Once more I'm taking a character I've already created and playing a bit within what they do. Desdemona comes from my novel "Tidal" based on the story of Atlantis. I hope you enjoy. The prompt itself is "You are a superhero. Explain your powers and what you use them for." I know I'm going out of the box, but isn't that what writing is about?
Desdemona
There was a clean water shortage in California. This was not new news to anyone. No one watered their lawns. Showers were cut down to 5 minutes or less. No baths were taken. And people were frustrated as was to be expected. Desdemona, however, didn't care. She lived on a houseboat. And as Tris' friends liked to joke, that was more a "water, water, everywhere" type life. Except the joke was on them. Desdemona was an oracle of Atlas. One of the chosen. And her people, regardless of oracle status, could drink the water of the sea as if it was fresh. She hadn't even known there were people who couldn't until she'd ended up on the shores of this strange world. When her foster sister and adopted daughter, Hailey, began to complain she decided it was time to do something about it.
Desdemona hadn't stretched her proverbial muscles in a very long time. She stood barefoot on the deck of her boat and inhaled deeply. Turning her palms up to the sky, she concentrated. It would be easy to pull the salt from the sea, but to instead bring the water from the burning sky, that would take skill. And it was one she hadn't touched in many years. She reached for the well of power she'd grown used to hiding and dipped into it. Closing her eyes, she pulled the clouds to her.
When it began to storm people were shocked. There had been no real rain in so long. Crops were soaked. Men and woman covered their heads and ran. But what Desdemona watched were the children at the marina. They danced and laughed in the water. They skipped. They held their hands up to the sky. And it all felt worth it. Nodding her head in satisfaction, Desdemona ducked inside. It may take a few more times to really help, but if it brought that much joy, she'd do it.
Desdemona
There was a clean water shortage in California. This was not new news to anyone. No one watered their lawns. Showers were cut down to 5 minutes or less. No baths were taken. And people were frustrated as was to be expected. Desdemona, however, didn't care. She lived on a houseboat. And as Tris' friends liked to joke, that was more a "water, water, everywhere" type life. Except the joke was on them. Desdemona was an oracle of Atlas. One of the chosen. And her people, regardless of oracle status, could drink the water of the sea as if it was fresh. She hadn't even known there were people who couldn't until she'd ended up on the shores of this strange world. When her foster sister and adopted daughter, Hailey, began to complain she decided it was time to do something about it.
Desdemona hadn't stretched her proverbial muscles in a very long time. She stood barefoot on the deck of her boat and inhaled deeply. Turning her palms up to the sky, she concentrated. It would be easy to pull the salt from the sea, but to instead bring the water from the burning sky, that would take skill. And it was one she hadn't touched in many years. She reached for the well of power she'd grown used to hiding and dipped into it. Closing her eyes, she pulled the clouds to her.
When it began to storm people were shocked. There had been no real rain in so long. Crops were soaked. Men and woman covered their heads and ran. But what Desdemona watched were the children at the marina. They danced and laughed in the water. They skipped. They held their hands up to the sky. And it all felt worth it. Nodding her head in satisfaction, Desdemona ducked inside. It may take a few more times to really help, but if it brought that much joy, she'd do it.
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