LIGHTFOOT (ONC 2021)

3.1| propaganda.

Bastion, Vamos, Clops, Sexwhale, and Dives were the five districts that made up Gluevale.

Vamos, aka City Center, was the largest district and where all the businesses were. Its size neared that of a megacity and was home to most fights between superheroes and supervillains.

Clops and Sexwhale were home to the low-class. It had generic-designed apartment blocks and poor roads. Most Gluevale residents lived there. Crime was at an all-time high as most residents couldn't find jobs because they mainly went to peculiars who chose civilian life. Superheroes ignored these districts and left them to corrupt cops.

Class-1, a few Class-2 superheroes, and upper-class mundanes lived in Dives. It was the cleanest and safest district in Gluevale. Private militias acted as personal guards for the residents, patrolling the streets twenty-four-seven.

Saint-Max lived in Uno, Bastion with his parents and little sister in a two-floor house. The upper floor was the home he shared with his family, and the lower floor was an antique shop he worked at during the day. A vintage, neon welcome sign with the words ALDINE ANTIQUE SHOP hung by the unbreakable glass window. It belonged to his great, great, great grandparents who passed it down their family line. It sold memorabilia gathered from superhero battle scenes from around the world. His parents had an army of Battle Scene Workers (BSW) who collected the memorabilia.

Saint-Max unlocked the antique shop's door and locked it behind him. The front counter had masks worn by the first twenty Class-1 superheroes from Gluevale who died centuries ago.

Captain Gluevale Sr., Bullet Sr., Slingshot, Anon, Rubble, Sammy Quick, Cannon Head, Plaster Face, Thriller, Normal Shot, Tornado, Poster Boy, White Savior Sr., Meanie Annie, Day Watch, Gatekeeper, Cool Factor, Dragon Fire, Worn Out, and Blue Lion.

The masks had their powers' residue, which his parents studied constantly in the secret laboratory underneath the shop. It was the shop's main attraction, as people had offered his parents millions for them. Sadly, they weren't settling for anything less than a billion for the whole set.

The tick of the grandfather clock filled the shop as Saint-Max passed through the narrow aisles with table displays on both sides. Inside were pieces of weapons used by superheroes and villains over the years. Although unrecognizable, any peculiar could sense the energy residue surrounding them.

Antique wooden cabinets stood behind the table displays carrying dolls, figurines, stacks of rare comic books, thimble collections, and broken pieces of statues. Oil paintings with carved frames hung on the walls, showing faces of the recently fallen superheroes from Tombstone City.

At the end of the room was the ticking grandfather clock, and to its left was a curved stairway that led to the upper floor. Saint-Max arrived outside the door and opened it. A woman's voice coming from the living room filled the house. He recognized her: Margareth Speaker. She was the top anchorwoman for Gluevale Today. The program averaged forty million viewers a night. Whether it was because of Margareth's beauty or Class-1 propaganda she spewed, people loved her.

Saint-Max found his parents and little sister on the couch watching Margareth. Before he alerted them to his arrival, he saw his face on the TV.

What's going on? he thought.

Margareth spoke: "Earlier today in Bastion, an Unranked had the nerve to call out our beloved superheroes and claim they were villains. The same superheroes who've risked their lives time and time again saving us, are now supervillains? Why? Because they didn't stop a burglary at a local convenience store that can't even afford security?"

Margareth laughed. The anchorman—Tom Jefferson—also laughed. He was a coon. Everyone knew it. He'd get on his knees and lick the sole of Margareth's shoes if she asked him. He was a disappointment to black men around the world.

She continued: "Well, sorry, Light Poop. Or whatever your name is. Our superheroes have been busy saving the world from monsters. There are sea monsters trying to take over. Space monsters trying to invade. Other dimension monsters trying to seize our world after ruining theirs. In addition, we sent most of our Class-1 superheroes to Tombstone City to help them recover after the whole dome incident. Sorry, Light Poop, that they aren't here to save your neighborhood from the Red Ski Gang. Mind you, this is a group of mundanes. You have police officers there; trust them to help you and not come crying to the media like a little bitch. If this is how you're going to act before you take the tests and prove you're worthy of being a superhero, then let me tell you this: we don't want you."

Saint-Max's father, Vince, turned off the TV. "Well, that was something."

"Do you think Saint has seen this?" Saint-Max's mother, Dina, asked.

"He has," Saint-Max's little sister, Melina, said.

"How do you know?" Vince asked.

Melina pointed at Saint-Max, who stood wide-eyed, thinking about what Margareth had said. "Because he's standing behind us."

Words: 830.

Total Words: 5191.