Chapter 2: First Flight

I can't get it off. Sitting on the ground, I have been trying to remove this gauntlets from my arm.. I tried pulling it out with all my strength, but it seems to be cemented to my arm like a cast. Its as if its becoming a part of my hand. feeling readjust itself, as if it were alive. As I attempt to pry my hands out of the weird metal glove, I hear something behind me. "Hey, what are you doing there?" the park security guard yelled, "Don't make call the authorities!" as soon as I notice his flashlight pointing at me, I make a run for it, as fast as I possibly can. I don't consider myself to be on my best physical shape, but I ran as fast as a track runner aiming for top place.

I jump over benches , slide under playgrounds, and curve around water fountains as I evade the guard's flashlight. As the security guard's shouting fades away, I monitor my surroundings. I found myself facing the park carousel, which is weird since it was located in the middle of park. I look for the park map to confirm my location. I find the map not far from the mountain, and it just verified what I though was impossible. I went opposite of the bus stop, and ran half of the park in under a minute. "Isn't the park like 4 km?" I thought to myself, "I'm running in the speed of a car".

I look this metal thing on my hands. This "gauntlet" has change me in some sort of way. Did it give some sort of superpower? As I ponder what effects these things could give me, my phone buzzes again. "Oh shit, Dad!" I recall as I grab my phone. "50 mins and i'll be back home" the text read. How do I get back home at this time? I rack my brain trying to think of how I get back home, not noticing the gauntlets' light growing stronger. It then flashed brightly, finally catching my attention. I look at the gauntlets, as it continues to flash repeatedly, "Assimilation complete, compatibility test determined, beginning synchronization". A jolt of pain runs through my body causing me to collapse on the ground. I feel it on every inch of my skin, as the pain sinks down on me like a thousand piercing needles. Unable to endure the pain, I immediately pass out.

"So this is the one huh," says a mysterious voice "looks like some kid." This voice was different, not like the robotic voice that came from the gauntlet. "Look how gaunt he is, he's got no muscle in him", he continues. I start to stand up and, oddly enough, the pain has disappeared. I observe my surrounding, unable to comprehend what this place is. "It's barren right, "as I turn to see the mysterious man speaking too me.

"Who are you?" I groan as I face him, "and what is this place." "who I am is not important to you.", he replies, "and for your second question, that's also none of your concern" Stunned by the mystery man's rudeness, I continue to talk to him. "So what do you think is so important to talk about right now" I ask angrily "Since you don't want to tell me what I want to know, might as well tell me what you want."

A small grin appeared on his face, vanishing as fast it appeared "What's important is that thing you have in your hand" he says as he point to the gauntlets. "You've felt its power when you ran through the park yes?" he asks me directly. "Wait how did you know" I respond as I take a step back. Was he the security guard from earlier? No, it couldn't be. This guy's is different, and something about him feel oddly familiar. "Again, you're asking the wrong questions" he replies, with a slight annoyance in his tone. "That thing you have on your hand, is a weapon of great power" he starts to explain, "and you are now bonded with it."

"But I don't want it" I cry out, already at the end of my patience, "whatever it is, I want it off." He looks at me with a stern look in his eyes "this is beyond my control, and I'm only here to make your life a bit easier with the gauntlets in your hands." I look at him with disbelief as he reads my expression. "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for picking it up," he retorts, "My advice, learn how to deal with it and maybe your life could be a lot less boring." I look at him with shock, how he's standing in front of me, feeling no indifference to the situation. "Fine", I finally respond, "how do I work this thing?"

He looks at me with a sly smile, as if I was a fish that was caught in his bait. "Well, like all things in life, when doing something, you always need stay focused, but not too much focus that you start overthinking." "It has to feel natural and relaxed, but not too relaxed or else you become distracted, and once you're distracted, everything falls apart." I look at him with a puzzled expression on my face. He reads my face like an open book and sighs, "Look, think of it this way, when your dribbling a ball, you don't put your full attention on it, yet you remain focus enough to keep dribbling." "Got it?" as he asks for reassurance. Before I could reply or say anything else, he clasps his hands, "Ok looks like you understand, I'll now wake you up and you will find yourself 40,000 feet in the air." And just like that, I am now 40,000 feet in the air, about to be a ketchup stain in Cordova city.

I struggle to compose myself, if it could be possible while falling from the sky. As I try to steady myself, I try to remember what the mysterious man instructed me to do. As I remember his words, I subconsciously focused the gauntlet, naturally letting it do its thing. How will a gauntlet help me fly? It would have been more helpful if they were rocket boots instead of weird, metal gloves. As I rack my brain on what to do next, it suddenly hit me. No, it wasn't the bird or the ground, but a way for me to survive. I recall what happened when I ran away from the security guard, the fear I felt from being caught, and how I just focused on nothing but getting away. If I used that concept but with flying instead, it might as well work.

I close my eyes, as I try to feel the energy that within the gauntlet. As I remember the man's words, I subconsciously started focusing, letting it do its thing. I can sense it's energy, laying dormant inside, and all I need to do is wake it up. I focus on it more, allowing it to flow within me. As I sense it surge through me, the feeling of falling starts to dissipate. I finally open my eyes to see myself on the clouds. I see the gauntlets energy has surrounded me, keeping me afloat like a lifevest, as I watch birds fly bellow me. Right now, I am in complete control, like a natural. I channel my power, now circulating through every part of my body, and start to fly.

It was like riding a bike, when you figure out the trick, your in full control. I dash across the sky, darting through clouds and doing loops in the air. I then take a pause as I find my self facing the starry night sky. The stars shined brightly in front of me, with the dazzling moon in full focus. It looked like I was the sole audience of a performance of a lifetime, as the stars and moon danced in my gaze.. For the first time, I was having fun. I forgot about my life on the ground, how I felt trapped and contained, tied down as if I was attached to an anchor. I finally felt freedom, unbound from my worries, just me and the sky. As I speed through the sky, screaming with joy and fervor, I wonder how much better things could get.