Scribbled Thoughts

https://www.instagram.com/writing.prompts.re/

(The actual prompt seems to have disappeared off the site, so I’ll just type it out

‘You live in a universe where on their eighteenth birthday, everyone is given a superpower. It’s your birthday and you discover you’ve been given a unique power – the rare ability to turn into an animal nobody has turned into before. You are now a wereworm’

I’ve been trying to write this one for nearly six months. I have no idea why I found it so hard)

It shouldn’t have been a complete surprise really. My parents were were-dragons, meeting in dragon form on a romantic flying cruise across the night sky. It was one of my favourite bedtime stories when I was ten, picturing my future were-dragon power and meeting my soulmate in the sky.

            When I was eleven my big brother gained his superpower. It was unique and rare…and ugly. He was a were-wyrm.

            We’d all been outside in a nearby field, prepared for Ashley to transform into a dragon. Some of his friends had already turned eighteen and were standing on standby with beers and vodka mixes. It was a warm June night, the sky was clear; the setting was perfect.

            Ashley isn’t a shy person, he stripped down to his underwear and urged us to begin a thirty second countdown to midnight. Everyone’s smiles were big enough to crack faces as they counted and backed away, leaving enough room for Ashley’s new form to emerge.

            As soon as midnight struck Ashley’s eyes bulged in pain and he clutched his throat. His mouth opened to scream but only a gurgle escaped past his now engorged throat. His whole body bubbled and expanded, a rancid smell rising from the ooze coming off his body.

            I don’t know who screamed first but tears of horror were running down my face as my father dragged me and my sister further back.

            ‘It’s okay. It’s not what we expected but no one dies from the power they gain. Let’s just get back and give him more room.’

            The crowd had halved by the time his transformation was complete. In place of my brother was a giant worm-like creature two-cars tall and four-cars long. The end facing us was just a giant circulated mouth filled with razer teeth. I couldn’t see any eyes, just leather-rough skin and two holes for ears on each side.

            ‘Oh sweetheart!’ Mum gushed, moving closer to my giant, ugly brother, ‘You’re a were-wyrm; that’s so rare! I know it will take some getting used to, but this is an amazing power.’

            Ashley the were-wyrm let out a loud rumbling, then turned, sinking his teeth into the ground. Mum moved back again as he disappeared into the ground, leaving a crater behind.

            ‘He’ll be fine.’ Mum said, confident.

            Ashley didn’t return until three days later, exhausted but grinning.

            ‘It wasn’t what I was expecting, but burying amongst the earth, using vibrations to sense and see everything…It’s amazing.’

            Ashley soon set up a successful business setting up contracts with sewer and underground planning. His friends, after the initial shock, considered it the ‘coolest power anyone had, ever’ when they spent one day on Ashley’s transformed back and created an underground, private club.

            Ashley may have loved his unexpected form, but it had shattered my dream. The idea of becoming a giant, oozing worm gave me night terrors.

            Three years later it was my sister’s turn. Michelle had learnt from Ashley’s mistake and refused a party. We had a quiet meal in before Michelle headed out to the field alone.

            ‘Is she going to disappear for three days too?’ I asked, looking out the back window. My parents just smiled.

            ‘She’ll come back when she’s ready,’ Mum said, heading off to bed, ‘And she’ll tell us about it when she wants to.’

            Michelle returned at breakfast. She wasn’t excited the way Ashley has been, but she didn’t seem upset either.

            ‘I’m a were-lizard. I can choose between komodo-dragon size or bearded-dragon size.’ She accepted a plate of full English breakfast and sighed, ‘There’s nothing useful about it at all, but I can live with that.’

            Michelle was smart and had always planned to become a doctor. Her new superpower didn’t stop her pursuing that.

            Which only left me…

            Michelle’s superpower had given me hope of avoiding Ashley’s grotesque form. I thought perhaps I could be a were-dragonfly, so I would still experience flying. It was my most desperate wish.

            ‘I wouldn’t get your hopes up.’ Michelle said, trying to be gentle, ‘Don’t depend on your superpower to shape your life.’

            I tried to listen, but desperate hope is hard to disperse.

            Like Michelle I went alone, wearing old clothes I didn’t care about if they ripped. I sat on my knees and tried to calm my breathing as midnight struck. Straight away I felt a rapid shrinking sensation and my vision went dark. My limbs merged into my body and my neck disappeared. All I could do was wriggle.

            My mind was nothing but panic, my body thrashing around in confusion until my new animal instinct started to emerge. Burrow. Dig. Eat. Read the vibrations.

            It took two weeks for me to return home, where Ashley and Michelle had come to visit, anxiously waiting with our parents. I just stared at the ground as I told them.

            ‘Wow! A were-worm? I don’t think anyone has had that power, ever.’ Mum gushed.

            ‘Great.’ I said, deadpan. Everyone stayed silent.

            I never bothered transforming a second time.

            I never spoke of flying again.