B.E.C.K.Y.: Am I A Superhero?

Plans, Planning and ....Plans?

Lew just stood there for a few moments, looking around him in wonder, eyes big as a kid's in a candystore. His jaw was slack, and there was an expression on his face of pure, complete, blissful delight as he let his gaze take in all that there was.

"I have been a huge superhero geek since I was five years old," the stocky, tattooed, burly pastor said softly, his eyes never stopping their wonder-filled gaze as he spoke. "You have no idea, NO idea, how cool it is for me to be standing here, in the hideout of an actual, real life, superhero!"

He suddenly laughed out loud and clapped his hands together, then laughed again as he fairly quiverd in delight.

To say I was shocked would be putting it mildly. I was watching a man in his 50s giggle, almost dance on his feet, in excitement! Who would have thought the man who spoke about God's Word on Sunday mornings with the voice of a drill sergeant was the same man standing in front of me and hopping about like a child unsure of what he should do first? Talk about crazy!

I let him giggle and chuckle for a few minutes, then almost regretfully, I had to break into his delight and bring him back to earth. Well, bring him back to the reality that had become my life, which was about as unreal as you could imagine!

"Lew, hey, Lew!' I actually had to speak loudly to make him stop looking around like he was and break him out of his daze.

*He seems acutely delighted by all of this.*

Yeah, Becky, humans can get excited about odd things.

*So it would seem. You said this man was sensible, someone we could rely on. Are you certain of this?*

Yes! Well, I think so.

The sound I heard in my head conveyed loud and clear what Becky thought.

"Sorry, John. I got caught up in the moment." Lew was nicely apologetic as he pulled himself back to being serious again. He cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and faced me full on.

"So, why tell me all of this? From what I saw of the Silver Shadow..." His lips quieverd for a moment and I dreaded another giggle, but he controlled himself...barely. "...why reveal yourself to me?"

That was a good question.

Why was i taking a risk like this? Sure, I trusted Lew, but still, revealing myself to someone, anyone, was risky for me, and for them!

*You said you are lonely.* Becky sounded only slightly miffed as he spoke into my head. But, it sounded like he understood.

I hoped he did. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, like arguing with someone when they are literally inside your head!

"I guess, I needed someone to talk to about all of this..." I swept my arms out to indicate my space, if felt weird to call it a hideout, and myself all at once. "...this is all new to me. I wasn't born this way at all!"

I nodded to chairs off to one side, inviting him to sit.

Why did I feel like I was going to confession?

I guess, in a way, I was.

Once Lew was seated, I told him my story, all of it, from growing up in Vancouver, BC, to meeting Becky, what he did to me, and what I could now do. I then told him about the Manson's Children and what I had learned of their plans, as well as who I suspected was involved. I let it all out, holding back nothing, not even that a certain beautiful detective had her suspicions about me.

Lew was a good listener. He was silent when he needed to be, asked just the right questions at the right time, and said very little. He just listened, not showing any reaction save for the occasional raising of an eyebrow as I spoke. It felt good to tell him, to tell someone, and let it off my chest; I felt tension leave me as I spoke and realized the stress of keeping everything secret had probably been weighing on me for months, maybe even since I had woken up from my unintended sleep,... coma,... whatever you want to call it.