Beacon of Hope



Chapter Five

DISCLAIMER :: This fanfiction is based on Superman from DC Comics. All rights reserved. Art by CWBlaine on Deviant Art.
Author's note: Perhaps it is the start of a new collaborative universe or a standalone project for myself. I don't know, yet.

"Breaking news tonight: the Superman is real and he is American. SkyCam footage from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and WGN-TV in and around downtown Chicago show what analysts have confirmed to be a human being flying under their own propulsion. The blurry images have been analyzed by several experts in the fields of photography and aeronautics since they surfaced online this morning, going viral on social media. Take a look." The broadcast cuts to a video that lasts no more than five seconds, showing a single small object traveling at immense speed over the skyline of the city. It then cuts to another video from a different angle showcasing roughly the same object. "It's gone in the blink of an eye, but we'll slow the images down as much as we can to show you what's going on." The second video seems to have a closer vantage point. Going frame-by-frame, the small object is a blur of royal blue and red encircled by a Mach effect. One image lingers on the screen. "As you can see, there is no way to truly identify what we're seeing here. What has people talking is the blue and red color of the object. Experts have confirmed that the size and mass of the object based on the profile of this white cone on the latter third, called the Mach effect, matches that of a human being. With the color scheme and speed, it has people talking. Whether or not that's good news for Warner Brothers Discovery and their movie directed by James Gunn set to release in July remains to be seen."

The news wouldn't shut up about it. Every channel. Every station. Every affiliate. All visual news journalism was showing the videos. All print media, if it even exists anymore, was showing still pictures and freeze frames. Madison showed me the explosion of content on TikTok and Instagram about the situation as well. The world was going crazy over the possibility of a powerful superhero existing among them.

Meanwhile, back at home, the weekend came and went like a winter gust through downtown. Hannah practically ignored me. Olivia seemed almost afraid of me. Laura was more ghost than person. Madison was the only one really connecting with me, even if most of our interactions were her going full fan girl. The only time I could get her off the topic of Superman was Star Wars Day when we shared our love for the space opera George Lucas created. I was feeling more and more like a stranger or novelty in my own house. It didn't help my perception of myself at all, either. It was as if the entire foundation I'd spent the past twenty-five years building was crumbling underneath me.

Utilizing the office space I'd put together during the pandemic in the basement, I resumed my dead end job. With everything going on, it completely skipped my mind. Though, one email to HR about being involved in an accident in the back of an Uber was enough of a plausible excuse for my absence. The fact I never used Uber didn't matter. I never expensed my ground travel when I went to conferences. Working from home meant I wouldn't have to explain why a seventeen year old girl was doing a forty-five year old man's job, either.

Looking at the house, one wouldn't be able to tell the family life was in turmoil. I might only have been walking around in a T-shirt and sweatpants while sleeping on the couch every night, but all the household chores were done. Unlike many men in my generation, I would never forgive myself for simply assuming Laura would do it all – going to work, raising the kids, and accomplishing all the household tasks – while all I ever did was go to work and watch sports. We were proud of our fifty-fifty distribution.

Wednesday night, I was at the sink hand-washing a couple of pans and cutting boards that don't really fit in the dishwasher. For once, my mind was blank. I knew Laura was standing in the archway to the corridor behind me and that she had been standing there for a few minutes. I kept hearing her take in breaths as if she were about to speak and then hesitate. After a few tries, I decided to speak first.

"You can't really sneak up on me, Laura." I told her while still facing the sink and scrubbing a particularly dirty pan. Cheese is very sticky. "I heard you come in the house about ten minutes ago."

She let out a sigh. "Chris, can we talk?"

"I'm listening."

"No... I mean... facing each other. Maybe at the table?"

"Okay." I set down the pan I was working on, rinsed my hands, dried them, then turned to face her.

My wife was the most beautiful human being I have ever laid eyes on. Her auburn hair was situated into a messy bun. Her demure chin quivered ever so slightly. Her button nose appeared slightly red. Her hazel eyes seemed to have shed some tears recently. Her kissable lips were shaped into a small frown. I adored her and yet my heart broke at the sight of her.

Following the request, we both moved to the table and sat opposite each other. "What's on your mind?" I asked.

She hung her head then brought it back up to meet my eyes. "I'm really sorry, Chris. I've been really absent and avoidant of you."

I nodded to her. "Seemed like you needed some time, honey."

She smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Understatement, Christopher. Truth is..." She breathed deep. "...I couldn't cope. The night it happened, I was really there for my husband – for you. When I saw the radiology and spoke with the doctor, I knew there'd be very little chance I would get my Chris back. I'm sorry, but it's been affecting me to think of a girl the same age as Hannah that I don't really know sleeping on the other side of the bed where my husband used to be."

"I'm well aware, Laura."

"I'm not finished." She breathed quickly. "That's why I asked you to sleep on the couch, but you can't do that forever. You need a bed to sleep in. You can't keep wearing those T-shirts and sweatpants that look like you stole them, either. You need your own clothes. I've set aside some money for you to take care of things. I know we usually make financial decisions together, but this is new for both of us. I thought a proactive approach might be best."

"Very wise of you, Laura."

"I'll take you to do some shopping tomorrow. I took the day off. What do you think?"

I hesitated for a long moment. "You mean, like... when we take the girls back-to-school shopping sort of situation?"

"Basically, but without knowing your sizes. We'll have to work that out. Beyond that, why don't you take the spare room as your own bedroom." Her eyes teared up a little. "This entire situation is really hard on both of us. I don't really know the right way to do things, but this is the best I can do for now."

Tears started welling up in my own eyes. "I know, Laura." I tried to swallow the knot in my throat. "What does this mean for our marriage?"

"I don't know, Chris. I just don't know." She stood and walked out of the kitchen.

The house fell silent in a matter of minutes. After finishing the dishes, I investigated the spare room. It was situated on the ground floor, just past the living room. We usually only used it for guests – such as if Laura's parents or mine were in town for a visit. It was a rather sanitized and impersonal space. There was a queen sized bed, nightstands on either side of the bed, a dresser, and a walk-in closet. The bedding hadn't been changed in nearly a year, so that was the first thing to go. Fetching some fresh bedding from the linen closet of the laundry room, I set about making the bed. It wasn't the best and was all miss-matched but it was functional.

Sleep didn't come easily that night. My relationship with my wife and children was completely uprooted. Thus far, the only one that would really talk to me was Madison. There was no real way to know what Laura was planning the next day but I was comforted in the fact she was willing to spend time with me. Trying to discern what she intended for the day was enough to drive me a little crazy.

The next morning, Laura woke me up somewhat early and threw clothes at me. Not maliciously, mind you. She was being playful for the first time since everything happened. It was a simple T-shirt, pair of jeans, the white shoes Madison loaned me the other day, and feminine under garments. She told me she wasn't going to take someone that looked like a "shlubby teenager" shopping. I dressed without protest. When I encountered her in the kitchen, she already had a mug of coffee prepared for both of us before requesting we both get in the car. She even ran a brush through my hair.

Still disoriented and confused, I simply followed along. Once in the car and seatbelt buckled, I did not really anticipate a visit to Woodfield Mall, the largest shopping center in all of Chicagoland. Thankfully, we had arrived on a Thursday which was one of the less busy days. Similar to back-to-school shopping, Laura had a plan and I was basically just along for the ride. We made our way into the sparsely populated interior of Nordstrom. Inside, Laura consulted with some people who set about wrapping measuring tape around different sections of my body. They relayed some numbers that meant absolutely nothing to me. Laura nodded, thanked them, and continued guiding me along her planned out path.

Four and a half hours later, we had been to no less than eight stores and spent about the same amount of money that we might have with all three of our daughters in tow. Laura made sure to grab all the essentials and I was only there for a yes/no vote on select items. She was the one who knew what she was doing, afterall. All told, I had a small wardrobe at my own disposal that anyone in my current position might need. Underwear, socks, jeans, T-shirts, leggings, sweaters, and some sportswear that can double as pajamas were all acquired. I vetoed any idea to grab anything resembling a skirt or a dress and Laura nodded in agreement.

We both ordered some chicken teriyaki at the Suki Hana and sat down to eat it. Laura looked exhausted, but I felt like I could keep the same pace all day. Neither of us had eaten breakfast, so we both sort of shoveled the food in our mouths.

"Thanks for today, Laura." I softly spoke between bites.

She finished chewing her own bite before responding. "You're welcome, Chris. You need things that actually fit you..." She gestured to my body. "...now."

"It's incredibly weird, but appreciated. I wouldn't have known where to even start."

"Measurements. Always measurements." She wiped her mouth with a napkin. "You're a size eight, by the way. Medium tops, medium pants. Size eight shoes. You need to remember that."

"I don't really want to think about it, most of the time."

"We can't deny reality, Chris. Something profound has happened to you and it's affecting all of us – especially you and me."

"Laura, I –" I stopped the conversation short. My ears had picked up an odd sound. The sound of fire. Then a couple of screams. My head turned toward the noise.

"What?" She asked. Then, she heard screaming.

I turned to her quickly. "Stay here."

Without really thinking, I jumped up as the world around me entered slow motion. Having heard the sound behind me, I got to the balcony area and looked around. I could see panicked faces slowly moving away from the far side of the mall from me on the ground floor. Not having the time to ponder why anyone would put the food court on the third floor of a huge mall like this, I vaulted over the railing. While falling, I willed myself to fly like I had with Madison a few days ago. Amazingly, it worked and I propelled myself toward the faces. I took a left at Macy's and spotted the problem.

A person engulfed in flame stood in the middle of the corridor and a pillar of flame was growing toward the American Eagle store. People were panicked and there was a teenager on the ground with her hand up trying to protect herself from the flames. I swooped in and gently picked her up. Having taken her a good thirty feet from the flames, time around me returned to normal. She looked at me with shock in her eyes. I set her down.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded. "Good. Get further away to safety."

She obliged without a word and I turned back to the problem at hand. The guy was lit up like Human Torch and shooting flames from his hands. The world slowed down again and I ran to the front of the store. Planting my feet, I stood in front of the flames with an arm forward in front of me. I could hear panicked screams inside. After a moment, the flames stopped and I lowered my arm. My clothes were a little singed, but I was unharmed. I stared down the flame guy who looked at me entirely bewildered.

"Who the fuck are you? Where'd you come from?" He asked.

"Doesn't matter. Stop what you're doing. You're putting people's lives in danger." I requested.

"Some little girl comes out of nowhere and wants me to stop trying to burn down this shithole? Are you with their corporate public relations?" He cackled.

"No. I work for a different company. Nowhere near this big."

"Oh. Another corporate stooge, huh? Do you know what this place did to me? Why are you protecting it?"

"I'm not. There are some very frightened people inside. You're scaring a lot of people. People will get hurt. They are who I'm going to protect."

He scowled. "Suit yourself."

He positioned his hands again and the wall of fire came at my face, this time. I put my arm up in a vain attempt to block. Strong, encouraging words weren't going to stop this guy. My brain started searching for solutions. Finally, it came to me. Taking in a deep breath, I began blowing it out in the guy's direction. Once again, it looked like I was blowing a fog out of my mouth. I kept blowing until not only the pillar of flame coming at me was extinguished but the flame guy was extinguished as well. Once I could confirm that, I rushed over to grab his shirt and push him against the far wall. I knocked the wind out of him.

"Knock. It. Off." I ordered him with a slight growl to my voice. "If you want to get back at someone for some perceived slight against you, this isn't the way to do it. You don't put innocent people in harm's way because a corporation wronged you. Understand?"

He coughed. "Jesus! What kind of freak are you?"

"A lot like you, I suspect. The difference is: I'm stopping you."

"There's not even a first degree burn on you and you blew out my flame with your breath!"

"I'm well aware. Are we going to stop comparing powers, now, and get to the point? Stop this, now. This isn't the way to do things."

"Who do you think you are? Superman or something?"

I chuckled. "Clearly, I'm not." He went silent. I lifted him higher. "Are we done with our tantrum, now?"

He screeched. "Yes! Jesus Christ!"

In the distance, I could hear sirens as I lowered him back down onto his feet. I didn't let him go, however. Behind me, I could hear the mall security people gathering. My head turned toward them. At least one of them had a firearm drawn.

"There's no need for lethal force." I stated to the guard who looked fairly frightened. "I have him subdued and he's agreed to play nice, now. You wouldn't happen to have some handcuffs or zip ties, would you?"

The nervous guard fired his weapon. I spun around and positioned myself between the bullet and the guy who had been on fire only moments ago. Astonishingly, it bounced off of me harmlessly. All the guards' eyes widened.

"Whoa... how did you know you were bulletproof?" Flame Guy asked me.

"I really didn't. I just knew you weren't." I stated plainly to him before looking at the guards. "Guys, c'mon. Zip ties or cuffs, please." One guard approached me with a set of zip tie cuffs in his hands. I nodded to him before turning back to Flame Guy, getting his hands behind his back, and getting the cuffs secured on him. "Don't fight it. You're already in a lot of trouble. Don't make it worse for yourself. Okay?"

He hung his head. "Yea. Okay."

Both of us turned in tandem as I handed him off to the security guards. To the one slowly holstering his firearm, I nodded. "You okay?"

"I... I just shot you..." He softly reported.

"Yes, I think you did. No harm done. Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

I shrugged. "Maybe take the day off?" Turning my attention from him to the people inside American Eagle, I moved over and gently pushed the barricade they had constructed away from the entrance. "Everybody okay?" Roughly eight people nodded, their eyes wide. "The coast is clear, everybody. It's safe now."

Turning around, a crowd had formed a short distance away. I recognized a few of the faces of frightened people that had run off before I got here. The girl I had saved from the flames started clapping, tears in her eyes. In the next second, everyone joined in. My face felt a little flush as I gave a small wave before running off.

The world around me returned to slow-mo mode as I made my way back up to my wife on the upper level. It was a little tricky to maneuver around people on the stairwell, but I managed. When I reached the food court, Laura was looking over the railing. She must have been trying to figure out what was happening.

"Honey..." I began.

She spun around and squealed with a hand on her chest. "Jesus, Christopher! What happened down there? Why are the clothes you borrowed burnt?"

"We'll talk about it in the car. Right now, can we get the shopping bags and go?"

Cocking her head to the side, she barely nodded and moved toward me in an effort to help. With all the shopping bags divided between the two of us, we made our way down the stairs toward the ground level. The endeavor was a bit complicated by the commotion earlier. Even going through Primark and trying to navigate toward the eastern exit doors was hampered by the efforts of the police to clear the mall. Eventually, we did emerge into the partly cloudy weather and walked one-third the way around the mall back to my wife's car. Laura kept trying to get me to tell her what happened along the way, but I deflected.

Eventually, we did make it back to the car. When the bags were in the back and we were settled in with the doors closed, I did finally tell her what happened. I divulged every detail and left nothing out. If she hadn't seen me move faster than the blink of an eye and vault over the railing to the ground level without dying, she may never have believed I could fly or that the fire never actually hurt me. She took a long moment to really consider what I had told her. It's not every day that one learns they're playing chauffeur to someone with super powers.

"So..." She began. "You can actually do all those things Madison was getting excited about?"

"Yes, I can." I stated plainly. "I can relate to the excitement from Madison. She's been fawning over me since we tested all of the powers over at Busse Woods last week."

"You know, I really doubted the whole idea of 'special powers' that people have been talking about until today. Once I saw you turn into a blur right in front of me, all pretence was gone."

"It's been reality for me since last week with Madison. You know she hit me with a metal baseball bat?"

"She did what?!"

"It didn't hurt. It hit me in the shoulder and just bent the bat. It's how I had an idea that I wouldn't burn with the fire. I wasn't totally sure about the literal 'bulletproof' part until today, though."

"You really should be more careful. You might be fireproof or bulletproof, but your clothes aren't. One hole in the wrong place and you are instantly 'not safe for work'. It's very different with female bits, Chris."

"I'm becoming aware of this, Laura." I sighed. "You know the best part? Remember the viral video of that blue and red object from last week?" My wife nodded. "That was me."

She shook her head. "I still can't quite believe it. I have one question, though: why did you hop up like that, today? Why put yourself in potential harm or step in front of a bullet you didn't know whether or not you'd survive?"

My gaze focused forward out the windshield. "Because it was the right thing to do."