Foulplay #4: Simon Says

Author: John Peel
Published by Penguin Group (1993)

Simon Brewster in Kayla’s school had the power to make other people do what he says even if they do not want to. Apparently he was able to hypnotize people to do what he wanted. Victims of his commands not only comprised of fellow students but also teachers as well as his own parents.

Kayla realized that she was somewhat a bit immune to Simon. She soon discovered that that was possible because of the eyedrops she instilled in her eyes, which could make her vision blurry. And Simon had always looked straight into the eyes when he wanted to overpower the other person. With a blurry vision, Kayla could not focus her vision and that was the reason why Simon could not use his powers against Kayla. Because of this, Simon was afraid of Kayla and avoided her.

As days went by, Simon’s pranks became more extreme. Once he ordered a boy to play in the middle of the road until the latter met an accident. People who angered him would be turned into animals such as a cat and a spider. Simon also made other people to forget about the existence of the persons whom he had turned into animals. And Simon had also ordered one of Kayla’s friends to try and kill her.

Kayla was determined to make Simon stop all his pranks. She barged into Simon’s home one morning and threatened to kill him. She made him choose between two options: get rid of the powers or get killed on the spot. Simon chose to rid himself of his powers.

Simon first had to reverse the damage he had done to the other people, including those who had been turned into an animal. Then Simon had to stare at himself in the mirror and command that his powers leave him and never return again.

Finally Simon was powerless and everyone were restored back to their normal selves. However, Kayla reminded him that it had been better if he had wished to get killed because surely, everyone whom he had played pranks on, will want to make him pay back.