Corbin Imagines

Corbin feels like a stranger from his peers. He has a complicated imagination for his age and finds comfort in the pop culture themes from his parents generation. Corbin imagines different worlds and

Corbin was only seven. A curious kid with long blonde hair and curious brown eyes. To most kids his age, he could have been thirteen, despite his small stature. This was their perception because of his inventive and detailed imagination. Where most kids his age were watching shows like Baby Dog’s Express, and The Groddstones, Corbin was into action movies from his parent’s childhood. This was evident from his toy collection at home. Movie posters from an unknown era hanging on his walls, like Cretaceous Park, Fang, and An American Werewolf in Berlin, along with a few detailed action figures not even built for playing with. Corbin had several friends, but they never knew one another, only Corbin. He liked it that way. He knew that blending the different friendships together would never work out for him in the end. Corbin got along with almost everyone, but not everyone else did. He knew there would be fights, and some would fight for his approval. He also loved playing with toys. A thing only he and his friend Eric did, but they didn’t play with toys the way other kids did. They made their own story lines, character arcs, drama, conflicts, and emotional endings. These are the things Corbin was growing up with, and he loved to create his own. A style of play that his friend Greg was not astute in. 

Greg was one of Corbin’s oldest friends. They met when they were three. Greg moved from a rougher part of the city, a lifestyle Corbin only knows of in movies. Greg’s father grew up there, and did everything he could to get his family and son out of there. He literally did anything. Greg’s father currently has three years left in federal prison. He stood taller than Corbin, with a darker skin complexion, and short matted hair. His eyes and nose always appeared bigger than the rest of his face. Like a little nasty troll character he saw on a cover to one of his mother’s many fantasy novels. He would always wear shirts that were too long and baggy over his skinny body, and shorts that would sit above his knees. Even at age seven, Corbin felt that Greg’s traditional kids way of playing was too “childish”. Crashing cars and dinosaurs into each other. But why? Corbin thought. Why would that happen? Unless...Corbin’s imagination flickers on in seconds. Suddenly he knew why…

An evil scientist has created dinosaurs in his secret lab up on a mountain. It’s escaped, and not even the army can stop it’s destruction. Only one man can save the city...

Corbin ran into his apartment, and came back out with his all time favorite superhero action figure, “Breakthrough!.”Greg was too much into his own mind, smashing and making non-realistic sound effects to even notice - Corbin is about to write the next B movie classic. The kind Corbin loves!

His voice, recognizably young alludes to a much older experienced sound.

“Hold it Dino dude!” Corbin poses the toy in a heroic way.

“Corbin, what are you doing?”

“What? I’m...I’m making the story more exciting!” Corbin exclaimed. 

“I don’t like Breakthrough.” Greg said sulking.

Corbin’s hands drop like rocks to his side, and tilts his head in confusion. 

“Since when?” Corbin asked loudly. “We saw the movie last month!”

“I liked the movie, but the guy is dumb.” Greg’s opinion began to slice through Corbin’s feelings as he felt himself flaring up. “He’s just a wrestler with super powers, and he can’t even fly! So he’s just a super strong wrestler. It’s dumb.”

Corbin’s heart sinks to his stomach. Breakthrough is the first superhero he ever saw, back when he met Greg. He blew his mind. Maybe even changed his life. 

“He’s also a real person Greg!” Corbin retaliated. “What’s not to like about him?”

Greg goes back to playing childishly with his toys.

“I don’t know. Whatever.” Greg’s voice fades out. When he gets this way, it could be a little intimidating for Corbin. He doesn’t know why it has to be that way. Greg doesn’t appear to be intimidated by anyone. Corbin stands there with his hands to his side, fist clenching his shirt. He looked at Greg, who focused on playing. His enthusiasm starts dipping, and eventually drops his toys. 

“I’m gonna go home Corbin.” Greg slouched. “See you tomorrow.”

Corbin spaces out, glued to the healthy grass fields of the apartment complex they have been playing on. The buildings were set as a huge square, where everyone lived in the inner perimeter. There are two huge grassy patches in the middle where the kids play. Split down the center is a sidewalk leading to a friend of Corbin’s who moved out a year after he moved in. He never understood Corbin either. He never liked that no one understood him. He was never trying to ruin anyone’s fun. He just wanted to make it more exciting. Greg rises from the child imprint of flattened grass he has left in the ground and awkwardly runs back to his apartment. 

Corbin grabs his toys and heads back inside. Moments pass, and he returns to grab Greg’s toys that he probably forgot about on accident. Inside Corbin’s room, he places Breakthrough on his shelf next to his assortment of other great action figures based on some of his favorite movies. Some that had toys, and were not even meant for children. Like Officer Robo, one of Corbin’s all time favorite action movies, even though it’s violence and satire sails over his head. He’ll get it one day. 

The following day in Eric’s backyard, which held a decent sized pool in the center, nicely in the freshly cut grass, Corbin gets to try out Eric’s new “Terf guns”. These were some of the coolest toy guns he has ever seen. These new assets to his friend’s arsenal, shoots thirty foam bullets, mini gun style Eric had been asking for them ever since he saw them on tv. In Corbin’s upbringing, toy commercials seem to have gotten less aggressive than the decade prior, however they seem to be more over the top. With bright orange and blue colors, and over the top acting. It was a world where “kids ruled, and parents drooled.” They both stood opposite of each other, several feet away in a fighting stance. Eric was the quiet kid in class who always kept his head down, and cried on his first day of school. He was taller than Corbin by a couple inches and had short brown hair, a pale complexion, and a long bird like nose  with a slim face and rail thin body. He wore sandals, with a matching grey shirt and shorts. It was a hot and beautifully sunny day. The kind Corbin loves because he too can wear his favorite red shorts with the cargo pockets on them. For the two friends, this backyard was a blank canvas for their imaginations to shift and move freely. Right before their very eyes, the landscape changes... 

It is dusk on the planet Narr. A wasteland cradling memories spanning centuries of battle. The evil dictator, LORD REXAR has betrayed the Narr peace treaty, and has committed mass genocide on the planets entire populace, along with kidnapping the Princess. He stands a tall lanky figure, eyes filled with rage. His bald head, covered in liver spots and scars etched over his face. Where black damaged armor fits tightly over his chest, there is an absence of protection on the remainder of his clothed body, leaving his arms and legs open for better mobility. Like any great conqueror, one must be able to fight hand to hand, and fast if needed. All but one stands in his way. The heroic IION! He stood six feet tall, with broad shoulders, and a squared off chin. Red battle armor placed roughly on his arms and chest, with white paint scratches riddling it. His hair was wavy, black and oily. IIon is confident and always ready for battle. Kicking dirt up through the smoggy air, Rexar fires several large blasts from his wave cannon. IIon barely ducks behind some large rocks. They won’t shield him for long. IIon, with panther-like agility, leaps out from behind the rocks and fires at Rexar’s cannon in mid air, destroying it. Rexar lets out a frustrated scream and throws down his busted weapon to ready his fists. He knows it’s pointless, but Rexar never gives up. IIon has recovered from his attack, and hastily points his ray gun towards the battle damaged tyrant..

“It’s over Rexar! Lay down your arms and tell me where the princess is!” IIon sternly commands. Always the hero. Rexar’s thoughts are infected by the many times IIon has received applause throughout his life. Always the perfect son, never the bad seed. Where IIon stood tall, Rexar slouched even so far as below his own shadow. Nothing could be any more infuriating...except for IIon’s loud and arrogant voice. What an idiot. A perfect idiot. Then, an unexpected occurrence happens. One the Galactic Nations or even IIon would never have expected. Rexar gives up. 

“You win IIon. I have ended this planet's population. Being defeated by you is a welcome price for my victory.” Both his hands are stretched behind his head.

IIon harshly glances, gun fully charged and pointed for Rexar’s chest.

“What you've done here is just...you will be executed for this” His voice somber in tone. IIon never wanted this for his brother. He never wanted a lot of things.

Little can IIon see, Rexar’s left sleeve loosens up and a knife gently glides into his hand.

“Yes IIon, you are right. My crime is punishable by death…” He tenses up.

“But only if I’m captured!” Blink and you might miss it, Rexar hurls the knife.

IIon acts fast! His leg muscles tense up as he falls back. The knife sores above his nose like an arrow. His weapon goes off through the air making a curve of laser blasts swooping upward. He hits the ground hard, blurring his vision. By the time his eyesight clears, he notices the bladed weapon jammed in a bolder. The blade unharmed. It’s obvious. He was lucky. IIon looks down to notice Rexar, with a huge charred hole in his chest. Rexar stumbles on his knees in confusion and pain. Before IIon can get fully to his knees, Rexar faintly drops to the ground.

“Rexar!” IIon stumbles to his feet, dropping on his face, and blowing dirt from his mouth. He lifts himself up again and darts for the fallen villain.

“Rexar!” He cries out again. IIon cradles him in his arms.

“IIon...IIon…” Rexar’s voice is faint, and groggy. He gargles his words while blood ejects past his lips. 

“IIon...you did it. You...You bloody monkey!” Rexar’s voice strengthens up more lively with laughter.

Eric is on the ground with Corbin cradling him. Both boys are laughing hysterically.

“Shut up!” Corbin cries out laughing. “Shut up, I love that movie!” The line stems from a movie his father loves. “Time of the Gorillas”. He doesn’t really understand the context of the movie, but he loves it because his dad does. 

Eric’s eyes begin spraying tears in laughter. Corbin hugs his stomach to bring the laughing pain to a standstill. The laughing goes on and on and on until their lungs begin contracting and losing air. 

“Oh my God that was funny!” Corbin yelled.

“Bloody monkey” Eric yells back laughing again. Corbin responds with more laughter. You would think the poor boys were being tortured. After what feels like a joyful lifetime, the two boys manage to compose themselves. 

“You ready?” Eric asked. A huge sigh of air blows through his mouth, like a whistle.

“Yeah, let’s end this.” Corbin replies. His voice cracks and annoys him. He wants to get back into the part. Laughter is still slipping through. Finally, he calms it...

Rexar with a faint voice, coughs up blood.

“IIon...I’ll tell father you said hello…”

“No Rexar, we’ll get you help!” IIon cried.

“Don’t be an idiot! I have a hole in my chest.” 

“Oh yeah…” IIon looks down. Reminded of the damage he inflicted.

“Why did you do it Rexar? Why did you kill everyone?”

“Because...you were always better than me.” Rexar’s gaze turns to the sky.

“I see it IIon. I see the light.”

“The light?” Asked IIon. 

“Yes, I’m coming home…” Rexar’s eyes start to fade.

“Rexar wait! Where's the princess?” He demands.

“Goodbye brother…” Rexar’s eyes turn to a cold stare.

“Rexar!” 

Out in the distance, a rude voice slices through the boy’s imagination.

“Boys! Corbin, your mother is here!” The voice’s place of origin is of Eric’s mom. Her voice slurs like a woman who has had too much to drink. Corbin can’t think of a day when he hasn’t seen her like that. Eric gets embarrassed by it, especially when Corbin thought that was how his mom naturally was. Eric’s dad was barely home because of her. Eric liked hanging outside more than in, so he could keep to himself, or play with Corbin. He was a good kid. Hopefully he would stay that way as time passes. 

The two boys snap back to reality. 

“Coming!” Corbin yelled back. “Dude this was awesome!”

“Yeah! We played out Cyber Troopers for a whole month! I can’t believe you wanted Rexar to kill everyone!” Eric said with excitement. He loved this. It was like watching the latest episode of a show they loved. 

“I thought he should commit a horrible crime so he could be more complex and sympathetic.” Corbin teaches while gathering up the toy guns.

“Next time, we have to play Xterminate! It’s been a while.” Eric says with a yawn. He stretches his arms up high where his t-shirt is lifted above his belly. Corbin could notice Eric still wears teddy bear underwear. He kept the visual to himself, but he chuckled in his head. 

A week later, Corbin is in the car, excited for his destination. He’s allowed to sit in the front seat. That always made him feel cool, but he had to wear his seat belt. That wasn’t so cool but he felt cooler than his friends who always had to sit in the back. Corbin notices the community playground sign. He was getting very excited for the swings. Cradling in his hands is his favorite Breakthrough action figure. The only one fully possible, with no gimmicks and better articulation than your average GI-Joe. A few scratches of paint and loose joints by his legs linger from some very good times. His mother slowed the car down, and eased into the first parking spot next to the gated entrance. His mother was a tall woman, with a slender face, but a pudgy midsection. Her hair was always blonde and straight. When she was younger, she was curvy and had the most striking blue eyes any man has ever seen, like an angel. They now droop between her thin nose with faded black bags. Like in her high school years, she was very quiet and kept to herself, but that didn’t stop most boys from noticing her looks. Something she secretly enjoyed. So much so, she would sometimes wear skirts that would show more leg than normal. Now, after Corbin was born, or maybe even before, she seems to have lost most of her glow. There seem to be stresses hidden from Corbin. As soon as the engine shut off, Corbin came running out. Greg was on the swings kicking his feet, when he spot’s Corbin dashing to him. 

“Corbin!” Greg yelled, pushing himself off the swing set, and meeting Corbin half way. 

“You want to go back on the swings?” Corbin asked gleefully.

“No, I was on them already.”

“Oh.” Corbin paused. His tone changed in mere seconds. “I just got here.” He continued. “Do you mind?”

Greg’s face got grumpy. His eyebrows lowered, almost covering his eyes. “No Corbin, I don't want to go on them again.” Greg replied aggressively. Corbin didn’t know how to respond. Greg’s voice got louder and it made him uncomfortable. Out in the distance, came another voice.

“Corbin!” The mystery voice screamed. 

That’s a familiar voice, thought Corbin. His body froze. Corbin turned to the playground entrance. It was Eric. 

OH NO, Corbin thought. His stomach tightened. His insides began turning. He never wanted to mix friends. Especially since he probably liked Eric more than Greg. 

“Who’s that?” Asked Greg. Corbin was silent with a thousand mile stare. 

Eric came running up excited. 

“Hey guys!” Politely leaning out his hand to Greg for a handshake. “I’m Eric.”

Greg looked confused. He wasn’t sure what to do. 

“That’s weird.” Greg said. Eric started looking confused too. Corbin forced himself to snap out of it. 

“Shake his hand dude!” Corbin said, the tone of his voice raised. 

Greg looked angry, but shook Eric’s hand anyway. 

“What are you guys up to?”  Asked Eric, feeling excited again. 

“We were about to go on the swings.” Corbin said reassuringly.

Greg glanced at him. A sour look on his face. Corbin was the shortest one of the three, with Greg as the tallest. He stands there between them. His nerves were spiking. Feeling so...different. The two friends both notice Corbin holding his Breakthrough toy.

“Oh man Corbin, you still have that?” Eric asked.

Corbin’s face turned red. The question came off as arrogant. Like suddenly he felt better than him.

“Yeah. He’s my favorite.” Corbin said coldly, defending himself.

“It’s really dumb though.” Greg intercepted.

“Not dumb” Eric said. “Just kind of boring. I liked him when I was three.” He laughed.

Corbin’s insides felt reorganized. His head started flaring up with heat. His eyes were getting blurry. 

“He’s a real person ya know.” Corbin said with his voice breaking. 

“Dude, I’m sorry.” Eric said with a soft voice. “How about we go on the swings?”

Corbn’s feelings started lifting up. Greg didn’t want to go on the swings, but Eric did. He always thought this would be really difficult, but in fact it’s pretty easy. Corbin would rather ditch Greg, and go on the swings with Eric. 

“Okay!” Let’s go as high as we can!” Corbin yelled, as he ran off to the swing set. He ran before Eric could say anything. It gave Corbin a feeling of safety to get out of that annoying situation. Corbin made it to the swings and landed stomach first on the seat and gave out a comedic grunt. His limbs hanging low touching the dirt below. Turning himself around, he saw Eric was still with Greg, talking. Corbin didn’t know what was happening. He couldn’t read lips, but he could tell that Greg looked annoyed. Eric just talked back, but they were laughing. The playground was packed with kids, and the noise of others yelling and playing muffled any conversation Eric and Greg were having. Corbin didn’t say anything. Eric gestures over to Corbin to come join them, as they both run off exiting the playground. No one seemed to notice them leaving. Corbin didn’t go. Instead he just pushed himself up in the air swinging. Imagining. Staring at kids younger than him playing on the metal monkey bars, and the hot metal slide that most kids burned themselves on if they wore shorts. He looked up at the sky...it began to change. It turned red. Blood red.

A meteor is coming to Earth. It’s up to Bruce Savage and his small group of friends to save the planet from destruction. Slamming a shuttle door closed, Bruce maneuvers his mighty build into the front seat of a rocket. He is a tall man, about six three, with slicked black hair. His jaw is as squared as a Greek God, and his muscles are barely contained in his white t-shirt. He looks like a man who could bench press a fridge.

Bruce buckles his belt. 

“Okay everyone, this is it!”

Buckling up behind him is Bruce’s daughter Jean, and behind her, is her boyfriend Ben. Jean is a petite blonde with a slender build, and light voice with puffy blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She could be mistaken for a pinup model. Ben is almost as tall as Bruce, but with a slightly smaller frame, and his shirts hang over his athletic build giving his muscles room to breathe. Like a well kept farm boy.

The rocket ship blasts off!

“Daddy, I don’t think we will all make it!” Jean cried.

“Don’t worry baby!” Ben reassures her. “Your father knows what he’s doing, don’t ya?”

Bruce hears Ben’s remarks as sweat starts down his face, but ignores them. He grinds his teeth. Then calms his demeanor.

“I want you both to know...I love you very much.” Bruce says strangely with a warm tone. His eyes never move to face his family. Glued to the cosmic void where stars streak past them like lightning bugs. 

The two look at each other before looking back at him.

“Daddy?” Jean asked. Concern in her voice.

Suddenly, the masculine and gruff Bruce Savage jettisons himself out of the rocket. 

“Bruce!” Ben screamed. Tears begin rolling down his perfect Hollywood cheek bones. He always loved Bruce as a father he never had, even though they got into fights most of the time. Bruce probably never wanted him to marry Jean. The two never talked about it, even up to this point. Both Ben and Jean are unaware that Bruce set the controls to bring them back to Earth. Jean cry's, and starts to unbuckle herself when Ben’s firm hands hold her back. 

“No Jean! No!”

Bruce has a jetpack with the new cosmic Atomic bomb placed firmly under his arms.. The one the trusted doctor gave him. The one Bruce never told his daughter about. Just like when he never told Ben he loved him and had his blessing to marry Jean. Bruce starts to freeze and fade away as the jetpack heads straight for the meteor. A tear is able to make it’s quick escape from the ducts of a very stern but loving man. To both Ben and Jean’s amazement, the meteor, and Bruce are gone in a soundless explosion. 

“Corbin!” Cried out his mom. 

Corbin had no idea he spent the whole time on the swings by himself. Most of the day has passed, and the playground has emptied.

“Coming mom!”

Driving home, Corbin is quiet. In his tightened grip, is his favorite Breakthrough toy.

“Are you okay honey?” His mother asked.

“Yeah, just thinking of some cool things.” he replied. His mother could never tell when Corbin was lying about his feelings. Somewhere deep in his mind, a strange deep and heavy feeling was weighing him down. Something feels...wrong. This happens to him every now and again, but the most frustrating part of it all is that he never knows why, but in the midst of it all...something always happens. Usually bad.  

“You didn’t play with anyone.” She started. “Was anyone mean to you?” If there was anything in this life that his mother still cared for, it was Corbin. Probably because no one ever cared for her much as a child, and usually paid more attention to objects, and what everyone else was doing for work. As if that was the only way you mattered in life.

“No.” He said. 

Looking out the window, he noticed them drive past a police car. The blue and red lights shining so bright, almost blinding him. 

“Where did Greg and Eric go?” Corbin asked, never removing his eyes from the lights.

His mother, rubbernecking at the police car, noticed a search dog sniffing around, and two officers looking down a grassy ditch. It was in the woods by the highway just a mile away from the nearest dollar store. Impossible to tell what is happening. 

“I didn’t see them honey.” She said coldly, staring off in the mirror as they passed the scene. “I was in the car reading a little.” Her voice returned to normal. 

Corbin looked in the mirror at the blinking red and blue sirens fading off in the distance. 

“What was that mom?”

“I don’t know sweety. Looks like they are looking for something.” Her voice changed again. “This is a nice town.” She said out loud to calm herself. His mother was never good with tragedy. When her mother passed, Corbin didn’t see her for a whole month. She locked herself away in her room. Only his father was allowed to see her, but it was only to eat. Corbin would sometimes hear weird sounds coming from his parents room late at night. Was she in pain? Corbin never asked. 

Finally getting home, Corbin walks into the living room. The biggest room in the whole apartment, where three lamps are needed to light the whole room. He walked over to a huge tube television, and grabbed the remote where he headed straight for his favorite part of the couch. Always his go to. His mother started for the kitchen, where Corbin’s father was. He was passed out in a wooden chair by the kitchen table. The kitchen has seen better days. Food stains questionably stick to the walls, and the sink has been full for weeks. Corbin really loved his father. When he was born, his father gave up his career as a boxer, and dedicated his life to his boy. Corbin sometimes called him John, because that's all he hears when they fight. John. Always loud. Always in pain. John. John was a tall man with black hair, a contrast to Corbin’s blonde. He did however have his father’s brown eyes. He had a stocky frame and an always bruised looking nose from his boxing years. Corbin was unaware of his father’s hidden drinks. His mother always knew. When he would get like this, he never cared what Corbin called him as long as it wasn’t “disappointment”. A hateful word used by both John’s father, and Corbin’s mother, who walks up behind him, sighs and starts rubbing his shoulders. John remains asleep. Once Corbin sat on the big couch, leaning on the right arm, both feet curled up under him, he clicked on the TV. Still holding his Breakthrough toy. One of his favorite cartoon shows was airing reruns. A show that premiered a decade ago, “Tales of Duck Man.” Suddenly it is interrupted by a Breaking News story. A very attractive blonde woman with a red blouse, and pinned up hair, sits cheerfully smiling as she reads from the unseen monitors. She looks like a woman John told Corbin about when he was a teenager. Very pretty, very rich, and very fake.

“Tragic news. Famous wrestling champion and hero, Breakthrough, has died in the ring today during one of his matches. Breakthrough, whose real identity is still unknown, always had challengers try to defeat him in the ring, and expose his weakness. Seems like someone finally has.” 

Corbin dropped his arms, where his Breakthrough toy lay on his side. No emotion from his face. Corbin just sat there, looking blank. The harsh red tones of the news broadcast cease; and his cartoon continues. 

The Tale of Duck Man is concluding with the hero having taken down his arch enemy, Max Mallard.

“Don’t you forget Max.” Duck Man exclaims. “Wherever there is evil, good will always triumph.”

“Blast you Duck Man!” Max Mallard gargles out with his cartoony, over-the-top voice. Duck Man knocks him on the head with a club, where Max is silenced. Cute little stars and fairies float around Max’s head in a circular motion. The loud obnoxious soundtrack plays, and the screen goes black. 

Author's Note

This is a short story I wrote off the cuff. I read it to a book club in South Carolina, and everyone really liked it. I figure now, I would post it for everyone to enjoy.