A Lesson Learned

Milo learns a new aspect of his power, and learns that sometimes he isn't powerful enough to fix everything.

“Ok class, I would like you to take out a sheet of paper. That's right, stop your moanin', we're having a quiz,” informed Milo's history teacher.

“The first one should be easy �" When did Christopher Columbus first set sail?”

The freshman all scribbled down their response, including Mr. Milo Jenkins.

“Remember �" keep your eyes on your own paper, and keep it covered! I don't want to have to fail you for cheating. Alright, number two �" Why were the natives called Indians upon Columbus' arrival?”

“Hmmmm...I believe it's because he thought he had sailed around all the way to India,” thought Milo to himself.

“And finally �" What were the three ships Columbus used?”

“Alright, we have the Nina, the Pinta, and the...ermmm...the...Gah, what is it?” thought Milo.

“Ok, does anyone need some more time on the quiz? Milo?”

“Yea, just a few more seconds...”

Milo concentrated on the final ship. Up came a flash, and another and then the final beam. It was in the form of a ship. Milo reached out to spin the ship, to see if he could find anything, and finally he saw the name Santa Maria carved into the ship.

“Do you have a question, Milo?

“Umm, no ma'am. Why?

“Well, you had your hand raised. Were you just stretching?”

Milo hadn't realized that when he spun the ship, he was moving his arms so highly in the air. He said he was only stretching and then wrote down Santa Maria.

Milo debated to himself, “Did I just cheat? No, of course not! I mean, I used a skill I have, right? But it is an unfair advantage over the others, I suppose. I don't know. I guess, I guess I just won't do it again unless it's really really important.”

“Alright class, pass your papers up the row and row leaders turn the paper in to me,” instructed the teacher.

“The homework for this weekend is to read pages 44-56 and answer the Chapter Review questions. Have a good weekend!”

The day went on and then Milo's mother came and picked him up from school �" two hours early! He was excited at first, until he heard why he was getting out of school so soon.

Milo's mother, with tears in eyes, said, “Milo, honey, everything's alright. It's your uncle Benjamin, he's been in an accident. We're all going up to the hospital to say our final goodbyes. They say he only has a day or two left at this rate.”

“Wha- wha...no, NO,” Milo yelled, just before letting out horrendous screams.

What you may not know is that Milo's Uncle Benjamin (Ben, for short) was one of the only male figures that hadn't either left or abused Milo at the time being. The loss meant more than just simply not seeing a loved one again. This meant that Milo no longer had anyone to confide it, even if he only saw Ben a week or two out of the year.

The two drove up to the hospital and went up the elevator to room 1-01-80. Milo walked up to his uncle's bed, clutched the sheets in his hand to wipe away the tears, and said, “I will find a way to fix you. I promise I will heal you.”

Ben coughed out a comforting chuckle, “I love you. You've been like my son I could never have. Keep your chin up, no matter the outcome, ok?”

“Yes sir.”

“I need you to promise me,” the uncle persisted.

“I promise. I love you uncle.”

Milo faded into the background of room as other family members got up to say good bye. Milo, however, wasn't so keen on giving up so easily. He thought he had the power to save him, so he tried the best he could.

“How can I save him?” he asked himself. The flash didn't come. Not even a sparkle in the dimmest of a sense. He concentrated harder, still nothing.

“Come on! Don't fail me now! When I actually need you! Help me, somehow, please!”

Despite all the concentration given, the flash wouldn't come. It wasn't that the power wasn't fully alive at the time, but rather that Milo did not have the power he was trying to use. What Milo didn't know is, this power is limited to what he knows, has seen, and can imagine.

The quiz earlier that day �" he knew the ship names as he had studied them before. The ship was part of his imagination trying to convey the message. The socks �" he had seen where they were placed...only forgotten. The arrow was only a reminder. The cube �" the mind is more powerful than we give it credit for. The reason it moved so fast is because that was the mind playing out all possibilities of moving the cube to the correct position, all in a matter of seconds. As it was then in his mind, he knew one way to solve it.

The reason he could not save his uncle was because he had not seen what caused and is causing the complication, he didn't know medical procedure in order to deduce a possible fix, he didn't have the knowledge to execute the power properly.

Milo, unlike you or I, did not know this about his power, not yet at least.

Later that evening the uncle passed away, and with the death came a flood of tears. Not from the family as a whole, no. The flood came from Milo alone.

“I promised him, mom. The last thing I said...a lie. I promised I would, that I would save him, but no matter how much I wanted it, nothing happened.”

“Thats sometimes how life just is, Milo. Some die at bad times, even people we love,” replied Milo's mother.

“Then life is wrong.”