Okay, so here's the breakdown - there's good news and bad news.
The good news is that I've discovered that I can take a fall from a height and land on my feet without a hitch, just like a cat. Which now that I think about it, is not exactly the most practical skill unless I'm in a free fall. But hey, it's still something, right?
Now, the not-so-great news. I can't fly. Well, maybe. The optimist in me says that I just haven't unlocked the ability to fly, and that there's still a slim chance that I might have untapped potential. But for now, the skies remain off-limits. Also, my little (and by little I mean big) "woody" problem hasn't exactly been resolved either.
I resorted to wearing hoodie and cap combos at school today, but it didn't prove as effective in shielding me from the sun as I had hoped. I was able to successfully hide my boner, which I guess you could say is a small victory.
Yay?
I hurriedly made my way to my room upon arriving home, carefully locked the door behind me, and entered my bathroom, where I sat down on top of the toilet seat.
"Alright, it's been two days since I acquired these powers," I mumbled to myself, my words carried on a gentle whisper as I released a heavy sigh. "And I still haven't figured out how to solve my problems."
And that's understandable, I reminded myself. After all, there's no readily available scientific data on vampires. It's not surprising that I can't quickly solve these issues with a simple Google search.
"So, I shouldn't be worrying too much about these things," I reasoned with myself, determined not to succumb to the negativity that had been creeping in over the last two days.
The main thing I should be focusing on isn't what I can't do, but what I can do.
"What can I do with my powers?" I asked myself.
Surely, I have to be a vigilante superhero, right?
I mean, that's how it usually goes. The ugl- I mean, unremarkable kid gets bit by some weird creature and he turns into a superhero. With great power comes yadda yadda yadda…
With a quick stroke of my chin, I considered the situation. "I don't have an uncle, so no need to worry about that part of the story," I mused. "Alright then, decision made!"
WHAM!
Rising from the toilet seat, I made my way to the closet. I opened the closet doors and began rummaging through the box filled with socks, gloves, and ski masks.
"These will work," I said with a grin, selecting a black ski mask with vibrant yellow stripes along with a pair of gloves. I approached the mirror, donning the mask and gloves, and met my own gaze.
Oh yeah, I definitely don't look like a bank robber.
"It'll have to do for now," I muttered to myself, removing the mask and gloves.
---------------------
Night time.
A woman was walking through the dimly lit street, which was mostly empty. The woman kept looking over her shoulder, her gaze constantly darting behind her, anxiety etched on her features as she continued her journey.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Several meters behind her, the distinct sound of footsteps echoed. With each passing moment, the footsteps gained pace, drawing nearer and nearer, intensifying the woman's anxiety and causing beads of sweat to form on the woman's forehead.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Driven by fear and anxiety, she quickened her steps. Upon reaching the corner of the street, she abruptly veered into an alleyway, her breath quickening as she darted through the shadowy pathway.
"Hah… Hah.." Gasping for breath, the woman's panting resonated loudly within the dark alleyway as she ran. Her desperate glances kept returning to the rear, when all of a sudden..
BAM!
A startled squeal escaped the woman's lips as she collided with something and tumbled to the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs, "Kyaah!"
Gazing upwards, she was met with the menacing sight of a shadowy figure. The stranger sported a black ski-mask covering his face and wore an attire of black leather. His eyes fixated on her, shrouded by the cover of darkness.
"Hah… Hah.. hah.." The woman's breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes widening in fear as they locked onto the man standing before her.
"You seem a bit troubled, lady..." The man's voice was hoarse, an attempt to disguise his true tone, which only heightened the woman's terror.
Kneeling down, he gently tapped her shoulder, causing her to involuntarily flinch. "But don't worry, because everything is going to be just fine." the man spoke in a tone that sent shivers down her spine.
"GYYYAAAA!" The woman's piercing scream filled the air as she forcefully pushed the man in the ski-mask away. She quickly scrambled to her feet and fled in the opposite direction, her voice echoing her desperate plea for help. "Help me!"
"What the-" I furrowed my brows, rising from the ground. I watched in bewilderment as the woman sprinted away from me with an expression of wide-eyed confusion. "Why the fuck is she running back to her stalker?"
Didn't I just say that everything is going to be fine? Is she actually crazy?
"GYYYAAAA!" The woman's scream echoed in the air as she fled in the opposite direction. All of a sudden...
BAM!
She collided with someone else, this time sending both her and the other person tumbling to the ground due to her speed.
"Guh! What the actual fuck?!" The man she had knocked down groaned, clutching his abdomen in pain. He weakly turned his gaze towards the unexpected person that had crashed into him, and his eyes widened with surprise.
"Ah! Maria!" The man's voice, a mix of joy and concern, called out the woman's name. He was middle-aged, with an unkempt beard and a white, dirt-streaked shirt beneath a tattered gray overcoat. He instantly leapt onto his feet and walked toward the fallen woman, Maria. With a grip that conveyed urgency, he reached out and seized her arm, causing her to cry out in pain, "AAAAAAAHH! L-LEAVE ME!"
"Maria! Maria! It's- it's me, Ian!" The man exclaimed with a mix of desperation and intensity. His grip on her hand tightened, and his eyes bore into Maria's with an almost manic look. "We-We're dating! Remember? You're- you're dating me! We're a couple!"
"I don't even know you! Why're you following me?! You psycho!" Maria screamed, her voice a mixture of fear and panic. She struggled to break free from his grip, her eyes wide with terror as she attempted to pull her arm away, but his hold remained unyielding.
"How- How can you say that?!" The man's expression twisted from desperation to rage in an instant. His grip on Maria's hand tightened further, and he jerked her towards him, his voice now laced with threat as he whispered into her ear, his teeth clenched. "To me? To your lover? You dare speak to me that way?"
"Let go! Let me-" Maria's cries grew more desperate as she struggled to free herself, pain etched on her face. The man's arm rose into the air, his eyes turning red with anger. "You think you can talk to me like that? I'll show you! I'll show you, you bitch!"
WHOOSH!
Just as the man's hand was about to hit Maria, a small object whizzed through the air with remarkable speed, and struck the man's legs with powerful force.
THWACK!
"AAAAAAAHH! My leg! My leg!" The man's anguished cry filled the air as he crumpled to the ground, his grip on Maria finally released as he clutched his injured leg in pain.
"I'm sorry, dude." A raspy voice emerged from the dark alleyway, which prompted the man to shift his attention toward the source of the sound.
"But it's pretty clear you were bothering the lady.." The figure in black leather attire and sporting a black ski-mask stepped into view, casually tossing a couple of stones up and down in his hands.
Suppressing a chuckle, I watched as the stalker.
"Stones… They don't seem like they could do much. But throw them at the right speed, and everything turns deadly." The masked man's voice carried a hint of amusement as he spoke. The stalker's attention shifted downward, where a small stone rested beside his leg. His eyes widened in surprise at the realization.
I can't believe that actually worked.
As the stalker was examining the stone with a shocked expression on his face, I was trying my best to not laugh out loud.
I mean, I knew I had super strength, which meant I could launch projectiles at high speed, but seeing it actually work was mind-blowing. I'm suppressing the urge to break into a huge grin right now.
I mean, can you blame me? I've always dreamed of becoming a superhero, and now I've finally achieved that. Plus, that cool line I delivered just now? I'm pretty proud of that. I spent quite some time brainstorming potential lines, and that one felt just right.
"Ugh! I don't have any money.." The man murmured under his breath, and I raised my eyebrows with a puzzled look. "Uh, I'm sorry? I'm not here to rob you, dude."
What a thing to say, wouldn't you agree? Weird guy.
Whoosh!
I dashed towards the stalker and delivered a kick to his jaw. Of course, I controlled my power, and it only knocked him out.
"Woohoo!" I cheered, giving a victory sign as I looked at the unconscious man. Then, turning around, I began to say, "Don't worry about this guy, miss—"
But I couldn't finish my sentence. The lady he was harassing had vanished, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Miss? Where'd you go?"
Not even a thank you?