Hidden Powers
1760 Words
Chelsea woke up with a headache so sharp it felt like someone had pressed cold metal to her forehead all night.
She blinked at the ceiling.
Everything looked normal… almost. Except for the light bulb, it flickered softly, like it was breathing.
She sat up. “Not again…”
Violet was already awake, leaning against her pillow with her bonnet half off. “Good morning. You look like someone that fought three demons overnight.”
Chelsea groaned. “Feels accurate.”
“Did you sleep at all?”
“Barely.”
Violet sighed. “You want to talk about yesterday?”
“No.” Yes, she wanted to talk, but no, she was not ready to talk yet.
“I just need to get through today.”
“Right. First day at RioCorp.” Violet stretched like a cat. “Try not to faint. Or marry anybody’s father.”
Chelsea glared. “It wasn’t funny yesterday, and it isn’t funny now.”
“I’m trying to lighten the mood! You came home looking like you saw your own obituary.”
She paused. “Chelsea, do you want me to follow you to the bus stop?”
Chelsea smiled a little. “You’re sweet, but I’ll be fine.”
She wasn’t sure she believed it.
---
She was on her way to the bus stop when a loud yelp broke through the quiet street. A small dog; white fur, pink collar runs out from nowhere and darts into the road. A speeding bike misses Chelsea by inches but hits the dog. The sound the dog makes is painful enough to twist her stomach.
The owner, a boy who can’t be more than eight, screams and runs to the dog. Blood stains the pavement. The dog is barely breathing.
Chelsea freezes.
Her body reacts before her mind does. She kneels beside the boy, her hands shaking.
“Please help her,” he cries, tears running down his cheeks.
“I— I don’t know what to do,” she says, voice barely steady.
But something inside her hums. A soft vibration under her skin, like heat and static.
She places her hand on the dog’s side to comfort it. The moment her palm touches warm fur, the humming grows into something stronger, like a pulse syncing with her heartbeat. She tries to move her hand but she can’t. Her fingers feel locked in place, and a tingling warmth spreads from her wrist to her elbow.
The boy stares at her hand like he sees something she doesn’t.
“Your hand is glowing.”
Chelsea snatches her hand back, but it’s too late. The dog jerks, coughs, then stands. Just like that. No limping. No blood. As if nothing happened.
The boy screams again, but this time out of joy, hugging his dog tightly.
“You healed her! You healed Princess!”
Chelsea’s breath shakes. She backs away slowly.
“I have to go.”
She doesn’t wait for a response. She turns and walks as fast as her legs allow. She presses her palm to her chest. It’s still warm. She stares at her hand like it belongs to someone else.
“What is happening to me?”
The bus ride felt too quiet, too bright, too surreal.
Every time they passed under a bridge, the lights blinked.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the chairman’s face.
“You have a gift you don’t understand yet.”
She shook the thought away.
She needed to focus.
She needed to be normal.
The moment she stepped off the bus, the entire front of the RioCorp tower rose above her like a monument built to intimidate everyone who wasn’t born in a mansion.
People in suits streamed in and out, as security scanned badges.
Cars worth more than her entire street glided through the private entrance.
She inhaled.
“You can do this,” she whispered.
---
Inside the Building
The lobby shone with its usual “we have money and we know it” glow. She approached the reception desk.
“Good morning,” she said softly. “I’m Chelsea Allison. New hire.”
The receptionist’s smile was polite, but it faltered. “Oh. You.”
Chelsea blinked. “Me?”
“I mean, you’re the new assistant assigned to the executive division.”
Her eyes lowered almost nervously.
“Mr. Xavier has been expecting you.”
Chelsea’s heart jumped.
Mr. Xavier.
The CEO’s name tasted too heavy in her mouth.
The receptionist handed her an access badge. “Someone will escort you.”
A man in a grey suit appeared almost immediately.
“Follow me.”
The elevator ride was quiet. Too quiet.
Halfway up, the lights flickered again. The man shifted uncomfortably. “I've been doing that since morning. Power surge or something.”
Chelsea said nothing.
Because the flicker happened right when she stepped inside. Same pattern. Same strange pull.
---
When the elevator opened, she stepped into a hallway of glass and silence.
The man gestured toward a door.
“He’s inside.”
Chelsea swallowed hard.
She adjusted her blouse, tugged her hair behind her ear, and knocked.
“Come in,” a deep voice said.
She stepped inside.
Xavier was standing beside the window, back turned, suit sharp enough to cut someone. The skyline behind him made him look untouchable.He didn’t speak at first, he didn’t even move.
Chelsea cleared her throat. “Good morning, sir.”
He finally turned. And the moment their eyes met, something shifted in the air.
His expression softened for half a second, so quick she could’ve imagined it.
“You’re late,” he said.
Chelsea blinked. “Late? Sir, I got here at—”
“I know what time you arrived.” His tone was cool. Controlled. “Sit.”
She sat on the edge of the chair, trying not to look like she was melting under his gaze.
He studied her quietly.
Finally he said, “You look tired.”
Chelsea tried to smile, but the truth slipped out. “It’s been… a hectic week.”
“I’m aware.” He walked around his desk.
“About yesterday—”
She held up her hands. “Sir, I’m so sorry about bumping into you. And touching you. And—”
“Stop apologizing.” His voice was low but firm. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She blinked.
That was… unexpectedly gentle.
“We ran tests after you left,” he added.
Her stomach tightened. “Tests?”
“On me.” He paused. “To understand why I didn’t react.”
Chelsea looked down. “Right.” He studied her again. Not like he was judging her. More like he was trying to decode something written under her skin.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “But I remember the moment you touched me. It felt… different.”
Chelsea’s throat tightened. “Sir, I don’t know why.”
“Neither do I,” he said. “But I intend to find out.”
The lights flickered again. Only once, but Xavier’s head snapped up immediately.
Chelsea swallowed. He noticed. He definitely noticed. She forced her hands to stay still on her lap.
“Sir,” she said quietly, “if you want me to resign, I—”
“No.” That one word was sharp, sharp enough that she jumped.
He continued more calmly, “You’re staying. I brought you here because I want you here.”
Chelsea’s heart stuttered, she opened her mouth to respond, but the door suddenly swung open.
A woman stepped inside. She was tall and impeccably dressed. She had the kind of beauty that belonged on billboards. Her heels clicked like she owned the floor.
“Xavier,” she said sweetly. “We have a meeting in ten minutes. Why didn’t you—”
She stopped. Her eyes landed on Israel.
A flicker of confusion, then disbelief, then cold hostility. She didn’t bother hiding it.
Chelsea stood. “Good morning.”
The woman looked her up and down. “Who is this?”
Xavier spoke before Israel could.
“My new assistant.”
The woman scoffed lightly. “This one?”
Chelsea’s cheeks burned.
She stepped aside, but Xavier’s voice stopped her.
“You’re early, Valerie,” he said, tone flat. “And I don’t recall inviting you in.”
Valerie blinked.
That clearly wasn’t the response she expected.
Chelsea couldn’t explain it, but she felt something tug at the air between the two of them. Something old, something unfinished.
Valerie finally cleared her throat. “Fine. I’ll wait outside.” She stormed out without another glance.
Chelsea sat down slowly. “I think she hates me.”
“She hates everyone,” Xavier said. “You’ll get used to it.”
She tried not to smile, but failed. He caught it, and for a brief second, something warm flashed in his eyes.
---
Chelsea walked out of Xavier’s office with a stack of onboarding papers. She needed to find HR.
As soon as she turned the corner, Valerie appeared from nowhere. She had her hands crossed, chin lifted and eyes sharp.
“Listen,” Valerie said. “I don’t know how you got this job, but whatever trick you pulled on Xavier, drop it.”
Chelsea sighed. “I didn’t pull anything—”
Valerie stepped closer.
“I’ve known him for years,” she hissed. “And he never lets anyone get close. So if you think—”
Chelsea took a step back.
And the lights above them flickered.
Valerie jumped. “What—?”
Chelsea held her breath as the flickering became brighter, then dim, then normal.
Valerie stared up at the bulbs, freaked out. “What kind of nonsense…?”
She turned sharply and walked away.
Chelsea exhaled shakily.
This was getting worse.
….
She breathed in the evening air. She’d survived the day. Barely.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
We need to talk.
Tonight.
9 p.m.
Do not ignore this message.
Chelsea frowned.
“Who—?”
Before she finished reading, another message dropped:
Tell no one.
Her skin crawled, she looked around but no one was watching. Yet, she felt it again. That cold, invisible pressure, like something ancient was reaching out to her.
She hugged her bag to her chest.
“God,” she whispered, “what is happening to me?”
The wind blew, the streetlights flickered, and her phone buzzed one last time:
Come alone.
- Writer
