Hero

Save the world shit

"We are a little bit worried about this break in your CV. We are aware what you were doing within this time frame, but for brevity we still have to ask."

"I was acting under the governed hero guide, as Chaos, I did not change my name because I did not want to be secretive, for the same reason I did not hide my face. I did this for the whole gap listed, well I started at fourteen, so before I finished my education, but after my education ended, I continued for the further gap of five years."

"So, you can understand my fear here, I mean, you have almost no points of, well, anything."

"I understand, yes." This is bullshit. It should not be this hard to get a job, I've been a damn superhero! Is that not worth like, at least a thousand brownie points? "I've gone back into education, if that helps at all, I'm doing an overall science foundation at London uni of logic."

"That does, somewhat help, yes. Can you get us a couple of references from your current education, just to show us you're reliable in a professional context."

"Yeah, I can do that. Do you need anything else from me?"

"I actually have a question, off the record." 

"Off the record?"

"Yeah, just, person to person."

" ...Go for it." I just know this question's gonna piss me off, but whatever.

"Why are you here man? Why aren't you like, still saving the world, seems like a pretty sweet deal."

"Alright, let me ask; what's your power?"

"Oh, uh, I can control water."

"Then why aren't you a firefighter?"

"Well, I, uh... I guess I'm scared. But if I had your power I wouldn't be, you're like, powerful."

I sigh unconsciously. "Do you even know what my power does?"

"I guess not, look I'm sorry if I hit a nerve, I was just curious."

"Sorry. Sorry, I'm just so bored of that question. Everyone has asked me that since I quit the program. My friend asked me that, and he's not even a hero, he works in accounting, here, that's how I heard you had positions open."

"No, I think I get why that could be like, actually the worst."

"Hey, it's life, I guess."

"I do have another question, actually. Are you gonna change your name?"

"I don't know, maybe, no, yes?"

She laughs at that, and I smile back at her, the weird interview tension leaves the room entirely. 

"So just all the answers then." She says through her laughter.

"Yeah, I like my name, honestly, I just think maybe the other people in the data analysis department might find it a little weird."

"I mean, a name's all you, dude. My best friend's name is Xylophone, we all call them Xy, but on documents and stuff, Xylophone."

"That's cool. Yeah, I think I might keep it. Try it out for a bit at least."

"Hey, you got a nickname for when we hire you?"

"Am I already in?" We laugh lightly in that daytime-tv fake way. "Cay is good, that's what they've always called me."

"Sweet! I'll shoot you an email once we get you all worked out!"

"Thank you! Really sucks that I'm gonna be in a completely different section."

"Eh, we'll still chat sometime." She stands up with me to shake my hand. "Lovely to meet you, Cay."

"Lovely to meet you too!"

The moment I get out of the tall office building, a huge breath of relief and exhaustion leaves me; a large cloud of rust coloured smog swirls around me a little before dissipating into the sharp cool breeze.