Adventures of A Superhero - Part Four
Put To The Test
Anna Gemstone was dressing to meet her best friend, Alexis, for lunch at Nobbie’s, a very cool sit-down place where hipsters and money-people go for the good food and the ambiance. Anna hadn’t seen her since the party and what with everything that’s recently happened, it was a case of just being busy sorting out her new life.
As she dressed, she could hear the news at the same time when the anchorman started in on a story that grabbed her attention.
“This is an odd story, but a few days ago, a man, Ralph Kingston, was arrested for violating a city ordinance and while being taken to jail, he kept claiming that a, and get this, a flying woman had put him on a tree limb. His claim has yet to be substantiated, but, recently, another claim was made by one, Mindy Abrams, stating her husband held a gun on her when a woman appeared from nowhere and had walked through her front door, mind you, I said walked through, not burst through or kicked in, and took away the gun, then tied him up. That was how the police found him. Two separate reports of a mysterious woman with powers. Were these statements true; does this mean comic books are coming to life? Does the world really have a Super girl? And if she does exist, will she make herself known to the world? Or is she something that could prove to be menacing. After all, if you read comic books or seen the many Marvel movies, you know that when these hero’s save the day, they generally leave behind a huge mess. Buildings destroyed, streets torn apart, and so forth. We will try to have more on this if we can make contact with this supposed super-powered woman.”
Turning off the TV, Anna started wondering about a few things he said. Would she cause unnecessary damage in order to do the right thing? How should she present herself to the public overall? Should she even continue with what she was given by Axion? Would these powers be her eventual downfall?
“Bad enough I get my period every month. Bad enough there aren’t any good, available men worth dating, and now I have to wonder if all these powers I have are right to use. I hate being a woman sometimes. Just too damn much we have to put up with!
“Maybe this lunch with Alexis will take away some of the angst I’m feeling right now. But what would she say if she knew what I have become? Would she think me a freak? Nah. Alexis, if I know her as well as I do, she’d want to tag along and be my partner, which would never happen. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll explain to her how this all came about and confide in her what my hero world is about, she’ll be there for me.
“But, say I do tell her and some bad guys find out and take her hostage to get to me? I’d be putting her life in danger. The very thing the newsman was talking about. No, telling her is out. I hate keeping secrets, especially this one, but I love her like a sister.
“Maybe this weekend, I’ll fly out to see my parents and tell them. They have a farm with a couple cows and a few horses, plenty of open space where I can explain and show them what I’ve become. They are good at keeping secrets. That’s something I never learned from them.
“Decisions, decisions and more ….”
Her cell buzzed. Picking it up, she saw it was Alexis.
“Hey Sweetum’s, what’s up, girl?”
“Called to say I’m five minutes from Nobbie’s.”
“No worries. I’m on my way and should be there about the time you are.”
“Good. We have some catching up to do and want to tell you about Allen.”
“Allen?”
“Yeah, he is such a hunk, and for a change, not your average, hi, nice to meet you, let’s go back to my place, asshole.” She laughed. So did Anna.
“Let me get off the phone and see you in a few.”
Anna finished putting on her designer tennis shoes, took a quick look in the mirror in her white silk embroidered shirt and her Fabriana jeans. Perfect.
Just as she was walking out the door to quickly run crosstown, her sensitive hearing picked up a distress call.
“Mayday! Mayday! Our bearings are 60 degrees north and 120 degrees northeast off the coast of Madagascar! We are caught in a massive water typhoon. Holding our own, but we need help! We will be capsized! Three of us here! Mayday! Mayday! Our bearings are ….”
That was all Anna needed to hear and in a split-second of thinking, she brought out of herself, another her, identical down to each hair on her head.
“I need you to go to Nobbie’s and have lunch with my best friend. I have to go save some people.”
“Why don’t we both go? After all there are three people to save.”
“I got this, okay? Just go to lunch with Alexis. Do you know how to get to Nobbie’s?”
“Silly question. After all, I am you.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.”
Anna was able to dematerialize her clothing and stood in her power-outfit which was once again red.
“If I can be back in time before lunch is over, we can meet in the ladies room where I can put you back inside me. Damn that sounded weird.”
“No problem. I kind of enjoy the extra experience of being in two places at the same time.”
With no more said, and time running out, Multiple Woman sped across both land and water toward Madagascar. Seeing the forty-five-foot yacht being hammered by winds and sweeping deluges of water, she hurriedly dipped below the thrashing waves caused by the typhoon’s funnel and positioned herself under the center of the yacht and propelled herself upward until they were well clear of the storm and finding an open area where it was safe to land on, Multiple Woman set the yacht down gently.
The three people stared back at her with awe and complete surprise. Of the three, Jimmy, age twelve, took out his smart phone and took a picture of her and in seconds, she was now all over Facebook, and soon to be all over the Internet.
Multiple Woman knew what he did, but it was too late. Now she knew when the time was called for, she wouldn’t have a choice but to come forward.
The rumors of her existence were about to become true.
The other Anna Gemstone, sped crosstown, and walked through the open doorway of Nobbie’s. Seeing Alexis, she waved, as Alexis waved back.
Yes, she thought, this was going to be so much fun.
*****************************************************************************
https://theprose.com/post/219055/birth-of-a-super-hero-the-beginning
https://theprose.com/post/219863/adventures-of-a-superhero-part-2
https://theprose.com/post/220766/adventures-of-a-superhero-part-3