Mom sighed as I sat down for breakfast in the morning, placing a steaming hot plate of eggs, bacon, and a biscuit in front of me and Dad. She would wake up hours earlier than the rest of us every morning to make breakfast, claiming it was because "her Activation was so embarrassing". I don't think even Dad knows what it is- but, thanks to her, we never have to go out and buy food.

Mom and Dad weren't exactly poor, but they definitely needed her ability to get by. I started scarfing down my breakfast and secretly started poking my finger on each of the fork spokes. I looked around pensively- nothing happened. That definitely wasn't it.

"Thanks, Mom!," I said, grinning through stuffed cheeks. She smiled, and glanced over at the newspaper Dad was reading.

"Honey, is it really necessary to start every day off with doom and gloom like that?" She said. I looked at the headline on the front and saw that another 3 teens had jumped to their death trying to find their Activation just last night. He sighed.

"Darling, I have yet to feel doom and gloom from seeing stupid kids do stupid things. Nick, you know that's the kind of antic you save for when you're 99 and have nothing else to do, right?"

I laughed and grabbed my bag. "Dad, if you ever catch me trying that I expect you to blow me up with your mind powers."

He scoffed as I ran out the door. He still hadn't found his powers yet, and probably wouldn't ever find out. He was completely content with life the way it was, but that didn't stop us from joking about what his powers might be.

I only lived a few blocks away from school, so I usually just walked. Today felt different- there was an energy in the air that I couldn't explain. I often had days like this, where I felt certain that I would find out my Activation and finally get some kind of awesome power. Most of the kids in my grade had already found theirs through insane trial and error- a lot of kids would hold "Activation Parties," where they would set up some kind of deranged obstacle course to try and figure out their Activation. I'd been to a few when I was in middle school, and usually just left with bruised pride- and a limb or two.

I walked for about ten minutes, stepping on every crack I could see for a while, then ignoring every crack, and at one point I even stopped to do a backbend- of course, I immediately fell over and nearly busted open my head.

As I walked past my friend Timothy's house, his door flew open and he dashed outside.

"Hey, Nick!" He called. I waved back, and he grinned at me.

"Tim, you gonna walk with me today?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hell no dude!" He said, sitting down on his driveway. He started scooting forward with his legs, like a dog trying to wipe its ass. I could never get over his Activation. Every night I prayed to God that I wouldn't get something that looked so stupid.

After a few scoots, Tim slowly rose about 6 inches off the ground. His grin widened, and he "stood up" from his previous, less-than-dignified position.

"Later nerd!" He yelled, floating away from me at an alarming speed. I groaned and flipped him off.

"You found out about your dumbass power like 5 days ago!" I shouted, and just barely heard his crazed laugh as he zoomed away. Whatever- I kept walking, knowing I'd figure out my Activation enough. Even Tim's stupid antics couldn't keep my mood down today.

I finally arrived at class. First, second, and third period all passed by in a flash. Fourth period began, and I barely paid attention to what Mr. Leck was saying as I tried as many discrete Activations as possible.

Come on! I thought to myself. One of these stupid Activations had to work. I ate a piece of paper, put my notebook on my head when Mr. Leck wasn't watching, and even crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at Tim. That part was just for fun. He scowled at me and I hid a smile, innocently turning back to face the front. I picked up my pencil and remembered seeing that some kid on TV had found his activation while twirling a pencil around his thumb. I sighed, decided to try it out, and immediately dropped it on the ground. Feeling my cheeks get hot, I looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

Everyone was frozen. Mr. Leck was in the middle of writing something on the chalkboard, Tim was picking his nose, and my pencil was floating in the air, just inches away from the ground.

My heart lept. No way that actually worked.

I looked around a bit longer, my heart racing as the implications set in. I have the power to stop time.

Even better, God must have heard my prayers- my Activation had nothing to do with scooting around like a dog. All I had to do was (fail) at twirling a pencil.

I lept out of my seat, ready to go and do something fun all day before coming back to class to resume time.

Suddenly, a chill went up my spine. The energy that I had felt earlier was gone. I looked up again, and saw something that I definitely shouldn't- couldn't have missed earlier.

Mr. Leck was gone. In his place, there was a- a monster. It had horrible, gnarled fingers, a pale and twisted face, and didn't seem to have any eyes. It towered over everything else in the room and had to crouch in order to avoid hitting the ceiling. I couldn't see anything else- it was shrouded in an impossibly dark robe. The room suddenly smelled of a sharp, twisted scent.

"D-did you do this?" I asked, my voice quivering. "Did you f-freeze everyone?"

The creature's mouth twisted into a crooked smile. One of its hands was raised, and it was holding up two of its tree-root fingers. With a crack, its middle finger snapped down. A raspy voice called out to me, and its words nearly made me retch. It laughed- a sound more horrible than anything I had ever heard.

"Nick, did you have something you wanted to say?"

I blinked, looking at Mr. Leck. The creature was gone.

"Um... No sir, sorry. I just, uh, dropped my pencil." I quickly grabbed my pencil off the floor and sat down to the tune of Tim's snickers.

I forced myself to glare at him, and when he turned away I quickly sat on my shaking hands. Something horrible was about to happen. Something absolutely terrible was happening tomorrow, and I was the only one who knew.

I thought carefully, trying to keep the panic at bay. Its words rang out to me once more, that broken voice echoing in my head.

"The. world is going. to end. Tomorrow."

Mr. Lecks droning voice faded away as the panic began to overcome my defenses, and something horrible clicked in my head. A terrible weight came down on my shoulders.

My activation had nothing to do with that stupid pencil.

My Activation was the end of the world- and my power was to save it.