*ting-tong*

  A chime echoed through the cramped, dimly lit convenience store.

  The sound bouncing off to the dusty shelves and faded advertisements.

  The store was already barely holding together.

  Its flickering fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over the scattered groceries.

  A broken security camera hung crookedly from the ceiling.

  The lens was cracked and useless.

  The door swung open, and a customer walked in – an old man wearing a blue plaid long sleeve.

  Jack's stomach dropped.

  "Hey, wait—!"

  *KABOOM!*

  Too late.

  The energy-powered punch slammed into the old man's chest.

  *kablam*

  The impact sends the old man crashing into a shelf.

  *crack*

  *smash*

  *crack*

  Coke bottles shattered, and snacks scattered.

  And the air was filled with the acrid scent of broken glass and stale dust.

  Time seemed to slow down.

  Jack knew that old man!

  "Mister White...."

  He breathed the old man's name.

  The old man had always come in for a carton of milk and a pack of cigarettes.

  He'd chat about his son, complain about life, and then smile like he secretly enjoyed every bit of it.

  He'd even worry about Jack sometimes—something he never knew how to respond to.

  Jack would just laugh it off, but deep down, he wondered.

  Is this what it's like to have a parent?

  But he never let himself think about that for long.

  That box of emotions was locked tight.

  *slid*

  Then, Jack watched in horror as the old man's body slid to the floor.

  His eyes are wide and unresponsive.

  A heavy silence filled the store.

  *creak*

  Save for the creaking of old wooden shelves, the distant rumble of traffic.

  But to Jack it all seemed to fade away, replaced by an oppressive silence.

  *scoff*

  A scoff broke the stillness.

  "Tch. Should've stayed home, old man."

  The robber said that, but his eyes betrayed how he felt.

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  Something inside Jack snapped.

  His fingers curled into a fist, his nails digging into his palm.

  His heart pounded in his ears, the vibrations are like a drumbeat in his chest.

  Drowning out everything else.

  He felt furious.

  A flaming fury.

  Fury at the robber.

  At himself.

  In this situation.

  At this stupid world where people with superpowers thought they could do whatever they wanted.

  Just because you people have power doesn't mean you can do whatever you want to somebody else!

  Mister White's superpower is something about cooking, hence the milk.

  I think he can make it into cheese or something.

  Yes, a useless power, like Melissa Chu.

  Jack grinds his teeth.

  He wanted to fix this.

  He wanted to change this.

  But he couldn't.

  Not right now.

  Not while he was awake.

  His vision blurred, and his body felt heavy and disconnected.

  The exhaustion—years of sleepless nights, endless shifts—finally crashed down on him.

  Jack collapsed, the floor rushing up to meet him.

  And then—

  *thud*

  The world tilted.

  The void.

  He was back in the void.

  The floating words greeted him, its gentle glow, a stark contrast to the chaos he'd left behind.

  What would you like to create?

  Jack gasped for breath, his hands shaking.

  He had no time to think, no time to hesitate.

  "I—I need a healing potion! Something to fix injuries! Something—anything!"

  A small vial of glowing blue liquid appeared in his hands.

  He didn't care what it was called, if it followed any logic, or if it was from some fantasy game.

  He just needed it to work.

  And a weapon!

  I need a weapon!

  I needed something to fight back.

  That!

  "A bat. Metal. Heavy."

  Then it materialized.

  The weight settled into his grip.

  It was real.

  Jack clutched it tight.

  "Let me take these with me. Let me—"

  He begged.

  The void flickered.

  Then Jack's eyes snapped open.

  *hummmmm*

  He was back in the store, the fluorescent lights above him humming loudly.

  His body was stiff, his head pounding – but in his hand...

  The vial was real.

  And the cold metal baseball bat.

  It worked.

  His heart leaped into his throat.

  Goddammit it worked!

  It really worked!

  It actually worked!

  He almost cried.

  His pulse thundered as he scrambled toward Mister White, ignoring the robber's confused stare.

  But not before brandishing the baseball bat to the robber's face in his other hand.

  As if it would matter, in front of a superpowered.

  But even so, being armed with a weapon makes Jack feel brave.

  His other hand uncorked the vial and poured half the glowing liquid into the old man's mouth.

  *slosh*

  His eyes keep on looking at the robber's confused face.

  For a second, nothing happened.

  Then—

  Mister White's chest rose sharply.

  His fingers twitched.

  His eyes fluttered open.

  Jack nearly collapsed in relief.

  It wasn't instant.

  It wasn't perfect.

  The old man still looked weak.

  But he was alive.

  Jack exhaled shakily.

  He had done it.

  But he had been too late.

  The man had still suffered.

  He could've died if Jack hadn't figured this out fast enough.

  The robber took a step back, eyes darting between Jack and the now-breathing old man.

  "What the hell—?"

  Then—something clicked.

  The robber's expression shifted.

  His mind worked fast.

  "You...."

  The robber started to say.

  "????"

  Jack looked alert.

  "Give me that vial!"

  The robber's eyes widened, desperate.

  "It can heal, right?"

  Jack didn't answer.

  The robber's eyes are getting bigger, and his hands shook.

  His face twisted—not in greed, but in something else.

  He remembered his sick daughter.

  "Give me that potion!"

  "No!"

  Jack refused.

  Silence ensues.

  Then small voices of people can be heard from the distance.

  Suddenly the robber doesn't know what to do.

  *thud*

  Then Jack was startled when the robber started to kneel on the floor and bow his head.

  "Please... I'm sorry"

  Jack was still angry but remembered why the robber was doing it.

  "My daughter," he whispered. "She's sick."

  He bit his lips, his mind wanted to get angry at the man.

  This guy had attacked Mister White!

  Left him for dead.

  He didn't deserve anything.

  But his heart...

  He looked back at the robber—who was now kneeling.

  Bowing his head.

  "Please…"

  The man's voice cracked.

  "I'm sorry."

  He looked at the vial with half of the potion left.

  Then he looked at the pitiful look of the robber.

  His hand is not glowing anymore.

  "Please give me the healing potion..."

  Jack's heart twisted.

  "I'm sorry for all that I've done..."

  He wanted to be angry.

  "Forgive me, young man."

  But… he understood.

  The robber wasn't the only one trying to survive in a world that didn't care.

  Jack closed his eyes.

  "Catch!"

  Then he tosses the bottle to the robber, the man catches it.

  The man's eyes were full of regret and thanks for Jack.

  "I will never forgive you"

  The robber flinched.

  Jack said.

  "I will only let you go for your daughter's sake"

  "She's innocent to all of this."

  The sound of voices—people approaching—grew louder.

  "Go"

  The robber started to move, but he stiffened, panic flashing across his face.

  He'll be seen if he runs from the front door.

  "Tch."

  "You owe me big time"

  He jerked his head toward the back.

  "Employee exit. Go."

  The robber hesitated, then, with one last look—he nodded.

  And ran.

  Jack slowly stood up, his legs still wobbly.

  His head was still spinning.

  But now...

  He knew his power was real.

  And for the first time in his life...

  He had something..

  He's no longer an anomaly.