The Superpower Project by Paul Bristow Read Free Book Online Page A

Really?”
    â€œMaybe having superpowers runs in the family?”
    â€œMy gran wasn’t super,” said Cam. “She mostly knitted and drank whisky. Mind you, if she turned into animals it might explain why Dad avoided her so much… maybe he was allergic to her.”
    Megan hugged Cam happily. Cam patted her on the shoulder, not really sure how best to react. They ran over to TJ, who had stopped sparking by this point, and was gathering himself up.
    â€œWe must go. Quickly,” he said.
    â€œYou’re coming to stay with me, TJ,” said Megan, as they walked briskly away from the devastation behind them. “And Cam has superpowers too!”
    â€œYes. I saw,” said TJ. “Though I think flying is superior.”
    For a change, Cam politely ignored TJ.
    â€œHow did you find out?” Megan asked Cam, after a thoughtful silence.
    Cam knew what she meant. “One morning I woke up and I didn’t know where I was. Everything was black, my heart was pounding. I was terrified.”
    â€œOh, Cam,” said Megan, “that sounds horrible.”
    â€œI eventually saw light and headed towards it, and I fell right out the end of my bed and onto the floor in front of my mirror. It was so strange. I knew I was looking at myself, but it wasn’t me in the mirror. It was a hamster. I totally panicked, started screaming, and then all of a sudden I was myself again, shouting at the top of my voice. My mum came running up the stairs; she thought I’d broken something…”
    â€œThat’s awful,” said Megan.
    â€œWasn’t too bad. I did get a day off school out of it,” said Cam. “It’s happened quite a few times since then, but I’m more in control of it now. I get this sort of fizzing… it starts in my stomach and moves up into my chest,” said Cam.
    â€œI get that too! Like fireflies in your tummy.”
    â€œThat’s it, yeah. Been happening for about six months.”
    Megan frowned. “Seriously, what are the chances of us both having strange powers? Something really weird is going on.”
    â€œYou’re telling me. Secret maps, robots, superpowers. I wonder if we could get special circumstances at school for all the stress we’re under?”
    â€œ
Should
we tell someone?” asked Megan. It felt more possible now she was no longer alone.
    â€œTell them what?” said Cam. “No one’s X-raying me and putting me in a freezer. So let’s forget telling anyone. It’s just us.”
    â€œIt isn’t just us, though, is it?” Megan looked at TJ. “You said my gran could fly too. Do you know what’s going on?”
    Beneath his blank expression, Megan could tell he was working something out.
    â€œThis… has happened before,” he said.
    â€œWith Sarah?” asked Megan.
    â€œYes… something… in the water,” said TJ. He stared out towards the river, as if hoping that whatever it was would suddenly float to the surface. It didn’t.
    â€œThat explanation actually hasn’t made anything clearer,” said Cam. “Do you know why we have superpowers?”
    â€œI can’t remember.”
    â€œWhat exactly
can
you remember?” asked Cam angrily.
    â€œCam!” said Megan. “He’s been hidden away for ages; it’s all still coming back to him.”
    â€œWell, take your time TJ,” said Cam. “It’s not as if we were just deliberately attacked by a giant robot sculpture.”
    â€œLet’s hope we finished it off for good,” said Megan.
    â€œYep. Especially because it saw us using our powers.”
    Megan hadn’t thought of that. She didn’t mind Cam and TJ knowing she could fly, but Resilience seemed a little less trustworthy. It was the way it had tried to crush her under a building that had really put her off.
    â€œDo you think it was only after TJ?” said Cam. “Maybe