Disappointment filled the lab as Siddiq set up the final experiment for the night.

  “Alright, experiment #98,” Reshma sighed. The others looked on as he moved the lever.

  The press came down but no one anticipated anything happening. As it lifted the material was unchanged.

  “I just don't understand why it’s not working,” Evalyn said as she stared at the table.

  “Maybe it’s time for the laser?” Siddiq said half jokingly.

  “It has only been a couple of days and a lot of that time has been spent putting this thing together,” Reshma commented. “Alright, let's get out of here for tonight. Everyone go get some rest. We will go over calculations in the morning and see where we are going wrong.” They all nodded in agreement and went to grab their belongings.

  Alex walked over to the few solid pieces they had produced. I wonder why only these have worked, he thought.

  “You coming?” Siddiq called to Alex.

  “Ya,” Alex said, giving the rocks a last glance.

  “You want to go play some ping pong?” Siddiq asked as he unlocked his scooter.

  “Not tonight, I'm beat. How about tomorrow?” Alex replied.

  “Sure. Listen, I know it’s only been a few days, but I am so ready for the laser.” Siddiq whispered looking back at the others.

  “I mean the laser is cooler, but I think this press should be working. Why don't you ask Reshma about starting the calculations and diagrams for the laser? Just to get the head start for it?” Alex suggested as he stepped onto his scooter.

  “That’s a good idea. Think he will go for it?” Siddiq asked.

  “Why not? Not like the press needs all of us to work it,” Alex shrugged.

  “True, thanks. I will talk to him about it tomorrow. Lasers!” he exclaimed as he zoomed off.

  Alex chuckled and followed behind him to the apartments. As he entered his apartment he put up his scooter and saw Emily was true to her word. In his living room were a bunch of boxes. Oh man, he thought, I forgot about all this being here. He ran his hand through his hair and walked towards the boxes. He noticed that some of them were crumbled or ripped. I wonder how bad that accident was, he thought as he started sorting through them. “I don't even know if I remember what I had,” he said to the boxes. “annnnnnd now I’m talking to boxes.” Alex looked around and headed to the kitchen, “I need food.”

  As he made a sandwich he thought back to the night before when he laid in the grass. “I still don't know whose heartbeat that was… was it a heartbeat? And those visions. What was that about?” he muttered to himself as he stared at his living room. I need air, he thought and headed outside with his sandwich in hand. He sat down on the grass and finished eating. As he chewed the last of his sandwich he leaned back on his elbows and looked at the stars. A buzz charged through his body as he relaxed.

  Laying all the way down, he closed his eyes and spread his hands out next to him. His fingers worked through the thick grass until they touched the soft dirt. So, he thought, why haven't the experiments worked? Why won't the material harden? As the thought left his mind he was transported to the middle of a city street. “What the..” he sputtered in shock. Looking around he noticed there were no people. Where is everyone? He thought to himself. As he started to walk he felt the ground rumble. He stepped again and it rumbled more. Alex looked up and noticed the tall buildings looked like they were swaying. He began to run, his heart racing in anticipation but he didnt know for what. Suddenly the ground exploded in front of him, a jet of debris and lava spewing into the air. Alex yelped in surprise and reflexively raised his hands to shield himself. Immediately the heat was gone from his skin and he lowered his hands to look around. Sitting up he realized he was on the grass at the campus once more. Raising his hands, which were glowing, he noticed there was an earthen dome surrounding him. Alex reached out to touch the wall and it crumpled covering him in dirt and rock. Rolling over he picked up a handful of the dirt. “Did I just do that?” he asked, stunned.

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  As he stared at it the glow of his hands began to fade . He stared at the dirt in his hands for a moment in complete disbelief. Alex jumped to his feet and sprinted to the lab. He swiped his badge and burst through the doors. He made his way to the 5 experiments that worked. Did I make this happen somehow? he wondered. He picked up the first one and felt the thrum of energy. It was the same as when he laid down on the grass.

  He placed the rock back down, “dirt!” he said, wiggling his fingers over it. Nothing happened. He frowned. He walked over to the press and saw that no one cleaned up the results from the last experiment. He placed his hands on the material, turn to rock. As he watched his hands began to glow and the material formed into a solid mass of rock. He gasped. Picking it up,he felt the jolt of energy zip through his fingers. He placed it back on the table. So I am doing this. It has been me this whole time… He looked over the rock again and placed his hand on it

  feeling the zap of energy once again. Go back to the raw material, he thought. His hands glowed slightly and the rock crumpled back into the original form.

  Alex stepped back and gasped. He looked at his hand as the glow faded, he balled his hands into a fist and stretched his fingers back out. He walked over to where the experiment materials were in the corner of the lab. Bending down he dug his fingers into the dirt. “Harden,” he said, staring down. Nothing happened. “Turn to rock,” he said, closing his eyes, “please?” He felt the zap of energy and opened his eyes. He watched as the material around his hands began to solidify, lit by a slight glow.

  Withdrawing his hands he looked at the material. He slowly started to brush the dirt to the side revealing the solid masses he created. He carefully removed the rock. It was shaped like his hands but connected at the thumbs. “Wow,” he whispered as he admired it. “Return to the raw material,” he said. His hands lit up to a soft golden hue and the rock formation crumpled back to the dirt form. Alex stood there, eyes wide as a smile broke across his face. Alex looked around and dashed to one of the lab stations searching in it. He went through a few more cabinets until he found a bucket. Grabbing it he went back to the material corner.

  “Ok, I just need a little bit to work with,” he said as he started scooping dirt into the bucket. He filled it up three quarters of the way and set it to the side. “Hmm, probably should straighten this place back up,” he said looking around at the mess he made in his search for the bucket. He cleaned up the lab including the last experiment that they had left out. He grabbed his bucket and headed out. The sky was just starting to lighten as the sun started its rise. Oh man, he thought, I was at that all night!

  The Recreation Center was quiet as he walked passed. No one was up and about yet. He looked to the left as he passed the administration building and saw that the garage was open and a shadowy figure was moving around. Dang, is that Emily already? he thought to himself, When does she sleep? He kept walking and about 10 minutes later was closing his door behind him. “Man, why didn't I take my scooter,” he said out of breath as he put the bucket on his kitchen counter.

  Looking around he noted that his apartment was a disaster zone. Especially now that all of his things had been delivered. “Ok, first things first. I need to sleep,” he said. He took his bucket to his room and set it next to the bed. Probably shouldn't sleep too long since I need to get back to the lab with the others, he thought. He set his alarm clock to wake him in four hours and laid down. Closing his eyes, his mind raced through everything that had been done. So am I like a superhero?