Chapter 2

Ooh Hero.

A smile spread ridiculously on my face. I closed the door behind me and sighed with great relief. Those words pounded the heart in my chest a million miles an hour. The elevator button blinked at the rhythm of my fast paced heart as I waited next to the large metallic mirror-like doors. I analyzed myself in the clear reflection.

I was crazy for even thinking I had a shot with Jo. I mean, just look at me. I have nothing to offer any woman, let alone the most beautiful creature on the face of this earth. My fingers went to my blonde hair that was gelled into the desired windblown spike effect�"like a five year old. Sometimes I’d spike it into a Mohawk. I was bad then�"right? No.  My hands sunk to my side in defeat. I caught a glimpse of the clothes I was wearing. I grudgingly looked down to the apparel chosen for the day. I wore tan Khaki’s with a green and white argyle sweater vest which was lovingly paired with a very fashionable plain white tee. Crushed, I sunk my head even lower. My gaze then shifted to the floor where I caught my shoes. I wore black and white Chuck Taylor high tops. They were one of the three pairs of shoes I owned. First being these awesome sneakers, Second a magnificent pair of black dress shoes, and third a duo of nice flip flops for the hot summer months in Miami. Like I said, I didn’t get as much as Phoenix Oreson. Pathetically, I adjusted my shirt in the metallic doors. Everything about me screamed LOSER.

As I stood waiting for the doors I let my mind drift. This was going to be the year�"I knew it. I would change my whole image not only to Jo but to the whole entire world. I would be the big strong cool guy Jo wanted. We’d go to all the dances as she wore strapless gowns with her hair up so all you could focus on was her rocking bod. People’s jaws would drop as I would bring her into the ballroom on my right arm. Above all, Phoenix Oreson would gape at us in envy and he’ll think I can’t believe I let her go. I had this all planned out. This�"this would be the year I could feel it in my bones. Something was about to change.

Finally the doors to the elevator opened and I leapt inside as if I’d already made the change and life was becoming great again�"I was far from wrong. After the long journey in the small room the doors opened letting me off in the lobby. My feet carried me casually out of the familiar room towards the revolving door. Jo’s parents owned the hotel she lived in. It was a very upscale. Many celebrities would come and stay in these hotels. For a single night the rooms were almost three hundred dollars. That price was just for regular rooms. Once you wanted a suite the price would skyrocket. I would never to afford to stay in anything this nice. Luckily I had Jo who let me stay for free. The Summers family�"Jo’s family�"lived in the hotel on the top most level in a three bedroom two bath suite. I enjoyed coming here compared to my grungy beaten up apartment. I came to Jo’s often to escape the current marital situation of my parents which seemed to be wrecked at the moment.

Miami is chilly at night in the fall to most people who are Florida born they might say its freezing. As a Florida native, I tucked my arms closer into me. There weren’t many people out on the street which was strange. My phone slid out of my pocket easily as I reached for it. I snapped it open to check the time. The numbers shone 1:05 AM on the bright LCD screen. It was later than I had expected. The numbers proved that time flew when I was with Jo.

My apartment was only 20 blocks away. I’d walked it a million times but today something didn’t seem right; like someone was watching me. Cowardly, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and walked a little faster. A slight wind picked up and grazed over my body. Every hair on my body stood on end. Chills ran up and down my spine as the cool air whipped against my warm cheeks. The T-shirt around me wasn’t making the cold air easier to take. My body reacted to another whip of cool air. The thought that someone was following me filled my mind. I turned my head slightly just enough to gaze behind me. A single man walked behind me about 25 yards away.

I whipped back around and walked faster. My head tilted and out of the corner of my eye I saw the man had also picked up speed. I knew then that I was being followed. My legs jump started into a jog and so did the man’s. Immediately, my mind shot to Jo. I should’ve taken that ride. I tried to justify my choice: I didn’t realize how late it was, I really did need some fresh air. Sweat began to bead above my eyebrow not only from physical excursion but from mental strain. I was trying to wish this guy away. Perhaps if I thought hard enough he would just not be there anymore. My mind again went to Jo as I ran faster. She would want someone who would stop and fight the man. She would need a Hero like Phoenix, someone who could stand up for themselves. ‘What better time than now to change?’ I thought quietly to myself. I was strong�"probably stronger than this jackass following me.

 Somehow I got the courage to stop. With every un-frightened bone in my body I leapt and pivoted. My arms came up to my face balled in fists ready to fight. My heart pounded loudly inside my chest that I was sure the man could hear it. The hair on the back of my neck stood on my end and the balled fists shook uncontrollably.  When I turned there was no one. Was I seeing things now? I was so enthralled with becoming a Hero that my mind was imagining men following me. There probably was never anyone behind me. How pathetic.

I of course looked around the rest of the street to make sure that no one was watching. Luckily there was no one there. My cheeks still heated red from the embarrassment. I turned around on my heels and continued on my way home. Even with no one behind me I still couldn’t shake the creepy feeling. Just to make sure I again spun around and cocked my arms. For the second time, no one was behind me: “What the hell?” I thought out loud.

Just as I was about to turn back around and finally head home a hand came from behind me in a dark alley and covered my mouth. My body lurched forward trying to get away but I failed. In pure instinct I kicked and punched anything I could�"my body was fighting, not me.  Another man came around to my feet. I recognized him as the man following me earlier. He was short and scrawny with a five o’ clock shadow hanging on the bottom of his chin. He picked up my feet and we began disappearing into the alley. Adrenaline pumped through my body as it fought my kidnappers. They stayed steady through my resistance. I obviously wasn’t strong enough to take on two men�"probably not even one. The hand over my mouth smelt of garbage and there was an overwhelming stench of alcohol surrounding me. These men were drunken kidnappers and I was going to die.

 We reached the end of the alley. I was dropped flat on my back. The air blew flew from my lungs with the painful drop. I coughed trying to get all of the air back�"another fail. The two men stood in front of me blocking the only exit. Behind me was a moist brick wall that had a strange substance growing on it. I scooted back and touched the sticky mold-like moist. The brick was covered in the disgusting stuff and now my back was also. I sighed realizing I thought about my clothes before actually safety.

I rolled over and picked myself off the hard concrete below which was not the most comfortable place to be. The two captures stood in front of me with their chests pounding and their shoulder squared ready to start something. The taller man wore a torn up T-shirt and jeans. His face told me he wasn’t too much older than me. I knew this because of the smooth face. Not a wrinkle was on any portion of his skin. Dark eyes stared down at me underneath a baseball came with a NY logo on it. 

I tried to look around the two men to find some sort of escape. There was nothing but a letdown. There was no way I was going to get out of this.

“Give us your money.” The shorter man shouted hinting a drunken slur. His clothes were almost the same as the taller man. He wore a dark trench coat over his body and didn’t own a baseball cap. His face was less pleasant than the taller mans. More wrinkles seemed to cover every inch of his face. A red puffy scene seemed to come over it also. This man was obviously an alcoholic.

“I don’t have any.” I answered. ‘Nice tough guy. Way to stick up for yourself,’ I thought in the back of my mind. How would I ever become a man?

The taller guy spoke this time: “You heard him�"give it to us.” The taller one seemed to be even more intoxicated than the shorter man. They both slightly swayed as the wind blew past them.

“I said I don’t have anything.” My voice cracked and my cheeks flushed red. Lucky for me it was dark and the thief’s wouldn’t be able to see the red�"as if I should be worrying about being embarrassed in front of the people ready to kill me. Bravely, I stepped to the two men. They both eyes me carefully as I walked closer to them: “Now let me go or I’ll�"”

“�"or you’ll what?” the taller man snapped�"finishing my sentence. Cold metal touched the right side of my head. The gun cocked and my heart exploded into a fast sprint. The pistol sat right over my left ear. The soft material rubbed against my hair making that annoying scratching sound inside my head. 

Slowly I backed away. I was trying to find the wall again. At least there I had something behind me and I knew no one could sneak up on me. “Listen I’ll give you my wallet, it’s all I have.” My hands fumbled clumsily behind me as I tried to grab the leather pouch from my back pocket.

“What a shame,” The man said as he brandished this pistol. He looked at the metal that shined in the moonlight from above. “I hate to kill you�"you seem so nice.” His hands swung and connected with my face. My nose cracked and exploded in pain. A gush of blood soon followed, dripping down to my lips and then falling onto my sweater. My hand immediately shielded the wound dropping blood into my palms. Tears welled up in my eyes and I tried to blink them away�"like a man. A right hook to my ribs dropped me to the ground. Look at me�"curled on the floor crying. If Jo Lee saw me now…

Somehow the thought of Jo lee flood the strength I needed into me. I jumped up from my pathetic state and ran after the men. I flailed and kicked anything my body was connected to. I was like a flailing wretched helicopter with slappy palms. I hit them a couple times until a hand went to my neck and I panicked, stopping all of my movement. A shove from the hand on the back of my neck pushed me back into the alley.

Just as I regained my balance the tall man aimed, the trigger was pulled, and the bullet flew directly at my face. My eyes snapped shut and I waited for the worst. People say that right before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes�"all I saw was darkness.

 A warm hand met my chest and my eyes shot open. The two men were frozen in time the bullet stopped mid air aiming right to me only inches from my face. The hand spread on my chest and I began to look up the dark arm to the face. Before I knew it I was on the ground again. Time started once more and I watched the bullet slam into the chest of my Hero. The Hero stepped back and absorbed the bullet into his chest. The Hero stepped forward and started walking towards the men.

I gasped along with the culprits. My eyes searched for the face of the Hero. He wasn’t the usual Hero; there was no spandex, no cape, and no news crews. All he wore was a sweatshirt and jeans with the sweatshirt hood pulled up over his head. The Hero’s face was covered by only a single mask covering his illuminated silver eyes. They were shining like two strategically placed head lights. The alley was lit with the two silver gems in the center of the pale face. This was my Hero�"He was saving me.

 The two men’s eyes grew wide with fear as the Hero took two more steps towards them. The shorter man took off but didn’t get far. Instead, He flew up into the air and dangled upside down as if someone was holding him by his ankles. The taller started walking towards my Hero and shot two more shots into the Hero’s chest. The Hero absorbed them both as if they hardly hurt. As the taller man got closer the Hero’s leg swung straight up into the bad guy’s face. Blood came from his nose just as did to mine and he buckled to the floor just as I did also. The hooded Hero flipped the man over and the culprit was soon hand cuffed. The Hero stood straight and soon the shorter man was floating next to him. My two culprits were handcuffed together�"reunited again.

They floated to the curb and sirens were soon heard from around the corner where the police station was placed. The Hero turned on his heels and took two large steps over to me. His silver eyes looked over my whole body as if he was scanning it like an x-ray. He casually kneeled in front of me. His bare hand cupped my nose. It heated up and the pain soon diminished. The breath in my lungs escaped with a gasp as he carefully took the pain away. His eyes focused deeper in on my body and his warm hand went to my chest once again. There was a pain in my ribs that I hadn’t realized before. The Hero soon found it. I flinched and his eyes snapped up to mine. They filled with a silent apology. I forgave him. I tried to see if I recognized this Hero. There seemed something almost familiar about him, but I’d never seen him before. There was something new about this Hero; something bold and reckless. The hand heated again against my ribs and the pain soon escaped my body and I exhaled. The Hero’s hands left my side and he stood without any strain. His eyes caught mine and they seemed to say ‘be a little more careful.’ The eyes zeroed in on me for a second and they flicked over my face as he stood in front of me. The police cars were coming closer and he knew he had to get out of there�"he was the mysterious Hero, he didn’t need news crews.

With a blink of my eye the Hero was gone just as quickly as he came. The Police cars finally arrived and they came to the opening of the alley. My eyes stayed up as I ran�"maybe I could catch another glimpse of my Hero. It was too late�"he was gone.

Reviews

[Shayne Plunk]

I'm really liking this! ^^ Good work!