Dancing on Broken Glass and Fire (Discontinued)

Catching the Wind

Fireworks fill the skies as I hear people laughing and playing and talking excitedly to each other while they wait for Stark to make his grand debut. I just stand there silent in the crowd of people with Stevie and Bucky as they talk up a storm with their lady friends. At least they have someone to talk to. All the men avoid me as the women try to hit on me not knowing that I'm a woman in disguise. When they do realize, they quickly and quietly move on the their next victim. It kind of makes me sad as it seems the only people who will ever accept me are standing not even a few feet away from me, talking with their women.

In that moment, I decide to slip away and find something sweet to eat, preferably bon bons or cotton candy. I move fluidly through the crowd of people to the candy stand and pay for an unhealthy amount of bon bons in a plastic bag and three swabs of cotton candy one for me and one for each of the boys. I hurriedly put the bon bons in my pocket and walk back to the boys where they were finally watching the show. I was wondering when it would start and it finally did. A line of dancing ladies came forth as Stark made his presence and showed off a fancy looking car. I hand the cotton candy to the boys as I watch the car float in place. The hovering vehicle that he and I were working on for the past few months and I just hoped to God that it would work. It hovered there for a minute and people stared at it in awe as it safely made its way to the ground. Then the area erupts into cheers and applause at the sight.

Stark: I wouldn't have been able to do it without my good friend, Ekho Snow. Come up here Ekho.

He reached out his hand for me and I moved through the crowd and took it. He helped me on stage as everyone gave him and I a round of applause. We both bow and make our way backstage where he congratulated me on a work well done.

Stark: I meant what I said back there, I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. Thank you, Ekho.

Ekho: You don't have to thank me. It's my job to help you. I'd do anything to try and help you as much as I can.

Stark: Are you sure? Because I have another project that I'm working on and I need your help with it. That's if you're up for a challenge?

Ekho: Depends on how easy it is.

Stark: A super soldier serum capsule. I'm not even close to finishing it and it may take weeks, even months to work on it. And when it's finished I need a test subject to test it out. So... I was wondering if you wanted to... you know... help with that? And possibly help with being the test subject?

Without hesitation, I give him my answer.

Ekho: Yes, absolutely. I told you I would help you, right? Now about the testing part... I'm not so sure I would want to do that willingly.

Stark: But, if you're the one that's working on it there would be no faults in it right? Trust me. Please.

I look at him in hesitation but I give him an answer.

Ekho: Okay, fine. But if anything happens, that's your ass.

Stark: Thank you so much, Ekho! You won't regret it.

He give me a hug before running back on stage to finish the show as I sit there already regretting my decision. What would Bucky and Stevie say when I told them? No, IF I told them. Things probably wouldn't go too great. They would tell me I'm doing something stupid, that I'm walking down a dangerous path. Which I am. But, how could I say no to something like that? It was an offer of freedom to a whole new kind of world. I could be whoever I wanted to be. Do whatever I wanted to do. I could be an actual super soldier and the entire thing was being served to me on a silver platter. But... I couldn't do it, I fear that it would change me into something so entirely different that I wouldn't even be able to say that it was Ekho Snow anymore. It had to be someone else. Someone of the of pure heart. And I knew exactly who that was.

Steve: You want me to do what?

Ekho: You don't have to do it right now of course. Just whenever you're ready. Stark needs someone to... to test on and you're the perfect person.

Steve: Why can't you do it? You're the perfect subject.

Ekho: No. I couldn't. It's not something that would be good for me. But, I know it would be good for you. When it works, it will entirely change your body and all ailments and the likes will completely disappear.

Steve: So my asthma will be gone? Like forever?

Ekho: Like you were never born with it.

Steve: I don't know. I'll have to think about it.

Ekho: Of course. I'm not going to pressure you. Just take your time and come back to me when you've decided. Okay?

Steve: Okay. I'll see you soon, Koko.

Ekho: Okay. Bye.

I walk to the door but hesitate to actually open it. Then, without turning around, I speak to him.

Ekho: You want to know why I didn't want to do it?... because I feared that it would change me. Not physically but mentally. I knew that it would change my motives, my moral. Change the person that I am now, into someone completely different. Someone... something that I knew I wouldn't like. But you? You're quite the opposite. I know it won't change you. In fact it'll make you into a better person. That's why I gave the opportunity to you. Hoping that you would do it and choose to be the good that the world so desperately needs. That's why I chose you.

Then I finally walk out the door and into the cool air of the night. I take the long trek home, hoping that I would find something to take my mind off of the whole thing, but there was nothing but the odd white man or woman staring at me with loathing or longing. They wanted me and hated to me at the same time. To be both white and black, to be of both worlds and of neither. To belong in order and in madness. To belong to nothing but your own self. To belong to a war inside of your own being that you knew would never end.

To belong to everything yet nothing at once. That's who I am. Everything and nothing at once.