Kar sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria. He watched longingly as all the other boys joined in group prayer. Grace covered, they ate. Anger filled his empty stomach. It wasn't even his fault why he was in trouble. If anyone should take the blame it should be Shelk. A switch cracked over Kar's knuckles.

"Are you even listening to me, boy" Matron Elisawyn huffed. "You will do right to listen when your superiors are talking to you. You might be surprised that you are actually capable of learning something, boy. Breaking windows! Honestly, the audacity. Do you know how much they cost to have fixed? You are quite lucky we are letting you go without food for one day. If we stopped feeding you long enough to cover the costs, you'd be well dead twice over, boy!"

"My name's not 'boy'"

The switch racked across his cheek. "I didn't hear you, boy. You'll have to speak up."

Anger stirred inside of Kar. This whole situation reeked of injustice. From Shelk trying to steal his jacket in the green houses to one of the other boys trying to hit him with a rock, but missing. They blamed the broken window on him. Now he was getting whipped while he slowly starved. He hated this. Why is he being singled out.

"Look, look, he's getting mad, Shelk! What are you going to throw this time? You'll need to save those rocks for eating." goaded a short pudgy boy named Staav.

A time bomb clicked and went off in Kar. Fists clenched, he seethed, "You're going to choke on those those words! And, my names not 'Boy'!"

The switch screamed through the air as it made it's way to Kar's already swollen cheek. Making contact it exploded into a thousand splinters with the faintest crack of lightning. Staav, now standing readying another volley of insults to Kar, lost his footing and slammed face down into a half-eaten plate of left-over potatoes.

Matron Elisawyn, stepped back in surprise. "Heaven's Kar. Look what your costing us with your discipline." Turning her attention, "Staav, boy, if you aren't going to chew your food you won't be getting any. All of you are hopeless, ungratefuls, heathens. We should lock you all in a pod and launch you into the sun." Nose up, she stormed out of the room

Kar sat in shock. Was he numb? The switch never touched his face the second time. A light shot out from him and turned it to nothing. He must have been rattled from the hit. In no why could he shoot lightning. Just to be sure, he he tried to visualize Shelk being stuck by lightning. To no avail.

A small huff left his lungs, and a growl, his stomach.

Dark clouds began to form on the horizon.