Superheroes are Stupid

02

Superheroes have been around ever since I was born. I grew up reading news articles in school about superheroes yet again saving the day and putting villains behind bars. All around me my friends would gush about their favourite heroes, argue over who was the best hero and try to drag the opinionless me into their conversation.

Unlike my crazy friends, I've never really thought about what I would do if I encountered a superhero myself. Much less how I would react if a hero actually ever swooped in to save me from danger.

I guess I'm about to find out.

I slowly turn around, heart thumping loudly in my chest, as I meet the masked face of my saviour. He has just about everything a male superhero needs: a sharp jawline, chiseled features and a large, muscled build. His entire head is covered by a white mask that reveals only his lips, and there's a big white 'S' is stamped in the middle of his red, capeless spandex suit.

"Drop the weapon. And the bag. Now." His voice is deep and strong, and the piercing glare in his eyes makes a small chill run down my spine. The mugger doesn't look like he stands a chance against this guy's tall, muscled build.

"Who are you?" The mugger asks, though the attempt to mask his fear is miserable.

"The name's Strong Man," the hero replies confidently, gently nodding my way to get me to step aside as he moves forward to confront the man. His gaze is kind and I spot a dimple on his left cheek when he smiles at me briefly.

Strong Man. The hero responsible for the hell in the ER today. And the hero who's saving me from this pinch now. Damn, I can't decide how I feel about this guy.

"Never heard of you," the mugger spits back. "You one of those fake supers? Wear a suit and walk around acting like you're a hero?"

"You can find out later," Strong Man says, putting his hands up as if to placate the agitated man. "But first, put the knife down. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

"No. You let me go with this bag and pretend like nothing happened. No cops."

"You know that's not possible. I'll need you to return the bag and come with me to the police station."

The mugger laughs incredulously. "I don't think so." With that, the man lunges forward, the shiny silver blade of his knife gleaming in the moonlight. He goes charging forward like a bull, but Strong Man easily dodges the sloppy attack. The process repeats over and over, with the guy haphazardly swinging his knife at the hero who manages to avoid each swing with ease and grace.

Despite his multiple failed attempts, he doesn't give up so easily. His face tightens angrily when his crazed eyes meet mine, and I feel a sense of dread. I back away when he starts to run towards me, but thankfully Strong Man is hot on his heels and speedily catches up, kicking the mugger's back. It knocks the wind out of him, sending his body flying to the ground, along with his knife and my bag.

It's not enough to incapacitate him though, as he manages to get back on his feet remarkably quickly, heaving and trying to stay balanced on his feet. Now weaponless and at a complete disadvantage, he attempts to run away, but Strong Man is in front of him in a flash. The hero delivers a hard punch straight to his abdomen, and the mugger immediately crumples to the ground.

A sigh of relief escapes me. Strong Man retrieves my bag from the ground and closes in on the man who's having a hard time getting up. I feel a little bad when I see him clutching his stomach and writhing in pain.

"Here you go," Strong Man says, placing my bag in my eager hands.

"Thank you," I say, cracking a smile for probably the first time today. "How did you know I was in trouble? I didn't get to call for help."