The Unusual Tales Of Winfrall.

Prologue

"How about this one?" My dad turned to me as he pointed at another film poster. We were at the local cinema of Winfrall and he had already pointed out a dozen other posters, all of which, I turned down. 

"Big hero six?" I glanced at the poster and read out the movie name inscribed on it. Dad nodded and raised both of his eyebrows, eagerly awaiting my reply. 

"Absolutely!" I excitedly exclaimed making Dad let out a sigh. 

I was very picky about everything as a child. Food, movies, clothes, everything. Call me a brat or whatever, but I wanted everything to be of my preference. Being an only child came with a set of perks and so my parents never protested my demands. 

Well, most of the times. 

It diminished over time as I grew older, the inclination to be picky when I realised the world was not a wish granting factory. 

"Honey why don't you and I go get some popcorn while your dad fetches us tickets?" My mom smiled at me as she offered me her hand. I joyfully nodded as I took it. 

We walked towards the popcorn counter where people in queue were waiting to place their orders.  We stood at the end of the line and after having to patiently wait an eternity, it was finally our turn. 

"Can I have two tubs of popcorn? Salted and caramel." Mom requested as the counter girl typed in something. 

"Add any large drink and you'll get a discount. There's an ongoing offer." The girl behind the counter monotonously uttered as she continuously typed on the computer placed in front of her. 

"Um, no thanks. We don't do soda." My mom politely declined the offer. The girl shrugged as she filled our ordered popcorns in two disposable buckets before placing them on the counter. 

"Mom?" I called out to her as I slightly pulled the hem of her shirt, instantly bringing her attention to me. I pleadingly looked at her hoping that she'd understand what I wanted. 

Cheese popcorn. 

Mom glanced down at me as she tried to decode what I silently asked her to. As I looked back to my younger self , I felt stupid as I could have just simply told her what I wanted.

I remember her staring at me in slightly confusion as she finally gave a nod and and turned back to the girl as she thought she knew exactly what I wanted. 

Add one large Coke. Cheat day." Mom shrugged and gave her a tiny smile upon receiving a 'Whatever' look from her. 

"Here, hold this." Mom said as she picked up one of the popcorn tubs and turned towards me. 

"I don't want this." I gave her a confused look. I had already made her aware with my pleading gaze that I did not want that. 

"What? I ordered Coke." She gave me a scornful look which meant, 'I hate soda but I bought you some, now be a good girl.' 

She continued, "Now, hold this please?"  

"I don't want Coke." I pouted as I crossed my arms and turned my gaze away from her. "I want cheese popcorn."

"But sweetie I already placed the order." She apologetically smiled and titled her head slightly towards the right. "Next time?"

The counter girl who was now facing away from us, was occupied with filling a cup from the soda machine. I glared at mom and my gaze travelled down to the tub of popcorn in her hands. 

How could she not get me what I wanted? 

I felt a sense of discomfort soaring inside of me. With every passing moment my inner turmoil eventually heightened to its peak and I wanted that popcorn out of my sight. 

"No." I announced and to my horror, the tub shook in mom's grip and the tub fell from her hand, spilling the popcorn on the floor. 

Had Mom all of a sudden acquired the ability to read my mind? Because she happily dropped the tub from her hand. 

Okay, not happily. I looked up to see 'shock' written all over her face. 

"What the-" The counter girl was appalled as she turned towards us with a cup filled with soda in her hand. 

"Sorry, I'm a little clumsy." My mom interrupted before she could finish her sentence. 

"You're still gonna have to pay for that." She shook her head and placed the cup on the counter. 

"Sure." Mom distractedly pulled out a few notes from her purse and placed it in front of the girl as she didn't make an effort to pick up the soda, "Keep the change." 

She then grabbed my hand and marched towards Dad who was grinning at us as he waved the tickets. 

"We need to go home. Now." She declared as she walked past him, towards the parking lot. I remember my father being a little thrown and confused but he didn't protest as he did what mom told. 

And none of us uttered a word until he revved the engine. 

"What happened?" Dad asked uncertainly as he steered the car onto the road. 

"She did it again." Mom replied with concern laced in her tone as she stared outside the window. 

"Did what again?" 

That was the same question what my younger self could have asked mom but she was stuck at getting angry as she didn't get to eat any cheese popcorn. 

"James we were wrong about her." As she muttered these words, both my parents turned their heads around to look at my eleven year old self timidly adjusting in the backseat. 

"Did I do something?" I uttered as I was completely clueless. 

The remainder of the ride passed by in absolute quietude as both my parents decided to stay mum. 

As soon as we reached home, mom explained the incident that had taken place at the cinema as father hinged onto every word. 

"Are you sure it was her?" Dad asked after mom finished speaking, his concerned eyes glancing at me. 

"Maybe you'd really been clumsy?" He hesitantly uttered as he turned back to face his wife.  

"No. How do I prove it to you?" She threw her hands up in exasperation, "Look I know you must be thinking I'm being paranoid but I'm not. I am certain this time." She explained herself, eagerly waiting for her husband's response. 

"Alright. Then there's only one way to find out." He voiced his thoughts after a few moments of contemplation. Dad glanced at me and declared, "We make her do it again." 

Mom's gaze hastily travelled across the room as she thought about dad's words while I sat there completely oblivious to what they were talking about. 

I noticed her walk over to the television set as she picked up the remote but she placed it back and it almost seemed that she was having an internal debate. 

After a few minutes however, she finally picked the remote with some inner resolution and set it down on the coffee table as I sat beside it and silenced a Math quiz mom had printed out before. 

I had been home-schooled until high school as mom had made sure that I kept my abilities in control. She always had her suspicions about my powers and so she convinced dad that she didn't want to take any risk when I'd be out in front of people.

I had been silently witnessing my parents  exchange. It was obvious that they were conversing about me and it didn't seem good which is why that tiny piece of information was making my stomach churn.

"Honey can you pass me the remote? But don't-" Mom sighed as I didn't let her complete and quickly grabbed the object and handed it to her, "—use your hands." She completed but hesitantly took the remote. 

"Let's try that again." Dad declared as he scratched his head and walked towards us. He took the remote from her and placed it back on the table. 

"Pass the remote to me without touching it." He said, crouching down to my level. I was bemused by his request as I had no idea what was going on. 

How could I pass him the remote without touching it? I felt like my parents had gone crazy but their poker-faced expressions made me realise just how serious they were. 

"Go on. Concentrate." He gave me a tiny smile and slightly titled his head towards the coffee table. 

"How can I do that?" I asked them in confusion as they exchanged glances. 

"You stare and think that it should move," Dad's eyebrows scrunched as he turned to look at mom, "That's how it works, right hun?" 

Mom nodded in response but muttered, "It's a lot complicated than that." She glared at her husband for a few seconds who held his hands up in mock surrender. 

She then looked towards me and smiled, "Give it a try." 

I gave them a skeptical look but nonetheless turned my gaze to it and awkwardly stared at the inanimate object. 

Abracadabra! Mr. Remote please fly to my parents. 

I glanced at them as they were busy gaping at the remote with their undivided attention almost as if they anticipated something to happen to it. Then I  slowly turned my attention back to it with a goggled expression. 

Nothing. 

The remote remained lifeless. 

"Isn't that how it works?" Dad broke the awkward silence and turned to face mom as he asked the same question but in bewilderment this time. 

 But she remained speechless. He stood straight and with a tender look in his eyes he began, "Emily I would never think you're being irrationally anxious about anything. But maybe she's not—" He stopped as he realised I was listening. 

"I'm sorry." Mom said in a low voice as her blue eyes grew moist and to my surprise she crouched down and embraced me. 

I thought that whatever they spoke about was over but my parents' peculiar conversation carried on to the dining table. 

Mom started unfolding chapters from the past, my past, to be precise as she spoke about other incidents which were similar to what happened that night. 

"... okay but you remember the time when she managed to get her milk bottle off the dining table when she could barely stand on her feet? I haven't heard of any toddlers managing to pull that off." She stated as she grabbed the wine bottle and poured herself a drink. 

"That was the babysitter." Dad gave her a pointed look as he took a bite of his chicken sandwich. 

"Oh the babysitter was busy making ou-" Mom protested but momentarily stopped herself from speaking as if she realised she was about to say something inappropriate, "Orange juice for herself." She completed as she emphasised on her last statement while dad almost choked on his sandwich. 

I looked down at my untouched plate which was filled with food. I had lost my appetite but my parents were so preoccupied with bickering, that it was unnoticed. 

"You have narrated multiple instances which have no relation to Audrey being-"  He placed his sandwich on his plate to make his point but got got interrupted by mom. 

"Correction. Those instances prove that she might be-"  

"But she's not. Honey why can't you just accept that she's normal?" Dad did not let her complete and vexatiously looked at her. 

"Nobody wants her to be normal any more than I do." Mom scoffed and took a sip of her drink. 

"Then what are you trying to achieve with this stupid storytelling?" Dad was unable to conceal the agitation in his voice as he raised an eyebrow at her. 

"Stupid? You don't wanna go there James. I'm only trying to make sure that she isn't like me." 

The dining room was clouded with tension and it made me feel a little anxious. What did she mean not like her? At the moment my younger self couldn't help but comprehend the sentence in a negative way. 

I felt a familiar feeling of uneasiness and discomfort intensifying within me. The empty glass next to my plate quivered when my gaze landed on it and my eyes widened in shock as for a moment I thought there was an earthquake. 

But then why were the other utensils motionless? 

"By only pointing out the occurrences which prove that she is just like you." Dad glared at her.

"For reassurance! God, James I cannot believe you." Mom threw her hands up in frustration. "It's better to be certain now than to regret later." 

"Stop fighting!" I flinched as I screamed on top of my lungs. Instantaneously, the empty glass flew across the room and crashed on the wall. 

"Did I do that-" I gasped and I helplessly looked at my parents, "Did I do that?" I asked again as my lower lip quivered.

"I knew it." Mom muttered under her breath as she instantly stood up from her seat and walked towards me, "It's alright honey." She comforted me as I hugged her tightly. 

"Dear God." Dad let out a deep breath and glanced at mom. 

"Mom I'm scared." My eyes filled with tears as I was frightened. 

"Don't be." She rubbed my back soothingly. 

"What is happening to me?" I asked as a tear rolled down my cheek and she pulled me closer. 

If only I had known that this was just the beginning. Mom informed me that I was different from other people and I had possessed a special ability which I couldn't reveal to anyone under any circumstances. 

I fathomed that she was just like me. She never disclosed what made us different from those around us but promised that I'd be informed at the right time. 

And then she started to teach me. 

Initially, it was extremely difficult to even levitate a feather. I spent hours fixed in a seat staring at it. But my mom told me that it wasn't  pointless. 

The control I had over my abilities was subconscious. Predominantly, it was a result of intense emotions; rage, sorrow, fear. Almost all I had experienced were negative emotions which is why my ability had acted out all this time. 

Eventually I discovered that I did not require any intense emotion and was willingly able to utilise my powers. However, I had entirely used my ability to lift small, lightweight objects with my mind as mom explained that I was still new at this and gradually the weight of the objects would increase. 

"We'll have to know how much weight you're capable of lifting with your mind." She said as she dusted some old books from the shelf. 

"When will we know then?" I asked. 

"Soon." 

When my twelfth birthday was around the corner, I had decided to revamp my room. I recalled how Mom would spend her Sunday afternoon at our previous neighbour's place until we shifted from there and bought a penthouse. And dad usually sat in the living room as he read a book. 

And that day, this was the exact scene at my home. 

I remember my younger self walking to the living room as dad sat on his arm chair with a book covering his face. 

"Dad are you asleep?" I picked up the book and poked him in the arm to get his attention. 

"No honey." He mumbled without opening his eyes as he twisted uncomfortably in his seat. 

"Then can you help me move my bed?" I asked but he remained quiet and hence I continued, "I want to rearrange the furniture in my room." 

"Dad?" I poked him to find that he dozed off again. 

I sighed and went back to my room as I sat on my bed with a sullen pout and that's when I realised that I did not need assistance. I stood up with sudden determination as I channelled all my energy and concentration to it. I kept staring at the bed with my arm pointing towards it but there bed remained motionless.

Focus. 

My mind concentrated on it solely and I sensed absolute power from within. The bed slightly moved from it's spot and I grinned as I noticed it. I planted my undivided attention and ultimately it moved a few more inches way. However, this didn't seem fun anymore as I began to feel a little dizzy but I brushed it off as I focused again. 

I was impressed by myself and continued to stare at the bed, hoping that it would move to the other side of the room altogether. And as it did, I felt an itchiness under my left nostril as a liquid dripped from my nose. I brought my fingers to attend to it.

Blood. 

And then I felt a strong wave of lightheadedness and instantly collapsed on the floor. 

The next I remembered was laying on the bed as I slowly opened my eyes. I noticed my parents;  mom who was seated on a chair placed next to the bed, with her head buried in her hands and dad who was standing by the window.

"Audrey, are you okay?" Mom suddenly looked up at me and it seemed that she sensed that I was up. I gave a slight nod to her concerned face and turned towards dad. 

"Sweetie?" He slowly walked towards me as he gave a worried look. 

"Yeah.." I mumbled. 

"Thank God." Dad sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed. 

"There's a lot that you need to learn about your abilities Audrey. Please don't be so reckless about it." Mom anxiously uttered as she held my hand in hers, "Promise me that you will be careful with it."

"I promise."