[ WP ] Eating paste , crayons , or some other non-food item can grant limited superpowers , but most kids are shamed out of these bad habits before the powers fully develop .

`` Gunk-eater, gunk-eater!'' 
 
 The ( not-so-imaginative ) taunt floated out across the playground and I turned to see who the target was. Ah no! It was Paul. Damn, he was so close too. We'd warned him to cut back on the prit-stik and to try a little watered down soil. It would have slowed his progress but then he would n't have showed like this. 
 
 He started heading towards us, and I hissed in irritation. He'd give us all away. I slammed my eyes shut and sought desperately for the spark I'd been nurturing inside myself. Despite long hours of practice it was a lot of effort to reach, it was still too soon! With grasping mental fingers I gingerly embraced it. Paul's mind blossomed into view within mine and I spoke to it. 
 
 *'' WHAT ARE you doing? Do n't come towards us now! Meet us after school, usual place. `` * 
 
 Only a second had passed since I closed my eyes, but I opened them again gasping for breath and saw Paul suddenly pivot left and head off toward the main building. A glance at the taunters showed them to still be fixed on Paul and not looking at us. His normally brown hair was now pure white with a soft gleam like starlight. There was little wonder why he'd caused a stir. Most of the kids were now watching, various balls and skipping ropes forgotten. The chant had been taken up by a few more but most just watched. A couple I noticed flashed looks of anger at the taunters before turning away. They were n't part of my group, but clearly they too were trying. Fools would give themselves away with reactions like that. Perhaps I could bring them in later before they did something stupid. 
 
 Paul was halfway to the relative safety of indoors when a teacher came rushing out and headed straight towards him. It was Mr Grovna, the deputy head. At the same time the school bell started ringing in a jarring staccato completely different to normal. The chanting stopped dead and suddenly kids were panicking. The bells silenced and the voice of the headmaster sounded across the tannoy. 
 
 `` All students to line up in class groups at the back of the playground. Fire drill formations. Prefects prepare to report your counts.'' 
 
 I headed towards my class spot; Mr Grovna had reached Paul and was ushering him inside. He seemed to be scared of the glow, moving at arms reach. Stupid adults. They squandered the potential through fear and ignorance. If they did the research they'd know that the glow was harmless. In actual fact it was better than harmless. Despite his nervous precautions, so close to the glow Mr Grovna would find his bad back would n't be bothering him half as much any more. Any cuts or bruises he might have had would be gone too. 
 
 Paul's mother was ill, very ill and Paul had been developing a healing power to try and save her. His urgency may now have cost him though, this manifestation was weaker than what it could have been and likely would n't be strong enough. 
 
 Hard to blame him though, if it was my mum... 
 
 I hoped they'd let him see her before he's flushed. If he does n't panic and explains, then perhaps they will. And then later, when we meet up, we'll start again. 
 
 As the class lines slowly formed the headmaster's voice was replaced with the audio from that video they make us watch once a year about the kid who blew up his school. Whilst I knew the truth was he'd been reckless, and undisciplined with his consumption, the Adults use it to scare and shame us all from trying. 487 dead. It was a horrible enough story to stop most. 
 
 But not my friends and I.
