totally meta

chapter 47

Henry ran up to the small, unassuming property nestled in the woods. His heart was racing, and he fidgeted with his hoodie as he stopped himself. The place didn't look like much—an unfinished shed, a couple of trailers, and some scattered tools lying about. The kind of place that didn't immediately scream "home" but had the telltale signs of a hard-working man making the best of his circumstances.

Henry's fingers tightened on the plastic strings of his hoody. Why am I so nervous? he wondered. He had faced meta-humans with the ability turn their skin into metal, fought alongside people with powers that defied nature, and yet this—meeting his father for the first time—made him more uneasy than any of that.

He glanced down at his clothes: torn sweatpants, a hoodie that was too small, and a shirt that stuck out awkwardly underneath. He regretted not dressing better for the occasion, but there was no turning back now.

Taking a deep breath, Henry approached the middle of the yard. As he approached the property, he was relieved to see someone outside, chopping wood. The steady thud of the axe striking logs felt strangely calming in the quiet of the woods. He had been dreading knocking on the door to a stranger's trailer, unsure of who or what might answer.

The man chopping wood looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, his rugged frame wrapped in a worn flannel shirt. His movements were steady, purposeful, as if the task was second nature to him. Henry hesitated for a moment, then decided to approach.

"Uh... excuse me," Henry said, his voice a little shaky. "I, uh... I'm looking for Lucas?"

The man paused mid-swing, the axe resting on his shoulder. He turned to look at Henry, studying him for a moment. His eyes softened, and a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"You came to the right place," the man said, setting the axe down and wiping his hands on his pants. "I'm Lucas."

Henry swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat. "I'm Henry. Your son."

For a moment, there was silence. Henry didn't know what to expect. Anger? Regret? Some kind of awkwardness? But instead, Lucas took a step forward, his expression filled with something Henry couldn't quite place—relief, maybe? Or perhaps joy.

Before Henry could say anything else, Lucas wrapped him in a tight hug. It was strong, warm, and reassuring in a way Henry hadn't experienced in a long time.

"I've waited a long time for this, kid," Lucas said, his voice thick with emotion. He pulled back slightly, looking Henry over with a grin. "You look like me when I was your age, you know. Just taller."

Henry chuckled nervously, still taken aback by the warmth of the welcome. "I wasn't sure if... you'd even want to see me."

Lucas shook his head. "You're my son, of course I'd want to see you. I never stopped thinking about you, Henry. Never stopped hoping you'd come looking for me someday."

Henry felt a knot loosen in his chest. The fear he'd carried for so long—that his father might not care about him—was starting to fade.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," Henry said, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets. "Things just... got complicated."

Lucas nodded, understanding. "Life's messy like that. What matters is you're here now."

They stood there for a moment, the air filled with the scent of pine and the sound of wind rustling through the trees. Henry wasn't sure what to say next, but Lucas seemed to sense that. He put a hand on Henry's shoulder and gestured toward one of the trailers.

"Come on, let's sit down for a bit. I've got some coffee inside, and I'd love to hear about you—everything you've been up to."

Henry smiled, feeling a strange sense of comfort wash over him. He had expected this reunion to be awkward, maybe even painful, but instead, it felt... right. Like something that had been missing for years was finally falling into place.

As they walked toward the trailer, Henry realized something. If the apocalypse really was near—if everything Mara said about the alternate Earths and the four horsemen was true—he was glad he had made this trip. He wanted to know his father, even if time was running out.

Inside the trailer, the warmth of the small space was a stark contrast to the chill in the air outside. The place was humble but cozy. Lucas busied himself with the coffee pot while Henry sat at a small, worn table. He could see old photos on the wall, one or two of a much younger Lucas, and even a few of what looked like Henry's mom, though he wasn't sure.

"So, Henry," Lucas said as he handed him a cup of coffee. "What's been going on with you? I imagine you didn't come all the way out here just to catch up."

Henry took a deep breath, deciding how much to reveal. "Well... I'm kind of... involved in some stuff. Some big stuff."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, sitting down across from him. "Big stuff, huh?"

"Yeah. You ever heard of meta-humans?"

Lucas nodded slowly. "Can't say I know much about them, but I've seen a few reports on the news."

Henry ran a hand through his hair, unsure of how to explain the full weight of what he was involved in. "I'm one of them."

Lucas's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't look scared. If anything, he seemed... proud. "Well, I'll be damned. My son's got superpowers."

Henry chuckled softly. "It's not always glamorous."

Lucas leaned forward, his face serious now. "Whatever it is you're dealing with, you don't have to do it alone, Henry. I know I wasn't there for you growing up, and that's something I'll always regret. But I'm here now. If you need me, I'll be there."

Henry smiled, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten just a bit. Maybe things were messy, and maybe the world was on the brink of something terrible, but for now, he was glad he had his father in his corner.