Last Hero

by Timothy D. McLendon

He could see someone else’s reflection right behind him. Danny turned and was looking right into Kevin’s eyes.

  “Anything’s possible,” Kevin said. His eyes seemed empty, and his expression was blank. His body was built exactly like Danny’s.

  How did either of them end up like this? Danny realized that somehow Kevin had the same powers as him. But how did he get them? Danny was the last descendant.

  “May the best man win,” Kevin said as he strode out of the gym.

  Danny put his gym shirt on and tried to figure out what Kevin meant. He imagined he meant the best man for Becky.

  “Life is funny sometimes, isn’t it, young lad?” Danny turned to see the janitor Mr. Griffin mopping the floors. He was a black man who always walked with his back slightly bent.

  “What?”

  “You expect the train of life to go one way, but before you know it, you’re jumping off the tracks in some city you’ve never heard of.” He stopped and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “And you hope nobody robs you.”

  Danny shoved his clothes into his locker and shut it. The janitor sounded like he’d been sniffing too many chemicals.

  “Has anybody robbed you, Alexandros Helen?”

  Danny tightened his fists. He couldn’t face anymore monsters today. He didn’t feel the power in his body. It was like he had been… robbed. He turned and faced the janitor to see his true form.

  Danny couldn’t breathe. Mr. Griffin was a massive beast with the body of a lion and wings like an eagle. Even his head looked like an eagle. He was magnificent to look at.

  “What are you?” Danny said.

  “A friend. Everyone needs a friend when they’ve lost their way.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I’ve been your guardian since they day you were born.”

  Danny didn’t know how to feel about this. Was this man a stalker? Or someone sent by the gods to protect him?

  Mr. Griffin looked like a janitor again. He smiled and set his mop against a locker. “Time for a break.” He set a lunch pail on the bench. “Want half of a peanut butter sandwich?”

  Danny shook his head. He wasn’t sure how to talk to this man. He wasn’t sure how to talk to anyone anymore.

  “I know you have questions about your parents,” Mr. Griffin said. He bit into his sandwich and chewed on it. “This is really good. I love the way the peanut butter sticks to the top of my mouth.”

  Danny cleared his throat. “My parents?”

  Mr. Griffin winked at him and nodded. “I was your father’s guardian, too.” He took another bite and then a swig from his soda can. “I was there the day he and your mom died.”

  Danny leaned against his locker. “What happened that day?”

  Mr. Griffin set his sandwich down. “Now I have your attention, young lad.” He stretched his legs out and crossed them at the same time he crossed his arms. “Typhon wants control of the Earth. He has to kill the demigods to do that.”

  Danny sat on the bench next to him. “There’s more like me?”

  Mr. Griffin shook his head. “Not anymore. Typhon sent his army of monsters to wipe the demigods out.” He stopped and looked down. “We fought them as long as we could. But they were too powerful.”

  “And my parents?”

  “I’m getting to that, young lad.” He laughed and slapped Danny on the back. “Your parents were the last demigods left. Typhon wanted to execute them himself. He needed proof they had no descendants.”

  Danny scratched his arm. “I don’t understand. What about the other demigods?”

  Mr. Griffin laughed. “They were all important, but none of them were married to each other. Your father was the son of Apollo. Your mother, the daughter of Harmonia.” He sighed and smiled. “You’re the first offspring of two demigods. No one knows what you’re capable of.”

  Danny listened as the janitor recounted everything that happened the day he was born. His parents prayed to Zeus to take their lives but to spare his. It was the only way to save him. They knew the monsters would kill them and rip their bodies to shreds. That’s when Zeus struck them with lightning and formed a protective shield around Danny.

  “Your parents made preparations for that day,” Mr. Griffin continued. “They loved you very much. They made sure you would be raised by a loving family. It was their hope that the monsters would never find out you existed.”

  “How did they find me?”

  “For sixteen years they’ve all sensed there was someone or something magical in this city. Your power is strong, Alexandros. It was only a matter of time.”

  Danny stood and stretched his arms. “How many like you are there?”

  Mr. Griffin sighed. “I’m the only one. The others are all in Tartarus with the gods. Maybe one day we’ll get them out together.” He walked back over to his mop. “But not today. I’ve got a sweaty gym to clean up.”

  “What is my purpose?

  Mr. Griffin leaned against his mop. “Your purpose is the same as everyone else’s. Hop back on the train of life and stay on it until you get to where you were supposed to go all along.” He smiled and whistled as he disappeared with his mop behind a group of lockers.

  DANNY WENT into the gym and sat with his peers on the bleachers. This was his least favorite part of the day. He was never good at any sports, and the only sit-up he did was when he got out of bed.

  “Today we’re going to play dodge ball, ladies,” Coach Spradley said. He was a short guy who always talked loudly and made everyone feel inferior. He wore biker shorts and a wife-beater. He didn’t look like a monster, but Danny really didn’t like him right now.

  “He suffers from an Oedipus complex,” someone whispered to him.

  Danny turned to see William sitting next to him. He couldn’t help but smile. It was the strangest thing because before today, Danny would have never considered William his friend. But now William felt like his best friend. It was good to have a best friend again.

  “Are you skipping class?” Danny knew William was supposed to be in Calculus or Chemistry or some kind of class that smart people went to.

  “You already got me kicked out of Harvard. I figured I’d come here and let you ruin the rest of my life.” He spoke in his usual monotone voice but smirked.

  Danny punched him in the arm. “You believed me.”

  “Ow.”

  “Sorry.”

  Danny told William about what happened with Ms. Echid. He mentioned how she was so beautiful he hadn’t noticed at first she was part snake. He didn’t mention how she said he was a mistake.

  “It all makes sense,” William said. He rubbed a hand on his chin and grimaced. “I think we’re in real trouble. Echidna is the mother of all monsters.”

  “KEVIN AND Mike will be team captains,” Coach Spradley said.

  Danny already knew which team he wouldn’t be on. He waited as Kevin and Mike selected their teams. He was the last person selected on Mike’s team. He didn’t care, but it was always embarrassing.

  William left after Danny told him about everything that happened since last night. He seemed fascinated and helped Danny make some sense of what was happening.

  There was nothing to worry about.

  Danny squirmed in the hard bleacher seat. He was selected as an alternate for Mike’s team and forced to sit here unless called in. He looked at the two teams standing across from each other in horizontal lines. There were eight teenagers on both sides. Six balls waited on the attack line between them.

  Mr. Spradley blew his whistle and everyone raced to snatch a ball. Kevin was the first one there. He grabbed a ball and threw it in the face of some skinny kid right in front of him. The kid crashed on the floor.

  Kevin caught the ball when it bounced off his face, and threw it into the gut of Big Tommy. Big Tommy weighed three hundred pounds. Kevin laughed and looked into the bleachers at Danny. He put his fists together then pulled them apart at an angle, like he was breaking bread.

  Danny watched as
Kevin took out kid after kid. He was a one man show. It wasn’t long before twenty-seven minutes had passed, and three rounds were over. Kevin’s team had won one round, and Mike’s team had won two. Kevin’s team would have won them all if he had worked with his teammates. Mr. Spradley had said they were playing five rounds if needed to declare a winner.

  They were in the fourth round when Danny heard a familiar voice. “You used to tell me everything, Danny Neumann.”

  Becky stood by the bleachers next to him. She stared at the game on the court. He didn’t know what to say to her. He couldn’t explain what happened with Mr. Silen or tell her the truth about himself. And even if he could, how could she ever love him?

  “I’m sorry, Becky. I understand if you never want to talk to me again.”

  “I know everything,” she said. She clutched his shirt collar and pulled him toward her. “I can handle it.” Her breath was warm against his face.

  “Skinner!” coach Spradley shouted.

  Danny looked back at the court. Kevin marched toward them. He did not look happy. Balls flew all around him. Kevin stopped and looked at the two of them. He clenched his jaw and shook his head.

  Danny saw a ball sailing straight for Kevin’s head. Good.

  Kevin never turned to face the ball. He reached out and caught it with one hand. It was so sudden that no one made a sound.

  Then Kevin’s teammates cheered him on and patted him on the back. . The game was 2 - 2 now.

  Big Tommy hobbled to the bleachers. He sat on the first row in front of Danny. “I knew I shouldn’t have eaten those jelly donuts.” The armpits on his shirt were drenched in sweat. “Coach wants you on the court.”

  Danny looked back at the court to see Kevin standing there with his arms crossed.

  “Go get him, Danny,” Becky said.

  Danny nodded and stepped out of the bleachers. He went to the team captain Mike. The team was gathered around him in a huddle.

  “Okay, guys,” Mike said, “this is our last chance. Are we boys or are we men?”

  “Men!” they all shouted.

  “I can’t hear you! Are we boys or are we men?”

  “Men!”

  Debbie held up a hand. She was the only girl on the team. “Uh, I’m not a man. Gross.”

  Coach Spradley blew his whistle, and they all lined up. Danny focused on the ball on the attack line he planned to get. His only objective was to take Kevin out. When he looked up, he saw that Kevin was staring at the ball right next to his.

  Coach Spradley blew his whistle again. Danny raced for the attack line. He was ahead of everyone else. Kevin was ahead of his team, too. Danny reached his ball at the same time Kevin reached the one next to it. They both snatched a ball with one hand and pounded them toward each other.

  The balls slammed together and exploded. Danny and Kevin both fell to the floor. Everyone stopped and stared at them.

  “So we have crappy balls,” Coach Spradley said. “Keep playing!”

  Balls flew all around Danny. He jumped back up and avoided them. He was amazed how limber and flexible he was. It was like nothing could touch him. He caught a ball and threw it at Kevin.

  Kevin grabbed the kid next to him and shoved him in front of him. It bounced off his head. The kid walked off the court in a daze.

  Danny stopped and looked around. No balls were flying. No one was left on the court except him and Kevin. Danny collected two balls and threw them back to back like missiles at Kevin.

  Kevin fell to his back then jumped up like a ninja as soon as the balls passed. “You’re gonna have to do better than that.” He lobbed four balls in a row at Danny.

  Danny jumped and twisted and turned. His body moved in a fluid motion in every direction. The balls didn’t touch him.

  “Thirty seconds, ladies,” Coach Spradley said.

  Danny stared at Kevin. Kevin stared back at him. “Make your move.”

  “Get him, Danny!” Becky shouted from the bleachers.

  Kevin turned when she said that, and Danny knew it was his chance. His muscles tightened as the energy built up inside him. He picked up a ball and shot it toward Kevin with his energy behind it.

  Kevin turned and shouted, “NO!” right as the ball slammed into his gut. He seemed to slide a few feet back before crashing to the floor.

  Danny’s team roared and ran up to him with high fives and congratulations.

  “What are we?” Mike shouted.

  “Men!”

  Debbie shook her head. “I give up.”

  DANNY LOOKED into the bleachers to give a thumbs-up to Becky. He was relieved to know that she accepted him for who he was. She was the source of his energy. She was the essence of his passion.

  Danny never put his thumb up. Standing next to Becky were Snake Lady and Frog Lady. They looked pissed. Snake Lady clapped her hands in slow motion. She looked from Danny to Becky, making the connection that he liked her.

  Danny took a wide stance when Snake Lady and Frog Lady hissed and came toward him. He didn’t think they’d attack him in public. Surely they knew he was more powerful than they were. Did the Sphinx die and they wanted retribution? It was possible. William said the Sphinx was Echidna’s daughter.

  Danny heard a loud whistling from the locker room. Mr. Griffin walked out with his mop bucket in tow. He winked at Danny as his image transformed into the magnificent lion with wings and an eagle’s head. He roared at the monsters. The whole gym shook.

  Snake Lady and Frog Lady stopped and took two steps back. Then they turned and ran out of the gym.

  Mr. Griffin looked like a janitor again. He nodded at Danny and yelled, “Stay on the train, young lad.”

  CHAPTER 19

  OFFICER CERBER HAS DOG BREATH

  DANNY WALKED out of the gym with his head held high. Nothing felt better than the hot shower he just had and beating Kevin.

  The hallways were crowded with teenagers as everyone headed for the exits. Danny felt a rush of fear when he realized he had no idea what to expect when he walked out of these doors. Ty could be out there waiting for him, and Danny knew he could never kill another man.

  I have to talk to Mr. Silen.

  Danny pushed through the crowd and headed for Mr. Silen’s room. He knew the hippie teacher could guide him in the right direction. He only hoped Mr. Silen would still talk to him after what happened earlier.

  Danny froze when he saw Mr. Silen walk out of his room with a large cardboard box. He knew the box was filled with papers and personal items. He remembered what that snake Ms. Echid said:

  I should have fired that drunkard years ago.

  “Mr. Silen,” Danny shouted, waving his arms. “I need to talk to you!”

  The teacher turned and opened his mouth, but someone shoved him forward. That’s when Danny realized the school security guard Officer Cerber was shoving the teacher toward the exit.

  Officer Cerber was six feet tall and looked like someone had smashed his face in with a 2 X 4. His breath always smelled like dead fish. His skin looked like it was bleached and had red pockmarks all over it. He was so ugly and smelled so bad that no one could be around him for more than two seconds without puking.

  Officer Cerber glanced back at Danny then seemed to move faster. That’s when Danny knew the security guard was a monster. For a moment he had the heads of three dogs and the tail of a snake. He barked at kids and shoved them out of the way, while pushing Mr. Silen forward like an empty shopping cart.

  “Wait,” Danny shouted.

  “You can yell all you want, but you can’t make the lines move any faster,” William said from behind him. “That’s like asking the stars to shine brighter.”

  Danny knew William would know what kind of creature the officer was. “What has three heads that look like dogs?”

  “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

  Danny faced William. “I need to know right now. How dangerous is he?”

  William took a deep breath. “That would be Cerberus. He’s
a hellhound. He guards the entrance and exit of the underworld. His three heads allow him to see the past, present, and future.” He looked at the security guard and cleared his throat. “And he only eats live meat.”

  Danny sighed. Why couldn’t any of them be vegetarians? He tried to push through the crowd but it was like a brick wall. He looked back at William. “I’m going to call him Dog Breath.”

  It seemed like eternity before they reached the exit. The sun and warm air beat down on their faces. Danny didn’t see Mr. Silen or the security guard anywhere. “I’ve got to talk to Mr. Silen. Where is he?”

  William pointed ahead to the left.

  Danny saw Mr. Silen ten feet away and heading for the parking lot. He took two steps forward and stopped. A huge shadow loomed over him.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Dog Breath barked with his middle head. He stood in front of them and put his paws out to block Danny in. His fingernails were like razors.

  Danny cupped an arm over his nose. The smell was putrid. He stood back and coughed. “You should see someone about that.”

  Dog Breath barked at him with all three heads.

  “What’d he say?” William asked.

  Danny remembered that no one else could see or hear what he could. All William saw was the albino with halitosis standing there like a buffoon. “He’s not going to let me leave.”

  “Everything okay?” a female asked as she passed by. Danny forced a fake smile when he realized it was Becky. Marc was by her side and pulled his shirt over his nose.

  “Yeah, it’s cool,” Danny lied. “Just having a conversation with Dog…Officer Cerber.”

  Becky narrowed her eyes like she didn’t believe him at all. “We’re still on for tonight, right?”

  Danny nodded. “Yeah. Can’t wait.”

  She chuckled in a way Danny had never heard before. It was a genuine laugh, but for a moment he thought it might be flirtatious. She tapped Marc’s shoulder and headed out the door.

  Marc lowered his shirt and stared up at Dog Breath. “You should be ashamed of yourself! It only costs a dollar or two for floss!” He marched out behind Becky, shaking his head and mumbling.