The City Superhero (Book 1): Rise Of The Super Strike

by Maxwell Blake

  “Where is this coming from?” she asked me.

  I could hear the sadness in her voice. Taking a ragged breath, I knew I had to push forward. I had to keep them safe. “Can we please just skip all of this? You and I both know that this arrangement wasn’t meant to be long-term. I just want some space.”

  “Okay,” she said softly. “If this is really what you want.”

  I swallowed hard. “It is. I’m going to head over there in the morning, and I’ll be back Sunday night, okay?”

  She shook her head but said nothing else as she gently closed the door behind her. It hurt me to see her in so much pain. I couldn’t tell her that this was for her own safety. Now I just needed to find somewhere I wouldn’t be bothered, maybe a campground or woods, if they even had those near this godforsaken city. I grabbed the same book bag that I’d brought with me from Oregon and quickly tossed a few outfits into it before seeing the journal the clinic had given me sitting on the desk. Maybe it would help if I started to write down everything that was happening to me.

  I sat down at the desk and flipped it open, jotting down what I’d noticed and seeing if there were any correlations. Obviously, the electricity appeared when I was angry or anxious about things, but what about the floating? It wasn’t flying, but it wasn’t just levitation. There had to be some way that the clinic could fix me. Until then, I was a danger to myself and others. There was no way that I could go to sleep either, not with my powers being out of control.

  What the hell was I going to do? Before I could contemplate what else to write down, my phone chimed and I flipped it over to look at it. It was a new message and friend request from Andy. I unlocked my phone and read what he wrote.

  Hope you made it home okay. If you want to hang out, let me know. Don’t worry, my brother isn’t ever around.

  I sent him my number without saying anything else. There wasn’t much I could tell him, but I would feel a lot better about the lie to my grandmother if it wasn’t a lie at all. Seconds before, I had heard the front door slam shut, and I knew that she was probably heading back to the hospital to be with my grandpa. It was good that she had him. It took a little of the pressure off me and my lies.

  “What’s up?” Andy asked as I answered the phone.

  “I need to get away from here for a couple of days. My grandparents are driving me a little bit crazy. I know this is sudden and we don’t know each other that well, but do you have a tent or something I can use to camp out for the weekend?”

  “Um,” he said. “Well, I don’t really know. My parents weren’t ever really the camping type. Not unless you call roughing it at the Four Seasons without a butler camping. I can go buy one if you want, but . . .” his voice trailed off.

  “No, that’s okay. I don’t want anyone spending money on me. It’s cool. A night under the stars might be fun.”

  “If you’re just looking to get away for a while, why don’t you come stay here?”

  “With Buzz?” I snorted. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  “Naw, man, you don’t get it. I still live at home but not, like, at home. I live in the apartment over my dad’s garage.”

  “Ah,” I said as the message finally made sense. It was no wonder he could stand to live with his brother. He didn’t really live with him at all. “You’re one lucky bastard,” I joked.

  “It’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Every once in a while, my mother will get a wild hair up her ass and decide we should be a ‘real’ family. Then she makes me come to dinner for a few nights until she remembers just how much she can’t stand my dad.”

  “And when do you expect this next ‘togetherness’ nonsense to happen?”

  “I have no idea, but they aren’t even in the same country as us right now, so I think it’s safe to say we have the weekend. So yeah, why don’t you come on out here tomorrow morning, and we can get you settled in?”

  I looked down at my hands, knowing just what they were capable of. The first thing I needed to do was get myself under control if the clinic couldn’t help me. “Um, why don’t we make it tomorrow night? I have a few things I need to take care of first.”

  “Sure, whenever it works for you. I was going to see if you wanted to come by anyway. I have a few things to show you that I think you’ll like.”

  My mind briefly traveled to a dark place, wondering if he was really a stalker or a serial killer. He did have the very unique personality that I could see fitting that bill. However, with my powers, I wasn’t really afraid of much anymore. I just needed to get them under control. That saying was quickly becoming my new mantra, replacing the one I’d found when my parents died of ‘I’m fine, don’t worry about me.’

  “Sounds like a good time. I’ll shoot you a text when I’m headed that way.”

  “Yep,” Andy said as I ended the call.

  I wasn’t going to go to sleep anytime soon, and the small room was starting to make me feel claustrophobic. I stood up and stretched my arms out above my head, noticing that I felt a little stronger than normal. Briefly, I jotted the change down in my journal before going out into the kitchen and looking around for something to eat. It was strange to be hungry when I never really ate much before. Now I was famished, yet another side effect I was going to have to make note of.

  Was this it? Was this what they were testing at the clinic? I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of people would inject strangers with superpowers. What would happen if the next person they shot up carried a grudge or had some kind of vendetta? Would they have some way to take the powers back, and if so, was that something that I wanted? I was tired but I knew that I couldn’t sleep as the questions raced through my mind.

  I reheated some spaghetti and set it on the counter as I looked around for silverware. That’s when I saw the note, written in my grandmother’s handwriting and tucked beneath two fifty-dollar bills. I smiled sadly as I read her words.

  I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I hope this will get you through the weekend. This hasn’t been easy for any of us, not myself or your grandfather. I know that you lost a mother but we lost a daughter too. I hope that you’ll come back to us on Sunday night. Until then, be safe and know that we both love you so much, even if we barely know who you are. Hang in there. Love, Grandma.

  My eyes started to gloss over as the tears blinded me. As the first one fell onto the piece of paper, I struggled to keep my composure. She cared so very much, yet I was leaving her and my grandfather. They wouldn’t be safe, I told myself for the tenth time in as many seconds. I was doing this for them. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like eating, but my stomach growled and overruled my emotional state.

  Taking the tepid leftovers, I collapsed onto the couch and turned on the television. I scarfed it down and watched random shows throughout the night, going back and forth between cold showers and waiting for the sun to come up. The second that it started to crest over the skyline, I made a beeline for the door and locked it behind me.

  I was getting a little more familiar with the city, but that didn’t mean I was an idiot. There was no way in hell I was about to go venturing around the city at night. With the light of day out, though, I would go to the clinic first to see when they opened for the day before grabbing a cup of coffee and walking around for a while. Moving was still better than sitting around and doing nothing. As the sun hit my face and I took in the somewhat fresh and untainted air of the morning, things didn’t seem quite so terrifying and depressing.

  In a few hours, I would be back to normal, and I could tell my grandparents all about my ordeal in the world of human testing.

  Chapter 8

  The sinking pit in my stomach started as I rounded the corner block that the clinic was on. Something wasn’t right. The lights were off and a sign hung on the door, but the parking lot was empty, too empty for a business. I approached the door and glared at the Closed sign before cursing under my breath. It was Saturday. They weren’t going to be open again until Monday. I ground my teeth tog
ether as my fingers started to tingle and I took a deep breath.

  “Keep your shit together,” I whispered to myself. “Don’t lose your cool.”

  I stormed away and started counting back from ten repeatedly until I could feel the tingling starting to recede. It wasn’t going to do me any good to go back home, not now at least. I was going to have to survive until Monday with powers that I didn’t want and couldn’t control. It took me several blocks before I was cool enough to come up with a plan. The clinic had been a bust, but that didn’t mean I was totally screwed. I just needed to learn some self-control.

  My phone started to ring. Half expecting it to be my grandmother ,I quickly looked at the screen before realizing it was Andy.

  “Hey, it’s a little early, don’t you think?” I muttered.

  “Yeah, sorry. I hope I didn’t wake you up, but something happened last night that I thought you’d want to know about.”

  “Oh, yeah? Good or bad, because I’ve got to be honest. I don’t feel like dealing with any bad news this early,” I said, not adding that I’d already been dealt a shitty enough hand that morning.

  “Good news, well at least you’ll think its good news. Buzz got home after the party last night and was pissed. He and a few of his boys were in the driveway talking, so I listened in.”

  “Eavesdropping now?” I smirked. “You know, that won’t win you any points with him.”

  “Shut up,” he joked. “I don’t care about earning anything with that jerkoff. Anyway. I guess after we left the party, Buzz and Hen got into a huge fight. She didn’t like the way he treated you one bit. Made a big scene of it, then she kicked Buzz and his goonies out.”

  “Oh, man, you weren’t kidding. That is good news. Did they break up?”

  “No, but I would say it’s just a matter of time. I guess she was ticked because they were trashing the house too. He was three sheets to the wind, though, so she might chalk it up to his being drunk and forgive him anyway. But hey, it’s a start.”

  “Thanks for letting me know,” I said as I hailed a cab.

  I hated that I was going to have to use the money my grandmother left for me, but I didn’t really have any other options. I still didn’t know New York well enough to get around. At least a cab driver would be able to point me in the right direction. The line fell silent.

  “So,” Said Andy awkwardly. “Big plans for the day?”

  “Not really, just out exploring for a bit on my own. I need some time to get to know the city better if I’m going to be stuck here for the next year.”

  “Do you want some company? You know, I have lived here my entire life.”

  “Nah, that’s okay. I’ll see you later, but thanks for letting me know about Hen and Buzz. I need to figure out this city on my own.”

  The subtext to me was obvious. I needed to figure out how to control my powers on my own, at least until the clinic opened back up on Monday. I couldn’t go the entire weekend without knowing if I would be able to sleep or relax without floating away. What would happen if there wasn’t a bed to catch my fall? I needed somewhere quiet and secluded, where I wasn’t a danger to anyone, to learn to hone my new skills.

  “Car’s here,” I muttered into the phone. “I gotta go, but I’ll shoot you a text when I’m coming your way, okay?”

  “Cool, man, see you then.”

  I knew that he needed a friend just as much as I did, but I wouldn’t be any good to him if I accidently electrocuted him while I was sleeping. I slipped into the cab and the driver stared at me, waiting for me to give him a location. Shit, I didn’t know New York at all, and from what I’d seen, parks and mountains to hike through weren’t something they had a lot of.

  “Meter is running, pal,” he grumbled.

  “Right, um,” I said, trying to find a location on my phone. “I wanted to do a little bit of hiking. To clear my head, you know? Is there anywhere around here that is secluded? Maybe a park or something?”

  “You want Central Park?”

  “No!” I quickly said. Even I knew that the park wouldn’t offer me any privacy. “More secluded than that. Sorry, I’m not from the area.”

  “You don’t say,” he said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

  “Listen, man, if you don’t want the fare, I can get out now,” I said. “I don’t know where I’m going, and I thought someone who drives through the town for a living might be able to help, but I guess I was wrong.”

  I slid across the seat to get out and try my luck another way, but the man raised his hands. “Take it easy, kid. You’re going to need a much tougher skin if you plan on making it in New York.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not here by choice, and I need a break from it already. I just want to go back to the woods and the peace and quiet.”

  “I get ya,” he muttered as he pulled out onto the road. “There is a nature preserve on the edge of the city. Not many people go out that way because it’s a twenty-minute drive one way. Fare will run you about thirty bucks. If you’ve got the money, though, I’ve got the time. You won’t have a very easy time finding a cab ride back though. Might want to try Uber or something.”

  “That sounds perfect. Thank you,” I said quietly.

  Maybe I could get Andy to come and pick me up after I was done, if I lived through whatever the hell I was going to do. We drove through the halting traffic in silence and I thought about Hen. Weariness was starting to set in, and it took some concentration to stay awake. Thinking about her didn’t help, but I couldn’t stop myself. A warm peace washed over me as I daydreamed about her and me together. I could treat her so much better than Buzz ever could.

  As the road unfolded in front of us and we left the city behind, my driver pulled into a small parking lot, tapping the meter and looking back at me expectantly. “That’s thirty dollars, kid.”

  I handed him the money and stepped out. There were only three cars in the parking lot, which was promising. It was still early in the morning, thankfully, as I walked through the winding path. When I thought I’d found a secluded location, I took a deep breath and gave the area one more cursory glance to make sure that no one was around. When I saw her sitting on a bench, my heart started to race.

  With a deep breath, I walked over to her and cleared my throat. She quickly tucked away the picture she’d been sketching. “Hey.”

  Hen’s eyes grew wide when she recognized me. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” I said playfully. “My cab driver told me this place was secluded. I guess New York isn’t so big after all.”

  She quickly looked at her watch. “Wow, I didn’t realize it was so late.” She started to pack up her things.

  “So, what are you drawing?” I said, trying to make conversation.

  When she blushed and shook her head, I knew that I had to change gears. Whatever she was working on, it wasn’t something that she wanted others to see yet. I just didn’t want her to leave. For a second, it felt like the gods were smiling down on me by putting her here, of all places.

  “To be honest, I’m surprised you’re awake this early. You seemed pretty drunk last night,” I blurted out. I winced. The words sounded judgmental and harsh, not the way I intended for them to come out. “I just mean, well . . . I don’t know what I mean. I guess I’m just surprised is all.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I guess I was. Thanks for noticing. But practice starts early and I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Well, I guess that’s lucky for me then. Did you come alone?” I asked as I looked around. Again, I wanted to kick myself, or at the very least stop talking. Why did I sound like such a creep when I just wanted to be friendly?

  “Um,” she said. “Yeah, but Buzz is picking me up any second now. It was nice to see you.”

  “I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m not very good at talking to people, and you’re a little intimidating.”

  “Oh, really?” Hen shook her head. �
�It’s fine. I guess I’m not as cheerful as I thought. My ride will be here any second though. It really was good to see you.”

  “You, too,” I muttered as she walked away. “I guess I’ll see you around school, maybe.”

  “Yeah, I guess. It’s a small school, so the chances are pretty good.”

  “If I can dodge Buzz, right?” I said quickly. I winced. Good God, I just needed to shut up and let her walk away. “Erm, I mean . . . never mind. Have a good weekend.”

  When she stopped abruptly and turned around, my heart started to race again. She walked the short distance back to me and bit her lip. I knew that she wanted to say something but it was hard for her. It was surprising. She didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who had a hard time speaking her mind. After a few more seconds of internal conflict, she looked me dead in the eyes and smiled.

  “Hey, I’m sorry about Buzz last night. He can be a real jerk at times. He was drunk, though. I’m sure you know that. He isn’t always like that.”

  “Really?” I scoffed. “Because every time I’ve seen him, it’s been about the same. I think you’re just making excuses for him.” What the hell was my problem? Why couldn’t I just leave it alone? “You know, you deserve someone to take care of you, not trash your house and make enemies.”

  Her eyes grew wide and she took a step back. It was apparent that people didn’t criticize her relationship or defense of Buzz very often. “I was just trying to be polite, but never mind. You just seem to have all your shit figured out, don’t you? It must be nice to be perfect all the time.” She started walking again but spun back around, her eyes full of fire. “And ‘enemies’? Do you honestly think that you’re a threat to him? Look at him and look at you.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” I said honestly. “But I guess you’re right. What could I have that he doesn’t? Besides an IQ higher than he could count on his fingers.”

  Hen shook her head vigorously. “No. I think you meant every word of it. I’m sorry I apologized to you for him. You’re just as bad, though, you know that? You act all innocent, but you were provoking him just as much as he was taunting you. But you don’t want to see that, do you? You just want to play the hero. You want to pretend like your brains are everything, but when was the last time you bothered to think about someone besides yourself?”