Best Friends with Superman's Seed

Episode One - Part Three

Episode One - Part Three

Skunk clamped his grimy hands over my mouth, and growled lowly. “No noises either,” he hissed, “Or else you die.” Then he jerked his arm tighter and started running, splashing cold puddles onto my pants.

I struggled to keep myself on my feet, but Skunk ended up dragging me most of the way. As mud sloshed between my sneakers, I began to feel tears make their ways to the corners of my eyes.

Dang it!

“Oh so now you crack down on me,” he muttered, “I figured you’d at least stay on fire ‘til we got there.”

My heart was pounding so violently inside of my chest, that I couldn’t think, let alone fight back with snark.

“Please,” I rasped, “Just let me go! I have money! Just let me go!”

“I never fall for beggars,” Skunk sneered, “Now shut your pretty little trap. We’re almost there."

I was just about to give up. Sooner or later, I’d end up either dead or part of a gang. Closing my eyes, I prepared for the worst.

“AHH!” suddenly shouted Skunk as his arms were ripped from my neck. 

“AHH!” I screamed in unison because his scream had scared me stupid. I fell forward, now not in the support of the gang leader’s grungy arms, and collapsed onto the soiled pavement. Rain water soaked deeper into my already drenched jeans, tightening the material against my knees.

Behind me I heard punches being thrown and pleads being begged. But ultimately Skunk met an unfortunate demise of dirt for dessert.

I didn’t need to turn around to know who was the “hero”.

Still gasping from the sudden allowance of free air, I breathed in deeply and put on an annoyed face.

“About TIME!” I hissed, whirling around to see the Silver Streak.

“Oh, so you can’t handle yourself?” he answered, raising an eyebrow.

“I didn’t say that, Pajama-Man!” I countered, pointing to Ryan’s outfit. Though it wasn’t really pajama-looking, I didn’t have a fresher comment on the tip of my tongue.

“Oh, this?” he gestured, pointing to the metallic blue suit that reflected well against the stormy sky, “I seem to recall that YOU picked it out...”

I had. Well, sort of. I had designed the color scheme back when his Mom had decided that he needed to start having a double life.

“Whatever, Mr. Take-Forever,” I rolled my eyes, “The point is that I now have to walk home in soggy underwear because you couldn’t put you’re costume on in time!”

“Hey!” Ryan laughed, “It takes a excessive amount of energy to get it right! I don’t just wear these nylon shorts under my pants!”

“You mean spandex tights?” I pointedly remarked, crossing my arms.

“For someone whose butt just got saved, you sure aren’t very grateful,” Ryan mock frowned.

“For someone who’s a reclaimed Superhero, you sure aren’t very fast,” I retorted.

“I’m faster than a speeding bullet!”

“Not fast enough, apparently!”

“Oh that does it!” Ryan growled jokingly and lunged at me, throwing my short body over his shoulder. I attempted to fight back, but my writhing was pointless. I was trapped beneath hands of steel.