Outlaw: Into The Fire

Chapter 4

Hey everyone this ones going out to my cover maker Fiction_Chica.

A/N: at the bottom.

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Edited by BizarreSmalls

Chapter 4

I can hear music playing. It’s Saturday, so there shouldn't be any music playing, because I didn't set my alarm. I don't want to open my eyes ‘cause what's the point? My world will still be nothing but blackness. I think to myself, for the hundredth-plus time: Every day has been like this since the bank robbery. The last thing I saw was the blonde haired hero Crystal Shard diving for me, her clear blue eyes filled with determination. Then the lights went out and it's been nothing but black ever since.

Though not everything has been darkness. There have been a couple bright spots in my life since I lost my sight. I found out what a true friend Abby is, and then there's the boys. I smile as I think of Theo and Owen. Both of them are special in their own ways, but they also share a number of qualities as well. They both are kind, soft spoken, and have a quiet strength that would shock most of our classmates.

Owen is our very own boy genius. I wouldn't be surprised if he graduates from college at the same time he graduates from high school. He could lord his intelligence over us if he wanted, but he doesn't. He try's to fit in for Theo's sake. The two of them have been friends since their day-care days. His clothes were functional, not stylish, when I had my sight and Abby says they haven't really changed since then. He just doesn't see the point in wearing a forty dollar name brand shirt, when he can get a four pack of plain shirts for the same price that serves the same purpose. Abby tells me he still wears a pair of small reading glasses when he read's. I smile as I remember those little glasses perched on the end of his nose like a college professor.

 Those glasses drive Abby nuts. Not ‘cause she doesn't like them, but because they give him a little classic nerd flair. Her red headed amazon of a friend has it bad for our resident boy genius. I've asked her why she hasn't asked him out. When I asked her, it was one of the few times I've ever seen her blush. Okay, I didn't really see her blush. She got really quiet and when I put a hand to her cheek, it was hot. I ask her what gives? She tells me she feels like, “a monkey banging two sticks together next to him.” That Owen thinks she’s just some dumb jock and not worth his time. I had to fight not to laugh at her. She's not just some “dumb jock” by any means. She has a two point nine GPA. I told her everyone feels like a monkey banging two sticks together next to him. She just grunts and asks me, “what about you and Theo?”

My heart flutters at the thought of him. I thought he was a sweetheart even before I lost my sight. My so-called friends thought he was weird with his old-school manners. Like holding open doors for girls, or smiling and saying hi with a nod. He was always reading. Who am I kidding he still read's a lot. He reads what he calls the, “original heroes.” His books have knights fighting for virtue, wizards battling monsters, and rogues with honor protecting those they love and care for. He told me that with a shy smile I thought was cute.

 Then I lost my sight, All my “friends” but Abby, bailed on me. When I came back to school, it seemed like no one but Abby knew how to treat me. As I was going to class with her, and my books were knocked out of my hands, she took off after the person who hit me. So I was left there floundering, trying to find my stuff. I hear paper rustling, and books scraping across the floor. A hand grabs mine and I squeak in fright. I can't help but smile at the memory. I ask who it is, and I hear Theo's voice. “Sorry, I forgot you can't see me.” he says. He had forgotten I couldn't see. He still saw me as the same girl I was from before the robbery. I can never thank him enough for that. After we collected my stuff from the floor he looped my arm through his like an old world gentleman and took me to my next class. Abby later told me he was blushing beet red when he lead me through the door of the classroom.

 Then at lunch that day he and Owen asked to sit with me and Abby. I had to hide the blush that flushed my own cheeks at the time. Everything was fine for a couple weeks after they joined us at lunch. I truly got to know how sweet and kind they both are, our professor and quiet knight. Then the bullies started using Theo and Owen to make fun of me. I had to fight back tears. Not because they were making fun of me. I was off pissed beyond belief that they would stoop so low as to use the boys that way because they couldn't go straight at me. I could almost feel how much it hurt the boys. That because of them I was being made fun of. I thought to myself “How Dare They!” do that to them. The boys didn't sit with us the next day at lunch. That really hurt a lot. I made Abby take me to where they were sitting. I wouldn't let those dick's win. I sat right next to Theo for the first time that day. I had always sat opposite him before. I made sure to let Theo know how much it had hurt for him not to sit with us and I made sure to let him know not to do it again

 “Don't make me change the music to oldies, girl. I will play nothing but ‘Come on, Get Happy’ all day long if you don't get up.”

 God I hate that song. She’s just being mean right now. Andromeda, or Andi, for short is my A.I. assistant. Crystal Shard gave her to me before I left the hospital. Besides Abby and the boys, she’s become one of my best friends and is my constant companion.

 “Fine Andi, I'm getting up. You do know it's saturday, so why the hell are you getting me up?” I grumble at her and she just laughs in her chiming musical voice.

 “Well you’re the one who want's to do something. You very well can't do that if you’re sleeping the day away.” She says it so matter factly I want to scream.

 Damn her and her logic programming, but she’s right. Before I went to bed last night I decided I needed to do something. Everyone around me is doing something. Abby is taking another martial art's class. She's already taking Karate and Judo. Now she’s taking Tae Kwon Do as well. It almost makes me think she wants to hurt someone. Theo has been working out with Leon for the last month. I blush as I remember the last hug Theo gave me on Thursday. He still has plenty of “padding” as he calls it, but there is noticeably less of it than before, and I could feel the muscles underneath it. I think Owen is working on something big. Every time I'm near him lately, I can just pick up smells that remind me of the auto shop classroom. I really wonder what the professor is up to.

“Maddie, snap out of it, you’re drifting.” I sigh and get out of bed.

 Andi guides me to the clothes I want to wear today. I go through my morning routine. I still haven't thought of anything I can do. Granted Andi has already found me a gym where one of the trainer's is teaching me to box but that doesn't feel like enough. What else can I do.

 “Has there been any hero news?” I hope and dread her answer, ‘Cause most hero news lately has been to report deaths.

 “There has been no news broadcast's. All of the pro hero radio stations are off the air and I've found no pro hero net cast either. I've confirmed dozens of reports and sightings of heroes continuing to fight, but everyone is too afraid to say anything. Not after what happened to Hero News.”

 After the government outlawed heroes, the TV broadcast Hero News refused to go off air. They said just because the government abandoned the super heroes, they wouldn't. The studio that broadcast Hero News was attacked by villains the first time they went on air after the heroes were outlawed. They killed everyone on air and threatened to do the same to anyone else who refused to stop. After that, everyone started shutting down.

 “So heroes are still out there fighting and no one is reporting on it except when they are killed. No one is telling people that there are still beacon's of light out there. People should know that there are still heroes out there in defiance of the villains and the government's ban.”

 I like how that sounds a lot. A smile curve's my lips. A beacon in the darkness. Idea's start bouncing around in my head. Just ‘cause I can't fight doesn't mean I can't fight. I giggle at how strange the thought sounds in my head, but for some reason it rings true for me.

 “Andi my girl, I've figured out what I can do.” I clap my hands together.

 “Oh may the motherboard preserve me. If I could get scared the look on your face right now would terrify me.” She groans at me.

 I will become my own beacon of defiance in the darkness.

This is for Chica. Words have untold power. Don't be afraid to use them.