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High above, in the night sky, the rhythmic blinking of airplane lights and the soft glow of the moon were the only illumination. The stars, although there, were almost invisible to the naked eye because of the blinding light that radiated from the vibrant, bustling city.The cool air offered relief from the day's sickening heat, but the harsh words it carried were unfortunately all too familiar to one woman and her fractured family.With one hand on the doorknob, silencing the shouts of her husband and his drunkard friends, Jessica stood just outside, her other hand gripping her son's small one. Her breath lingered in her throat, unable to escape, and her eyes remained shut. Though her mind betrayed her wants, replaying moments of the fight that had just occurred."Mommy?" her young boy asked. His voice quivered just like it had every other time Jessica was close to tears. "Are you and daddy going to be okay?" He was confused, unsure of the split within the family. How are you supposed to explain something as complex as this to a child?With the feeling of her clothing being gently tugged, Jessica opened her eyes and as reality set in, her emotions took over. Her legs buckled beneath her, and her arms wrapped around her son. He was the only family she had left."I... I'm so sorry, buddy," she cried out, gripping her son even tighter. "I... I never wanted... you to see your father like that." Despite how she felt about her husband, Jessica knew from her own childhood that it would be for the best if her son still had a father in his life. However, despite her attempts, one night ruined all her efforts.There was no one to help her, resulting in this summer being extremely difficult, with most days being drowned out by tears or liquor. The vibration of her phone coming from her pocket refocused her attention on her surroundings.With one hand, she wiped away her tears to the best of her ability. With the other, she brought her phone out, flipping it open only to be met with a reminder of her late father's funeral fast approaching. After using a moment to calm her nerves, she checked her messages only for her fears to be proven true. She was now alone with her son, with no help, as her friends either were far too busy or ignoring her.But she couldn't let that stop her, not anymore. Glancing at the clock, her eyes widened at the sight that it was close to midnight. She had spent far longer than she intended trying to rationalize with her husband."Let's go back to the hotel, all right, buddy?" she said in the calmest voice she could muster. Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about getting her son to school the following morning. However, it couldn't be all perfect, as they had yet to eat anything."Mommy," her son started, turning his gaze to the side. "Who's that?" he pointed towards the other side of the road, and as Jessica followed his finger, she caught sight of a figure standing in an alleyway just out of reach of the streetlamp. She tried to speak, but her words couldn't escape her lips, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.What was happening? Was it a mugging? Given the city's high crime rate, it certainly was a possibility, but if it were, what could she give them? Or was something worse about to happen? If that were the case, this was no time to be frozen in place by fear."I... I don't know, buddy," she stammered, rising to her feet, grasping her son's hand once again. "It's probably one of your father's friends. Let's just get going." With her grip tightened, she hastily began walking away. She was aware she appeared rude, but in this city, you learn to not take risks as death almost always follows.However, they made it only about ten steps before the figure called out, asking for them to wait up. The voice, though belonging to a man, was high in pitch and filled with uncertainty; a far cry from the deep and degrading voice that she was used to.She kept going, trying to ignore it the best she could, though the further she walked, the louder and more desperate the voice became. She hated to admit it, but within the cries, she could almost see herself. And so, despite her body screaming to keep going, she came to a stop.As she turned, she saw the figure had moved from the alleyway into the middle of the road, easily allowing her to note the man's black attire with a hood hiding his face. "What... did you need, sir?" she asked.The man stepped forward, accepting her invitation. "Oh, nothing much," he replied, his words much calmer than before. Though he kept his head tilted low, which made it impossible for Jessica to see his face.There was a sickening feeling at the back of her throat, as if she were about to vomit. Her eyes narrowed, and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She had made a mistake."I would like... to hurry this up," she spoke up, finally finding her voice. "I... I need to get my son here, to bed," she chuckled nervously.The man's hand reached behind his back. "Oh, please," he replied, his voice shaking. His arm moved slowly back into view, revealing his hand, and with it, a pistol. As the man brought his arm up, the moonlight reflected off the metallic surface, coating it in a white glow, and freezing Jessica in place out of fear."This doesn't have to be hard," the man said, his voice shaking. "I just need the money." Once again, Jessica caught the familiar desperate tinge that hid within the man's voice."P-please, sir, you don't have to do this-""No, I'm sorry, I do," the man interrupted, taking a final step forward. Moving the barrel of the gun so it faced Jessica's chest. "Now please, hand over some money.""I... I don't have money on me!" Jessica stated, only to feel her son's grip tighten. "I'm sorry, p-please... just let us go.""Now see, I have a real hard time believing that!" the man's index finger jumped from the handle to the trigger. Seeing this, Jessica's boy cried out, desperation and fear lacing each of his words.What was she to do? If she did nothing, they were going to die, but there was no way she could fight this man; one wrong move and a bullet would mark her end. "Please, we can find another way!" she pleaded, trying to buy time. "Just... just let my son go."As those words exited her mouth, realization hit. There was no way both she and her son were making it out of this alive, but maybe there was a chance she could buy him enough time to run away. If she could find a moment where the man's guard lowered, then she would strike.A stillness ran through the air, and a nearby streetlamp's light flickered off and on, soon to die. "Last chance," the man muttered. "Please, I don't want to do this." His hand was shaking, causing the gun to rattle. Now was the time.Jessica looked to the ground, her eyes closed momentarily as she thought of a prayer. Once her eyes opened, she turned to her son, finally accepting her fate. She was more than okay with dying to protect her last family member, her son.With one quick stroke, her arm dashed towards the man's face, her nails poised to tear and claw at his flesh. But a deafening bang stopped her before she even got close.As she staggered backwards, she couldn't help but feel confused. How did the man react so quickly? It was almost as if he knew what she was going to do. But she couldn't dwell on that for too long as her legs collapsed from under her.Blood trickled from Jessica's chest, seeping into her once-pristine white clothing. "M-M-Mommy!" she heard her boy cry. God, how scared was he? She weakly cupped her stained hands around her mouth, tears streaming down her eyes. "Hey," the man said, fixing his gun on her head.Jessica's eyes trembled with fear as the sight of the man entered her view. His head and face covered in shadow, cloaked by his dark hood. The only thing which was visible was a red glowing hue where the man's right eye should've been."I tried to tell you," he muttered. "I didn't want it to come to this." He shook his head. "I promise this wasn't personal, and I'll make sure the kid doesn't suffer."Her son? She heard his cries, but her body wouldn't allow her to look in his direction. Instead, all she could do was mutter, "J-Jimm...y, run." But the last thing she heard wasn't her son's cries or his footsteps. It was the dying cry of a fatal bullet.
"The sad truth is: this world isn't equal. Nothing about this world is heroic."
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"Isaac?"Isaac paused and turned around. Standing in the hallway close behind him was his best friend and older brother, Daniel, his face wearing a cheerful expression. Just a few moments ago, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and their class was being escorted to the parent pickup area by their teacher."Yeah?" Isaac asked innocently, before his mind darted off. He was just thinking of something a moment earlier, but now he couldn't remember. The only thing that lingered was a feeling of familiarity and the smell of pine.Daniel extended his arms and in his wool-covered hands was Isaac's pair of black gloves. "I saw you left these in your cubby by accident," he said, his typical wide smile adorning his face. "So I grabbed them for you, but then you kinda walked away." He let out a nervous chuckle."Oh, uhm, sorry," Isaac replied, taking and putting on the gloves. Knowing he could always count on Daniel to help him never failed to put a smile on his face. It meant a lot, especially considering the two of them weren't technically brothers. "But, thank you!"Around them, kids from both their class and a few of the others rested against the school's blue and yellow painted walls. One teacher watched over everything, making sure the kids didn't get too loud, while another teacher walked in and out of the building, guiding kids to their parents' cars."So, what do you want to do when we get home?" Daniel asked as he took his seat, gesturing to the space next to him.Isaac thought it over as he sat next to his best friend. "I kinda wanna play outside," he laughed nervously. He knew what Daniel was going to say, but, despite that, it's what he wanted."But it's cold out," Daniel whined, hunching forward and wrapping his arms around his legs. "And it just snowed last night! Can't we just stay inside and watch TV or something?""That's boring," Isaac pouted. "I wanna run and play outside." Whether for good or bad, the young boy was a never-ending fountain of energy.Footsteps interrupted their conversation. "I'm sorry, but could the two of you try to be just a little more quiet," the teacher asked, calmly. Though their expression didn't match their tone.Isaac squirmed, his eyes darting away from the teacher. "S-Sorry," he mumbled, silently thankful he didn't have to spend all day being taught by them.Daniel, in contrast, just let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry, Teach," he replied, keeping eye contact. "We'll be quiet.""Thank you," the teacher replied before turning and walking away. And not even a moment later, they already had their sights set on someone else.With Isaac's heart and nerves now beginning to calm, he returned his gaze to Daniel. A part of him was jealous. Anytime it came to speaking to adults who weren't Thomas or Angelica, he froze up. But Daniel didn't seem to have that problem."You all right?" Daniel chuckled, his gaze narrowing slightly. "You're kinda just staring at me. Do I have something on my face?!"Isaac could feel his face heating up. "Yeah, I'm fine!" he replied with a nervous squeak, shifting his gaze to the white-tiled floor. At least, I think I am. "What were we talking about again?" Daniel turned his gaze towards the ceiling. "Oh, yeah!" he struck the palm of his hand with his fist. The sound of a muffled metallic clang reverberated from the right.Without a moment's hesitation, Isaac sprang to his feet, his eyes scanning the corridor ahead. Only to find nothing out of place. "What the..." the word lingered in his throat. Behind him, he could hear the fabric of Daniel's coat ruffle."Did you hear something?" Daniel asked, but Isaac neither replied nor turned back. He found himself unable to look away from the corridor. It was as if it were calling out to him. He then heard a soft cry, causing his legs to dash forward.Behind him, he heard both his brother and one teacher yell out for him to stop, but he couldn't. A feeling in the pit of his stomach forced him to keep going.As Isaac neared the intersection of the hallway, he caught the faint sound of kids' laughter. Though only by a few years, their voices were deeper than his own. With his hand balled into a fist, he ran toward the noise. He may not have known what exactly was going on, but he knew what to expect.He made his way down the hallway and rounded the corner where he saw a massive group of kids gathered, their attention all focused on something ahead. The metallic clang cried out once more, followed by a high-pitched weeping.His heart was racing, his fist shaking with anger. And with little care for what happened to himself, he shouted, "Stop messing with them!"A path opened in the crowd, their gaze on Isaac. Some looked startled, others confused, while most were intrigued."Oh? And who exactly are you?" Travis questioned. He held a smaller boy against the lockers with his left hand, his body angled to allow him to look down at Isaac. Behind him stood two of his friends."Ju-Just keep your hands off him," Isaac stammered, a bead of sweet sliding past his eye. He found it hard to maintain eye contact with Travis. The boy was a few years older and had a reputation for hurting others.Chuckling, Travis pulled his hand from the boy's chest and put it in his pocket. "And what are you going to do to stop me?"Though hidden by the taller boy's brown hair, Isaac could feel the amusement dripping from Travis's eyes. He was enjoying this.In contrast, Isaac could only muster a stammered, unsure response. He didn't know what to do. What was he able to do?"Isaac!" he heard Daniel's voice echo behind him. As he turned to face his best friend, fist falling, he suddenly felt two hands grab hold of him, shoving him against the lockers. A metallic cry accompanied his distressed grunts.Travis laughed in response. "You wanna play hero so bad, kid?" he taunted, rearing his arm back. "Then let me show you what happens to heroes!" He drove his fist into Isaac's stomach, the pain stealing his breath as he hunched forward.Isaac caught sight of tears welling within the eyes of the boy he tried to help. The boy muttered and blamed himself for what was happening. Isaac wanted to reply; to tell the boy this wasn't his fault, but a blow to his back dropped him to the ground."Don't hurt my brother!" Isaac heard Daniel scream. He had never felt such anger in his voice. By the time Isaac raised his gaze, Daniel had already swung.Travis simply backed towards his friends, dodging the hit with ease. "Is that all you got?" he continued to taunt with a smirk. Daniel scoffed and dashed forward, swinging as hard as he could.The older boy continued to back up, and whenever he drew close to the crowd, they'd simply mirror his movements. His mouth continued racing with insults and taunts, each pushing Daniel further and further over the edge.And that's when Isaac saw it. But before he could warn his brother, Travis's friends lunged at Daniel's sides, grabbing him by the arms, suspending him in place.Travis drew Daniel forward so his friends could circle and capture him. Isaac hated to admit it, but it was a good plan. Simple but smart."Jeez, you're stupid," Travis said as Daniel struggled. "And I bet you're just as weak!" In the blink of an eye, he cracked his fist against Daniel's head. Isaac felt the pit of his stomach spark. He wanted to help, but he was far too weak to stand. He could only watch as Travis watched Daniel's motionless body.The hallway fell deathly silent as the crowd waited, wondering what would happen next.Travis clicked his tongue, and his friends removed their grip on Daniel, shoving him to the ground. He then knelt before the boy and whispered something before shifting his sly gaze to Isaac."What is going on out here?!" a stern, older voice boomed through the hallway behind Travis. In a flash, the crowd of kids scattered, hoping to avoid getting in trouble.Isaac shifted his gaze towards the principal, his gray hair slicked back, his sharp eyes locked on Travis's group. This wasn't going to end well."Travis, why am I not surprised?" the principal muttered. His gaze then turned to the boy Isaac tried to save. He quickly put two and two together. "What have I told you about bullying your peers?" His eyes then wandered down towards the ground, and as he examined Daniel, they shot open with fury."You drew blood," he growled, his wrinkled hand shaking by his side. Travis remained silent, either out of fear or something else entirely. Isaac, on the other hand, latched onto one of the principal's words:"Blood?" he muttered. Daniel was bleeding? He tried to search for something, anything, but Daniel's face hid from him. He then turned his focus towards the principal, hoping to find the truth there.Instead, the old man glared at him, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Isaac Tagami," he said under his breath, shaking his head. "You two," he pointed towards Isaac and Daniel. "My office, now." "Mr. and Mrs. Caddel, in the short time your kids have attended my school, they've been in countless incidents related to this one," the principal explained, sitting behind his dark oak desk, which appeared to be just as old as him, if not older. "I don't think I need to explain why it's concerning that kids as young as yours are behaving in this manner?"Thomas sat forward in his chair, the wood squeaking as he moved. "No, sir, my wife and I understand," he spoke as if he were the one in trouble.The principal tapped his fingers against his desk. "Look," he sighed. "I understand that your kids want to help, and I don't want to be a-" he cast his glance towards Isaac and Daniel, pausing for a moment. "-A hard-headed old man, but you know the world we live in just as well as I do.""I promise, we'll have a talk with them once we get home," Angelica spoke in the same tone as her husband.Isaac squirmed in his seat. He hated seeing the people who took care of him get scolded for his mistake. He considered speaking up, but Daniel stopped him by reaching out and taking his hand.Although washed, there were still faint red streaks above Daniel's bruised lip. And there lie another issue: Daniel. It was his fault that his best friend got hurt."I've heard that before from you both, and so far it hasn't been enough," the principal replied, his gaze shifting between Thomas and Angelica."Isaac has had..." Angelica paused, as if looking for the correct word. Her gaze slightly narrowed for a moment as she sighed. "Issues like this for a year or so now, but I assure you, he is getting better.""Next time, he'll go get a teacher," Thomas chimed in. "You have my word.""He better, or I can't promise how much longer he'll be allowed to continue his education here," the principal replied,clasping and resting his hands on his desk. "I'm sorry. I hope you understand."Thomas exchanged a glance with his wife for a moment before nodding slightly. Shortly after, he returned his gaze to the principal. "We understand, sir."Later that night, after the family had returned home and had dinner, Thomas and Angelica called Isaac and Daniel into the living room for a talk. The room was small, barely furnished, outside a small TV, a coffee table, and a blue couch, with arms made more of duct tape than fabric.Walking in, Isaac expected this to be yet another scolding, but, to his surprise, that wasn't what happened. Instead, the family talked about Isaac's actual mother and father, how they were special, and the weird dreams he started having a year ago after the incident in the forest."Your parents were, all things considered, heroes," Thomas said. "They didn't do anything fancy, but they used their gifts to help others, instead of hurt them."Angelica reached out, grabbing her husband's hand. "They were kind, amazing people," she said. "They were made to be together. And soon after, they had you." Tears welled in her eyes, and she bit down on her lip as if to stop herself from crying.It was clear how the story continued."Mom and dad... were heroes?" Isaac questioned, his head tilted. He didn't feel a shred of emotion towards the implied ending of his parents."When you were given to us four years ago, we weren't sure if you would inherit their powers," Thomas continued. "But after the forest," he turned his attention to his wife. "And the dreams, we knew what was happening.""You're a special person, Isaac," Angelica said, grasping and squeezing her son's hands. "But you can't act like them anymore. Do you understand?""But why?" Isaac asked, pulling his hand away and jumping off the couch. "Why can't I help people like real mommy and daddy did?"Thomas sighed before moving and kneeling on the gray carpet. He cast a deep glance at Isaac, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders, and asked, "Do you want to disappear like your parents did?""But I want to-""Wait," Daniel interrupted, his words shaking, his eyes wide with tears. "If you... if you disappear, then... who's gonna be my best friend? I don't wanna lose brother!" He jumped off the couch, wrapping his arms around Isaac, gripping him tightly.Daniel's body shook, his lips quivering, snot dripping from his nose as he begged his younger brother to stay with him forever and to never disappear.Isaac stood silent, forgetting his earlier thought as it made him feel guilty for not considering his best friend. He had already been the reason Daniel got hurt once. He didn't want that to happen again.After that, only a brief amount of words were exchanged between the family before Isaac walked away, returning to his shared room. His mind now harbored various questions he couldn't answer, and feelings he couldn't quite understand. Ultimately, the young boy simplified the emotion as doubt towards his parents and their special nature.
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Unbeknownst to Isaac at the time, this level of thinking would lead him on a dark and pain-filled journey, where his ideals, strength, and bonds were constantly put to the test. Next Time On A Hero's Journey: Goodbye My Old Friend, Hello My New Life.