Just as Kai was hovering in the air, he spotted Mister Johnson staring at him from his yard. "Someone's seeing me," Kai thought, anxiety creeping in. "Why is Mister Johnson being so nosy? He's always been a picky neighbor. Why is he looking at me? Shouldn't he be inside?"
Kai lost his concentration and thudded to the ground. Mister Johnson rushed towards him, stopping at the gate.
"Kai, are you okay?" Mister Johnson called out.
Kai slowly stood up, dusting himself off. "Yes, I'm coming," he replied.
As he approached the gate, Kai worried about his mother's reaction. "What will she think when Mister Johnson tells her about this?"
The gate, a worn wooden structure with rusty hinges, creaked as Mister Johnson leaned against it. Kai's front yard, overgrown with weeds and scattered with debris, reflected his family's struggles.
Kai wished Mister Johnson could forget what he'd seen. He took a deep breath and greeted his neighbor with a forced smile.
"Hi, Mister Johnson," Kai said, waving his hand.
Mister Johnson's expression turned serious. "Kai, I just saw you floating there."
Kai feigned confusion. "What? How could I float?"
Mister Johnson's voice was firm. "I saw it, Kai. You were floating in mid-air. How could I not see right? I'm fifty years old, not senile."
Kai chuckled nervously. "No, no, Mister Johnson. You must be mistaken. I'm just a teenager. How could I fly? You think I'm doing witchcraft?"
Mister Johnson's eyes narrowed. "How could you do witchcraft? Anything is possible."
Kai's unease grew as Mister Johnson's words hung in the air.
As they stood there, Kai protested, "You think I can do witchcraft? My family doesn't even believe in that stuff."
Mister Johnson's expression remained serious. "Whether you believe or not, witchcraft exists."
Their conversation went back and forth until Kai decided to end it. "Okay, Mister Johnson, I think this has been a crazy day. I didn't float; maybe I just jumped."
Mister Johnson nodded, and they exchanged awkward goodbyes.
As Kai approached Mister Johnson to shake hands, he thought, "Please forget this by tomorrow... or better yet, forget now."
The moment their hands touched, Mister Johnson's eyes glazed over, and he entered a trance-like state.
"Mister Johnson! Mister Johnson, are you okay? What's happening?" Kai exclaimed.
Panicked, Kai wondered, "What have I done to his mind? Why is he in a trance?"
Mister Johnson suddenly snapped out of it. "Huh? What, Kai? I'm alright. Why are you holding my hand?"
Kai released Mister Johnson's hand, relieved. "We just greeted each other."
Mister Johnson seemed puzzled. "Do you remember all the stuff that happened?" Kai asked.
"The floating?" Mister Johnson repeated, confusion etched on his face. "What floating? Were you floating? Stop talking nonsense, young man."
Kai realized Mister Johnson had no recollection of the earlier conversation.
"You seem to be having amnesia, Mister Johnson. You should see a doctor," Kai suggested.
Mister Johnson chuckled. "Amnesia? You think I'm getting too old? Ha! I'm fine, boy."
As they parted ways, Mister Johnson's tone turned sincere. "Greet your mother for me, and tell her your father will be okay. Pray every day for him."
Kai looked into Mister Johnson's eyes and saw genuine concern amidst the wrinkles, brown eyes, and wispy grey hair that framed his weathered face.
Mister Johnson, a stout man in his fifties, wore a faded denim shirt and worn jeans, giving off an air of simplicity and kindness.
"Thank you, Mister Johnson," Kai said, touched by the old man's words.
As Kai returned to his house, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something inexplicable had just occurred.
Mister Johnson's sudden forgetfulness and trance-like state left Kai wondering about his own powers and their unintended consequences.
What just happened?
As Kai stood there, lost in thought, his mother, Sophia, stepped out of the cab and approached him. Sophia, a warm and nurturing woman in her mid-40s, had a gentle face with high cheekbones, bright brown eyes, and a soothing smile. Her dark hair was tied back in a loose bun, revealing a few wisps framing her face. She wore a simple yet elegant dress, accentuating her slender figure.
Sophia's expression turned concerned as she approached Kai. "Hey baby, why are you standing there like that? You look lost in thought."
Kai snapped out of his trance, shaking off the lingering thoughts. "Hey mom, I didn't see you there. I was just talking to Mister Johnson."
Sophia's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh? What were you discussing?"
Kai brushed it off. "Nothing much, mom. Let's go inside. Tell me about your day."
As they entered the house, Sophia began, "My day was just usual. Customers were picky, as always."
Kai listened attentively, noticing the exhaustion etched on his mother's face. Fine lines around her eyes and mouth spoke of the struggles she faced.
Once settled, Kai shared his excitement. "Mom, a lot of crazy things happened today. I don't know what you'll believe or not, but... I started making friends today. What are the odds of that?"
Sophia's expression softened, her eyes filling with warmth. "That's wonderful, sweetie! I'm glad you're connecting with people. Who's your new friend?"
"And my new friend is Emily," Kai said, blushing.
Sophia's eyes sparkled. "Emily, huh? She made you blush!"
Kai quickly played it off. "Mom, don't get weird. We're just friends."
Sophia teased, "Oh, Kai, it's good to see you having a girlfriend!"
Kai rolled his eyes. "No, mom, it's not like that. I just had a lot happen today."
Sophia's expression turned serious. "What happened?"
Kai hesitated, unsure how to share the encounter with the gangsters. He decided to keep it to himself, not wanting to stress his mom.
"Nothing, mom. Just... how's dad doing?" Kai asked, concern etched on his face.
Sophia's smile faltered. "Don't worry, child. Your dad will be okay."
Kai's voice trembled. "But mom, it's cancer... and I don't know if we have money for the medical bills."
Sophia's expression softened. "You don't have to worry about that, sweetie. Let me handle it. We'll pay your dad's bills."
Kai thought to himself, "I never knew what job my dad did, but he's always provided for us. Why did he get cancer so suddenly? Just five months ago, he fainted in the house..."
Kai remembered his father, Kobe, leaving the house every day, returning late at night. He'd tell Sophia, "I'm going to make money," but never explained where he went.
As long as there was food on the table and bills were paid, Kai didn't question it. But as his father's late nights became more frequent, Kai and his father grew apart.
Kai wondered, "What did my dad do? Why did he keep it a secret?"
Sophia's gentle voice broke Kai's thoughts. "Kai, your father will be fine. We'll get through this together."
Kai nodded, trying to shake off his concerns
Sophia asked, "What do you think we should have for dinner tonight?"
Kai shrugged. "Anything you want, mom. I'm starving."
Sophia smiled. "Okay, Kai. We'll eat whatever I want."
After dinner, Kai excused himself and headed to his room. As he entered, the soft glow of the evening sun streamed through the large window above his desk, casting a warm ambiance. Posters of soccer teams and music bands covered the walls, while his unmade bed sat in the center, with a worn-out comforter and scattered pillows.
His desk was cluttered with textbooks, notes, and scribbled papers. A small bookshelf held his favorite novels and comics, alongside his gaming console and flat-screen TV. A cozy bean bag chair occupied one corner, inviting relaxation.
Kai sat on his bed, thinking about the day's events. "Why is all this happening to me? Is it because I'm in grade eleven or because I turned nineteen?"
He decided to test his newfound abilities. "Let me try this."
Kai pulled out his English book, flipped to a page, and read for a minute. To his amazement, he remembered every detail.
"Wow, this is incredible!" he exclaimed, reciting poems, past tenses, and stories verbatim.
Encouraged, Kai tried it with his math, biology, and other books. For a half hour, he absorbed knowledge
Kai thought, "Wow, this is amazing! I could be the next genius in our school. I could be the next great guy - a math whiz, biology expert, English prodigy... the possibilities are endless. I could invent something revolutionary, start a successful business..."
Just as Kai's imagination soared, a severe headache struck. "Wow, this is a heavy headache... worse than last time."
Kai wondered, "Why is this happening to me? Every time I concentrate harder, I lose consciousness. What's going on? Is this related to my new abilities? Am I pushing myself too
Kai told himself, "I'm not going to push myself so far. Look what I've done now - my head can't take this. But it was fun while it lasted, and it was great while I did it."
Kai fell onto his bed, whispering, "What is happening right now?"
Just as he was asking himself these questions, his eyelids drooped, and he collapsed onto his bed, losing consciousness.