Crystallized Minds For Harlyn Starr

Superpower

I inhale the scent of exotic orchid and sandalwood as I plop down in my beanbag. My right hand reaches over to switch on my blown glass lamp as my left hand grabs my new journal with the flowers on the cover. My blue fountain pen is tucked safely inside the spiral binding, so I poke it as much as I can with my little finger before retrieving it from the other side. Flipping it open, I uncap the pen and start chewing on the end of it.
What do I know? Well, the first and most important thing is that to do whatever my ability is, I have to look at the person's head. I write that down in my tight, slanted handwriting - 'Need To Look At Head!!' What do I want to know? I certainly want to know what my ability is and why I can do it. So I write that down, also - 'What Can I Do & Why??' How did this first come up? Well, I was dreaming, and I knew what my mother was going to say even though she didn't say it. Maybe seeing the future? But she didn't say it, so I wasn't exactly able to see what was going to happen.
I cross 'Seeing Future??' out. Possibly seeing alternate realities? I was able to know what my mom was going to say, even though she didn't actually say it. What other instances did my ability occur in? I knew what my mom's number was before she said it. I write down 'Knew What Mom's Number Was.' What happens in my ability? I write down 'Head Pounds & I See Space Covered In Sticky Notes!'. And the first occurrence - a dream - didn't count, really, because I wasn't fully conscious. The second few times, I probably didn't notice the head pounding because my head was already pounding.
Finally, what deductions can I make? I review my notes - 'Need To Look At A Head!!', 'Head Pounds & I See Space Covered In Sticky Notes!' and 'Knew What Mom's Number Was'. What involves someone's head that allows me to see little notes, on which their thoughts are listed? And then it hits me: I can read minds!
I look around my room to find someone I can test it on. My eyes sweep past my purple walls, hardwood floors, green and pink bedspread, piano posters on the walls, a 'Let It Go!' plaque, my five bookshelves, an easel, a grand piano, and a bin filled with paints, colored pencils, and other art supplies. My eyes lock on my cell phone - why didn't I think of that before? And then I realize - I have to see their head to do it, and my cell phone doesn't have a camera. I suddenly understand why Spiderman wanted to keep his identity a secret. It's so hard to trust! In fact, you're not even trusting me right now. And I guess you have to know me better to do that.
I'm a dreamer - I have a large imagination and a fondness for doodling. I, like I told you before, have ADHD, but I also have anxiety. I'm pretty smart for an eleven year old - my IQ is in the 99.9th percentile. I play piano and violin. If you look in my backpack, you'd find three sketchbooks, my colored pencils, about five notebooks, a legal pad, my second pencil box - it's filled with normal pencils, erasers, index cards, and a manual sharpener - and my rock. It's a normal rock, by the way; the only reason I keep it is because Mr. Pennsley never suspects - much less sees - anything when I'm holding a small rock.
I have many dislikes, but only three things terrify me - and when I say terrify, I mean terrify; I get anxious and start to rock and tremble - glossophobia, the fear of speaking in public; acrophobia, the fear of heights; and hematophobia, the fear of blood. Although I have many faults (ADHD, anxiety, irrational fears) I also have good points. I am loyal, for one thing. For another, I am kind. And the last? I have a superpower.