Who Are You

I continued to pace myself inside the store where I was the only one present.

It is one of the ways I express my anxiety in times when I am looking for a way out of my befuddled thoughts.

I stopped, abruptly. An idea popped up in my mind, one that took me nothing to act on.

Steps were taken to ensure that I was far away from the counter. For that, I had to stand at the very back where the shelf rows started.

From there, I stood and glanced at the counter desk.

What I got was nothing. Confused, I walked to the counter and brought out a magazine owned by Mr. Ripper.

I turned to the front cover of the magazine and placed it on the counter desk. Then, I made my way to the back of the line.

Once again, I tried to see from such a far distance. I focused intently, projecting only the thought of the magazine in my head.

And...

"I can see it!!". I exclaimed, joyfully and alarmingly.

The details on the cover of the magazine. The pictures and even the tiniest of writings did not escape my sight.

I see everything like I am looking at it from a breath away from me, whereas it isn't.

"Not yet Raul. Don't get carried away just yet". I said, calming down my nerves.

Just because I can see that far does not mean anything. It could just be a coincidence or a fluke, so there is no use getting overly excited about it until I am sure of what is going on.

Or at least until I have a slight grasp of what is happening.

I went out of the store and stood at the front. I turned my eyes opposite me, looking past the dual carriage road to the other side.

Surely, I could vividly make out the details like I was a few feet away from the view.

It is real. I do have enhanced eyesight. I mean, there is no other explanation for this.

I have been coming to this store for about two years now, and have familiarized myself with the surroundings.

During those times, not once has my eyesight demonstrated to be this advanced in making out the details of long-distance objects.

So yes, this isn't a fluke or just an imagination made up my mind.

I contemplated how this was possible, and shortly got my answer as I thought; "The dream! It is real". I said, unsure of what other emotions I should feel apart from joy, pain, and fear.

I am joyful because it seems like I have superpowers. You know, those things one can only find in comics and the like.

Pain because I remember clearly how I felt when I passed out in the house and how I ended up in the forest. I also remember the things I faced, and how horrendous they looked.

Fear because I do not know what is happening to me or why this is happening to me.

Let's just say that I understand, and at the same time don't.

"What should I do now?".

This is all very overwhelming and confusing for me. Suddenly developing enhanced eyesight. Like, what should I do with it?

Am I even sure what I have is a superpower?!

For all I know, it could just be a temporary aftereffect from whatever I fed myself.

"This is so exhilarating". I rejoiced as I ran back into the store and went straight to the counter where I kept my poker face on.

Whatever was happening to me could wait until my closing hour. When I get home, I believe I can use an hour of my resting time to think more about what is becoming of me.

But man! The same day I promised myself to leave my body to rest is also the day I plan on tasking it even more.

"How ironic is that".

Anyway, I wasn't concerned with my body's state. Merely realizing that the experience I thought of as a dream might be more than that, and also that there is a chance I have developed enhanced eyesight is what gets to me more than anything.

The day ended slower than I wanted it to. Yes, it is going at the same time pace, but my unsteady mind perceived the flow of time in an excruciatingly slow motion.

When it ended and Mr. Ripper walked in to take over his shift, I zoomed off with haste, leaving Mr. Ripper in a daze.

The primary thoughts on my mind were to get home, sit down and start thinking of what I had gone through.

Shockingly, I got home faster than I accounted for. However, I did not bother to check the time as I was too preoccupied with something else.

I got past the front gate, got into the compound and placed my hand on the door handle.

Opening it, I placed my right foot first and then I heard that familiar sensation.

<{ Welcome Owner }>

I was neither shocked nor surprised when I heard the voice. Unexpectedly from me, I was calm, composed and collected.

Guess the first time is the charm.

With a smile, I took my second step into the house and turned on the light switch.

Then, before sitting down on the two-seater leather chair, I went to the fridge and brought out a cold canned juice.

I took one out of the five glass cups that were carefully arranged in a circle on the table before me.

The canned juice isn't frozen so I was able to pour out every drop of the sublime yellow liquid into the glass cup.

I took a sip of the glass cup, sapping out the juice until it reached half of what I had poured.

After a refreshed drink to further cool my mind and assure myself of my sanity, I turned my head upward and questioned outwardly;

"Who are you".