Ignition

Robert Brown. A very normal name for a very abnormal teenager. Unlike most, I am a person of many talents: magician, gourmet cook, athlete, superhero. You name it. I do it all. And, before you ask, no, I was not bitten by a radioactive spider. That’s ridiculous. I bit a radioactive spider. I thought I would get superpowers, but I just got sick for a couple of weeks. Anyways, I got my powers after I saved my five-year-old sister from a house fire. Our dryer overheated and created a fire that engulfed our entire house. There was a lot of confusion, but when I went outside, I could only find my mother, the only other person living in the house. I rushed back inside to find my little sister. I barely managed to get her out safely, but I was whacked on the head by a falling part of the ceiling. I was knocked out cold. I woke up in a hospital with my family at my bedside. My mother was crying her eyes out when she saw me awake. The doctor told me that it was a miracle that I didn’t get burned or die from the falling beam or smoke inhalation, and he also said that I would be fine.

After I was discharged from the hospital, I went to my uncle’s home because my house had burned down. I rested for a while and then ironed my clothes for a survival service that my family would attend the following day. I accidentally touched the iron, but I didn’t feel any pain. I wasn’t sure what to think had happened, so I decided to take a risk and touch the iron again. I wasn’t burned. I had no idea what was going on until my hand suddenly burst into flames. I probably would have screamed if I was anyone but my crazy self; instead, I thought the flames were beautiful. They shined and danced on my fingertips. It was mesmerizing. Then, I got over it and totally freaked out. I couldn’t get rid of the fire and was worried that I would cause my uncle’s house to burn down. My mother knocked on the door at the same time this happened. She wanted to check on me. I panicked. I tried blowing out my hand, but it didn’t work. I poured water over my hand, but it was useless. I tried to think of ways to get rid of my mother. I told her that I was fine, but she insisted on coming in the room. I eventually told her that I wasn’t dressed, and she left. After that, the fire finally died down. I felt relieved.

I started toying with my power about a week after I realized that I had it; I had to let the shock of having a power subside for a bit. I got the hang of starting and stopping a fire on my hands after a couple of weeks. I eventually learned how to shoot fire from my hands. It wasn’t much at the time, but by then I felt I was ready to use my powers in the real world. I helped stop local robberies and small non-life-threatening acts of crime in the beginning. I didn’t want to be in the spotlight, but then more dangerous criminals appeared. I didn’t want to stand by and do nothing knowing I could have helped. A someone took a picture of me with fire coming out of my hand. Luckily my face couldn’t be seen, but now the public knew I was there. People call me Ember. I plan for my identity to remain a secret. Hopefully, nothing will undo that.