Short Stories

Second Thoughts

"Do you want to know the best part about being a villain?"
"Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out. Literally. It'll give me more time to escape and save me the work."
"Ha, ha, ha. See, that's the problem with you heroes. You never have any fun. It's always work, work, work." I sigh, putting on a fresh coat of Chapstick. My lips have been getting chapped a lot easier lately. I stretch and kick my feet up onto the table in front of me, glancing at the man currently tied up and  hanging upside-down over a vat of bubbling acid. His blonde hair, featuring a solitary streak of bright electric blue, moves slightly with every small swaying motion that the rope causes. He glares at me from behind a grey mask with bright yellow highlights. I can tell his eyes are a soft blue. The rest of his body is covered in rope.
"And coincidentally, that's the best part of being a villain. All the fun you get to have!" I grin and do jazz hands, laughing slightly. "You have to loosen up, Somnium! You must be so stressed out all the time." The man named Somnium raises an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say. Now could you please hurry up and tell me your evil plan? I'm getting tired of hanging here." He sighs, swinging a bit with the breeze that's coming in through the open window to the side. I smile and raise my phone. "Say cheese!" With a click I take a picture of him hanging upside down and begin hacking into the security system of the city, gaining access to all the screens within the city limits, cell phones, TV's, everything.

"THAT was your evil plan? To take a humiliating picture of me?!"

"Yup. One hundred percent." I grin, not looking up from my phone.

"God, of course it was. How could I expect anything else from someone as immature as-" he cuts himself off as someone flies through the open window, landing in a heroic skid on the concrete floor.

"Have no fear, Somnium, for I, your best friend and partner in justice, am here to rescue-"

With a casual hum I tap another button on my phone, and a cage falls from the ceiling, slamming down around the newcomer. "Thanks for joining the party, my feathered friend!" I take my feet off the table and lean forwards happily. "Now we've got the whole gang here!"

The new person looks up at me in surprise. He has light brown hair, and small tawny feathers cover his neck and part of his jawline. Two massive hawk's wings sprout from his shoulder blades. Right now they're partially folded due to the cage.

"Red! What the hell are you doing here?" Somnium screeches, still swaying in the breeze caused by the open window. Red Hawk looks up at him through the bars of the cage. "Well I'm sorry for trying to help. I saw that you were in trouble and was trying to be a good friend. You were on every screen in the city. Jeez." He folds his muscular arms and sits down, his wings fluttering irritably. I smile, toying with the small hourglass around my neck.

"Yeah, Somnium, no need to be such an asshole about it. He was only trying to help." I giggle, watching as both of them turn to glare at me.  I stretch and stand up. "Ahhhh, what a beautiful day it is. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I have both of my mortal enemies in front of me, just waiting to be killed. I couldn't ask for a more perfect-" I cut myself off as I hear sirens in the background, rapidly approaching my hideout. "Oh, well that's a mood killer. Oh well. Better kill you quickly then!" I laugh and tap another button on my phone.

Both heroes faces pale as Somnium starts getting lowered into the acid and the walls of the cage start closing in on Red Hawk.  I laugh maniacally, watching them both near their death. Finally, I'll be rid of these two pests. And there won't be anything to stop me from carrying out my plans in peace and quiet. Without any worry that either of them will get in the way. It'll be easy! Soon I'll have the entire city under my control. And then.... then........ Then what?

I frown and turn away for a moment, leaning with my back against the railing. I can hear the two heroes desperately yelling ideas at one another, trying to get out of the situation. So what happens when they're gone? I get everything I want? I mean yeah, sure, great, but then what? What would I do then? I mean, it would all be easy..... Too easy....

Without even noticing I had been moving, I feel my finger tap the button again, and all noise behind me ceases. The sirens are right outside now. With a frown I put my phone in my pocket and yawn, walking towards the back exit of the warehouse that had served as my hideout for the past week.

"Hey, where the hell do you think you're going? Weren't you just about to kill us? I mean, not that I'm complaining, but-"

I glance back at Red Hawk, who's pressing his hands against both of the walls in what had been an attempt to stop them from moving inwards any further, his wings wrapped around him, then flick my eyes up to Somnium, who's hair is dangerously close to the acid. He's pale as a ghost. I smile half-heartedly. "Sorry boys. Maybe I'll kill you some other time. I'm just not in the mood right now."

With a confused sigh, I push open the door and walk back towards my apartment, peeling off my mask and leaving two dumbfounded, trapped heroes behind me.