Erin lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the awkwardness of last night still twisting in his gut. He hadn't meant to kill the mood, but something about that moment with Liz lingered—unresolved, uncomfortable, and unfinished.
His thoughts were shattered by Marlin's booming voice.
"WAKE UPPP, SLEEPYHEAD! IT'S BOARDWALK TIME!"
Erin groaned and shoved his palm into Marlin's face, pushing him across the bed.
"What boardwalk?"
"I got us tickets," Dan said, suddenly appearing in the room.
Erin blinked. "Those have been sold out for weeks."
Dan just grinned.
Erin pulled on a white shirt and stuffed the compacted version of his suit into his pocket.
"Alright. I guess a day off sounds pretty nice."
***
To Erin's surprise, the boardwalk wasn't too crowded. Whether it was due to its massive size or inflated scalper prices, there was plenty of room to breathe. The group wandered among the attractions, the salty breeze making everything feel lighter.
Lisa locked eyes with a monstrous slingshot ride labeled "DEATHBED."
"We're doing that!" she yelled, grabbing Marlin and dragging him toward it.
"Wait! Don't you wanna eat first?! Or ride something less fatal?!" Marlin's voice faded in a scream.
Tommy elbowed Erin and nodded toward Liz. Then toward the ride. Erin took the hint and traded places.
"Wanna go on the ride together?" Erin asked, doing his best to sound smooth.
One glance at Tommy told him it had come out anything but smooth.
Still, Liz smiled. "Why not? It looks fun."
Score.
They got in line—which, as expected, was a million people long. Erin welcomed the time to talk.
"About last night..." Liz began. The knot in Erin's stomach tightened.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shut down. I'm trying to open up more, it's just... hard."
A rare moment of vulnerability. Erin felt honored.
"I'm sorry too," he replied. "I should've just listened."
She smiled, a small one, but real. "It's okay. I just don't always—"
Her words faded as Erin's eyes drifted downward.
Something... unusual.
Below them, in the water, a figure moved—creating a whirlpool. A literal tide spun from his presence. Another super-being.
Erin's pulse spiked.
"I'll be right back," he blurted, already pushing through the crowd.
"What? Erin—"
But he was gone.
He darted through the crowd at a normal pace, eyes scanning for an alley. Once hidden, a blue flash burst from the shadows—Hypersonic had arrived.
The strange figure in the water looked just as shocked to see him.
Covered in green scales, he clutched a trident and wore a strange, purple bulb-shaped helmet.
"WHO ARE YOU?" the being shrieked.
"Local superhero Hypersonic. Are you evil? You gonna start stuff?"
YOU ARE READING
Acceleration
ActionThree weeks after being stuck by lightning and gaining supernatural abilities, Erin Evidrone decides to become his city's local Superhero. With his aunt and best friend backing him, Erin must navigate his last year and-a-half of high school while ke...
