Special Boy // phan

-14-

Watching Phil fly made my heart flutter. He was so graceful, so elegant, nothing like he was on land. He knew what he was doing, he was confident and powerful. Watching him was like music. Like magic. It was so dark, I could barely see him, yet it was almost like I could feel him, moving and twisting and searching, searching.

The second we had parked, he was out of the car and up in the air, looping his earpiece around his the shell of his ear. I wondered who was talking to him for a second, but then I noticed the police officers parked just behind the bank, speaking into walkie talkies and listening as Phil spoke himself. Someone had finally turned the floodlights on, and their brightness blocked out the red and blue lights as Phil rose up, high above my head, and looked around, one hand to his ear to listen more closely to the instructions the police were giving him. He glanced down at me and winked, causing me to blush, which was probably so evident in those floodlights that I had to turn away.

By the time I looked up, Phil had swerved and dipped lower, closer to the ground, and began flying quickly, gaining speed. I lost sight of him after a little bit and, without a thought, climbed up onto the roof of his (very sexy) car, trying to find him.

"Dan!" I heard Phil shout as I finally laid eyes on him, just a few feet behind the man he was chasing. He was gaining on him and it seemed like the chase would be over with soon, but then Phil spotted me. "Get down from there, it's-" he started to say, but he suddenly collapsed, crumbling to the ground with a sickening crunch, skin sliding along pavement and splitting open. The man he was chasing glanced back, and, with a triumphant grin, began to run just a little bit faster as my stomach churned. Phil. There's something wrong with him. What's wrong with him? Twice in two days his power fails?

Almost too busy staring at Phil, frozen in horror, I barely noticed the man he was chasing began to sprint past my perch on Phil's car, five or six confused police officers finally taking up the chase after a bewildered look at Phil.

I did the only thing my shocked brain could think of doing.

I jumped on him.

Not expecting an air-attack, he screeched and collapsed under my weight, crumbling to the ground. My heart was pounding. What the hell did I just do?

I just stayed still until the cops got to me and helped me up, one of them producing rope from his hands to tie the crook's arms behind his back. Another held my hands in her own, and I felt the skin that had split when I landed start to heal and close. There was as light ringing in my ears, and I tried to stumble away from them.

"Phil," I said quietly, trying to pull my hands away from her. They were talking to me but I just wanted to see if Phil was okay and what was wrong with him. I couldn't see him from where I stood, there was too many people surrounding him, and I needed to go to him.

The second the woman finished healing my hands, I stumbled away. I felt my legs start to move faster beneath me until I was at a full sprint, down the city streets and around cars and over piles of rubbish until I got to where he had collapsed. I finally found my voice.

"Phil!"

"Dan!" I heard him croak from somewhere in the crowd. I quickly pushed my way through the people surrounding him, shoving anyone and everyone aside so I could see him.

He was sitting up, a blanket wrapped around his shoulder as another person, a healer, I assumed, examined his face and hands, which were covered in deep gashes and blood. I felt sick.

"Phil," I said again, almost whispering, my words gone. What was happening to him?

I dropped to my knees at his side, taking his hands in my own. He smiled, weakly, and brought my hands up to his lips. His breath fluttered along my knuckles, but he didn't make contact, like he decided against it.

"You're the best sidekick ever," he mumbled, wincing as the healer prodded a large gash on his cheekbone. I blushed, looking away and pulling my hands back to myself. "The news will be here soon, fix your hair." Phil chuckled and swooped my fringe out of my eyes, his fingers lingering at my ear. His face straightened.

"Unless you want to get out of here," he whispered, and the gash on his forehead finally closed all the way, the only evidence of it the blood staining the hem of his suit and his mask.

"Let's go. I don't want to be seen." Phil nodded and stood, warily, wrapping his arm around my waist. I knew what I wanted to ask him, and I think he did too.

What happened to you?