A/N

So what'd you guys think of Bill The Snake? This is a bit longer chapter only about 3800 words. Anyways enjoy the read.

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Poor Bill." I say with dread as we climb down into the cement, bone dry, filled with sand, ditch.

"Bill tried to bite you." Will said in a convincing tone.

"I stepped in his home. Of course he tried to bite me."

"Bill lived through his house collapsing, you would not have lived if he were to bite you."

"He didn't know that though."

"I thought you hated snakes." I continued to slide down the sand painted slant, attempting to slowly lower myself in. It's true though, I hate snakes. They terrify me to the very core, even a picture of one leaves me speechless. Despite having coyotes, centipedes, scorpions, multiple poisonous spiders, the very real chupacabra, and cactus, I always was exceptionally more fearful of snakes. I don't even know why is the thing, they are just so snake like, in literature they are the literal embodiment of evil.

And I killed it.

That leaves me to wonder, you know? That if I killed to symbolism of evil, the very thing that kills anything and everything, the utmost disastrous, damaging, devastating, powerful, hated thing in the world, the oldest thing known to man that has never been able to even be hurt, what does that make me?

I hesitate before responding, knowing I don't have a valid argument or what we're arguing about. "I do... But... I froze Bill to death." At my defeat I let my head hang loose looking at my shoes, making sure that I don't make eye contact. What an embarrassment, just the notion of this is at max awkwardness and embarrassment mixed with unspoken self-pity.

Will, just shook his head with a small scoff, the kind you give when you know the person is being ridiculous with there train of thought, even if they don't see it you do. All while keeping is goofy smile and an upbeat squint from the sun shining down. "You're just scared of yoursel-."

Will spoke with enthusiasm but all his words brought was a storm of realization and truth. Because the truth is I have no idea how to control this. I don't even know how this is possible. How I got these so called "powers." How I shot gallium and liquid nitrogen out of my hands. How I'm going to handle this. Why Will is being so cool about this and not running away screaming. What if I hurt somebody? What if the next thing I freeze isn't a snake but a person. I loose my temper at one of my bullies and what? I freeze them because I'm a freak and literally can't control myself? What if I'm longboarding and all of a sudden gallium flies out of my hands and the people behind me fall and get seriously hurt from it?

People at school already call me a disease, slang at my school for an abnormal person, the equivalent to a freak. A nut. I belong in a crazy house. A loser. Someone that shouldn't be aloud to be near to society. I'm unstable. Nerd. Geek. Weak. That I'm so weak I'll crumble under the weight of a pretzel. I'm a coward. I'll run at the sight of a spider. I'll cripple even if I just trip. They trip me with my lunch in my hands. Throw paper at me while presenting. And the teacher just watches having a look on there face like "What? There right, you're the worst."

Most of those names aren't true, but sometimes you hear these things so much you start to believe them. Like a song on a loop that keeps repeating the same things. That echos in your mind endlessly, volume increasing with intensity every second.

Weak.

Coward.

Incapable.

"Hey I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

"It's okay." I cut him off before he says a lie just to cover up his mistakes. "It's true. I am scared of it. I-"

"Don't call it that. Call them what they are, powers." He says, walking towards me slowly. "That's all they are. Just powers. Not a gun, not a bomb, not anything. All they are is powers. Look at Marine. You don't think he was afraid of crushing somebody every time he hugged someone? Of course he was. But he sucked it up and learned how to control his strength. Same with Poisiden or Mars or any other super hero." He says leaning over me and he puts his hands on my shoulders for comfort. Looks down at me with his green gleaming green eyes with specks of grey in them.
"You have no reason to be afraid. We'll figure this out and you'll learn how to control your power. Right here. Right now. Okay?"

He looked so genuinely sincere and calm that even I believed him. 

More genuine than anyone has ever been with me.

 "Yeah...okay. But where do we even start? I don't think there's exactly a handbook for this." I say shrugging off his hands and sit against the the cold wall of the ditch and the bone chilling cement. And trust me I know what bones chilling feels like.

He looks up from his shoes, just  enough so that I see his scheming eyes and signature sly smirk. "Ha. Course there is Gallium Gal. It's my 'Anomaly Handbook for Powers 101-Book 1!" He chuckles out with a certain childish aspect to it.

In the spirit of making light of this catastrophe I let my sarcasm flow out of my mouth."You have a book 2 for this then?"

"Yup, one of my best sellers too."

I squint my eyes at him and playfully sneer at him. "Look forward to reading it then."

"Oh it's a page turner alright." Again with the witty comebacks matching mine to a t. 

"What makes you so qualified writing handbooks for Anomalies anyways?"

He just scoffs and lets a laugh that would make hyenas shudder."Enough questions. Let me just take a look at it now." He says pulling out his phone. Neon orange case, suites him.

"Now it says here that first we have to figure out what you powers are based off of then we can go from there."

"Okay well lets see." I playfully drawl. "I can shoot gallium and liquid nitrogen from my hands... That's just about it."

"Well what's the similarities? There has to be something they have in common."

"They're both liquid." I suggest.

"Yeah so maybe your powers are based on liquids? You can shoot any liquid from your hand?"

"Umm... I don't know that sounds a little broad don't you think? Like any liquid is a lot and seems impossible."

"Just three years ago having super powers seemed like a laughable idea. Now it's normal to hear about a robbery from an exploding man. Or one of our fifteen heroes taking them down. Now it says to just think about the liquid you want and hold out your hands. Concentrate on how it felt during your little gallium incident. Just with... I don't know try water."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever." I hold out my hands and think of the heat that occurred every time I shot out a liquid. I concentrate on it starting up again but this time I think of water. What it'll feel like, instead of freezing nitrogen I think of lukewarm water pumping through me and to my palms. And... Nothing. It starts to burn up, not as intense as last time, as if my arms were dipped in a hot tub...but dry. Although nothing is coming out of my palms.

WOW what I would've given for that just an hour earlier.

"Nothing." I breath out, defeated by failure.

"Keep trying. You don't expect to get it on the first try do you?"

My face falls and I feel my eyebrows furrow down in an annoyed look that I often get, mostly at school while surround by idiots. "Well... I seemed to have no problem with liquid gushing from my hands an hour ago."

"Just keep trying." Still concentrated on his phone looking at this so called "handbook" that was most likely some crazy conspiracy creeps that spent a week putting together.

"Fine. But while I'm doing this look for other similarities between the two. I really don't think that's my power base."

All he did was give me a reassuring nod and mutter under his breath something that sounded a lot like "Better get comfortable, something tells me this is going to take a while."

I thought his advise was wise and attempted to sit down. As soon as I did though I heard "Not you! You have to concentrate not get comfortable!"

Yup, these are the people I could manage to make friends with... Crazy people.

Am I crazy? The medical field apparently thinks so... Although they have reason after what happened at my old schools.

I swore it then and I swore it now. It wasn't me. They say they caught me on tape... But I would've remembered doing something like that. I'm average, everything about me screams it. Every test score tells me and all the teachers I have ever had had told me that. And when someone tries to tells me otherwise I know they're just comforting me. My grades, my strength, my bloodline, my taste, my everything is average. Nothing more nothing less. So why are they telling me I did something that requires a high intelligence for someone my age? And that I don't even remember any of this? Or that I have NO FREAGIN IDEA WHERE TO GET EXPLOSIVES!

Just then I feel cold coursing through my veins.

Yes.

I keep channeling my anger, focusing on those people that accuse me of those obscure alligations.

Clear liquid launched out with such force it propelled me back into the cement wall and slamming my head against the wall.

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Darkness.

Some people find it unnerving. Although I find it soothing. Peaceful really. No stress, no homework, no anything. I guess that's what people are afraid of, the nothingness. Because they can't accept that there's such thing as nothing so they create something and the only thing that society has created in the dark is monsters. So they picture monsters crawling from the abyss and reaching out to you, hovering, staring, observing. But for me I, I don't think like that. Because I like to believe that there is nothing some places. There's nothing in my closet. There's nothing behind me. There's nothing in the darkness before me. Nothing is peaceful, nothing doesn't feel stress, nothing is nothing.

And that's where I was when my head hit the wall, in the abyss of nothingness. Just black around me, and nobody to call me a coward.

"Kendal. Kendal, wake up. Come on Kendal."

The worry voice of Will filled my ears. I blinked my eyes groggily and was greeted by the bright sun pouring light into my eyes. A shadowy outline came into view, the head of Will.

"Hey, you okay?" Worry leaking into every word.

"Yeah... Ow. Did I do it?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Uh..." In his tangent of a continuous uh, I decided to use the time to stand back up. Or at least attempt to sit up. "Hey, no don't do that sit back down. You hit your head pretty hard." He said while pushing me back down, although in protest I just sat up that much faster... Yeah bad idea.

"Oww."

"Well what the hell did you expect?" He scoffed while ushering my back down.

I just rolled my eyes at the inconsiderate jerk head before me. "Jerk."

His face goes flat. "Thanks. And to answer our question, no. It was liquid nitrogen again." Will respond blatantly.

"I hate this."

"Yeah I know. But on the bright side I think I found what they have in common." His atmospheric hope fills the space that was previously occupied by rude contentment. 

He stops for no reason, already annoyed with his suspension building. I roll my eyes for what feels like the 5th time in the last hour, I just urge him to continue."Well go on."

At this point we're both dusted off and off the ground, the sun shining onto Wills already tanned skin. This just emphasizes his happy-go-lucky jazz hands as he says, "They're both elements." Completed with his tapping feet and waves to his pretend audience. 

"Well I could've told you that Sherlock." I unattractively snort.

"Well yeah. But that's the only thing I could find. Maybe that's your power base, the elements."

"Like actual elements, not the wanna be elements like air, fire, water, and earth?"

"Yeah, those."

Okay, elements. Wait what? I stood up and began to pace. Pushing aside all the dead plants.

"Wait, like all elements or just liquids? And speaking of, liquid nitrogen has to undergo a process to become liquid. And if I have power of the elements, how is that possible? It's not natural for nitrogen to be liquid."

"Okay for your first question, you have to actually have to try a solid to answer that question. The second, I have no idea. No one does, it's powers. Science literally proves against them."

Without another word, I closed my eyes, bent my knees prepared to fly back, concentrated on my anger, and thought of carbon. The solid form of carbon.

They expelled me.

I savored that bitter taste in my mouth. The bile that rose. And acid in my throat.

Heat started to burn.

Burn. Burn.Burn.

Thin slices of carbon, one after another, some in clumps, shot out of my hands. Darting towards the stone wall. Shattering on impact, ricocheting off and speeding towards us.

"Hit the deck!" Will shouted. Before I had time to react he leaped towards me and threw us to the ground. Protecting me from any shards slicing me.

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"I'm really sorry." I said for the millionth time, not being able to say sorry enough.

"I said it wasn't your fault and I'm fine. Please stop apologizing. It's just a cut." He said while brushing off the ongoing flow of blood from his shoulder. If it wasn't for him it would've stabbed me in the neck.

Don't even get me started on how bad I felt when he asked me to pull it out of his shoulder. It wasn't that big and it didn't go in that deep but still... He got hurt because of me. He was just trying to help .

"Hey, don't think like that."

"Like what-"

"Don't play dumb with me." He said in a soft yet serious voice. "It wasn't your fault and it should not have been that got hurt. It doesn't hurt, I'm not seriously injured. And it would've got you in the neck. There is no coming back from that. Besides I'm the one that pushed you to do this." He towered over me while staring me down. Determined to win this argument. After a beat I gave in. To guilty to continue looking.

"Yeah, okay."

"Hey, we know you can do solids now, and we're right. Your powers are element based." He smiled with his usual over powering confidence and child like aura. "Do you know what triggers it?" He continued.

"Yeah, it's anger."

At these words he stiffened a little and got this knowing look in his eye, but it was gone in a flash.

"Okay, just anger or other emotions?"

"I don't know but anger works really well."

"Try it, think of something sad." He said. "But just do liquid nitrogen." He added a little to quickly.

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I'm freezing at this point. The suns starting to set, we've been at this for hours, and tried about a million different things.

So far what we know is anger works best to trigger my powers, but sadness, excitement, works as well. Fear, nervousness, and anxiety just makes my powers falter or is hard to control it. I can use any element that is not man-made. So pretty much any atomic-number from 99-118, I can't create. Solids and liquids I can do as long as that element has already been put into that state previously. Almost any form of an element I can do, even if they have to undergo a process to get in that state such as liquid nitrogen. Like gas, liquid, and solid...  We decided best not to try plasma.

"Okay one more test before we go-" Will said before I cut him off with a whiny groan. "Yeah, I know your probably tired and using you powers has probably drained a lot of your energy. Especially since the studies on Anomalies have shown that using there powers for the first time can take a lot out of you. But I just really want to see if this works." He says hopefully and a little nerdy while jumping up and down at that last part.

I laugh a little at his childish ways, sigh, and shake my head. "Will?" I say unsure.

"Kendal, please just listen."

"It's getting dark, it this safe?"

"No, but it's important to me."

"What do you want?"

"Well your powers are awesome, and most of the Anomalies can do this, on they're own. I know this is a lot to ask and your tired, I can see your eyes, they're blood shot. But we need to see if you can do this because it'll be awesome."

"What is it?"

"Can you we see if you can fly."

"No."

"Just hear me out."

"No way."

"Just to see if you can shoot something out of your feet and hands to propel you up."

"And if I fail?"

"Then I can catch you."

"That would be a mess."

"So we'll have me as a safety precaution."

"That's still dangerous."

"But we need to know." He urges. Each word more desperate than the last.

"No. No way."

"What are you scared of? You get these powers and don't even want to know what you can do. Do you want to control these powers?" He pushes, slightly in an agitated tone.

"Of coarse." I say, hurt that he's said such a thing.

"Then know the extent of it."

"What if I get hurt?" Worry corrupting my voice, making it sound shakier than I would've liked.

"We studied, I got stabbed, and you've killed a snake. You can barely control these powers, what if it happens during a test tomorrow? What if it happens with a bully of yours? With your parents? You need to know so at least you won't get hurt."

"Will, I've banged my head once already, I don't think it's a good idea to do something of that magnitude in a cement ditch when it's dark while having no idea how to control the pressure of which my powers come out." I insist.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I just..." he says slightly struggling to get out the right words. "I just don't want you to randomly fly up without realizing how your doing it, it may be dangerous here but imagine if it happens in public." Each word softer and calmer than the last.

"Its okay Will." I put my hand on his arm, attempting to help calm him down. "How about tomorrow morning before school we meet here and continue the testing. Its just to dangerous right now." I persuade.

"Yeah, yeah." He nods his head. "You're right. Here tomorrow around 4?" He asks, instantly snapping back to his usual happy self.

I smile, "Yeah. We ll continue with your book o' powers tomorrow."

"Its actually called-"

"Will," I interrupt.

"Yeah?" Eyes dazzling in the light of the stars, complementing his goofy grin.

"I know what its called."
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Later that night I had to jump the fence to the gated community, climb to the second story by climbing on top of the tool shed that's convienetly placed at the bottom of my window, and sneak into my room without making a noise.

"Uh... Dad!?" I shout out, seeing if he's home yet.

No answer.

You've got to be kidding me. I did all that to hide from no one! Welp... That's just my luck.

The rest of that night was...Disastrously fun.

Since my dad wasn't here and my sister was out I decided to practice using my powers a little more.

I decided against using the gases though, (I don't need my house to blowing up just yet.) So far my favorites are liquid nitrogen, carbon (even though I'm still trying to master not almost getting killed by the shards), gallium (surprisingly), and led.

First I started to try to control the pressure of which the liquid nitrogen comes out. It took a few broken lamps but eventually I could mostly control it. I could do a few drops, a faucet, or a full on fire hose... That one took a bit of my wall with it and now there's a fist sized hole in the wall facing the backyard. The same with all the other liquids I tried.

Next I tried to control how the speed of the carbon when it came out. This took me two hours, a fish tank (don't worry Doris Doloris, my fish, is okay), my favorite blanket, and a lava lamp...But I eventually got it to where it just came out of my hand like a pencil sliding out of your sleeve. Or somehow, I got it to shoot faster.

The problem after that was I could only make blades of carbon, nothing else. Not a lump or anything just a blade. But I decided to not try to push my luck.

"I'm home!" the deep voice of my father snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Hi dad!" I yell, while jumping up to race down stairs... If only I didn't trip over a strip of carbon. From tripping I slammed my head into the door and got it stuck, creating another hole in my room.

"You okay?" He hollers.

Can this day get any worse?

"Uh....Yeah! I just tripped!"

"Again? We should just make you wear a helmet and safety goggles at all times." Pfft...That sentence in a nut shell just described my dad.

After a minute of struggling I got my head free. Sadly my room looked like a war zone, glass everywhere, shards of carbon, gallium stained the carpets, along with ten other elements scattered with dents in every piece of furniture. And with the hole in the door you could see directly in my room... Great!

Quickly I got tape and dark blue construction paper and covered the hole.

Nope.

Not suspicous at all.

"Eh-hem"

Can't I just get a break?