The Truth Of Heroes

Hate

     “I promise I will protect you and your family. I will save your parents.” He said, smiling down at me confidently.

   His blue eyes were electric, his hair seemed to glow like gold.

   He patted my sister's head as she held me to her, her eyes shining with tears and her lips wobbling.

    To an eight and five-year-old, his words were like a torch in the dark. 

   “But to do that we need your help.” Another said, they were covered head to toe in a suit, only their lower face was visible.

   They didn’t smile.

   The man with electric eyes frowned, for the first time losing his ironclad smile.

    “No.” He said, pulling my sister and me behind him. 

    “They want the family Almight. They’ve gone underground. Our only chance of catching them is to use one of the children.” 

    “Look at what you’re saying! They’re children! We can’t do this!” Almight bellowed out, his large hands firmly holding my sister to him.  

    “We don’t have a choice! We’re doing this!” The man that didn’t smile took my sister with him, even as she began to cry he didn’t stop.

    She called out to me and I screamed for her, but Almight wouldn’t let me go. He stared sadly, but with determination as the other heroes set up their trap.

   I was whisked away, held back by a man in a police uniform.

   He kept me away, I never got to see what happened.

   No matter how loud I screamed or how hard I thrashed, the man didn’t budge as he stared down at me worriedly.

   I was put in a car and I watched as Almight became smaller and smaller.

    His golden hair blending into the background.

   His eyes disappearing.

  The next time I saw him, he was alone.

    The hero that never smiled wasn’t with him, neither was my parents or my sister.

    I watched him, confused with wide eyes and a twitching leg.

   The policeman that had watched me left with a sad shake of his head, letting the door fall shut softly.

   It was just Almight and me in a small bedroom with one window and a lumpy bed. There were rainbows on the walls, sunflowers climbing the plaster. 

    “I’m sorry.” He said, staring at me miserably.

   He made no move to reach me, keeping us at a distance.

   He was too large for the room, his head skimming the ceiling.

   He sat down, crossing his legs and burying his face in his hands. The electric eyes, now almost seeming to crackle, were hidden away, his golden hair seems to dim. 

   “I couldn’t save them. I’m sorry. The Villain had already…had already taken your parents from you. When he came for your sister, we did everything we could. But the Villain got the drop on us, we thought we had defeated him, but we were wrong. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

   The words didn’t make sense to me.

    A five-year-olds mind is not developed enough to read between the lines.

   Or perhaps I did understand, but I needed him to say it.

    So I stared at him blankly, blinking at him owlishly. Almight reached up but his hand fell short. 

    “I’m sorry. They’re not coming back.”

    That seemed to do it, as comprehension dawned on me.

   My lips wobbled, my eyes blurred, around me the lights flickered and Almight grew pale.

   But he brought me close to him, running his hand through my hair soothingly.

    I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know why the room felt thick, why Almight’s hold grew weak, why I felt a pressure building inside of me. 

    I was scared and instead of Almight’s presence comforting me, it was a reminder that my family wasn’t here.

     A feeling I recognized, one I got whenever Mom didn’t give me the toy I wanted, or when my sister stole my ponies, started to simmer inside of me.

    I couldn’t give it a name, though I tried to remember my teachings from school.

   How Mrs. Webber would tell us to breathe through it.

  But it didn’t work. 

    I wanted my mom.

   My dad.

   My sister.

   But all I got was Almight.

   I didn’t want Almight.

    Almight needs to leave. To bring back my family.

    Why was he here and not them?

    I want him gone. I don’t like him.

    He’s a liar.

    A liar liar pants on fire.

   Why weren’t his pants on fire?

   They should be on fire.

    I feel like I’m on fire.

    I hate him.

   I hate Almight.

   I hate never smile hero.

   I hate you.

   I hate you all.

  I hate heroes.