Fear gripped my chest, paralyzing me for a moment. The scene before me was straight out of a nightmare. That thing—the Trouble, just as it was described on the forums—was real, and it was attacking defenseless people. My mind screamed to run, to hide, to get as far away from this horror as possible. But then I saw a woman's face, her eyes wide with terror as the creature lunged at her, and something inside me ignited. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the trembling that ran through my body. My heart was pounding, but a cold determination was beginning to replace the fear. I had to try. I had to use what was happening to me, this strange connection to metal, to help those people.
I looked around, searching for something I could use. The street was almost deserted, save for the metal trash cans lined up along the curb. I concentrated with all my might, remembering the feeling I had experienced when moving the paper clips in my room. I imagined the metal of the containers, their weight, their shape, and tried to extend my will toward them.
At first, nothing happened. The creature kept attacking, and the screams of its victims echoed through the night. I felt a pang of despair. Did I really think I could do anything? That a skinny kid like me could stand up to such a monstrosity?
But then, just as the creature raised one of its sharp limbs to strike a man lying on the ground, I felt a slight vibration in my hands. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there. I focused even harder, visualizing the nearest trash container, a heavy, rusty metal bucket. With intense mental effort, I imagined it rising, floating in the air.
To my astonishment, and that of the creature, which seemed to pause its attack for a moment, the dumpster began to shake. Slowly, with a metallic screech, it rose a few inches from the ground. It wasn't much, but it was enough. With a stifled scream, I threw the container with all my telekinetic might toward the creature.
The blow was clumsy and unbalanced, but the weight of the metal impacted the Trouble in the side, sending it reeling back with a guttural growl. The creature turned toward me, its glowing, empty eyes fixed on me. For the first time, I felt the true horror of what I was facing. Its face was a nightmarish mask, with jagged teeth and an expression of pure evil.
I took a few steps back, my heart pounding. I had no idea what to do next. I'd managed to hit the creature, but that had only gotten its attention. I didn't know how to control my powers enough to really hurt it.
The Trouble lunged at me with surprising speed, its long limbs moving with unnatural agility. Instinctively, I raised my arms to protect myself. Just as its sharp claws were about to reach me, I thought of the metal pole at the bus stop, of the energy I'd felt flowing through it. I concentrated desperately, trying to replicate that sensation, to draw the metal toward me.
To my surprise, the metal fragments embedded in the street pavement began to vibrate. Small stones and chunks of asphalt rose slightly from the ground, surrounding my hands like a makeshift shield. It wasn't much, but it bought me an extra split second.
The Trouble slammed my makeshift shield hard, sending metal shards flying in all directions. I felt a sharp pain in my arms from the impact, but at least I'd managed to deflect the blow. The creature took a step back, glaring at me with palpable fury. I knew this was no ordinary threat.
I looked at the people I'd tried to help. They were there, lying on the ground, staring at me with a mixture of fear and disbelief. Some were trying to get up, others were still moaning in pain. I knew I couldn't give up. I had to keep fighting, even though I had no idea how to do it. This was my first move. Now I had to think about the next one.
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