Fiction Exercise in Characterization

Fiction Exercise in Characterization

Superman could see as he flew rapidly to the burning skyscraper that most people seemed to have already escaped. Using his X-ray vision, he found the tiny room on the eleventh floor where the mother and her injured child were trapped, unable to escape the waves of smoke and the heat of the fire.

He zoomed through the broken opening where a picture window had been an hour before. The waves of heat made everything in the apartment seem to waver. Superman had to shake his head to clear it. He had been saving people for 32 hours already without a break. He was overdue for at least a nap!

Swiftly he spotted the laundry room where the woman and her baby were hiding. The wall right next to the room was on fire and the door was blocked by a fallen bureau. He knew from experience that using his super breath would probably extinguish the fire here, but it might make it worse in other parts of the apartment. His hands were unprotected and could feel pain, but right now they were his best tools on hand. Without wasting a second, Superman thrust his hands into the fire, grasping the wood of the bureau and flinging the burning furniture out of his way. There were the unfortunate, frightened victims, wide eyed as they saw the Man of Steel in front of them. It was a moment’s work to scoop up the both of them and fly down the hallway and out the side of the building to safety.

Superman flew down to the sidewalk and deposited the woman and the baby there, where an ambulance crew took them away for treatment. Sergeant Young walked over to Superman, shaking his head in frustration.

“What is it, Sergeant?” asked the Man of Steel.

“Superman, something terrible just happened. Without warning, a large piece of wooden furniture, maybe a wardrobe, shot out of the window there and landed on two of my officers. I’m afraid they’re dead!”

Superman was startled. It must have been the bureau he had thrown moments before. The police sergeant noticed Superman’s expression.

“Superman, do you know how that piece of furniture happened to fly out the window like that?”

Superman knew that his reputation might be harmed if he told the policeman the truth, but his personal code of ethics demanded nothing but full frankness. “It was my fault, Sergeant, I’m sorry to say. In my haste, I threw a bureau out of my way when I saved the woman and her child. I had not thought of where the furniture would land.”

Superman was filled with exhaustion, but now guilt became the stronger emotion. “I am very sorry for that. It was a horrible error.”

“Superman,” began the cop, “I know these past days have been tremendously difficult for you. Perhaps you should have rested before you went out again to save more people. I know you meant well, but in saving two people, you cost the lives of two others.”

“I know,” said the Man of Steel. “I can never bring those officers back, and it’s my fault.”

“I never thought I’d say this, Superman, but … you are under arrest.”