(no subject)

4

It took days of experimenting to get comfortable with the power, to get any idea of what it was and what the limits were.

Using neighborhood animals Mickey found that the
powers lasted longer in things of greater body mass. Big dogs lasted longer than
the small ones.

It wasn’t just flying that he could endow, but
strength and near invulnerability. If he could invest any other powers in someone or something he didn’t
know about it yet.

At one point he tried to give a dog the power of speech, but it didn’t work. The closest he got was Mrs. Blanchett’s Chihuahua next door almost saying “Taco.” But he wasn’t sure if it really said it, or it was just funny to think about.

There had been a Saturday afternoon that he spent most of looking at himself in the mirror. Try as he might he couldn’t give himself any powers.

That sucked.

But whatever is, well, that’s what is and that’s all there is to it.

That same Saturday night the family had piled into the car again and gone to see another baseball game.

No one would ever see a game like that one again.

Mickey had a bit of fun, but felt guilty later. To have such a gift and use it for pranks.

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

But you should see a Center Fielder jump 12 feet in the air to catch a ball that should have been a home run. It is amazing how fast the cheering stopped and the silence set in.

He didn’t like that stunned silence very much. It made him feel like he had when they found out who ate the last piece of Boston Cream Pie.

Now he was going to have to find a way to use this power for the good of all man. That’s why you got a superpower.

He had no idea how important his power was, and what his role in one of the great moments of human history was going to be.

Right now, he just wanted ice cream.

(c) 2005 by C. wayne Owens

(no subject)

5.

 

David came through the door like the outside world was on fire. He looked around and found no one there but Mickey.

Mickey looked at his brother and saw real concern on his face.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“The Thompson kids,” David said off handedly as he searched through drawers for a flashlight, “They’re lost.”

“Lost?” Mickey started, but David turned for emphasis and said, “They were in Simpson’s cave.”

Mickey was young, but even he knew the caves. They had gone down in them a couple of times when David was trying to get him interested in Scouting. They were not romantic caves like one pictures, but muddy narrow spaces that take more than they give.

“Maybe I can help…” Mickey began.

“And get lost too?” David sneered.

“You’re going to string a line from the mouth of the cave, right?” He knew the answer, it was Scout Spelunking protocol.

“Yeah,” David answered suspiciously.

“I can anchor it. I’ll stay outside in the light and be sure you can get out when you find them.”

David thought for a minute and with a hint of pride put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Let’s go then!”

The cave was about 15 minutes from their house and they made the trip in record time.

Mickey thought about the Thompson kids. Penny, Jason and Filipina were all pretty annoying, loud kids. All under 10 (6, 7 & 9) and had no excuse being alone in a cave. Least of all Simpson’s cave.

5 people Mickey could think of had gotten lost in there in the last 3 years.

Three of those had been found after hours of searching. Folks thought the other two (a boy and a girl) had run away and were never really in the cave. But the rumor mills at school said they were eaten by Brown Claw, the monster bear that was said to wait around every turn of the
cave.

When the brothers came to the cave, three of David’s Scout friends were waiting.

“What’s the word?” David asked.

The tallest boy, whose name may have been Carl, said, “Cynthia and the family are getting in touch with the police and fire department. Billy is checking other places the kids normally go, but all of their friends said they were coming here to see the bear.”

The chunky kid, Peter, whispered, “What’s the muggle here for?”

“He’s going to anchor the line for us.”

Everyone nodded approvingly.

“Make sure he tugs three times if they come and tell us to come out for whatever reason,” Peter said.

“He knows,” David said with a smile.

“And you guys tug three sharp tugs if you need help,” Mickey insisted.

“We won’t,” said Peter.

Then the four scouts went into the cave and the world grew eerily quite.

It seemed to Mickey that the sun went down really quickly.

Where were those Firemen and Policemen, he wondered.

He didn’t believe idol gossip, but he did not like the idea of bears coming and going in this cave.

He also hated the thought of those little kids, however annoying, cold and lost.

Then he heard it.

It was a low, guttural growl.

It didn’t come from the cave. It was coming from the woods behind him.

He did not let go of the anchor line.

He would not let go of the anchor line.

Then he smelled something bad, like the breath of someone who ate from trashcans.

He turned his head to look into the closest stand of trees. He heard breathing to go with the growling.

The point of the sound was on a direct line to the opening of the cave, and he intersected that line.

Whatever was coming would have to go through him to get to the cave.

Then he saw it.

On all fours it was over four feet tall, with dirty brown fur and dark brown eyes.

Yes, it was a bear.

He didn’t know if it was Brown Claw, but it would do.

As it came out of the woods, it saw him.

He almost dropped the string, but wouldn’t do it.

It stood on its hind legs and blacked out the sunset behind him.

Its jaws opened and it slobbered something gross.

Then it growled.

Mickey wished he could give himself a superpower.

He would be super strong and invulnerable and not have to worry about this thing.

He saw the monstrous thing take halting steps toward him.

Where the hell were those Firemen?

If he could give himself a power and had enough string he could fly up in the air and let the thing go past.

Then it hit him. The simplest solutions are often the best.

With a most humorous look of surprise the bear lifted off the ground and began going straight up.

A bear’s whimper is actually quite a pitiful sound.

But soon the bear was so high in the sky it was hard to see, and Mickey had to focus to see it.

How long would it fly?

It had quite a deal of body mass to hold onto the power.

At that moment the Scouts emerged from the cave holding the whimpering children.

David was smiling and so was his brother.

At that moment the bear crashed to the ground.

The children began to cry.

The Scouts were stunned.

That was also the moment the Police arrived.

Mickey held the laugh under his breath to the best of his ability.

(c) 2005 by C. Wayne Owens