Gaming is my Super Power

Alex Roth had a normal office job, crunching numbering for a tech company. On his off days, he would never leave his apartment because he was too busy gaming. He spent so much time online that he once played straight through the weekend and almost missed work the following Monday.

The one thing he wanted more than anything thing was someone to share his interests with. Then came Annabelle. She was the receptionist at his job, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Unfortunately for Alex, none of the other guys could either.

Today was the day. He was sure of it. The last few nights, Alex had left the office the same time as Annabelle on purpose and got too scared to ask her out. But tonight, was the night.

“Just be cool…Just be cool…just be cool…”

The clock struck 5, everyone began saying goodbye and heading for the door. Last to leave was always Annabelle. She had to lock the office after everyone left. Alex had pretended to work late the last three nights so that it's the two of them leaving. The plan worked for the fourth night in a row. A violent slap on his back brought him back to his senses.

“Working late I see?”

Ron worked in accounting and was a notorious flirt. Alex had a feeling he would have to wait till tomorrow now.

“Nope, just finished.”

“Great timing, want to head to the bar?”

Alex wanted to head home a start gaming, but he couldn’t say that to Ron.

“Maybe another time.” He looked at Annabelle as she put on her jacket. Ron noticed and gave a sly grin.

“I see want you really want to do. Got to tell you though. She’s going home with me tonight.”

Alex’s eyes grew five times wider. Almost freezing, he continued to gather his things before he left.

“Is that so? Well I guess I have some competition then, don’t I?”

The two walked toward the exit, meeting Annabelle at the door.

“Ready to call it a night?” She asked.

“Yea I’m beat.” Ron replied.

Alex nodded and they walked out of the building. Ron walked out first leaving Alex with Annabelle as she locked up the office. They started walking towards the parking lot and Alex knew this was his chance. He gathered all the courage he had in his body and turned to Annabelle.

“Hey, would you…”

Ron bumped into Alex, knocking him into the dumpster. A bag hanging out broke open and spilled on him. A slimy dark green goo was sliding all over him.

Annabelle cringed and Ron laughed as they looked at Alex.

“Are you alright” Annabelle asked.

“He’s fine. Good thing you’re going home. You can wash all that gunk off you.” Ron put his arm around Annabelle.

Looking down at his clothes Alex gave a nervous laugh.

“I’m fine. Guess I'll go home and wash all this off.”

He said good night and headed towards his car. Turning back for a brief moment, he watched the two saunter through the parking lot together.

He felt demoralized when he got home. Didn’t even turn on his computer like he always does. Just walked into his shower, head down, and let the water fall over his head.

After getting out, he put his clothes right in the wash and started it. Thinking about what that green stuff was. But that didn’t take much of his time. The image of Ron and Annabelle walking away was burned into his mind. He laid in his bed all night thinking about how he blew his chance until he fell asleep.

Morning came and Alex got out of bed to take a shower. A few steps later he realized he was walking through the floor.

“What the...”

He crouched down and pushed on the floor with his hand and created another hole. He grabbed for his phone to take a picture and show his landlord how his floors are breaking. Missing, he swiped for the end table and broke the corner off.

“What’s going on?” Tip toeing around his apartment now, he passed the wash room and noticed that the machine had melted. His clothes with it. Looking at the mess on the floor. Alex remembered the green slime that had covered him the night before.

“It’s not possible.” He thought. But bending down, he was able to pick up the melted washer with one hand.

“I have super strength!?!?”

He couldn’t control it, but he knew he had it. The green gunk had changed something in him.

“I wonder what else is different?” Gently walking over to his bed, Alex climbed on top. Now standing , he jumped up, extended his arms and legs, and fell flat on his face.

“Ok, can't fly.” Looking back, he saw his bed was lower. “And my bed in now in floor.”

He didn’t know what to do next. Looking at the clock, Alex realized he was late for work. He figured he could try some new things later and got ready for work.

Walking up to his building, Alex saw Ron trying to help carry a box for Annabelle. He was struggling mightily and couldn’t help but laugh. Then he remembered his bed.

“I bet I could lift that and impress Annabelle. That should get me on her good side.”

He walked over, snickering at Ron. “Need some help?"

Ron looked up. “I can barely lift this thing. You think you can?”

Alex took the box from Ron with one hand and placed it on his shoulder. Then he turned to Annabelle.

“Where would you like this?”

She smiled and ushered him into the building. “Follow me.”

Alex couldn’t help himself and looked back at Ron standing there in awe. This was turning out to be the best day ever.

He impressed her a few more times throughout the day, helping Annabelle move the copier a few inches, so she wouldn’t bump her elbow, the fridge when a magnet fell behind it, and the conference room table to make room for some more chairs.

He hadn’t seen Ron since the parking lot and thought this was his chance. After moving the table, he decided to go for it.

“Hey Annabelle, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

She chuckled and looked down. Then her eyes met his. “I thought you’d never ask. I’ve been hoping you would ask me out since I started here.”

Alex looked surprised. “Really? I never knew. I guess your wish will come true tonight then. 8 o’clock at the new restaurant?”

“Sounds like a date!” She walked off, this time with a little pep in her step.

Looking at the clock, Alex noticed there was only ten minutes until the end of the work day. He couldn’t wait and started packing up his desk early.

They were the last two in the office. Alex was starting to get used to his new strength, holding the door for her as they left without breaking it. Turning the corner they could see the restaurant a block away. Halfway there, someone jumped out from between two buildings.

“Going somewhere?” Ron startled them

“What are you doing?” Annabelle jumped into Alex’s arms. This sent Ron into a frenzy.

He threw his coat off and revealed eight wiggly tentacles. Waving them through the air, Annabelle’s jaw dropped. Alex knew exactly where Ron had been.

“I figured out how you got so strong Alex. But instead of strength, the mystery liquid gave me these tentacles. Guess what they can do.”

A tentacle shot past the couple at the speed of sound. Neither had time to react. It reached fifty feet behind them and fell on the ground. Ron stood there trying to reel it back in. Alex smiled and walked up to him.

“It takes about a day to understand how your body has changed. I’d say you’ve only had this new power for an hour or two. You haven’t had enough time to learn it yet.”

Ron scowled and pulled the tentacle back slowly, trying to prove him wrong but Alex grabbed it before Ron could finish.

Annabelle stood there, shocked at what she was seeing. Regaining her composure, she walked up to Ron and slapped him across the face. Then she turned to Alex.

“Are you hungry?” Alex smiled and threw Ron into the closest building. He fell into some garbage cans and laid there groaning.

Cop cars surrounded the three of them before anyone could leave. One officer stepped out of his car and before he could say a word, saw the tentacles coming out of Ron. He was dumbfounded.

“Did he cause all the raucous?”

Alex and Annabelle both nodded. The cop pulled out his handcuffs and walked over to Ron. He turned back to his partner. “We’re going to need more handcuffs!” He secured his on two of Ron tentacles and waited for his partner to get more.

Annabelle grabbed Alex’s arm tightly. “Is this what you had in mind for our first date?”

Alex let out a nervous laugh. “Not exactly. Unless, you count gaming?”

Annabelle got excited. “I game every night!”

Alex looked giddy. “Then let’s go play.”

“What about dinner?” Annabelle asked.

“We’ll pick something up on the way.”