The Other Stories

I stood up. The man, in his drab, bored voice, had told me. "Please rise."
I walked toward the wooden platform, which was a public glove-receiving place. I was surrounded by hundreds of other teens and their parents. I felt like I was being crushed by the weight of the stares.
I finally made it up. The man took out a ashy brown glove. He handed it to me. I hesitated then pulled it on.
A flush of electric ran through my body. I gasped and tried to tear off the glove. I couldn't. It hurt and then the electric seemed to pass through my mind. I relaxed visibly. The glove was slowly changing color, going from brown to gray to black. I stared.
The water in the pond started rippling. Everyone turned and gasped. Out of the water rose a pillar of earth. My glove was heating up. I relaxed my hand and another pillar shot up next to the first one. I curled my hand. The pillars sunk and a large ball of mud shot up. I waved it around then slammed it back into the ground. It splattered and I stopped the drops in midair. They dropped.

"Earth." I spoke. I smiled at the glove. "Control of Earth."

I made my way back down for the next teenager.

Notes