Four Years Ago?

Gunshots hailed around me as I took aim and fired down the range. Quick bursts of three as instructed before repositioning my rifle and firing again. Focus only on your target and nothing else. After I emptied my clip, I set the rifle down and pulled the plugs from my ear, wincing as the gunshots went from a dull background noise to a sharp soundtrack. I pressed the button above the rifle slot and motioned for the instructor that I was done.

The target I was firing on came wheeling towards the station and the instructor scrunched their face together, analyzing every single bullet hole from my clip of thirty. After a few tense moments, the instructor turned back to me.

"Not great, but not horrible. I'll let you go for today 1012, but I expect better." That's what they all say, that they expect better. Everything I do is never enough.

Only grateful for the fact that I didn't have to load another clip and put those uncomfortable plugs back in, I thanked the instructor and quickly left the firearms room.

Just after the door closed behind me, a loud siren wailed through the air. I mentally cursed. That instructor didn't let me out because I was passable at firing a weapon. They let me out because it was time for mandatory lunch. A healthy diet breeds healthy soldiers! the intercom would normally spit out at this time, feeding us the same irritating phrases every day. With everyone from the firearms room now following behind me, I made my way towards the cafe.

The facility I now lived in, unlike the one where I was experimented on, was exponentially larger. So large to the point where it was given the name "The Pavilion". At the times where we were given free jurisdiction to roam around, it was possible to get lost in these halls.

My personal favorite spot was to hang out inside the infirmary. I mean, all the aching and moaning people made it irritating to stay, but there was a nice Yellow who offered decent conversation. Also, I've seen a lot more than eight people, which I guess constitutes as an upside.

I made my way into the obscenely large cafe. There were upwards of two-hundred tables, and the floor split to offer two levels of seating. Against the back wall, several tall windows displayed a view down the mountain and across the accompanying hills. If you came early morning or at the right time in the afternoon, you'd be able to catch the sun rising or setting, enjoying your meal in a beautiful marigold light. I preferred to eat at these times; it's the only time I get to see the sun.

This is different, I thought to myself.

The cafe, for the first time since seeing it two years ago, was split into six even sections. On every table in any given section, a small colored decoration sat on the table. There were six colored decorations in all: yellow, green, blue, red, orange and purple. Knowing immediately where to sit, I made my way through the tables to sit in the blue section.

Slowly, the cafeteria filled until every table was full, and it didn't take long until I was surrounded by people with the same sharp blue eyes as me. The chatter of hundreds of kids filled the empty air, giving me something to listen to in the meantime.

A man I constantly loathed stood against the cafe's window's, the corrupted sky his background. Upon seeing him stand at attention, the crowd went silent, awaiting his words. After picking a piece of lint off his suit, he began.

"You've all been training as soldiers for the last two years, and the results have been exceptional. I personally couldn't ask for better." The crowd cheered and applauded, but I couldn't take solace in his words.

After coughing in his fist, he continued. "However, operations are going to be ran different from now on."

He reached into a cardboard box and pulled out a several shirts, a pair of jet black sweatpants, and combat boots. "The outfits we distribute are being changed from your current, indistinguishable garments to these. Every color has a shirt representing their respective group, and you'll be able to pick up pants and boots in your respective size to match. Mandatory switch is required within a month." Personally, I was indifferent towards the black uniforms we currently wore.

He tossed the clothes back in the box. "Living arrangements are being restructured as of today." The crowd of children wasn't too happy about this, and I had to agree with them on this.

"I understand moving roughly two-thousand people will be a hassle, but bear with us, please. Previously, you came here and you took the first available space. Now, you are to be separated by color. Every group has a section starting with Yellows on the west wing and Purples on the east wing. Soldiers outside the cafeteria can direct you to the line where you can receive your new room location." I let out a snort, knowing just how long these lines can take. I had to wait in one just to receive my first set of clothes, and that had been hell. I'd been there all day.

"The final major change comes in regard to your training schedule." The crowd quieted down once again, and even he had my full attention on this subject. For two years, schedules haven't changed. Why would they be different now?

The man looked over all of us. "I'm sure you all have been noticing that something has been off with you. Some of you have been taking advantage of that offness, much to the chagrin of the soldiers here. Well, I'm not going to hide the truth from you all any longer."

"You all have an ipseity."

Confusion quickly spread. We have a what? I shared a look with the kid looking next to me before looking at the man. Realizing we didn't comprehend what he said, he chuckled. "Oh, right. Teaching you all Latin would've been inefficient, my bad. In layman's terms, you all have developed a different ability, in a sense. A superhuman trait, unique to you."

A superhuman trait? I narrowed my eyes in thought. Was there more to these experiments besides a cosmetic change and an enhanced physique? Wait. The random times the sprinkler system would go off, or the times where an explosion rocked The Pavilion wasn't because this building was faulty, but because one of us did it?

"That's crazy," I whispered under my breath. Not everyone understood what this meant, but I did. I did all too well.

"How does this relate to your schedule?" The man asked the question all of us had been wondering. "Along with weapon proficiency, you will now be training to discover, learn, and fully understand your ipseity and its limits. New schedules will be printed shortly."

Now he's piqued my interest. Apparently, every one of us has some superhuman trait, and now we're learning to use it. They've had to have known about this for a while now, no doubt, but are just telling us. To be frank, I could understand why. Imagining children running around doing something like breathing fire on command is terrifying.

Hell, now I want to do that.

After a few more words detailing the plan for the next few years, we were dismissed to wait in the line for our new rooms. I pushed past people to make my way out the cafe in the first wave, and ended up skipping the line altogether. I laughed inwardly at the people stuck in the distribution line; it curled around the hall.

I looked at the small slip I was given. It directed me to room 209-A. I walked towards the hall that branched off to the different living quarters, noticing that it been slightly redone. A main area led into six different halls, each section having a corresponding color sign to identify. Taking the blue hallway, I followed the number until I reached the room. I stood in front of the door for a moment before sighing. I didn't have any way in.

I turned around to go back to that godforsaken line, but before I could even take two steps, the door slid open, letting me in. The room wasn't something I wasn't used to. It looked exactly like my old one, only in a different area.

Two beds occupied the main room, a wall lamp separating them. Above the beds, there were grids on the wall. If you pressed one in, a drawer would pop out, giving you some form of storage. Along with putting my clothes there, I would occasionally smuggle granola bars. Can't really blame someone for being hungry, can you? To the left of the main room, there was a bathroom for personal use.

Deciding I wanted the bed on the...right, I hopped on it and began opening the electronic grid, tossing out all the clothes that were already in here. They were female clothes.

I contemplated trying on one of the sports bras for a moment. These things looked complicated. How do you even get one of these on? Forget it. After clearing the grid, I popped open the laundry chute between the beds, under the lamp, and disposed of them. Considering we were getting new uniforms anyway, it'd probably be the last time those clothes were ever seen.

A thought struck me and I groaned out loud. I wouldn't be able to go back to my old room, so all the stuff I had acquired would probably be trashed by the new owners. The playing cards I smuggled, the different hats I stole from soldiers, and maybe even my stash of granola bars. Not my precious granola bars. I plopped down on the bed, burying my face in the pillow.

"Why me?" I said, which actually came out as incoherent noises in my pillow.

Outside the door, the hall began to get more and more crowded as people escaped the distribution line and located their rooms. Hours went by as I sat in the room, doing absolutely nothing. New schedules wouldn't be printed until tomorrow, so I had nothing to do for...ten hours? I had to do something, anything, to entertain me.

I knew what to do.

The man in the suit said we're superhuman and that we could do superhuman things. Time to test this theory. Standing up straight, I looked down at my hands. Concentrating on them, I began to push. Muscles tensed, but nothing happened. I did this for a few minutes before stopping. Was he lying? No, I just wasn't trying hard enough. Maybe I was trying in the wrong way?

I closed my eyes and focused on where my hands should be. A weird shiver ran under my skin, and it felt like my blood began to hum. This is typical right? Not weird at all. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw that I was enveloped in a blue outline. Now this? This is crazy. I was glowing blue. I couldn't help but smile this idiotic smile, but the smile dropped instantly.

What if my ipseity is being a flashlight?

"Uh, hey?" I snapped my head towards the door and locked eyes with a boy. He was probably my new roommate. "That's pretty...cool?"

I smiled again.

"Damn right it is."