Darla

Darla was late for work one morning and frantically rummaging for a particular dress in her dark closet. It was Casual Day, and she needed the one that looked super nice without being business-like. She remembered thinking to herself, "man, wouldn't it be nice if I had glowing hands." Suddenly, to her relief, they both became illuminated. "Thank God." She waved her hand over the rack, found her dress, and stepped out of the closet. Perfect!

"Wait." She thought. She realized that she just made her hands glow, just by thinking about it.

Placing her dress on the bed, she looked down at her white palms and fingers, which were as bright as a camp lantern. "Man, I wish my hands didn't glow so brightly." Then they dimmed. She could vary the degree of brightness at will, and had fun playing with this ability for a few minutes. Then, she put on her dress and went to work.

In her car on the way to work, she pondered the possibilities. What else hadn't she tried? She imagined flying over the bumper-to-bumper traffic. It didn't work. She tried to illuminate only her middle finger. It didn't work. She didn't seem to have any other special abilities, but she also recognized the multitude of skills she had never considered she might have.

By the time she got to work, her mind was racing. X-ray vision, nope, fire breathing, nope, super strength, nada (although she invoked some unique glances behind a Volvo in the parking garage). She concentrated really really hard and tried to shoot lasers out of her eyes to no avail.

Finally, INVISIBILITY, YES!

"Hi Darla"

DAMN!

By the time she got into her cube it looked like she was stuck with glowing fricking hands.

What awful luck! How unfortunate that of all the super abilities, this was the one she got!? She walked into the break room and saw Pete making coffee "WHAM!" she yelled as Pete turned around to a flash brighter than the sun. "hehe, it's my super-ability." The room dimmed and brightened a few times. Pete walked away, eyes wide, pinching his arm.

That's when Darla realized that Pete might not have any super abilities. Poor Pete, he can't even make his hands glow. At least I can do that! She thought to herself. "HAHAHA! I am a super human!" But soon she decided it was kind of sad. What if I didn't have my unique ability. What if I had never thought to make my hands glow!? What would I do then!? I'd be normal. That would be terrible! Everyone else is a sad, sad, miserable creature. No glowing hands. How terrible.

Darla thought about it and decided she wouldn't show her ability to anyone else. After all, others would seeth with envy if they knew about her unique talent. Besides, she didn't want everyone to think she was a freak or something anyway. It was her little secret. "Oh, how difficult it is to have such a wonderful and unique skill, and no one to impress with it" she thought. No, that sounds kind of conceited. "What a tortured and lonely soul I am to be trapped with an amazing skill that no one can appreciate!" That's it! It's everyone else's fault that they don't have super abilities like me! They are all holding me back! IDIOTS!

The next morning Darla walked into the break room again. Pete was making coffee as usual. He seemed to be slightly afraid as he walked by her. Darla decided to speak up.

"Morning Pete. Hey, about yesterday. I'm sorry I pulled that trick on you. It was just a cheap magic trick, you know, one of those flash thingys."
"You kind of scared me there. It really did look like your hands were actually glowing."
"Nope, it's my little stupid trick."
"Well, careful not to blind anyone with that one, haha."
"Oh, you know me better than that! Little Miss Cautious, you know."
"That is what they say, isn't it. Well, back to work."

Pete took a sip of his coffee and stepped through the wall on his way out.

Darla spent the remainder of the day nursing her nose.