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Finding a Superpower

told by Andy, the 6 year-old.

By annika la vina Published 2 years ago 5 min read
1
Finding a Superpower
Photo by Yulia Matvienko on Unsplash

They told me that I was born with a superpower.

They said that I was like Superman, Batman, and Captain America all rolled into one. They said I was going to be as fast as Flash, as strong as the Hulk, and as charming as Iron Man.

I don’t know what my power is yet. Sometimes, when I play with my toy trucks, I imagine that they’re life-sized ones and that I’m rescuing my sister’s Barbie dolls from them. But whenever I try to pick up my dad’s car, he tells me, “Andy! Get out from under there! You’re going to hurt yourself!” But how can I hurt myself if I’m a superhero?

I tried running down the street as fast I could once. I tripped and fell and landed on my knee. I was crying on the side of the road for a long time, but I stood back up again and walked back home because superheroes don’t cry. Superheroes are strong, and stupid little cuts don’t hurt them. Superheroes aren’t sissies.

I almost tried to jump off our roof because I was so sure that I could fly. I mean, I even had my cape and everything! But daddy and mommy screamed when they saw me and begged me to come down. I did. I would rather not fly than make my mommy and daddy scared.

After that, they got me a sidekick. His name is Dom and he’s made of yellow Lego bricks. They say that I can’t do anything that would hurt Dom, because then Dom would die, so now, I’m always careful because I don’t want Dom to be sad. Superheroes don’t make people sad, they’re supposed to save them.

I’m getting nervous because I still don’t know what my superpower is. Plus, I can’t find out what it is anytime soon because I’m always in this stupid bed. It makes me sad because I know that my superpower is out there, I just have to find it!

Mommy and daddy always tell me that I’m strong, but I know it’s not true. I can’t pick up cars and I can’t move mountains. I just become weaker and weaker as I lie in this stupid bed with this stupid white gown over me. Dom sits by my bedside table every day, and he’s the only thing that’s been making me happy recently. I can’t do anything all day except stare at the TV and watch as my skin gets paler and paler by the day.

There is a girl in the bed next to mine that’s around my age, and she insists that she has a superpower. She says that her superpower is that she can cure any kind of cancer. She says that she can cure anyone with the touch of her finger, even me! Except that she can’t cure herself. Yesterday was the last day I saw her. Now her bed is empty. Is she in superhero land now?

I’m starting to become even sadder because I don’t think any superhero has ever been bald. Have you ever heard of a bald superhero? I sure haven’t. Plus, there are always people asking me if I’m OK, or if I’m feeling fine, or something stupid like that. I’m fine, really! I don’t like it when they look at me like they feel sorry for me. I’m a grown 6-year-old boy, and I can take care of myself! Dom thinks so too!

Everyone keeps saying that I’m so strong, but I know I’m not. I can’t even pull myself away from this bed. I don’t have the energy to even stand up. I don’t know what to do. I’m becoming weak. Superheroes aren’t weak.

Daddy tells me stories about how, when I’m all cured, we’ll go to Universal Studios and I’ll get to meet all of my favorite superheroes. I listen and I always ask questions. I asked him if I was ever going to be able to breathe normally again. Daddy didn’t answer. Instead, he just cried. I don’t know what I did.

Today, the pain is really bad. I can’t even breathe. My heart is beating so fast. Everybody is crowding around me. The rain is falling outside. I’m so scared.

They keep on saying that I need to hold on. They keep saying that I’m going to make it through. I don’t know if I can though. I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.

I put Dom in my mommy’s hand. She asks me why. I tell her it’s because I’m weak. Dom doesn’t deserve a weak superhero. He deserves someone who will be with him forever. I tell her that I don’t think I’ll be able to live forever.

Mommy starts to cry even harder, but she puts Dom back into my hand and says that I am the strongest superhero that she has ever seen. I am the bravest, smartest, friendliest superhero in the whole entire world.

But I tell her that I don’t even have a superpower.

She says that I do, oh yes, I do. I make everyone happy. That’s my superpower. I emit happiness to everyone around me. I make everyone even better than Superman ever could. She says that I am the light. I have always been the light.

I don’t know what to do anymore, so I grip Dom in my hand and hold on to him tightly. I know that I am leaving the human place now, so I have to grip Dom so he doesn’t fall when we go.

My breath gets caught in my throat. I can’t breathe. I see a white light. It’s a bright, bright light.

It’s brighter than Superman’s. It’s brighter than Batman’s. It’s brighter than Spiderman’s.

I hold on to Dom. I realize that the light is mine. The light is mine. Finally, the light is mine.

Short Story
1

About the Creator

annika la vina

24 year-old writer, artist, and entrepreneur. I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insight

  1. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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