Powers

When he was invisible, Teddy did all the things he dreamt of doing.  He lingered in the girl’s locker room.  He took fifty bucks out of the cash register at the convenience store, as well as a bottle of cream soda.  He tripped people walking down the hall.  He punched Aaron in the back of the head.  It hurt his hand, but it was worth it.

When he was able to fly, Teddy tested his turning abilities, speed and distance.  He went to Paris.  He went to Cairo.  He learned it was rough, and understood what Icarus was about all too quickly.

When he could run, Teddy ran.  He ran from to other cities.  He ran to the amusement park.  He ran to the museum.  He ran to the wharf.  He ran to Coney Island and then to the Golden Gate Bridge.  He went through a lot of water.  He lost six pounds in a day.  He was exhausted.

When he could manipulate fire, Teddy followed the fire trucks and doused the flames.  It was the last he could do.  He was a little bit afraid of fire.

When he could read minds, Teddy locked himself in a basement.  He didn’t want to know the things most people thought.  At first, he hoped it would be interesting, finding out what, say, Sue was thinking, and then telling her.  But it turned out most people thought the most boring of things, continuously, ad nauseam, and he simply couldn’t deal with it.

When he could bend spoons with his mind, Teddy rented himself out to a circus for a hundred bucks a week.

When he could bend steel bars with his hands, Teddy lifted Volkswagons, to challenge himself, and didn’t even break a sweat.

When he could speak a hundred languages, Teddy travelled to New York and got involved in discussions at the United Nations.  He helped resolve one issue, exacerbated another, and fell head over heels in love with a girl from Norway.

When he could swim, Teddy took a deep breath and crossed the Atlantic.  He communed with humpbacks and giant squids and dolphins and sharks.  Some of the sharks tried to eat him.  Some of the sharks did not.  The water got too cold in the north, else he would’ve visited the Titanic, but he did see the Lusitania.  He thinks.

When he could make other people do things against their will, Teddy had fun, at the expense of his schoolmate, Aaron, who really deserved it, anyhow.  He didn’t make Sue do anything, but he was tempted.

When he could create massive illusions, Teddy went to Scotland for some fun.  Then Tokyo.  He’d always loved Godzilla.

When he could shoot lasers out of his eyes, Teddy was disappointed to discover they were no more powerful than typical laser pointers.  He teased a couple of cats.

When he could move mountains, Teddy moved mountains.  It made the news.  It was amazing.  His picture made the cover of every supermarket tabloid.

When he could explode things, Teddy exploded things.  He exploded himself.  That was the last time anyone saw Teddy.  Which really ought to make you wonder: what can he do now?