CWA: The Fox

The Fox

Take a look at the skills you have, either mastered or still in training, as vast as the seas of the world. Would you know what to do with them? Some people hone skills as amazing cooks; it is a common social rule that people rely on those with specific strengths. Of course, it all depends on what they do with them that matters. Photographers have a sense of archiving important moments of history with their images, and artists create marvelous canvases reflecting stances on topics the world has come to face. Doctors save the lives of those who can not help themselves; teachers help shape the next generation. 

Of course, when the powers invited themselves into society, everything changed. Not for the worse, I imagined, but to admit they complicate things is an understatement. All I understood then was simple: every week was a new superpower. Not a soul knows why, now, of all times, they came to fruition; they were just here now, and we had to figure it out. 

As with everything, management, politics, and social taboos were established. Powers were met with indifference. If you had a power, you had a power. If you didn’t, maybe some other week you will. That was the only rule we know. The powers came and went within a week, cycling in an endless loop with a complex prediction of what might happen in the following weeks. 

The Center of Special Abilities, CSA, as many have coined it, was founded 3 months after the powers arrived on the scene. Through them, many things happened all at once. Jobs were created, research into specific powers and their potentials were looked into, and lives eased into a new normalcy. As instructed, everyone was required to have a journal that listed every power they had. Some held a tight dedication to the journal, even publishing their bibliographies expressing what they’ve done with their powers, whether good or evil. Others decided to become heroes. Still, life went on.

Then there’s me. 

I woke up in a cold bed after being at Alexandria’s place last night. I reported to the CSA to verify the journal I wrote last week, what was valid, and what was to be clarified. I wanted to organize everything so I could submit my journal as a memo of assistance for Alexandria and explain how my week with her kids was one of the most interesting weeks I could have had. A little trouble was made, thankfully disputable with their conditions. Here is what I submitted. 

Journal Week Entry 14: Fox

Why did it have to be transformations again? Ok, so this isn’t my first rodeo, thankfully. All I have to do is think of the form I want and activate it like a muscle. Sometimes it works; other times it doesn’t. Unfortunately, it didn’t work this time. 

I  woke up this morning with a massive headache and a strong desire to release the powers of Thor in the restroom. Yesterday, I finished atom manipulation powers; who knew that would wreak havoc on my being? After throwing up for what felt like centuries, I tried to brush my teeth, but my brush broke the minute I felt a snap happening from inside me. I lifted my mouth to see a pair of canines pushing out. It didn’t hurt; rather, it felt familiar. I tried to revert them, but to no avail after 20 minutes. I ended up using my fingers to clean my mouth. The rest of my form would come out as the week progressed. It felt like every other typical Monday for the rest of the day. I had to find out who had what, contact work and school to find appropriate accommodations, and so on. Thankfully, work was canceled because several students were stuck with rather unfortunate powers. One teacher had told me that her student could revert a person’s age on touch. Another student had to be arrested for trying to freeze the pool with people inside still. How could anyone enjoy whatever power was chosen for the week? Why couldn’t they be aware of their own powers? I received a strange text from Alexandra; she didn’t seem to be herself. The message requested my assistance with her children and agreed to it as I was off work for the week. My thesis for school was also rescheduled for later as an emergency meeting was happening with the dean. His son had visions about the end of the world. It irked me to learn that, but I pressed on with my day. I learned to eat with these new set of teeth throughout the day and returned home from the gym. After showering, I finished the day writing this entry, and I felt a chill down my spine. 

I woke up the next day a little groggy and fell off the bed. I felt off-balanced until I took a look in the mirror and saw a bright red bushy tail and a more uncomfortable amount of fur around me. No wonder why it felt too hot last night. Anyway, I tried to speak but couldn’t. All I could hear was the yelps of the red fox; and of course, everything else. I looked at my nightstand and put my in-ears to soften the world around me. As if things couldn’t get worse, I was supposed to help Alexandra with her little ones for the rest of the week. How could I have put myself in this position? I still had my hands unaltered and texted her about the situation. Poor Alexandra had hypnosis powers that could be deadly if she said the wrong things. No response came through. I still needed to help her, so I cleaned the house and got used to my new form. I waited until the time I needed to go there; I didn’t think about my powers for the moment, only how I could help her. I set some clothes I had around in case of transformation powers, I’m glad I was taught to sew and adapt. After a few modifications, I dressed up and got to her house around 5 pm. Sky was there helping during the day. I was so glad to see her easing the work for me. She explained how Alexandra had to go to a CSA center to wait out her week. She was there when the powers activated. She got superspeed and saw Brandon’s eyes had turned ghost white. He was a little rowdy with Atom, and Alexandra was silently holding him. Atom spoke for his mother in tears. He told Sky what had happened, as Alex had written down her stay confirmation at the CSA center. The kids were well-kept from the looks of it. Atom, Suzie Q, and Brandon sat near the TV until they noticed me and ran towards the door in wonder at me. As they overcame me, Atom was petting my tail, Brandon played like a little monkey on my leg, and Suzie stood near Sky, a little shy to see me. After briefing me on everything so far, she thanked God that her power was endurance-based and sped out the door. The kids noticed I was speechless during my small talk with Sky and asked about it. I just gave a small yelp and signed “No speech” to them. 

Thankfully, Atom was old enough to learn a little sign from his friends and helped me to the kitchen with a few notes on how the day was and who had what. Atom had water powers, Brandon had screeching powers, and Suzie had something strange. “Ease?” I pointed to the word Atom. He just shrugged and told me he didn’t know what that meant. Atom spoke about how he helped his mother talk to the CSA and had a strange sense of knowing what to do. He called on Monday and had her cared for. His younger siblings stayed with Sky as he took an Uber with his mom to the center. The text now made sense. It was his doing. Atom was 13, Brandon was 9, and Suzie Q was 7. They were excellent children to be around and even helped around the house during an event. Atom showed me to the guest room, where I placed my stuff and returned to the kitchen to make supper. I made Rigatoni with chicken and watched them eat. For some odd reason, I couldn’t eat. I only thought of their well-being. It was strange to see them not panicking or frightened at the situation with their mom. What happened to them? As they finished, Atom helped me with the dishes as Brandon and Suzie Q read in the living room. The night fast approached 10:00 P.m., and I tucked them into bed.

End Log 

Turns out, so much happened and I wasn’t even there, mentally. 

I soon woke up in a cold, white room. I rose from my bed to see by my side Alexandra, a sleeping Atom, Sky, and someone I didn’t know then. 

“Thank god you’re alright,” Alexandra whispered. She woke up Atom. He rubbed his eyes as he woke up and groaned a little before his bright eyes locked onto mine.

“Mr. Thomason, You’re back! I didn’t think you were going to wake up, the men were so scary, I didn’t want to lose you too!” he cried as he tightly squeezed me as I rose from the bed.

“What happened? Where’s Brandon and Suzie Q? Is the house ok? Did I do anything? Why can’t I remember what happened last night?”

“It’s ok, sir.” The mysterious person said. “I’m [Redacted].” he tried to tell me. But something prevented him from doing so. 

“Privacy power?”

“Privacy power,” he answered with a small sigh. 

“Anyways, Atom here told me you went full fox and almost killed a man who broke into the house. Though the kids are trained in emergencies like this, you, for some reason, had loss all humanistic approaches. It happened in the early morning when the kids heard a noise from the kitchen. Two men were seen with flashlights and the kids tried to reach you.”

I looked at Atom, still holding me tightly. He started to tear up and squeeze me a little tighter. I wondered to myself where this reaction was coming from, a completely different reaction from last night. The doctor continued.

“The kids went to the room you were staying in to only see a bunch of claw marks, and you chuckling as a red fox the size of a decent bed.”

“At first I didn’t recognize you, but your eyes and voice matched to when I first met you.” Atom said as he slowly released his grasp. I felt a small amount of air come back to me. “The home robbers heard the commotion from the kids and began to run towards them. You jumped in front of the kids and bit one of them on the weist. The other had some sort of earth power and got pierced in the stomach and had a few bones fractured.”

I looked at the bandages around my body, so that’s what happened. 

“Brandon distracted the home breachers as Atom called for Sky. Sky sent for the authorities and rushed in to get you, Atom, Suzie Q, and Brandon out of there.” He explained.

“Alexandria, I had no idea I could go full fox. I am so sorry.”

“It’s ok, you didn’t know. Besides, a house is a house. Children are the most important to a parent. You were a protector. Besides, you should thank Suzie Q. She made everyone feel safe.”

“Suzie Q? What did her power do?” I asked. 

“She was interesting.” Atom said. 

“She held mine and Brandon’s hand and said it would be ok. Something in me felt calm about the danger and I knew how to act and what to do.”

Atom looked at his mom and smiled.

“That’s why I knew I needed to help you, mom.” 

Alexandra hugged Atom. 

“So, what power do we all have this week?” I asked.

Sky heated up the cup of water next to me and handed it to Alexandria to cool it down. Alexandria, who wore gloves, showed her hands as blue as the Arctic. Atom stretched his hands across the room to get the water from her and gave it to me. 

“You couldn’t have told me?”

“Nope.” they all said in unison, with a soft chuckle. 

I looked into the window beside me. 

“Thanks guys.” I said with an ease stronger than Suzie Q’s.