Pam was furious. She liked Mark, but he could be SO selfish, and wasn’t always honest. Something had changed his mood. Had he run into another girl he preferred to her? Nothing could make her angrier.
It was one thing if they’d had a fight. Or if he'd made some big decision about whether he was’ ready for a relationship’, or had to spend more time on his studies. Or even that he decided he was gay (in that case, he deserved an Oscar). But another girl?
She was so angry she didn’t even realize she had arrived at her class. A gust of wind had blown her hair around so she stopped to brush out her hair. As she reached into her book bag she spotted a ring at the bottom. Had Mark put it there? Had she misread him? Was he was distant because he had given her a ring and she hadn’t reacted? She felt guilty for being so critical. She examined the ring closely. Her heart sank. It was tarnished and slightly dented. It wasn’t at all the kind of ring Mark might have given her ... and if he had.... Her bad mood came pouring back. What an ugly ring! She was about to throw it away when she realized, ugly as it was, it might belong to someone. She couldn’t put it back in her bag –the worst place for jewellery. And this WOULD be the day she decided not to bring a purse! Her pants had no pockets. She sighed. The only way to keep it safe was to wear it until she got back to her room. She hoped no one would ask her about it.
As she slipped it on the world seemed to shimmer. She had never felt so sharp, so healthy, so clear. ‘What IS this?’ she thought. Immediately the answer came back, ‘It is what you want.’ ‘Is this from the ring?’ ‘Yes. To the wearer of the ring all things are possible with no more than a thought.’
Pam was staring down at the ring, open-mouthed, when Priscilla Bains and her rich, blond sorority friends passed in front of her. “Is that Mark’s ring you’re showing off?” she said to Pam. “It's the sort of ring a boy would give his ‘other’ girlfriend.” Pam turned beet red while the other girls laughed.
‘Ooooh!’ she thought. ‘I don’t want anyone to see this ring on me.’
Priscilla was staring at Pam’s finger. “Hey, where did it go?” she said.
“Huh?” Pam replied.
Priscilla laughed. “You’re more of a wimp than I thought, if that's all it takes for you to ditch his ring! Loser!”
“But I ….” Pam started, but they were already walking away. She looked at her finger. The ring was still there, plain as could be, but Priscilla couldn’t see it. She paused. It’s exactly what I was thinking.
A thrill went through her. With this ring … the words ‘I thee wed’ went through her, but that wasn’t at all what she wanted. No, with this ring I can do anything, know anything, know everything!
Class had begun. Miss Prixon looked at her, annoyed. “Pamela Brent,” she said. “We were discussing the nature of political power. Since you’ve missed this discussion, you can give us a fresh, untutored perspective, can’t you?”
Pamela glared at her. She always handed her papers in on time, always read the assignments, always participated in class, but if she arrives just five minutes late one day, Prixon tries to humiliate her. She had just read Robert Dahl on power, but she couldn't remember the exact words. 'What were they?' And then, she knew just what to say, “I won't give you an untutored idea. Here's Robert Dahl’s. He said someone has power over someone if she can get them to do something the other person wouldn’t otherwise do. As if I said, 'Miss Prixon, it's you who should apologize to me for being rude,' and you actually did it. That would show I have power.” And while Pam said it, she thought, ‘Apologize to me. And grovel.’
The class was suddenly completely still. Miss Prixon walked to her and got down on her knees. “Miss Brent, I was rude to you. I am truly sorry. You are a hard working, steady student and I give you no credit for that at all. I picked on you because I didn’t think you would defend yourself. That was bullying and it was wrong. I hope, no, I pray, you’ll forgive me for the complete misuse of my position.” She bowed low and touched her head onto the floor in front of Pam before resuming class.
This was so satisfying. She wondered what Mark was up to. "Can I check up on Mark? Show me his dorm room. He should be there."
"Of course."
Pam could see it in her mind. The window and part of the wall were gone. So was Mark. Having just shown Superman who was the super-est man on Earth, he was in high orbit, playing with his powers. He could see the surface as though he were two feet away, not hundreds or thousands of miles. His vision penetrated clouds, walls and, especially, layers of clothing, seeing every detail of any girl he chose.
Pam gasped. 'Mark's room is wrecked! Is he hurt? Where is he?'
'Unharmed, 500 miles above.'
'What?!! How?'
'He flies as you can walk.'
' Impossible! I've been sleeping with him for a year. He can't be super without my knowing it!'
'He gained his powers ninety minutes ago from the ring on your finger.'
'THIS ring? Why doesn't he have it now?'
'He feared its destruction if he wore it while using his powers and left it behind. The rush of air from his flight carried the ring to you. Isn't it 'ironic?''
'So what is superboy doing up there?'
The ring paused and then mischievously said, 'Supervoyeur is using his powers to ogle girls.'
"What?!" Pam said out loud. "I...
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author