My Mind's Eye

I've always known that I was different. Growing up, I could feel it in my bones – like there was something special inside of me, just waiting to be unleashed. How others treated me and how they stared at the weird kid in class was almost too much at times. And as I got older, that feeling grew stronger, and I got a bit more peculiar as the days went by.

It wasn't until I hit my teenage years that I started understanding what was happening. As a kid, there was no one to tell me otherwise. I had friends, but not like regular kids. My mother called them imaginary, and so did the therapist. One day, I stared in the mirror after a hot shower.

For some reason, I focused on my green eyes, and the world began to spin around me as images bombarded my mind. This was when I started having strange dreams and visions. It also gave me a sense of precognition as I found that I was often able to predict the future with startling accuracy.

At first, the new powers terrified me. I didn't know how to control them and was afraid of what might happen if I tried. They'd often come unbidden while at home or, worse, while I was in class. Eventually, I learned to control them and gained confidence in my abilities. I began to use them more and more.

The day I turned sixteen, I started to see my dead father. It frightened me as he had passed away when I was just a baby. I had only pictures my mom gave me and the things she told me about him. I had never really gotten to know him, which hurt, especially when I saw others with their dads. But now, he was appearing in my dreams and visions. At first, he was standing there, watching me, then he started talking to me after a while. After a few months, he guided me and helped me understand my powers.

I never summoned him, and he appeared out of nowhere. It was initially disconcerting, but what is a kid to do when his dad shows up out of nowhere. He stood right before me in a blink of an eye without saying anything at first. When he spoke, he reassured me everything would be okay.

Either way, I was skeptical. I couldn't believe that I was really seeing my father, and a part of me wondered if he was a demon sent to taunt me. Another aspect of me wondered if maybe I was imagining things. But the visions continued as the days went on, and I began to trust him.

It wasn't overnight, and I spent many evenings at the library and online researching everything I'd been through. How often does a dead relative come back offering guidance and everything else? That being said, I started to rely on my father's advice more and more, and I found that I could use my powers to help people in ways I could never have imagined. I could see into their souls and help them understand their deepest desires and fears. These abilities grew stronger.

They also came with a price. Not only did I see my dad, but others as well. My powers were a beacon for those on the Other Side. While most were benign, others weren't, and I had to learn to protect myself fast. I don't see my father as much, and I believe he showed up to teach me how to use my abilities.

I'm still the weird kid, but at least I'm in college, and strange is the new normal. I have friends now, but I have to hide my abilities. They attract enough problems, and I don't need them anymore. But college life is good, and I'm learning a lot. The weather is excellent, but I've seen these men in black suits watching me lately. They're flesh and bone, which makes me wonder if they're the government. I've seen enough movies to know this won't turn out well. What is a guy to do?