“Show them, show them, too. I told them all about it.”

“I want to see!”

“I can’t see! Move, I want to see.”

The children gathered around as I held my hands. The blue light jumped from one finger to the other as it boiled in my palm.

“Wow,” they all replied.

I smiled, feeling rather proud of myself for my new trick. All the kids wanted to be my friends because I had magic. No one else had magic, it was just me.

“Does it hurt?” A girl reached out to touch it.

I closed my hand. “My brother says it shocks you.”

She snatched back her hand. “That’s so cool.”

“I’d shock my older brother all the time!” yelled one boy.

“Me, too. My sister is so mean. I’d zap her.”

They laughed as I scratched at my palm. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just like the color. It was a pretty light shade of blue. The bell rang and the kids started heading back inside. I sat in the grass and sap a blade of grass. It turned black and started to shrivel up. Putting my hands in my lap, I frowned. Last time I did that the grass hadn’t died.

“Recess is over!” yelled the teacher. “Come on, kids everyone inside.”

I pressed my hand into the grass as I stood and felt a strange tingling sensation travel down my arm. The ground turned black. I backed away from the spot as the scorched mark started to grow. The few remaining children started to scream as it got bigger and bigger. I moved onto the gravel under the swings and stared. It kept going. Holding out my hands, I watched the blue light flicker. I touched a finger to my arm but felt nothing. It didn’t hurt me. Trying again and again, I waited for it to hurt.

“Eiko.”

I peered up at the principal. “Do you mind coming to the office with me?”

“I didn’t mean to.” I felt my eyes start to water. “I didn't. I just touched it. The other kids touched it, too, but I—” I stared at the black pat as tears started to fall. “Am I in trouble?”

The principal smiled and touched my shoulder. “You’re parents are going to come and get you.”

“My mom’s at work.” I wiped my face.

“Your father, then.”

“He can’t. He’s a long way away at war. Mom says he can’t come home for a few months.”

“It’s alright, Eiko. We’ll call your mom. You can wait for her in the office.”

Nodding, I cleared my eyes and went with her to the front of the school. “I’ll fix the grass. I don’t know how yet, but I will.”

“That kind of you.” She kept her eyes pointed down the hall. We arrived and she sat me down on a bench. “Wait here.”

I climbed onto the bench and sat cross-legged. My mom was going to be mad. My brother said not to tell her because she’d get scared. It was supposed to be our secret, but I wanted to show my friends. They told everyone so I showed them, too.

I used my jacket to wipe my face. I hope my brother didn’t come with my mom. He said crying was pointless because when we grew up and had to go to war, too, crying would be a waste, so I needed to stop now.

Waiting for my mom was taking forever. I laid down across the bench. My eyes started to close. Footsteps sounded down the hall. I rubbed my eyes and sat up to see men in army uniforms. The Northern Pagora symbol was on their chest. They called my dad. He was here!

Hoping off the bench, I searched the men’s faces. “Is my dad here?”

One looked toward the principal. “This is him?”

She nodded. “I can take you to see the playground. Half of the grass was killed. We turned on the sprinkles in hopes that it might stop.”

“Go take a look at it,” said the one solider with the different hat.

“Is my dad here?” I asked. “They said I could go home.”

The man with the different hat knelt. “Your dad is a soldier?”

I nodded. “Yeah, he has a suit like yours.”

“What’s your name?”

“Eiko.”

“What’s your last name Eiko?”

I shook my head. “I can’t tell people that. Mom says she has to do it.”

“She is a very smart woman, but I’m like your dad. So you can tell me.”

“Shields.”

“Eiko Shields?”

I nodded.

A man behind him called someone.

“Does your dad look like you?”

“No. He’s cauca— and I’m not.”

“Caucasion?”

I nodded. “My mom and brother are Asain like me. My mom is from the coast and my dad is from the mountains.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

“But we’re all Northern Pagora,” I said with a smile. “My dad is a warrior, like you.”

“I’m sure he is. You have a brother?”

I nodded. “He’s older.”

The man stood. “Check into the brother and mother. The father would have to pass a medical exam. Find which Shields it is and have him and the boy’s mother come to my office. The older brother will need to do testing.” He turned to leave.

Letting out a deep breath, I started to get nervous. “Where’s my dad?”

“Astrid, he’s all yours.”

A woman walked through the group. She wore all black with curly, long dark brown hair. She didn’t look like the men. She looked like some of the bad people on the streets my mom said not to go near.

“Hello, Eiko.” She smiled down at me. “I hear you have a talent.”

I showed her my hand. The men jerked back at the blue sparks.

“I can shock people.”

“You can do far more than that.” She knelt. “You’ve had a long day. Would you like to take a nap?”

Shaking my head, I leaned back. “I did, on the bench. They made me wait here.”

“This one will be even better.” She pressed her finger to my forehead and I felt a spark.

I slapped her hand away. “No! No, I want my mom.” I clenched my fist as the tears began to fall. The blue sparks started to spark from my hands.

“Everyone back!” yelled Astrid.

The sparks turned to blue flame that spread along the carpet.

“I want to go home!” I rubbed my eyes as I cried. “I want my mom.”

“Amazing,” said Astrid. “He’s simply amazing.”