Backwards: The superpowers nobody wants #Wattys2016

Chapter 2- This can't be happening (Sasha)

It was completely blank! Blank! Oh my God how was this possible what had happened to me. I screamed the bloodcurdling wail of a wounded beast but still I heard no exclamations of surprise just the dull drone of a commentator as he narrated the equally boring golf.

"I am invisible," I said then repeated getting more and more soft as I rocked myself slowly into submission. My mind had gone blank with incomprehension. I shivered uncontrollably as I sat on the freezing cold floor but I remained rooted there unable to leave until I had come to some sort of conclusion to my situation.

I shook myself "Pull it together woman," I muttered sitting up straight. "I'm sure there is some sort of explanation to this and I'm sure this invisibility or whatever it is can't last forever."

How wrong I was because I spent ages haunting that house just ghost trying to return to my normal self but with no hope of doing so. Eventually though I moved on with the realisation I wasn't getting anywhere. I then began to move further afield in search of happiness and peace. I could go anywhere now because nobody could stop what they couldn't see or in fact hear. There was the odd occasion I knocked over something or set of an alarm but these incidents were rare and I never got caught.

You may have thought I would try to do something with my powers like fight crime but it felt worthless. Admittedly I did try to stop muggers or criminals a few times but I often failed and it hardly seemed worth it when no victim could thank me. In fact often people were scared of the invisible force which had become a vigilante. I began to see blogs and even newspaper articles questioning and fearing my existence and intentions.

Finally I began to look in people's houses, at family lives I should have had. I never interfered with or tried to scare the occupants of my obsession like a poltergeist but sometimes this happened by accidents when I slipped up or got distracted. The families I chose usually had kids my age in them so I could try to see what I should have been doing. I kept up with celebrities and trends but this just frustrated me more since I couldn't gossip or share new information with anyone.

I started to get feral in my isolation. I thought what is the point in dressing smartly, brushing my hair or even caring about my appearance when nobody can see me. I also began to lose my manners and capacity for conversation when the only person I could talk to was myself. I grew terrified of the animal like sounds I expressed sometimes in moments of deep anguish which only made me muter.

I still had to eat in this state so I often stole food from people which at first I felt bad about but I decided if anyone ever acknowledged me I would apologise dearly owe them a great debt. Little did I know in this state of utter misery and depression that chance was soon to come.

It was four or five months after the event and I was walking down a cobbled street. I have no idea where this was it didn't seem very important at the time. The first chills of winter had just started to set in and I was cursing my thin jacket. I went into a clothes shop and took a warmer coat which I got away with because when I touch an object it turns invisible with me. By this point I still had no answers to the many, many questions I had about my situation. Of course I had figured some things out like nobody could hear me when I was invisible though why I had no idea. Since I had unlimited free time these thoughts buzzed round my head constantly like a thousand bees. And this was why I wasn't paying attention to where I was going a really bad idea when nobody can see you to avoid certain collision.

I tripped over a girl who was huddled on the ground. She was around my age I would guess but small with childish features. Her face was framed with silky black hair which matched the grime caked all over it. She had a little button nose which was surrounded by freckles and pink rosy cheeks. He eyes were a soft brown which only added to the look of childish innocence. Her clothes seemed thin and raggedy and I decided she must live on the streets though she did not seem to be begging and was purposefully avoiding people's eyes as they walked past. It almost seemed like she was a little afraid.

"Watch where you're going stupid," she huffed as she pushed me off her. Wait did she just talk to me? No it wasn't possible. But.....

"Hello?" I asked in a strangled whisper. I was hoping so strongly that I didn't want to say it in fear of bitter disappointment.

"Yep right here the girl you nearly crushed," she said clearly exasperated.

"Oops," I mumbled quickly scrambling to her feet. "You can really see me," I asked in delight though my voice came out cracked from lack of use.

"Yes idiot there are no if I can't see you, you can't see me rules here," she said sarcastically with a small smile to herself. I grinned happy to see that I'd made another human smile something that was rare even in the days before the event.

"So," she said looking me up and down "you been on the streets long." My eyes widened but then I surveyed myself as much as I could, the lack of preening did make it look that way and I hadn't been living anywhere more than a few days so I guess I kind of was. I just thanked God I could still see myself when I looked with my own eyes not having a reflection was bad enough but not seeing myself at all would be very inconvenient. The only trace of my invisibility was a slight flickering around me as If I was surrounded by a bubble. Anyway I was getting of topic.

"About 5 months," I replied casually. Her eyes widened.

"Me too." Huh what a coincidence I assured myself.

"Where'd you get the coat looks new," she asked suspiciously. Oh God do I lie. I didn't want to scare her, but it would be so good to finally tell someone my story. And if she did tell anyone they would put it down to the ravings of a mad homeless girl.

"I stole it." I said sheepishly.

"Didn't anyone notice," she said eagerly as if wanting to learn the secret art of thievery to get a new coat as well. I was being torn apart inside what should I say?

"You'd never believe me," I said cautiously. That silenced her a minute as she lapsed into deep thought and I knew that look as I had worn it many times she was replaying something hidden and tragic.