Blessings

In this world, everything was black and white. You were either special or you weren't. They say 100 years ago, blessings started to be bestowed upon humans. Just one day the birth of children everywhere happened simultaneously, but every child was born with a mark. Later on, when those children hit puberty some earlier than others, they manifested gifts of different abilities. Some could fly, some could turn invisible, some controlled plant life, there were just so many. Now anyone born with a mark is treated with the utmost care. They are raised in rich gated communities cut off from the public, but mostly non-gifted. The rest live either decent lives or are in the slums.

I was lucky enough to live with the rest of the decent people. My mother was more than lucky enough to be born blessed. Last year I reached the age of 15, the age limit for nongifted to live with the gates, and I was sent to live with my dad. The government says it is for our safety but the danger is outside of the gates.

On my way home from school, I stopped by the bakery. This was routine, as I walked in, the owner Ann, was already finishing boxing up my pastries. Walking up to the counter she handed them over with a smile. "There's extra filling this just the way your mom likes it."

"Thank you. She'll eat those first." I laughed and waved goodbye.

I made my way to my mother's gated community. Like clockwork, I was always on time for visiting hours. Any second the gates will slide open just enough for a filed line to form for entry. By the time I reached the security desk, it was still closed. I tapped on the window to get the attention of the guard. Has he turned to attend to me I realized he was not the regular guard.

"How can I help you?" His face was dull and neutral.

"Where's Danny?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Never heard of him. If that's all please step away." He was ready to walk away.

"No wait. I'm here to see my mother, Ms. Moore."

"There will be no visitation until further notice. If you would like to speak to a resident of 'Blessing Fields' please call them directly." With that said he walked away.

I wonder if someone got sick again. Depending on who it probably is best that they stop visits. The walk home felt uneasy, it made me walk faster. When I got home, my father surprisingly wasn't around. Everything seemed off. I placed the pastries on the table, turned on the TV, and headed towards the shower. I tried not to overthink why I couldn't see my mother. There was always an excuse as to why a nongifted couldn't go within the gates. By the time I finished my shower, it had already begun to get dark outside. I entered my room to get dressed and grab an extra towel for my hair. As I leaned over to dry my hair, I jumped to a loud thump that came from outside my room.

"Dad is that you?" I yelled. But no one answered.

Standing back up I continue to still wait for a sign of life. Just when I had grown impatient of waiting the thump happened again. This time I was creeping into the hallway. Looking down the hall I could see the flashing lights from the living room TV and the fluorescent light from the kitchen. I slowly made my way down the hall the closer I got the sound of crowds of people began to get louder. It was coming from the TV. I watched as people pushed and fought through crowds of angry mobs, in the background were great flames people were burning things down. Finally, my attention was broken by the voice of the new anchor.

"I am reporting live from 'The Gift' gated housing community where people have begun to riot. Claims of missing 'gifted' family members and abuse have caused havoc outside their gates. The housing manager for this community has yet to make a statement. The authorities say they do what they can but the 'gifted take care of themselves'. No one has answers to the question of why gifted people, some of their family members, are going missing." Before she could continue her report someone came and snatched her mic.

"The SFFG is a lie! They are taking our loved ones and using them for experiments. There are people with money in power who want to use them. Their kidnapping nongifted to use as test subjects soon anybody can call themselves blessed. We need..." he was cut off but colors and a static ringing. The channel was shut down.

My father then burst through the doors, stumbling over his own feet. He went crashing to the floor before making it to the couch. I helped him sit up. "Are you okay?" I checked him for open wounds.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." he adjusts himself. "We need to get out of here."

"What do you mean? What's happening?"

"Nova, you need to find your mother. Please there's no time to explain."

He was looking at me with so much concern I couldn't help but simply accept it. I got up and helped my father to his feet. As I packed a bag I felt as if the ground below me was shaking. I hurried back to my father.

"Come on we need to go." he put an arm over me and we went towards the door.

Coming out of our complex everything looked a wreck. In every direction was the sound of screams and cries. Stores and other businesses had shattered windows and were already ablaze. My father's car sat across the street parked somewhat on the sidewalk. We hurried in and pulled off making our way to my mother. When we turned the corner bright headlights appeared behind us I couldn't make out if it was an actual vehicle or not. But that was more than enough to make my father press heavy on the gas. "Buckle up. When we get there I'm going to ram the gate." my father never took his eyes off the road. "Nova, I want you to know I'm sorry. There is not a lot I can explain to you right now but I wasn't supposed to be this way."

I was stuck and confused. I didn't know what he meant by that. Why would he be sorry? In the distance, I could see the gates we were close. I placed my hand on the dashboard ready for impact. But instead in seconds, there was no time to warn him as I saw another pair of bright headlights coming from about left. It crash into us sending the car barrel rolling past the gates. The car landed on its side, the airbags deflating.

I had to take a moment to center myself and stop the ringing in my ears. The sound of thumping and cracking glass finally got through. My father was breaking the windshield. "Nova get up and run. Find your mother. Now. Get up."

I couldn't just leave him. I didn't even know what I was running from or where to run to. I unbuckled my seat belt and carefully turned to help my father out of his seat. "Nova there's no time for this." he pushed me away.

"Then I'll make time!" tears were running down my face. I was too confused to think of anything else.

Suddenly his down was taken off and a gifted pulled him out. But my father refused his help. Before I could reach for him I was then pulled out of the car. I swung and thrashed around. But there was no use against a gifted. I was being carried to the bright headlights. The closer we got the more dark figures turned into people. Guards in black and gold suits stood surrounding us with guns. Looking around one of them had my mother. She was cuffed. "Mom!" my voice cracked as I yelled out for her.

"Awe, not the family reunion I was hoping for." a familiar voice laughed. She came closer. "It's been so very long hasn't it my favorite star?"

"Aunt Lexus? What is happening? What are you doing to my mom?"

"Oh, so you know nothing? Perfect." she walked over to a guard and snatched his handgun. "A new world is coming. What if I told you, you don't have to be born gifted?"

"Dont listen to her. It's not about having a gift. Those people, your mother, were blessed. On good faith that they would do good." my father spoke through his pain.

"Blessed? You make it seem so noble yet you hide the fact that some of those 'Blessed' ended up criminals. You call it a few bad apples, I call it being Human. The day people were born with gifts being 'normal' was almost considered a sin. Even the families of the gift aren't really important unless they're gifted as well." She cocked the gun. "I've found a way that almost anyone can get a gift. The gods can still answer. Unfortunately, my little star you will have to suffer." she pointed the gun at my father.

"No! Stop please I don't understand. Why does he have to die? I'll be a part of whatever you need, just please don't kill him." I cried and tried to fight my way to him.

"That's just it. You never had a choice the day you were born." She turned to look at my father. "I promise I'll take care of them." she went to pull the trigger.

I closed my eyes not wanting to witness his death. But the sounds of Lexus's screams made them open back up. She held my mom in her hands. Before she had the chance to show too much emotion she pulled herself together. She dusted herself off and picked the handgun back. "I guess this works better." She said as she looked me in the eyes and pulled the trigger. Even my screams couldn't muffle the sound of his body hitting the ground. "How could you! Your family! We were all family!" She then shot at me. There was no time for pain just darkness.

Why was this happening? All I could feel was anger. A rage that made my body feel so hot I felt at any moment I could begin to feel my skin melt.

I hated that she was right. The nongifted suffer no matter what. If you weren't born special you could never be special. And now look cause I wasn't gifted this was the path my life was on.

'Do you seek justice?' A voice called out to me. "No, what would I gain." 'Does hatred motivate your goals' "Yes." 'Then here, I'll give to you what your people call blessings. I have watched your kind be unfair and the 'gifted' are just as unjust letting greed consume them. Spread your pain and share your gift with others.'

Slowly opening my eyes, my body still felt too warm. Bright lights and the sound of low muffles surrounded me. Clicking heels made their way to my side. "You did it my little star. You've been gifted." Seeing my aunts face brought nothing but pure rage consumed me again. I sat up and grabbed her by the collar. "Little star I know you must be very upset but it was for a great cause. Your the very first gifted who wasn't blessed at birth." I stopped to stare at her. 

"And your going to wish I wasn't." I walked out the room i was being held in while dragging along my aunt. Passing by my reflection i could already tell of the changes. 

My eyes now an ice blue-gray, and a mark on my shoulder totally different from other gifted. I headed towards the top floor where I could be in control of everything. Getting inside the main room i threw my aunt towards the main computer. "Release everyone." She sat there hesitate. "Now!" she scurried to her feet and quickly did as told. Looking around i noticed the step up in the far corner with a Camera. I turned it on, "Broadcast me." Lexus typed away on the computer. When everything was ready I brought her with me in view of the camera and began.

"I am Nova. I am here at the SFFG where i have set everyone missing person free. But I am not here for that. Today I was forced to be gifted." I turned to show my shoulder. "I am not blessed. For too long you have idolized the gifted for the wrong things, use them, and then completely forgotten what its like to be a normal person. It is time for change. Those who don't not deserve a gift with be stripped of it. Those who were meant to be blessed with be gifted. Stand in the way of this new era and be cut down. Anyone willing to join you where to find me." I turned to my Aunt. "As for you, you have sinned against both gifted and nongifted alike. I cast judgement." as if I had already done this before I raised my hand towards and with in seconds I could feel a force pulling towards me. It was her life, the color from her skin started to fade, she began to look shriveled up as she clawed at her throat desperate for life. When her body had finally hit the floor I turned back to the camera. "Will your blessings save you now?" 

Walking off camera I was meet with too gifted that had ran their car into me earlier. They would be my first test subjects. Before they could move to make their way towards me I held out my hands again feeling a force pull towards, but I didn't want their life I wanted their powers. As if the thought had triggered something the sensation of the force changed. Through one arm i could feel the heat of flames and in the other every muscle gaining more strength then ever. I was absorbing their powers. When I was done I could create flames in my hand and I felt like I had the strength to pick up anything. For the first time in my life i wasn't powerless, and I was more than just gifted powers like mine were never heard of. I was really special. And I was ready to show the world.