It’s finally happening!
After months of training and preparation, I’m finally moving out to the big city. I saved as much money as I could and Ma and Pa gave me the money they had been saving for me to go to college.
“You won’t be needing to go to school anymore, I reckon.” Pa said, with a heavy sigh.
He always could sigh with the best of them.
“No one’s askin ya to be a hero though, son. I don’t know why you have to go all the way out ta Mega City when ya could do just as fine here.” Ma said, with a tear in her eye that Pa wiped away with his dirty old handkerchief.
“I know, ma. But out here, there’s nothing but farm land. There’s no crime or…”
“Exactly!” She scolded me now, her voice as sharp as whip. “There ain’t no crime here. Less you talkin bout the Miller boys down the road. But you don’t even know if these powers will stick around. What if they banish in the middle of a fight? What if them city boys shoot at ya when them powers faulter? What will you do then?”
I could see the worry in her eyes, even though she put on quite the brave face.
“Ma… I have to try. There are people out there that might need my help. And you didn’t raise me to be no coward or to stand by when those in need cry out to be saved.”
“I know… I just…” the words caught in her throat and Pa wrapped his arms around her.
“You go on now, son. We’ll be alright. You’ll miss your bus.” He said as ma buried her face into his chest.
I nodded and wrapped my arms around them both, careful not to squeeze too hard, as I now had the strength to turn a boulder to dust —— and I definitely wanted parents to come home to.
I trotted off down the road, toward the greyhound station when Ma yelled out.
“We love you, Jon! Give ‘em Hell! And be sure to eat and come back home when ya can!”
She knew, just as well as I did that I could travel the hundreds of miles between Mega City and Woodpine in the blink of an eye —— and I planned to do just that every weekend. The bus was only a cover for m secret identity.
Ha. Can you believe it? ME, a secret identity. Who would have thought?
They waved at me as I boarded the charter bus and took my seat at the very back, setting my bag in the empty seat beside me. My eyes were immediately drawn to the vast green acres I was leaving behind.
I’d always loved the sight of the fields.
The sun setting over the horizon kissed the earth with a orange glow and warmth that, combined with the slight rumble of the bus, put me fast to sleep.
When I woke up, I’d be starting my new life as a Big City Hero.
“End of the line, bud. Time to get off”
I jolted awake to the touch of the bus drivers hand on my shoulder. I wiped the drool from my chin and looked up at the elderly man with a stern face — a face that clearly had seen more than he probably bargained for signing up for this job.
“Sorry, I must have…” I reached to my side and froze.
This can’t be happening.
“Where’s my bag?” I stared wide eyed down at the empty seat next to me.
“Huh? Your bag? Look kid, I didn’t see no bag but it’s the end of my shift.” The man’s voice was void of any hint of empathy.
“But it was right here, I had it when I got on the bus!”
The man laughed and tipped his hat up on his head and a mocking grin crawled across his face. “First time to the big city?”
“Yeah, but it was…”
He cut me off. “Look, kid. Consider this your first lesson out here, always keep your belongings close if you’re going to be taking public transport.”
“Are you saying..”
“Yup, if you had a bag, someone else got off the bus with it. Nothing to be ashamed about, it happens to the best of us.” He pat me hard on the shoulder.
Robbed… me… a SUPER hero, ROBBED! I haven’t even gotten off the bus yet! All I could do was sink my head and shuffle off the bus.
“Welcome to Mega City, kid.” The driver called after me, as he took his seat. “Be sure to get where you’re going quick. It’s getting late.” The doors closed with a slight hiss and the bus drove off down the street and disappeared around a corner.
The vast green acres had been replaced by tall filthy buildings that soared into the sky above— which had now turned a solid matte black… no stars out here I guess.
“Are you lost?” The short woman wearing a tight fitting skirt and heels asked, getting a little too close for comfort.
“Not really,” I knew that I was close to the apartment building that I had set up… I just wasn’t sure how close.
She laughed, despite her appearance it was a cute laugh. “Please, you’re definitely not from around here. I’ve seen everyone from here and honey… you are most definitely not.” She placed a long slender finger on my chest and before I had time to react someone bumped into me and separated the too of us.
“Don’t look now, cowboy. I think you just got your first taste of Mega City.” She smiled and nodded toward the man that bumped into me, who was now running down the sidewalk.
My eyes widened. Pa’s money. Not again.
Before the woman could blink, I was gone. I usually love this moment, right before I step off the world slows down and for split second there nothing but absolute silence— which is then replaced by the deafening roar of wind rushing by.
Just as I was about to reach him, he cut down an alley way and I bolted by him and before I could stop, I slammed into the side of a solid brick building and into an old woman’s living room who, surprisingly enough didn’t seemed phased at all that a full grown man just destroyed her living room wall.
“Sorry, ma’am. I’ll be back to fix it.” I stood up and brushed the dust off of me and the old lady finally registered what happened. She wacked me hard with her cane and started yelling.
“You bastard!! Look what ya did to my living room! I’m calling the police!” She screamed and I rushed out of her home as quickly as I could without leaving her in a cloud of dust. I wasn’t in Woodpines any more, there were no open fields. I had to be more careful. I took off again down the alley way. But as I feared… it was too late. He was gone.
“FUUUUUUUUUUCK!” I yelled into the air.
“You really should pay more attention out here.” My wallet fell from the sky above and to my shock a woman clad in gold and white floated down in front of me.
“You’re the hoo… uh..”
“Secret identity, you don’t even have one of those, cowboy?” She shook her head and her pristine raven hair danced back and forth.
“No, I do I just…”
“Really? I think Ole Miss Bertrum will have something to say about that.” She flashed a pearly white smile.
I could only sigh. I was no where near the level of Pa, but I gave it my best shot.
“Don’t beat yourself up, noobie. We’ve all been there, the hero part is easy. Adjusting to city life… now that’s the real challenge. What’s your name?” She reached out a delicate hand.
I took it; “It’s Jon.” I quickly found out that her hand wasn’t as delicate as I had thought — she squeezed so tight I could feel the bones creek under her grip.
“Not your real name, stupid. Your hero name. I’m Dragonfly.” She didn’t let go of my hand.
“ I…”
She sighed heavily, now she definitely could hang with Pa. “Alright, noobie. Stick with me and I’ll show you the ropes. But first… we better go clean up your mess.”
And just like that… I went from being a hero… to a side kick… Living in the big city is going tougher than I thought.
The men who remained knew their fate. There were those who accepted it and sat ready. Quietly lost in their thoughts of family and joy. Some had sat in regret, others rambled on in a nervous attempt to quiet their fears.
No matter which route they chose, they knew this rusty old transport would be their last.
“This is bullshit, sir.” Duke’s voice echoed into each of their helmets.
“You’re hot mic’in. Sergeant.” Commander Williams said. His voice was the epitome of calm, cool and collected. Almost. As if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“With all due respect, they have the right to hear anything we say. You know we don’t stand a chance against that bug, sir. This is suicide.” SGT Duke leaned forward and looked down the line of men toward his commander, near the front of the drop ship. It was dark but he still knew where the old vet sat.
“Be that as it may, Duke. We all knew what we were signing up for when we took the oath.”
“Yeah, I signed up to stop the rebellion on Theron Prime! No one said shit about being ripped to shreds by oversized cockroaches!” Specialist Banks yelled, the sarcasm oozing from his lips.
“Shut the Fuck up, Banks!” Duke barked. “He’s got a point though, sir. We could commandeer this bird and high tail it out of here.”
A bright red light flashed on above their heads, illuminating the 12 men in its crimson glow. Commander Williams stared up at the bulb and laughed.
“Well, looks like that options off the table, Duke.”
“Guess so.” Duke raised his rifle and pulled the charging handle. The plasma rifle whirred to life in response.
Screams and gunfire could be heard from outside the transport ship. The ground shook beneath them and a blood curdling roar ripped through the air.
“Gentleman, Stand Up!” Williams shouted, and all 11 men stood on command. Still bound by honor.
“I’m not going to blow sunshine and rainbows up your ass. We’re here to buy those weak rich fucks time to evacuate. We aren’t supposed to survive but…”
Another tremor shook the ship so hard that several men grabbed the straps above their heads for support.
“But I don’t know about the rest you, but I want to stomp this bug and get back home. Stick with me and you might just do the same. But if you find yourself alone burning from the inside out and surrounded by fire and brimstone. Don’t worry, you’ve just arrived to the rendezvous point early. We’ll meet ya there. Sergeant?”
“Lock em up, boys. Let’s get it!” Sergeant Duke slammed a fist into the black button to his right, instantly lowering the cargo ramp on the ship. Revealing their prey.
“Regroup Hell!” Commander Williams cried!
The marines roared “HooRah!” In return and bolted down the ramp guns drawn and firing.
The men of Bravo Company, rushed into their own legend. The true account of what happened that day will forever be in question, as the only survivors of the Hellgoth crawler incident, was Commander Williams’ Unit the “Skulls”.
