you gonna-“ I started but it was too late.

The tentacles elongated as she focused on the chair. They grew longer and thicker, stretching forward towards my chair. I quickly lifted my legs up to avoid being wrapped, they twisted and twirled around my chair until suddenly I achieved liftoff. It was slow at first, but slowly and surely I rose until I was a couple feet off the ground. I wobbled slightly but I was indeed floating. Light applause rung through the roam as we were all suitably impressed.

But then shit got real.

One of the legs of the chair snapped beneath me, Ashely now panicking started to try to release me. Something must’ve gone wrong in the unraveling or something because the rest of the legs splintered than broke off to the center where gravity took hold of the chair once again.

The crash of the chair shattered beneath my weight startled everyone.

Most of all me. The pain that I felt when I woke up earlier came back, now even more intensified. Anger flashed through me as the pain fed it. My back spasmed slightly as the pain throbbed with each beat of my heart.

Everyone crowded around and over me.

“That was a doozy” I mumbled elongating the oo sound.

“Are you okay? I’m really sorry I don’t have that much control and I got carried away and now you’re hurt and its all my fault and-“ She was speaking rapidly now, obviously panicking over what she’d done.

In any different situation, I would’ve been touched by her care. But the other intense feelings I was experiencing shut out that out.

“Everyone step back give him some space” An adult voice commanded.

I looked up seeing a massive guy saunter forward and through the crowd to look over me. Something was oddly familiar about him.

“ Do we need to bring you to the infirmary” Thankfully he neglected to add the silent “again” at the end sparing me the humiliation.

I rolled over to one side “No I’m fine just help me up” I asked as I raised a hand up. He quickly grabbed it and raised me up.

“You sure?”

“Yup. Peachy” I answered as I hobbled next to Ashely.

I put a hand on her shoulder “Its okay I’m fine” and then without waiting for an answer I limped back to my room to get some much-needed rest. As well as some ice.

Lots of ice.