“Quartz? You mean, like a piece of rock?” Jodie rubbed the back of her head, expression mirroring the absolute confusion she felt at her father’s question. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“You can manipulate it, can’t you?” He demanded, his voice harsh. “Hurry!”
“I-I don’t know. I’ve never tried.”
“Then try!”
“But–but it doesn’t work like that-!”
“Try!”
“Dad, I can’t–if it doesn’t work-!”
“If you don’t control it, then it controls us and we’re all going to die!” He snarled. “Hurry! If you even have a care for lives apart from your own!”
It was a cruel blow, even for him, but Jodie was past listening at that point. She was only staring at his face and realizing that the sliver of humanity she’d seen there, only hours ago–had vanished altogether.
Her head bowed, hands clenched, she turned away from him. His angry words washed over her, but her eyes had already begun to change color, the shift of her gift taking form within her.
Quartz. Right. She could manipulate that.
At a price, sure, but she’d do it.
Not for him.
And certainly not for the rest of the hostages, but–she did want to live.
There was so much more she planned to do with her life.
A/N: And this was a timed prompt. It has the makings of a full fledged short story, but I’m not sure yet that I feel it’s worth expanding on. Hope you enjoyed it!