Fiction
Contemporary
Jared heard the door to his room fling open. He jerked his head around to see his mom walking in.
"Your dad will be up shortly to say goodnight."
Jared winced. Why did she insist on calling him his dad? "My dad isn't living here anymore. Remember?"
She started to say something, but backed off. Instead she said, "Just get ready for bed." The door clicked shut behind her.
Jared could hear the stair-steps creaking as she descended. His shoulders slumped. He had to finish his math homework first. He sat at this desk.
Jared tapped his pencil on the desktop and stared at his paper. One half-finished math problem covered the top left corner under his name. He found it difficult to focus over the feeling that the world had collapsed around him.
If Marvelous Man existed, he could save us, he would make things right.
Jared reached into his desk and pulled out a three-ring binder. On the cover he had inscribed with a marker the words, “Jared’s Comics.” Several filled its pages since he created the character when he was six. Now, another storyline nudged its way into his consciousness; he had to draw it.
Marvelous Man streaked across the sky in red and blue tights accented with a white cape. He eyed the city below. Everything seemed quiet this evening over the Big City, but he knew better.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than his super radar senses detected breaking windows and an alarm sounding in the business district. He banked and plunged downward to the location. In a few seconds, his feet landed on the blacktop in front of the store.
Shards of glass littered the sidewalk. Through a hole in the plate glass window, a stream of electronics flowed into the rear of an SUV. No one seemed to notice the presence of the hero.
“You boys need some new toys?” Marvelous Man put his hands on his hips.
Everyone froze. Heads turned. One of the thieves said in a high-pitched mock, “Oh no, it’s Marvelous Man. What are we going to do?” Several laughed.
Marvelous Man shook his head. Time to take action. He stepped toward them with gritted teeth.
Several pulled out pistols; bullets ricocheted off his chest and arms.
This will be over quick.
“Jared,” Mom yelled from downstairs, “Why isn’t your light off.”
Jared opened the door to his attic room. “I’m doing my homework.”
“You have five minutes to finish, then I’m sending your Dad to help you.”
Jared slammed the door shut. A marriage and two weeks doesn’t qualify anyone to replace his dad. Dealing with life at thirteen sucked enough. Then to be told, “Oh, you’re getting a new dad. Your old one is leaving,” had tossed his world into chaos. The whole idea blew his mind.
He sat at his desk. The last frame he had drawn needed one more item: bullets. He needed to draw bullets bouncing off the chest.
Marvelous Man didn’t slow with the pulse of the bullets pelting him. As he drew near, one of the thieves popped out from behind the SUV and dropped a weapon over the hood. Its metal surface shone in the moonlight like brass and silver. The main barrel, a cylinder tapered at both ends, supported two smaller cylinders of the same shape. They glowed an alternating purple and white.
“You see, Marvelous Man, we already have toys. But this toy’s for you.”
“If you think a mere bullet will stop—“
The man pulled the trigger and a purple ray erupted from the gun and plowed into Marvelous Man’s gut. Searing pain threw him to the ground.
The young man stepped from behind the SUV, keeping the point of the gun on Marvelous Man. “We know your weakness, Mr. Superhero.” He opened the top cylinder and pulled out a shiny piece of metal. “Aluminum.”
Jared shook his head and erased the last line of dialog.
That’s stupid. Besides, it’s too much like kryptonite. Needs something more original.
He closed his eyes and bounced the pencil eraser off the top of his head. Five seconds passed. Then he sat up straight, his eyes sprang open, and he put pencil to paper again.
The young hooded man came from behind the SUV, keeping the point of the gun on Marvelous Man. “We know your weakness, Mr. Superhero. Like anyone else, self-doubt will paralyze you.” He patted the ray gun. “This baby can infuse any emotion I want in you.
Marvelous Man felt the truth. He didn’t think he could do anything right. A nagging voice in his head countered each thought to take action. He felt stupid, and could not outsmart these brilliant thieves. So he lay groveling on the ground.
Jared heard the steps creaking. Someone approached his “secret” lair. He grabbed his notebook and stuffed it back in his drawer. Then straightened out his math papers and started writing.
A knock rapped on the door and it squeaked open. The man who had recently intruded on his family life entered into the room. His balding head and moustache caused Jared to wonder what his Mom saw in him. Jared felt a knot develop in his stomach.
“Time to...” He loosened his collar. “...to turn out the lights and go to bed.” He stood there, waiting for something.
Finally Jared said, “Yes sir.” Jared stared at him.
He stared back for a second. “Like, right now.”
Jared slammed his math book closed and prepared for bed. Soon, his lights snapped out and the intruder left.
Jared lay gazing out the window into a star-filled night. Little wisps of clouds obscured a cluster of stars here and there.
Why did he have to go to bed so early? Many of his friends could stay up later. But Mom still treated him like a kid. Besides, how could he leave Marvelous Man in the middle of a mess?
He arose from bed, turned on the lamp at his desk, and pulled his binder out. Pencil in hand, he continued the story.
The gang of thieves piled in the vehicle while Marvelous Man lay helpless on the ground. The SUV sped away; tires screeched around a corner.
How long do these effects last?
He didn’t have time to find out. Someone had funded the thieves with serious money. They had expected him.
But how can I catch them?
He shook his head, as if he could throw these feelings aside. He had to force himself, by sheer will power, to overcome the doubts that pounded in his heart and mind. He struggled to his feet.
“No, if I can’t deal with these punks, then how come I can—fly!”
He leapt into the air. His hair flapped in the wind as he raced over the buildings. The knot in his stomach unwound. His quivering lips formed into a solid smile.
Jared stopped. At thirteen, fear trailed him like a bloodhound. Hair grew all over him now. He worried it might not stop and he would become an ape. He felt he existed in a no-man’s land. No longer a kid but not a teen either. And now, life had ripped his dad from him. Just weekend visits remained of the relationship.
He paced the floor, then stood by the window. It opened onto the roof overlooking the front yard. A bird flew by. Jared watched it perch on a tree limb, chirp for a moment, then in a flash it disappeared into the night.
He opened the window and wind gusted in. He often visited the roof. He could sit out there for hours and watch the world go by. No one noticed him up there. It was his private perch.
Should I do this? What if someone saw?
Jared stared at the roof. It had been years since he played superhero. But now, he wanted to live in that world, even if for a moment. He wanted to conquer his fears like Marvelous Man.
Jared took off his pajama bottoms, leaving on his shirt and briefs. He grabbed a towel, threw it over his shoulders and tied it into a knot around his neck.
“I’m Marvelous Man,” he said under his breath, “and I can fly.”
He stepped onto the roof. The air, warm from the hot September day, blew across his bare legs and gently flapped the “cape” around him. He scooted to the edge of the roof and stood. As he surveyed the street below, a surge of excitement shot through him. Evildoers had better watch out. He was on the job.
He lifted his arms into the sky. A gust of wind caressed his skin. He closed his eyes. In his mind, he rode above cotton-like clouds accented by moonlight. Birds cried their songs as he flew by. He waved to the passengers in a jet. He could tackle problems and win: he was Marvelous Man.
Then a strong wind blew the opposite direction. Jared opened his eyes and swung his arms in an attempt to regain his balance, but he lost the battle. His cape flapped around his face as he tumbled through the air. He let out a loud cry when he landed on the lawn, bottom first. He bounced onto his back and lay groaning in the grass.
Then he heard giggles. A group of girls strolled down the sidewalk. He recognized some of them from middle school. His fingers clawed at the grass. He wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and crawl in it.
“Look! Is it a plane? Is it a train? No, it’s Superboy! He can fall from roof tops in a single bound.” The girls all giggled while they gawked and then continued down the street.
Now he wished he could fly away, but he felt too much pain to even get up. His embarrassing story would spread over the whole school. He laid his head back on the ground.
The porch light lit up the yard and the man who had invaded his family ran to where Jared lay. He paused when he came close enough to see Jared’s “costume.”
He seemed to suppress a laugh as he talked. “Jared, are you all right? Did you break anything?”
Jared kept his eyes fixed on the stars. “No and no.”
The intruder sat next to him. Jared wanted to crawl away.
After the man checked Jared for damage, he said, “Just bruised up, I guess.” He even sounded like he cared. “You know, I used to play around the house in my underwear and a towel around my neck too, when I was young. Unfortunately, I’m too old now or I would join you. People would get the wrong impression.”
Jared cracked a smile. The image of this bald-headed man jumping around the house in underwear and a cape struck him as something off a crazy movie.
“Jared,” he said with a hint of quiver in his voice, “Your Mom, she means well. But I know it’s not a good idea to force you to call me ‘Dad.’”
Jared looked at the man.
“It’s okay to call me ‘Henry.’ I know I can’t replace your dad any more than you can replace my sons.” Henry locked onto Jared’s eyes. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other, in time.”
Jared felt a sigh leave him. Not a sigh of frustration or dissatisfaction, but as if a weight had been lifted off his soul. He rose to a sitting position. “Sure, Henry.”
Henry stood up and stretched out his hand. Jared stared at the hand. He grasped it and Henry pulled him to his feet. Pain shot through his body but his legs could move. Jared leaned on him as Henry led him into the house, up the steps, and into the attic room. Jared snuggled under the covers of his bed.
“And, let’s lay off the flying lessons for now. Okay?” He smiled and shut the door.
He still had problems, but he felt a confidence not there before. Flying did help.
He arose from bed with a grimace, and turned his lamp on. He couldn’t go to sleep until he finished the story.
Marvelous Man spotted the speeding SUV in his mind’s radar. He dove to intercept.
He swooped over the vehicle and lifted it off the pavement. They jumped in their seats, but wasted no time before the ray gun swung out the window and a blast hit Marvelous Man on the shoulder. He forced himself to keep a grip on the vehicle through the pain.
Serenity flooded his mind and body. He no longer had a care in the world. All desire for strife and hate left him. But he couldn’t let go, or these poor unfortunate victims of circumstances would plummet to their deaths. No, better to set them down at the police station where they could get the help they needed.
“You shot him with peace?” A voice said from the vehicle. “This isn’t the sixties, stupid.”
“If he felt peace, he wouldn’t fight us.”
“Does it look like he is fighting us, you idiot?”
Marvelous Man heard fists hitting heads. He wanted to stop the fighting, but holding the SUV prevented him from helping. The ray blasted inside the vehicle a couple times.
“No, no, please don’t hurt me!” A voice shrieked.
“How dare you tell me what to do! I’ll show you...”
Marvelous Man shook his head as he set them in front of the police station. He reached in and took the ray gun lying on the dash. The thief had dropped it in his rage.
“You boys need to lighten up.” He dialed the gun and shot each with a blast. Screams and fighting turned to laughter.
“Oh, look,” one said, trying to catch his breath between air sucking cries of joy, “We’re going to jail.” He doubled over, his face red.
Another paused from his joviality long enough to blurt out, “Curse you, Marvelous Man.” He threw himself back on the seat. Sounds of eerie laughter echoed in the streets.
“That’s better. Now we’re all one big happy family. Enjoy your stay in the pen, fellas.” Marvelous Man sprang into the air and sped off to his secret laboratory to test the gun.
The end.
Jared huddled with the rest of the football team on the field. The crowd in the stands echoed the words of the cheerleaders who bounced around, pompoms shooting up and down in rhythm.
The quarterback gave the play. The team clapped hands as they broke huddle. The crowd roared as the players lined up. Thirty yards and three seconds separated them from the end zone, the winning touchdown, and the state championship.
Jared stood in the wide receiver’s slot. He glanced into the stands. Henry stood and pumped his fist into the air. He recalled that night when their relationship had turned around. He was thirteen then. Much had changed in five years.
The quarterback yelled the count and took the snap. Jared sprang forward. As he approached the defender, he faked a move to the inside. The boy fell for it and Jared cut around him.
The air flowed through his helmet as he raced down the sidelines. A check over his shoulder confirmed the ball sped to intercept him. Sweat ran down his cheeks, cooling his face. Two defenders trailed on his heel. Jared read their body language; they intended to intercept.
Jared focused. The ball flew high. He pumped his legs harder. The roar of the crowd solidified into a chant, resounding through the stadium: “Sup-er-boy, Sup-er-boy, Sup-er-boy,” and it continued, ringing in Jared’s ears.
The ball spiraled down. The defender next to him leaped in front but Jared knew he didn’t have the reach to snag the ball.
Jared pushed himself into the air at the one-yard line. He reached out as the wind whipped around him. The moment hung in slow motion: his outstretched hands, the ball sinking, the opponent sliding under him. It bounced on his fingertips for a second, then fell into his palms.
He latched onto the ball, clutched it to his chest, landed in the end zone on his bottom, and bounced onto his back. His teammates gathered over him, jumping around like wild hyenas.
The crowd roared, but the chant continued, “Sup-er-boy, Sup-er-boy,” for several minutes. The team lifted him off the ground and placed him on their shoulders.
Yes, at times Jared felt he could fly. “Thank you, Marvelous Man,” he whispered.
Copyright 2007, R. L. Copple. All rights reserved.
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