UNVEILING ABILITIES

The blaring siren disrupted Ashley's sleep, jolting her into wakefulness. Groggily, she got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Upon returning to her room, she discovered two identical bags placed just outside the door. One had her name on it, but the other remained nameless. She assumed it was for her absent roommate and brought both bags inside.

Opening the bag with her name on it, Ashley found an assortment of clothes, some of which were not her size. She didn't mind the ill-fitting garments, considering the circumstances she'd be creeped out if they knew her size accurately. She changed into the provided clothes and made her way to the cafeteria.

Josh was there, sitting alone at a corner table and waving to her. She joined him, and he pushed a tray of food her way, for which she expressed her gratitude. As they began to eat, Ashley inquired, "So what's happening today?"

"Apparently, we have to train," Josh said.

Ashley froze, a look of disbelief on her face. "Train what? Our bodies?" she asked.

Josh smiled at her reaction. 

Josh playfully demonstrated by levitating a water bottle from the table, causing it to hover and spin in the air. "It seems like we have abilities now, Ash," he said.

Ashley was left in awe of this newfound revelation.

Ashley's face held a mixture of determination and curiosity as she placed her hand above the hovering bottle, trying to replicate what Josh had done. However, her initial attempts yielded no results. Frustrated, she asked, "Is there some spell I have to say?"

Josh shook his head. "It took a while, but I can finally control it."

Determined to harness her newfound ability, Ashley murmured, "I wonder if I can do it too."

Josh was confident in her potential. "I'm sure you can."

The days passed, and the group was divided for training, with boys and girls trained separately. Soldiers supervised their sessions under the command of a man 'the evolved' referred to as the general. Ashley, however, couldn't help but notice that the soldiers had little understanding of how to instruct them. She found herself in a frustrating situation where the advice from others was, "Just feel it," but she had yet to awaken her own abilities.

Despite her doubts, she continued to practice and explore, but the feeling she was supposed to have remained elusive. Meanwhile, others in her group displayed various abilities – Josh could manipulate air, Thomas could create and manipulate water, Dylan could harness and use the darkness and shadows, telekinesis, and more. They seemed to awaken these newfound powers with ease.

One day, as she watched a group of girls successfully lift a 2000kg weight using their telekinesis, Ashley couldn't help but feel envious. She clenched her fists in frustration, longing to be part of the awakened.

As she turned away, still wrestling with her emotions, she suddenly heard the sound of the 2000kg weight moving and the girls' panicked screams. When she looked back, the weight was heading straight for her. She instinctively raised her hands to protect herself, but to her astonishment, just as she did the massive object stopped just inches from her head, suspended in the air.

Ashley was left in awe, realizing that she had unlocked her own potential most unexpectedly.

 --- Two Weeks Later---

Dylan was making his way back to his room from the general's office, carrying a box of supplies his mother had managed to send him. Given the secured nature of the military facility, it was quite impressive that she had succeeded in sending him a package.

As he walked down the corridor, he spotted a striking dark-skinned girl with purple braids sitting on a bench, engrossed in her phone. Dylan couldn't help but admire her beauty, but he hesitated to approach her. He pondered how best to strike up a conversation when she suddenly glanced in his direction, her expression exuding what Dylan would come to recognize as a "resting bitch face." 

Her gaze met his, but he wasn't sure how to proceed, so he continued walking. Just as he was about to exit the corridor, he had a change of heart and turned back to look at her, only to find her immersed in her phone once more. A faint sense of disappointment tugged at his heart as he proceeded to his room with the box of supplies.

His roommate, Josh, was already there, lying on the bed with his eyes closed and his hand covering them. Dylan couldn't resist his own vanity and touched his face. "Hey, do I still look hot?" he inquired.

Josh opened his eyes and regarded Dylan with his usual emotionless look. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.

Dylan repeated his question, growing slightly frustrated. "Do I look hot?"

Josh, unfazed, repeated his request for clarification. "I beg your pardon?"

Exasperated, Dylan sighed. "I know I'm hot, but why did she...." he muttered to himself.

Josh, ever unflappable, inquired once more, "I beg your pardon?"

Dylan couldn't contain his irritation any longer and threw a pillow at Josh.

---

Back in the general's office, the dark-skinned girl sat in conversation with him. The general began "I've been informed about your special circumstances," he said.

She responded with a hint of humor, "I didn't know I had those."

However, upon seeing the general's stoic expression, she fell silent. He continued, "Your needs would be catered for. All you need to do is cooperate. Any questions?"

The girl seized the opportunity to ask an important question. "Yes. When would I be allowed to go home? I was told I would be allowed when this is over."

The general's response was less than reassuring. "I'm not sure who told you that, but the decision on whether or not to let you leave is not up to me," he stated.

With this information in mind, the girl replied with a simple, "I see." Shortly after, a lady in a black uniform entered the room, and the general instructed her to lead the girl to her room.

The dark-skinned girl thanked him and followed the lady. As she navigated the unfamiliar facility, she accidentally bumped into a young man, leaving the young man, Thomas, starstruck in her wake. Soon, she arrived at her room and the lady in uniform left her to settle in.

In the evening, the door to the room opened, revealing a beautiful redhead with green eyes. The dark-skinned girl assumed this was her new roommate, and the dark-skinned girl introduced herself to her new roommate. "Hi, I'm your roommate," she began, "My name is Myra Asare." She extended her hand in a friendly greeting, her features illuminated by the soft evening light.