Kali

I remembered it entirely...

I focused on the small black cylinders that sat singular on the metal gray table. I couldn’t help but anxiously clutched the hem of my yellow nightgown as I try to imagine them moving swiftly around the table. But I couldn’t move them as my mind was still swimming with worry and confusion to why I was here. Only moments ago, I was getting ready for bed — and then military men knocked on our door asking for me. My parents didn’t put up a fight as they gave me up with tears in their eyes.

”Come on, Kali. Try once more.”

I looked to the man who sat across from me in the gray lifeless room. He told me his name was Doctor O’Brian. But he told me to call him, John. He was the one who greeted me at the facility doors and brought me into the room. I’ve been in here for almost four hours. I was becoming tired and hungry.

“You moved the last one on the right earlier. Try again.”

Doctor O’Brian peered at me with amusement in his green, down-turned eyes. It was like a small child waiting for a magician to perform his simple trick. I also didn’t move it earlier, he imagined it. I can’t perform my ability when I’m nervous or scared.

“I can’t,” I murmured. “I can only do it a certain times.”

“Try again, Kali.”

Doctor O’Brian tone became more stern from his soft caring one he greeted me with hours ago. I could tell he was putting on an act with me. But I understood why. I was a kid, and he didn’t want to upset me. I released a heavy, tired sigh and focused on the cylinders. I closed my eyes and painted them moving once more. But this time I imagined myself in my bedroom back in Chicago. That’s where I was able to move things with my mind easily. I once moved my fashion doll from its dollhouse and into my arms. It was easy to do when no one was telling me to do it. Or that time, in school when I moved a book from the top shelf in the library,

I missed my room. I didn’t understand why my parents sent me here. I thought sharing my ability with them would bring joy, but instead — fear filled their eyes. I shut my eyes tightly trying to fight back tears as I remembered their faces when I moved the flower vase from the table to them. They looked at me like I was a creature that came to hunt them, like a spawn made from the devil himself. Why did they give me away? Do they hate me? Am I really cursed like my father said I was? I started to feel anger rise within me as I clutched my small brown hands into a tight fist.

“Jesus Christ!” exclaimed Doctor O’Brian.

His words made my eyes open as the black cylinders no longer sat on the cold table unmoving, but instead floated nine inches off of it. It was like they were frozen in time. Even I was shocked by my doings, as I was only able to move one object at a time. Doctor O’Brian lifted his shaky white hands and grabbed one of them. It fell into his hands gently as he took off his rectangular glasses with shock and amusement.

“What gift you have, Kali,” he uttered as he wrote on his notepad hastily. “What gift indeed.” He whispered, as if he had plans in store.

“I want my parents.”

Doctor O’Brian looked up from his notepad. The once amused expression he had just a few seconds ago was now drained from his body. He looked at me emotionless and shook his head in disbelief, ignoring my words.

Trying to contain my anger. I asked once more through gritted teeth. “I want my parent. Will they come get me from here?”

Doctor O’Brian didn’t sense the rage within me as he continued to write in his notepad.

“Your parents informed us they do not want contact with you, Kali. Try to imagine life without them now,” he said coldly. “At Zorna, you will be taken care of by the best scientist and doctors.”

No contact with me? But I’m their daughter. Why would they leave me in this place? I felt hot tears pooling from my eyes. It was a mistake to show them. It was a mistake to show Doctor O’Brian. Now that they know what I can do, they will keep me here. Will I live here forever? I don’t want to be here stuck inside here being experimented on. What if they kill me?

“No!” I shouted in anger, slamming my hands onto the table. “I don’t want to be here!”

The black cylinders flew with a harsh and fast velocity, crashing into the walls, causing Doctor O’Brian to jump and quickly retreat from me. My hands ached from the impact on the table, but I didn’t show my pain. I wanted him to fear me and let me out.

“Relax, Kali,” Doctor O’Brian said fearfully, as he pressed down repeatedly on a red button on the left side of the locked door.

He was alerting someone. Guards, maybe? I stepped back from the table and looked at the cylinders. I was still amazed that I could move them at once. I looked to Doctor O’Brian, who breathed heavily. It was like fear overtook him by the throat.

The sound of the door unlocking made Doctor O’Brian swing it open and rush out as four guards dressed in black military gear approached me. Their faces were covered with black balaclavas and they held onto their shiny gray guns tightly. I could see the fear in their eyes as they waited for one of them to approach me. But soon they stood aside to part way for a woman. She was tall, almost the same height as the men. Her skin was a sepia brown like mine. Her hair was long, black and shiny as it stopped at her hips, while mine was in a singular curly puff. She wore a white lab coat and black slacks. She stopped in front of me; I read her name tag. It said Doctor Yadav.

“Hello, Kali,” she smiled warmly as her Indian accent was thick and soothing.

I stayed silent.

“Kali, I’m Doctor Yadav. I would love if you would follow me.”

Doctor Yadav didn’t have that same false act of kindness like Doctor O’Brian had. She looked at me like a woman looks at her newborn child. Warm and protective. I couldn’t tell if she was just good at her act. She held out her hand and nodded to me gently.

“Come, Kali.”

“No. I want my parents,” I backed away from her.

Doctor Yadav lowered her hand, but still she had the calm expression on her face. She looked to the guards who remained anxious around me. If I could, I would fling their bodies across this room like rag dolls. I hated how they were behaving towards me, like I was some threat.

Doctor Yadav looked to the guards. “Leave Kali and I alone for a bit. I want to talk to her.”

“Are you sure, Doctor Yadav?” a guard asked, hesitant of her request.

“Yes,” she smiled, not taking her eyes off me. “I’m sure.”

The guards departed, and I watched Doctor Yadav pick the chair up that sat across from me. She sat, while I still stood alert and studying her. She took out a small recorder and pressed the red button.

“Sit, Kali.”

“Why?”

“Why?” she repeated my question. “Because I want to ask you a few things.”

“I won’t say a word unless I see my parents.”

“If you tell me a few things about you, I’ll seek to it.”

I become skeptical of her words.

“You can trust me, Kali. I won’t hurt you.”

“Who said anything about hurting someone?” I eyed her distrustfully.

“It’s fear you have deep inside you right now, Kali. You’re afraid of being hurt, and I understand that. But please know that in this facility, no one will ever harm you.”

I let out a scoff and rolled my brown eyes. “Why have guards with guns? You’re lying to me.”

“It’s just a precaution.”

Doctor Yadav looked to the cylinders that laid on the floor. Where they smacked into the wall, I could see a deep impact. My eyes widen in shock. Did I toss them that hard?

“You have a gift, Kali. One that many do not have.”

I looked to her teary eyed. “Do you know what’s wrong with me?”

This was the first time I was afraid of my ability. I was fascinated by it, like seeing a shooting star, but now I feel it cursing my mind as I wished to be normal.

“Sit and we’ll find out,” she said gently.

I take a seat and folded my hand on the table. I could see her satisfied smirk as she cleared her throat.

“I’ll ask you a few questions about your ability. Can we start?”

“Yes.”

I was now nervous. This is the first time I ever talked to someone about what I can do. I never told my friends or even my diary. It was a secret in my mind only.

“How old are you, Kali?”

“Twelve.”

“And you made twelve just a month ago in February?”

“I did. On the 10th.”

“Did you have a fun birthday? What did you do?”

Doctor Yadav awaited my answer with anticipation.

“Why is this important?” I look to her oddly. Her questions were completely off subject.

“Just want to know minor facts.”

“My parents took me to an amusement park,” I said sadly, thinking back to that day.

I remembered how we rode the roller coaster together because I was too scared. And how my father won me a big bear plushie from a crane machine. I felt my heart ache at those now frozen memories.

“Kali?”

I stared at Doctor Yadav, who observed me with sympathy. She could tell I was reminiscing to what was recently.

“Let’s move on,” I whispered.

“When did you first discover your abilities?”

“I was eleven. Just a month before my birthday. I was in my room, hiding under my covers because of a bad thunderstorm. The storm knocked out our power in our complex for that night, so we had to use flashlights my father bought. I needed my light to go to the bathroom, but I saw it was on my dresser near my door.”

“And you just levitated it to you?”

“Yes.”

“How did you do it?”

Doctor Yadav was becoming more intrigued to my story. She watched me the same way, Doctor O’Brian did.

“I imagine it coming to me. It was a naturally feeling when it happened. It felt strangely familiar, as if I had done it before. That was when I used my ability for the first time.”

Doctor Yadav stayed silent as she watched me with interest.

“How many times have you done it?”

“Many times.”

“I see.”

Doctor Yadav returned to silence once more. She had her fingers entwined with each other as she squinted her eyes trying to understand something. I started to become nervous. She was a scientist, so it meant she would know more to my capability.

“Am I cursed?” I raised my head to her slowly, I prepared myself for the answer.

“Cursed?” Doctor Yadav raised her brow. “No, Kali. You’re gifted.”

Gifted? I never thought of myself as that. Was this a gift? If it is, it didn’t feel like one. A gift is something you appreciate and cherish. What I have is none of that. It’s a burden to me now that I’m here in this place.

“Kali, you are what we call a Novir. A Novir is someone who possesses an ability that isn’t shown in most humans. It’s like powers of some sort. This organization is called Zorna. Here, we find young people like you and help them manage their abilities.

“People like me?” my eyes light up with curiosity. “There are others like me?”

“Yes, Kali. There are dozens like you in this facility,.”

Doctor Yadav words made me sit back in my chair with my mouth slightly agape. I thought I would be the only one in the world. I thought I had to endure this ability alone with no alike me.

“I want to meet them,” I looked to her with anticipation. “I want to speak to someone like me.”

Doctor Yadav shook her head softly and stood up.

“It wouldn’t to wise to introduce you to the others. The other Novirs here have very dangerous capabilities, so that means it better to keep contact with them limited.”

I become confused by her words. How dangerous could they be? My ability is dangerous, but I know to use it for good. “What happens now?” I looked around the room. “Do I go home?”

Doctor Yadav released a dreading sigh. “No, Kali.”

“Why not?” my eyes widen. “I want my parents. Is it true what Doctor O’Brian said? About how they don’t want contact with me? You can’t keep me here against my will.”

I was once again tense, but I felt sorrow and fear creeping up my spine. There’s no way I won’t go home today.

“It’s best for you to stay here until your ability is controlled.” Doctor Yadav tone was stern. “You cannot partake in society when this gift is untamed. Stay here, learn yourself, and then you’ll be returned to your parents.” Doctor Yadav came over and took my hand in hers. Her copper eyes looked into mine with the same look of strictness and love my mother gave me. “Trust me, Kali. In no time, you’ll be reunited with them. Just stay here for a bit to understand your gift. We won’t hurt you here. You can’t go back into this world unskilled. Imagine one day your power goes out of control and you hurt someone. Can you live with that guilt?”

Doctor Yadav sounded like she was pleading to me. Her eyes were slightly widen in fear and her hands trembled faintly. Deep down I knew she was correct. I could hurt someone one day, right? It could be my friends, my parents, or even my sweet cat, Tiger. I looked over to the cracked wall from the cylinders I tossed. I could only imagine if the objects were bigger, and I was fuming more than I did. What damage could I do if I couldn’t control it? I looked to her and hung my head. I knew I had to stay here. For my safety and for others.

“Promise me I’ll see my parents soon.”

“You will, Kali. Trust me. Trust us at Zorna.”

I stood up from chair and looked up to her.

“I’ll stay here.”

Doctor Yadav smirked and took my hand.

“Come, Kali. You and I have a lot to learn about you.”

I’ll stay, and I’ll learn. After that, I’ll be home and my parents wouldn’t be afraid of me when they find out I have controlled it. Just a few days here and I’ll be out. I hoped, as I followed her out the door.