This Is Not the Life That I Imagined

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As John lay there, waiting for his impending doom, the countdown echoed in his mind like a drumbeat. Each passing second felt like an eternity, and his heartbeat synced with the ticking.

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Suddenly, everything around him warped, and a surge of power coursed through his body. The distortion began as a subtle ripple, distorting the edges of his vision. His surroundings bent and twisted, creating a surreal, disorienting experience.

John blinked, looking around in confusion. His mind struggled to piece together the sudden shift in his reality. The pain in his body was gone, as if it had never existed, and the tied man had disappeared, replaced by a stranger in a formal shirt, jeans, and shoes.

The man grinned. "How was that? My talent is amazing, right? Name's Simon. I create lifelike illusions. Congrats—you passed the test."

He stared at the man, chest heaving, before the truth began to settle in. He wasn't in danger anymore. It was all fake.

His confusion quickly turned to rage. "You're the sick freak who brought me here?" John's voice cracked as the words tore from his throat.

He sprang to his feet, charging at Simon, fist raised. But Simon stood still, amused. "Nope, wasn't me. This was the Bureau of Metaphysical Investigation's doing. I'm just here for the final test."

As John's fist connected with thin air, he stumbled, almost falling to the ground. John realized he had been interacting with an illusion. Every detail—hair, clothes, even the smug grin—was flawlessly crafted.

" So, all this is freaking game to you?" John yelled, his teeth clenched. "I nearly died out there. Or was that another illusion too? What the hell is this Bureau you are talking about?"

The realization that he was manipulated intensifies his emotional turmoil. The feeling of being look upon as a test subject intensified his rage and uncertainty.

Simon reappeared on the other side of the room, still grinning. "The monsters were real, I assure you. I only handle this last part of the test. And to clarify, Mentor Quinn changed the test plan. It was originally supposed to be different, longer, more drawn out. The bureau of Metaphysical investigation finds people like us, blessed with power to defend the country from the monsters, just like the one you fought."

John's eyes narrowed—staring intensely—unsure if he was looking at illusion or the real person. "And for what reason do you expect me to believe you? For all I know, this is some twisted experiment. Did you give me my powers by injecting me with something?"

Simon ignored John's accusation and waved dismissively. "Mentor Quinn, you wanna take it from here? I've done my part."

Quinn's voice echoed in the room, "You did a great job, Simon. It was truly entertaining to watch. I activated the teleportation device; you can come back now. OH, and don't forget to bring John with you."

John snaped in a fit of rage, "Entertaining? Is this some kind of sick game to you? My injuries and fighting on the line were to entertain your freaking bureau?"

Quinn chuckled while reclining in his chair. "No, the bureau meant to test you. I was the one entertained. Your fighting was… sorry and pathetic, but also a bit fun. I enjoyed watching it over tea. It was a sight to behold."

John face flushed red from anger, almost exploding. "You think me almost dying was funny?"

Quinn, ignoring his outburst, commanded, "Simon, stop wasting time and bring him here. Or do you want to spend the night there?"

Simon's grin vanished, his tone turning serious. "Right away, sir." With that, Simon appeared in front of John. "You've got two choices," Simon said, locking eyes with John. "Walk with me through the portal, or I will bring you out myself."

John's face was grim as he took stance for a fight, "I'd like to see you try."

Simon rolled his eyes. "You're not the only one with attributes, buddy. Every gifted person has them. I'm not just illusions."

Before John could react, Simon moved faster than he could track, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him toward the portal.

Going through the portal for John felt like everything came to halt for a split second, as if someone pressed the pause button then changed scenery then it resumed again. The weightless felt while going through the portal was strange but it passed in a blink.

Simon dropped him onto the floor. "See? That wasn't so hard." Waving his hands, Simon walked off. " See you later, buddy."

John stayed frozen, astonished and frightened, trying to process what had just happened. When he finally stood up, he found himself in a brightly lit hall, the cold white and gold decor stark against the silence. To his left was a seating area; in front of him, a door. To the right, empty space.

Just as he moved toward the door, a middle-aged man with black hair and casual clothes materialized in front of him, the air glitching for a moment before resetting.

John recoiled in shock. "What in God's green earth?! You got illusion powers too? Who are you, and where am I?"

Quinn replied with a straight face. ""I'm Quinn Hampton, your mentor. And no, my talent is teleportation. That's all you need to know for now."

Quinn moved to the sitting area as he took a seat and pointed out to the seat beside him, "Have a seat and ask your questions. I will answer them for you."

John clenched his teeth, rage simmering beneath the surface. "You're that a@#hole voice. Why am I here? Why was I put through that nightmare? Why have I never heard of your organization?"

Quinn's long hair fluttered for a second while his aura shifted the air as if the reality itself is going to break, "Watch your mouth, boy. This is the last time I'll tolerate your rudeness. Disrespect me again, and I'll throw you back into the testing area for a week. I'll let it pass this time because I understand your anger, but from here on out, be careful of your words."

The power radiating from him was palpable, pressing against John's skin, tightening around his throat like an invisible hand. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to not confront this man.

John swallowed hard— face paled— while taking step back. 'What the hell was that?' He forced the rage down, but it simmered just beneath the surface. He clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened, holding onto the last shred of his pride. 'I need answers, not another fight.'

After a deep breath, John cautiously took a seat, though a little far from Quinn. "Fine. I'll keep it civil. Now, can you tell me what's going on?"

Quinn nodded approvingly. "Good. Let's start with the basics. Your talent isn't from any drug. It's something you were born with, like all the others. Talents usually manifest between the ages of 15 and 20. The bureau has devices to detect anomalies, which is how we find both monsters and gifted individuals like you."

John frowned. "Then why wasn't I tested until now?"

"Your talent's unique. It's harder to detect. And while talents can manifest early, they're often used subconsciously in high-pressure situations. Our detection devices aren't perfect, so we outfitted police officers with enhancers in their radios. Still, you weren't spotted until later when a blood sample was taken."

John's mind flashed back to his coworker. "So... my colleague Luke? The one who supposedly killed himself. Was he a gifted person? Did he die in one of your tests?"

Quinn shook his head. "No, Luke wasn't gifted. He was controlled by a parasitic monster. The police report wasn't entirely wrong, but the truth was worse. We detected the monster too late—it had already partially taken over Luke's mind."

John's blood ran cold as Quinn continued. "The monster was absorbing his memories. That's why Luke was behaving so strangely, going to work but avoiding his family. We intervened before the parasite fully took over."

John took a moment to process this horrifying information. "So... the police know about these monsters?"

"Not exactly," Quinn replied. "Only the police chiefs are in the loop. Regular officers don't know anything."

John's frustration bubbled up again. "If your bureau is so legitimate, why kidnap me and throw me into that nightmare of a test? Why not just invite me, explain everything, and train me properly?"