A 16-year-old boy, Gabriel, walks past the rows of metal lockers in his high school. The dull clinking of locker doors opening and closing fades into the background as he remains preoccupied with a vivid dream he had last night.
"In my dream, shadows whispered to me, their voices hushed and eerie. They claimed I had the ability to read people's minds for 20 seconds each day, if I could focus hard enough on my intended target," he recalls, the memory lingering in his mind.
"Is it worth a try, though? I mean, what's the worst that can happen? I fucking die?" he thinks to himself, a mix of curiosity and apprehension coursing through him, as he catches sight of his teacher, Mr. Faquat.
With deliberate carelessness, Gabriel 'accidentally' bumps into the educator.
"OI! WATCH YOUR STEP, GABRIEL! I OUGHT TO SLAP THE COWS OUT OF YA EARS!" Mr. Faquat bellows, his voice booming through the hallway. His attire is as peculiar as ever, resembling old retirement clothes rather than anything an educator should wear: an odd suit consisting only of pants with a strange pattern, missing both the shirt and blazer.
Gabriel narrows his eyes and focuses on Mr. Faquat.
("I hate this type of student he clearly bumped into me on purpose. Why the hell would you want that? Gabriel isn't even the type to start fights,") he hears from Mr. Faquat's thoughts, a surprising clarity in the words.
"A thousand apologies, sir," Gabriel says, extending a hand to help Mr. Faquat up.
"Next time, I won't be so nice!" Mr. Faquat grumbles as he grasps Gabriel's hand, pulling himself up with a huff.
Mr. Faquat strides away, heading towards whatever mundane tasks await him so early in the morning. Why is he even here at this hour?
"So, I'm not just able to read their thoughts but actually perceive what they're thinking? This goes a bit beyond simple mind reading. Not that I'm complaining," Gabriel muses, a hint of excitement tingling at the edges of his consciousness.
Gabriel walks into the bustling hallway, the cacophony of students mingling around him. He feels a strange sense of anticipation, uncertain of what to do next with this newfound ability. The possibilities seem both intriguing and daunting.