The Cave Creatures

Chapter 3

"Ugh!" I grunted with frustration. "This is taking forever!" Anger seemed to pour out of me like a waterfall.

"Don't worry," Howe reassured me, "It shouldn't take much longer."

So far we had tested around twenty different powers, and Cirenge and I were getting desperate. None of our ideas had worked so far. I was about to give up when Cirenge spoke to me.

"You should tell him to try flying next," he whispered.

"Ask him yourself," I muttered bitterly in reply to his suggestion.

There was a long pause before I heard Cirenge say, "I can't, cave creatures can only communicate with their chosen human. All Howe can hear are strange noises in place of my words."

I gave Cirenge a soft smile and said, "Sorry, I guess I was just upset that we haven't found our power yet." I sat there thinking about all the possible powers I could recall ever hearing about. My mind revisited all of the past television programs and comic books about superheroes that I'd ever seen. But all hope seemed lost. Then something hit me. Earlier that day when I had found Cirenge, he had seemed disappear into that large tree. What if our power had been some type of camoflage? It seemed likely.

"Okay let's try-" Howe started to say.

"I know what it is," I interupted. "Camoflage." Immediately, I willingly tried to blend in with the training room floor. It seemed as if my entire body had disappeared in front of me. It was a sensation that I had never felt before. I was completely invisible, and I liked it. For once in my life I felt special and unique; it was as if I was living an entirely new life.

"Wow!" Howe exclaimed. "Where did you go?"

"Down here," I said, laughing playfully. As I reappeared, Howe looked stunned. Suddenly I felt different. I was important for once in my life, and I truly started to believe I could change the world.

"Your actual training classes will start tomorrow afternoon," he told me. "Right after school you'll need to find Cirenge and report back to the Great Cave. There will be a group class right here in the training room."

Listening attentively to every word he said, I replied with bounds of happiness, "I wouldn't miss any more of this experience for the world!" I stood up to leave and told Cirenge I'd have to get going. He mentioned to me that tomorrow we could meet at the edge of the woods, where I had first seen him. "Goodbye!" I shouted to Howe as I exited the room.

"See you tomorrow!" he replied.

Once I had navigated my way back to the cave entrance, I slowly crawled out of the tunnel. Outside, I immediately took notice of the sky. The moon was high, and I knew I'd be in huge trouble with Marissa's parents if I didn't hurry my way home. The wind blew my dark hair furiously as I made my way up the hill. I ran and ran until I had finally reached my house.

It was the closest thing I would ever have to a real home. The place was huge and well taken care of, but it just wasn't a true home to me. I opened the door and tried to walk in casually.

"Where do you think you've been?" Phillip Webb, my adopted father, asked me as I stepped inside.

"Tryouts ran late, and it was harder to find my way home in the dark," I lied.

He stared at me for a moment then said, "Just go to your room and we can discuss this in the morning."

I nodded and walked up the stairs to my room, relieved that I had not had to explain myself that night. My room was like a treasure to me. I liked to keep all of my possessions organized and in their place. It was really the only place that I could be alone and think for a while. Grabbing the picture frame that contained a photo of my parents off the windowsill, I sat down on my bed. I just knew that if my mother and father were alive, they would have been proud of what I had accomplished today.