World Has Changed

Opening my eyes I realized playlist on my phone ended, instead, annoying loud voices exchanged it, my back was in pain due to the uncomfortable chair, what came into the view was the expected scene, we were still high from the ground.

'What waste of money and time.'

My family forced me to go on a road trip with my class, apparently to socialize and see the world or something. My high school life wasn't that eventful. Sure, sometimes loneliness would hit me, but my family and books were there to fix that.

Books were something I enjoyed, most of them fiction. Fiction allowed me to experience all kinds of situations without needing to be involved in them.

It wasn't that I was a boring person, just didn't like opening up and there weren't any people who stick out with me until I do, at least I liked to think like that.

I went to an expensive private school, that's probably the reason why we were going by plane even if it's not so far on the bus.

Now with plane starting to lower itself, I took my backpack from below a seat. Voices got more loud and annoying from excitement. Pulling the suitcase on the ground and with a backpack hanging from my shoulders I went to stand with the class for the teacher to do a countdown. We made our way to the bus.

I was sitting on the seat that was closer to the front since everyone was at the back. Quickly putting my earphones back in again, blocking all loud music and viewed this new country and town we arrived in.

There wasn't much difference from home, kinda underwhelming. This was going to be a 5-day stay. In the backpack were 4 books to keep me company while being alone in the room for the whole day, or at least how much the teacher allowed us to.

I didn't enjoy many things, my favorite ways of spending time were family, books, the internet, and gym. Me going to the gym wasn't to get confidence and start meeting people or something, I just wanted to look good, who doesn't? At the same time, that feeling after getting a good workout and lifting more than last weak was special. After 4 months of hard work, change was visible, considering I was just bones before now at least I had average strength.

We finally arrived at the hotel. Every student got his own room. The room was cozy, as soon as you enter you can see desk made of dark wood with a window above, to my right there was a door to the bathroom. Parallel to the bathroom there was a 1m long wall, in between bathroom and wall were the doors I came through. After walking few steps and leaning forward, bed came into the view from the left and small wardrobe from the right, other than that there was just one chair, TV on the wall and some free space.

In the need of bathroom for some time now, the suitcase and backpack were just dumped beside the bed. After drying hands, I made my way to the first floor.

There were familiar faces in front of opened large double doors, head class teacher and one group of friends. Making my way to the wall, awkwardly passing by them not saying anything, I leaned on it, they didn't pay much attention to me, guess they just got used to my behavior. When the whole class got together we had lunch, it was good.

After lunch, we all had some free time. I went to take a shower. After drawing some shapes on the fogged up mirror I went to my bed for a session of reading.

.

.

'What? Did I fall asleep?' Rising my face from the book, that gave slight resistance due to being glued to my face, I looked at the clock. Half an hour passed.

'I need to hurry, we were supposed to meet up 5 minutes ago.' Jumping out of my bed I searched my suitcase for appropriate clothes, which took some time, after putting on the sneakers I rushed outside of the room, not even noticing what was going on behind the window.

While locking the door I could see my classmates rushing down, talking with each other wearing excited, confused and scared expressions, I didn't pay much attention to this.

'Good thing I won't be only one late.' I thought. What was confusing was that people outside of our group were also running down. After hearing Click sound I also rushed to the first floor.

On the first floor I saw our group, but joining them was the staff of the hotel and some random people. Some people weren't wearing their shirts which was confusing, they all had similar expressions to people that passed by me earlier.

A scene behind them scared me, there was a car crashed into our hotel, with smoke all around the city and street looking like it was spelling destruction. There were few who held their phones, some were crying, panicking, anxious and some relieved. Everyone was quite loud so I could hear them from the stairs.

"Please pick up."

"What's going on outside?"

"Did you also sleep?"

"No, did you see the internet, man that shits going craaazy."

In the big circle, there were many small talks. Not really sure what was going on I noticed something on one of the shirtless man.

'It's... It's like... w-wings?' On the back of my classmate it appeared like there were wings, they were really small, not much bigger than those of a bee. They were located just next to scapulas being closer to the spine.

'There is no way, I'm seeing things right?'After rubbing and looking for a good few more times I concluded I was really insane.

Looking at the next shirtless man, whose back was turned to me, something was also there, some kind of very little arm-like things on his undeveloped lats. The only reason why I was able to spot them was because that guy was lifting his arms while looking at them.

'Am I seriously insane? What happened here?' Something unusual of me, I started a conversation with my classmate.

"Hey Jack, what's going on?" Tapping him on the shoulder he turned towards me

"Do you seriously not know man! We all have powers!"

'Ha? Powers?' However, after looking at those two shirtless men it was easier to believe.

"After we all woke up we noticed something changed! Some felt like they were stronger, some grown new limbs or even wings! Dude, wings! And few were even saying they felt like they could feel some type of energy! Isn't that crazy man, right man, right!?"

After processing this information for a few seconds I was thrilled, was the world about to enter a new age, everyone will have superpowers, just like in all those books I read. But then I realized a major problem... I didn't feel any different.

Then something hit me, it was the street. With a grave look, I rushed to the TV in the restaurant area. Running I imagined what would happen if all humans were to fall asleep...

There was already a half-circle made around the screen. Watching the horrible scene I realized my worst fears came to reality. Streets were filled with destroyed vehicles, planes were crashed into the ground, fires were in every neighborhood, people were screaming in panic, it was a true disaster. Worst in human history by far. At least half a billion would have died.

Not looking at the screen anymore I grabbed my pocket, nothing was there, now even faster I touched left, same result.

'It's in the room, fuck! Please be alright!' Swearing was really rare for me, but now with something more important than my life in danger I felt like even swearing wouldn't show the level of my concerns.

I never got up the stairs quicker. After missing doorlock a few times with my shaky hands door was opened. Phone on the desk. On the locked screen, there was a notification of 4 missed calls from my dad. Immediately unlocking it I called my dad.

Ring

After not even a second passed I heard a familiar voice I really needed to hear.

"Luke! Are you alright!?"

"Yes, dad I'm okay! What about you!?" I hurried him with a voice full of worry.

"Huff... Thank God, we are also fine."

"All of you!?"

"Yes son, all of us."

I could breath normal again, my heart felt much lighter and body not that tense anymore. For all of us to be alive, what kind of luck was that. I started uncontrollably crying my emotions out, happiness, worry, confusion, thankfulness, and anger, all of them. The stress of knowing there was a serious chance of my family dying was overwhelming.

"It's okay son. Stay there, I will come to pick you up after the situation outside is better. You will have to be there alone, but we will see each other soon and know that we are good. I have to go now, I might be able to help someone in a neighborhood."

"Alright, Dad. Be safe. Seriously, be careful outside." Knowing there was no way to make him stay, I could just pray for his safety.

"Same. Good luck son, we will talk to each other later. Bye."

"Bye" I knew my family was alive and good, that's enough for now, I needed to find out more about what's going on. My destination to downstairs was set again. Now with a phone in my hands and volume on the max.

Back in the circle again, I made sure to listen and watch everything. There was one girl with a pale face, drops of sweat or water were dripping from her open palm, she was saying that she gained new sense, she could feel some type of infinite energy, while she was thinking about this new energy she thought of water and after that her palms started to generate water. But she could keep it up for only a few seconds.

She wasn't the only one, there were few people who said the same thing about infinite energy. After listening to her story they all started to think of all kinds of things. Some were generating dirt, some started a very small fire like that of a small lit candle and one was even able to generate electricity.

"Could it be something similar to Mana?"

I turned my head to the student that came to this conclusion. It was so obvious. It really sounded like Mana, could it be people who could feel it can use magic? How can that be? What could cause all of this? Some were felling stronger, some had new limbs, some could even use magic. But then... why I didn't feel any different?