The sun had risen in the sky by the time I walked all the way home. I walked carefully through the field surrounding my lab in case of any new traps. Luckily I made it to the front door without setting off anything. In my head I was imagining a million different scenarios. Most of which involved my friends screaming at me and hating me.
Some involved them telling my parents or their parents. Some involved them being disgusted by me, of convincing Danny to hate me. I almost puked from how nervous I was as I approached the door. The familiar sound of metal screeching accompanied the opening door. Danny, Mar, and Emily waited for me on the other side.
Danny was sitting on the couch, Mar was yelling at her mother over the phone, and Emily was reading a book on the ground in the corner by the tv. In the instant that I walked in the room everyone shifted. Danny stood straight up, Mar hung up the phone and ran towards me, and Emily slapped her book closed. Mar grabbed me and bear-hugged me. She lifted me off my feet in the process.
“I was so, so scared.” She whispered into my ear.
“It’s okay. I’m okay.” I whispered back.
“Please don’t scare me again.” She whispered.
I patted her back because I didn’t know what to say. Emily approached and hugged me from the side. Danny stood off to the side.
All at once they let go. Mar grabbed my hand and looked it over. She turned it around and over to check for damage.
“What happened to you?” She asked as she met my eyes.
“It’s… I don’t even know where to start.” I managed.
“Why don’t you come sit down for a minute.” Danny suggested. I nodded my head in response. I threw myself against the couch and took deep breaths while trying to sort through my thoughts and create a narrative that made sense.
“How about we start with what happened after I got kicked?” I asked them.
“I actually want to hear about how, when, and why you became a superhero. If that’s okay with you.” Emily spoke up. She looked even more freaked out than Mar.
“Alright. We’ll start there and work our way forward. You didn’t live here at the time, but Danny and Mar will remember when I was in sixth grade.” I sighed.
“When it came back for the second time.” Mar said in a quiet voice.
“The chemo destroyed me. I went bald, I felt myself wasting away. I realized for the first time in my life that I was going to die. Back then a part of me was still idealistic and naive. So I started working on the suit. At first it was at home in my basement, but then I moved my stuff out here when I was fourteen.” I explained.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Mar asked.
“I thought you’d laugh.” I said with little confidence.
“Anyway, I finished it right after I got back from the last hospital stay. I decided to take it out for a spin.” I finished. I looked down at my scarred-up hand.
I thought about all the bruises all over my body. All the sleepless nights and times I’ve caught my parents crying. All the twisted, bloody bodies. I looked up and saw my friend’s concerned and terrified eyes. Emily stepped forward a little.
No one said anything, so I continued.
“I’m sorry for not telling you. Or if I scared you or hurt you or anything. I’m… I’m really sorry, okay? I just…” I said.
“Hey, hey. Calm down. No one’s mad at you, dude.” Mar reassured me. “My best friend’s a superhero. This is the best news I’ve heard all year!” She said with a light in her eyes she didn’t have a second before. Danny sat down on the arm of the couch next to me.
“I told them what was going on, and to wait in that house. I thought you’d need your friends if anything went wrong. Turns out I was right.” Danny explained. “I didn’t expect them to break in, though.” He shot the girls a look.
“It was totally Mar.” Emily said without a second’s hesitation.
“It was.” Mar chuckled.
“What happened after the fight? I remember getting kicked and then waking up for a second in the house.” I asked.
“You know those new cop guys that are all over the city? They showed up on hover gliders, and took you and Amelia away. We tried to stop them… But…” Danny explained.
“No, I get it.” I said.
“Yeah well. What happened next? How’d your hand get fixed?” Danny asked.
“I met the guy that made those supervillains.” I replied in a grave voice.
All three of them looked like they had just been slapped in the face.
“He told me that he’s making them because of me, and that he won’t stop until I agree to join him.” I said.
“Why didn’t you beat him up?” Mar said.
“What?” I asked.
“Why didn’t you fight him? You had your suit.” Mar repeated herself.
“It’s not like we were in a drug den or in the midst of a hostage situation, Mar. I had no evidence that this guy was doing anything wrong. I could break every bone in his body and the police would just try to arrest me.” I explained.
“Who was it?” Emily asked.
“You know that guy who was talking about using his company to rebuild the city?” I said, and they all nodded. “He knows my name.” I added.
“That explains the super cops.” Danny said to no one.
“What are we going to do?” Mar asked.
“What do you mean ‘we?’” I asked.
“What?” Mar looked confused.
“Listen, you guys don’t have a super suit. None of you have superpowers.” I stood up from the couch.
“I thought I did a pretty good job.” Danny murmured.
“This isn’t funny!” I yelled. I let out a sigh. “I’ve fought a cement monster, psychotic Platinums, and cheerleaders that can break the sound barrier. This isn’t playtime, and it’s not a hobby. It’s dangerous. If I could go back and never build that thing I would.” I emphasized my words by dropping my backpack onto the table.
“We’re in this together now, Jacob.” Mar tried to put a hand on my shoulder. I shoved it off.
“We’re not!” I met her eyes with a serious look and shouted. “This lunatic is coming after me. He’s hunting me, and if I make one wrong move people are going to die!” I yelled. “Including you.” I sighed. They stared at me.
“You fought a Platinum?” Emily asked after a minute.
“Kinda.” I mumbled.
I threw myself back against the couch and put my feet up on the table. I unzipped my bag and pulled out the mask. I held it in my hands and stared deep into its eyes. Mar sat down next to me.
“Your parents called.” She tried to change the subject.
“How’d that go?” I asked.
“I told them that we were having a sleepover out in our clubhouse.” Mar answered. She put her head against my shoulder. “I thought we lost you. There was so much blood and…”
I stroked my fingers through my hair. Danny looked down at me with serious eyes. I could tell by the way he was looking that he thought he lost me, too. I leaned my head back against the cushion.
“I need some sleep.” I said, just to break the silence.
“I gotta get going.” Mar said while standing up.
“My parents are ready to kill me.” She began to leave, then turned around. “So are all of yours, by the way. You can thank me for running damage control.” She added as she walked out the door.
“Thank you, mom.” I said while sticking my tongue out.
“Heard that!” She hollered from outside the building.
“I’m out too. I need some sleep.” Danny said as he stood up and walked out.
Emily sat down right next to me.
“This is all so bizarre.” She said quietly.
“I guess.” I said. “I’m glad you guys know now.” I added after a minute.
“Why?” She sounded concerned.
“Because I don’t like lying to my friends.” I replied. “I love you guys.”
“I think you’re delirious from lack of sleep.” She said with a chuckle.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You’re being all sentimental. You’re usually all… Cynical.” She explained.
“Maybe.” I mumbled. She stood up and stretched for a minute.
“I’ve got to head out too. Want to come with?” She asked. I shook my head.
“Need a minute to think. See you later?” I said. She nodded and made her way off.
I looked down at my scarred hand. I clenched it into a fist and opened it back up repeatedly. It stung like it was bruised all on the inside.
I let out a sigh in an empty factory.
