First Night on the Town part 5

About five minutes later, I’m sitting on a ledge overlooking the city. I’ve taken off the mask and laid the shield down beside me. Studying the bloodstains on the mask, I go over what the Masked Man said and can’t think of anything to argue against. I shouldn’t be a hero. Sorry Victor, but you wasted your life on a nobody.

Standing up, I catch my reflection in a window. Intentional or not the Masked Man fixed my face, so at least I don’t have to come up with a lie to tell Mom and Henri. They worry enough about me. Especially after what happened in New Orleans. I’ll worry about what to do about tomorrow, tomorrow. Throwing the mask back on and slipping the shield I leap off the roof to the one below I start heading home to forget this bad idea.

Running across the rooftop I hear someone say, “Freeze.” Great, the police. How can this get any worse? I turn to see a man wearing a black riot mask and bodysuit with guns strapped here and there pointing two large Uzis at me. I had to ask, it’s my personal nightmare man, Gunner.

I try to stay calm as I raise my hands in the air and stutter out a question, “G-G-Gunner?! How did you get out of ‘The Can’?”

Gunner lets out a soft laugh and yanks off his mask. I stare at the face of my former best friend, not believing that it’s him. But it’s him. He still cuts his hair military style and he still has the scar I gave him. It’s Billy. It’s Billy with GUNS.

I’m shaken out of my shock when I hear his answer, “Dad didn’t. I’m the new and improved model. Bye.” I see him raise the Uzis again and open fire.