At first, I didn’t feel it. Then I began to feel the warmth creeping up from my feet.

Waves of heat billowed up from the floor. The air grew hot. I sucked in a deep breath, and my nostrils burned.

The heat rose up from the floor and radiated off the walls.

“Ow!” I cried out. The soles of my shoes stuck to the floor. The burning heat floated from below and wrapped all around me.

Kids began hopping up and down. Shrieking and pleading for Dr. Maniac to shut off the heat. The floor was like a burning griddle.

Sweat ran down my face, down my back. My clothing stuck to my skin.

Jackson’s face was bright red, glowing with sweat. He was panting loudly, gasping for breath.

Kids scrambled onto the chairs and couches to rescue their scalding feet. The air grew hotter, so hot and dry, my skin burned, and my eyes felt scratchy and raw.

“Turn it off! Turn it off!” a girl screamed.

“Can’t breathe!”

“I’m … burning … burning up …”

Dr. Maniac kept his yellow-gloved hand on the switch. His wide grin stayed frozen on his face. “Suntan lotion, anyone?” he shouted. “Are you getting a good BURN?” He laughed his ugly laugh.

“Please … can’t … breathe …” a boy gasped.

“Ow … It burns! It BURNS so bad!”

“Turn it off! Please — turn it off!”

Suddenly, I heard the thoughts of the boy next to me. His dark hair was matted wetly over his forehead. His shirt was drenched. But he stood very still, not wriggling from the heat.

I used my powers to study his mind. His name came to me — Robby Schwartz. The names of the other kids were coming to me, too.

Robby stared at Dr. Maniac, thinking hard.

I created Dr. Maniac, Robby thought. He’s my comic-strip character. I made him up. I know him better than anyone. How can I destroy him? How?

“I know you kids all like to be COOL!” Dr. Maniac boomed. He threw another switch on the wall. “How cool can you get?” he cried.

The waves of heat faded. I breathed a sigh of relief. My hair was soaked. I wiped sweat off my forehead with one hand.

The room cooled down. We all felt better … more comfortable.

It didn’t last long.

“The temperature is dropping!” a boy named Billy cried. He hugged himself. I could see him shivering.

My breath fogged in front of me. A cold wind caught the back of my neck and sent a chill down my back.

We were still so hot, drenched with sweat. The sudden cold felt as if we had stepped from a blazing-hot beach into a deep freezer.

I began to shiver. My skin prickled from the cold. I couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering.

“Careful, everyone!” Dr. Maniac shouted. “Don’t catch your DEATHS! Hahahaha!”

Beside me, Robby Schwartz continued to stare at the superhero, thinking hard. He began to shiver. His arms quivered at his sides.

“Help me!” Robby shouted. “Help me! Help me!” His voice came out high and shrill. His whole body trembled from the cold.

“Help me — please!” he pleaded. “I … I can’t take it! I can’t take the cold!”

Robby uttered a heavy groan. Then his eyes rolled up in his head. His mouth dropped open. And he collapsed to the frozen floor at my feet.

He didn’t move.

Kids screamed in horror.

I bent down. I leaned over him. I turned him onto his back.

A terrified hush fell over the room.

I put my hands on Robby’s cold cheeks. I lifted his head gently. Then I set it back down.

I placed my hand on his chest and listened.

Then I raised my eyes to Dr. Maniac. “You KILLED him!” I screamed angrily. “He’s DEAD! Robby is DEAD!”