All My Life

17| A hero is born

"Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half of their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairytale."
-Peter S. Beagle

It's been a week, a week since I realized that something is different with me, something that terrifies me. Each of my sense has strengthened and this weird tingle that I feel every time I am even remotely in danger, making it much more difficult to endure Flash's beatings. The first time I punched him out of instinct, I broke his nose, but instead of things working out in my favour, it just got worse with Flash getting his goons' help to beat me up.

I stand in front of a television shop telecasting a live broadcast of a fight. I stare at the screen as it shows the Scarlet Witch confining the blast of a suicide bomber through her magic and throwing him into a nearby building, making huge pieces of debris fall from the skyscraper. My eyes widen in fear as I watch people scream in horror before a news speaker appears.

"The following footage from Lagos has created a mass panic among the general public all around the world. The government of various nations seem furious regarding the incident and demand for some control over the superhero mutants."

Some people around me start whispering regarding the situation and my dialled up senses makes it impossible for me to focus on the news.

"That witch is a freak."

"I knew these freaks are dangerous."

The screen focuses upon a bald man wearing a grey suit. "I know the incident has created an obvious tension among our citizens, but I'd like to assure everyone that the necessary precautions will be taken for public safety."

The screen moves to a woman who is apparently the main interviewer of the show. "Mr Haber, what are your opinions on the so-called mutants?"

"I believe that these mutants our a significant threat to humanity, their unnatural powers make them unpredictable and dangerous." I frown at the man's statement. How could he say that about the very people that were defending the entire planet?

"So do you agree they are freaks?" The female reporter asks and I feel a burst of fury in me at the sounds of agreement from the crowd around me.

"I won't deny it."

Damn you, sir!

I shake my head and push my way away from the crowd, frustration building up inside of me. I walk to the grocery store where I was headed and start putting the listed items in the cart. The shop remains the usual until I hear a scream from the payment area. I run towards the sound and my eyes widen in shock.

A man with a black mask stands with a gun pointed at the cashier's head as the terrified woman throws the money in the robber's bag. I stand there frozen and watch as a man in another corner of the store pulls out his phone.

Every cell in my body screams for me to do something but the harsh words on the television prevent me from even moving a muscle. The man pulls a child from his mother's grasp and points the gun to his head. The mother screams for help but to no avail.

I can't let them see...

"I will blast his head off if any of you moved even a single inch!" The man threatens. I stare in horror at the boy whose sapphire eyes shined with unshed tears but he didn't let out a single squeak.

I find the courage to walk towards the man, but my own thoughts keep pulling me back. I can help him, I know I can but why can't I move.

So, do you agree they are freaks?

I slowly move towards the man, making sure he won't notice me. Just a simple twist of his hand and the boy will be able to get out of his grasp, it's an easy shot, a strong twist and then a run, especially with the super-strength.

I halt when I had almost made it behind the robber as his face was turned in the opposite direction. My hands go numb as self-doubt plagues into my brain.

I won't deny it.

Suddenly, the loud sound of police sirens echoes from the nearly empty streets and my eyes snap towards the robber and the child in extreme fear. "Gosh damn it!" The robber screams and before I know it, the loud boom of gunshot echoes, followed by the thumping of the child's body as the masked man sprints out of the doors.

No...

I slide to the floor beside the bleeding boy, his lifeless blue eyes staring at me as if blaming me, haunting me. A woman screams from behind me before I hear loud footsteps running towards. Crimson blood runs down the boy's forehead and I keep staring at him until my view is blocked by a sobbing woman.

It's all my fault...

I feel numb as I stand up from my previous crouched position before walking out, my mind going blank yet it feels like a thousand thoughts are exploding in my brain altogether. I feel empty, almost nauseous at myself for being such a coward. So damn coward that it cost a child his life.

Empty, yet so heavy...

******************************************************

It's nearly 11 pm when I slump down on my bed after the takeout me and Aunt May ordered. She kept giving me worried looks the entire time but I didn't find the energy to reassure her thought that I was, indeed, okay. How could I when I was drowning in guilt, suffocating, hurting.

I stare at the ceiling, feeling drained from today's incident, the guilt swallowing me whole and weighing down my shoulders. I close my eyes, only to be greeted by the lifeless sapphire eyes of the bleeding child, looking at me with disappointment, making me launch up with a gasp.

I am sorry...

My eyes fall upon the open notebook on the study table with various chemical formulas scribbled upon it.

Web Fluid...

I pull up my bag pack and bring out the metallic gadget which will supposedly hold the fluid. I sit in front of the table and start working upon my creation. The bright blue eyes motivating me to do something, anything.

I can't let it happen again, never again...