The Samaritan

I hate you people so, so fucking much.

Grasping, needy, desperate, always clawing at me, demanding.

Pathetic.

“Help us!” You scream, with every giant robot that rampages through downtown, every alien invasion of earth or asteroid on a collision course with the White House, every Mad Scientist using his laser satellite to blackmail the United Nations or Psychotic Juggalo trying to poison the city’s water supply...

“Help us!”

Help you? Where were you people in my moments of doubt and weakness and fear, when new powers I didn’t understand terrified me more than words could possibly express? Who was there to help me?

Nobody, that’s who. Yet now that you need my help I’m supposed to just drop everything and come running. I’m supposed to swoop in and put my life at risk to help people I don’t even know, people who I know for a fact would never in a million years do the same for me?

Just because I’m stronger and faster and can fly, abilities I never once asked for, never once said I wanted, and don’t even enjoy, I have some sort of obligation to you people?

Fuck you people!

Fuck you, fuck whatever psycho got it into his head to build a machine that controls the weather, fuck all five tornadoes heading toward the city, and to reiterate: Fuck you.

Yes you, you screaming civilians, swarming beneath me, staring up, pointing and calling my name, you.

Do you have any idea how deafening your screams are to somebody with super hearing? Did it ever occur to you?

Shut the fuck up with all the screaming!!!

You shrieking, squalling little nobodies, so frightened of the idea that you might ever be expected to solve your own problems, pointing up at the flying man in the cape and begging him, once again, to save the day…

And I will.

I will save the day.

Because I’m a sucker and I have a hard time saying no to people, I will save the day.

Again.

I’ll save your miserable, pathetic little lives once again.

Because that’s what I do.

But I don’t have to like it.

Weekly Prompt Story: Never Fear

http://podcasting.isfullofcrap.com/2012/11/11/weekly-challenge-342-fear/

Never Fear

By Christopher Munroe

“Never fear!” Captain Remarkable exclaimed as he crashed through the skylight, knocking out Doctor Preposterous with one punch.

And so, I didn’t.

I asked Laura in the secretarial pool out the next day, then marched into my boss’ office and demanded not only the raise that’d been overdue, but two extra weeks paid vacation. Laura and I will be spending extra time and money base-jumping in Brazil. I’ve always wanted to go, to try it, but I’d been afraid.

No more. As the Captain said, from this moment on I’ll never fear.  And my world will be richer for it…

Willpower

Crashing to the earth they came, emerald warrior clearly the worse for the battle. To the ground, he came to rest at my feet.

Dead.

But not finished. Ring, his source of power, leapt from finger, scanning the crowd for worthy recipients. Pausing, then flying toward me.

Then past me, to a woman on my left. She seized it and, glowing with power, rose to face the yellow warrior floating above our heads.

I was hurt not to be chosen, but I couldn’t fault the ring it’s choice.

A nigh-infinitely powerful weapon fuelled by willpower? I can’t even quit smoking…

Musings on a Crime Fighting Cyborg

It took dozens of surgeries and billions in R&D, but finally, my crime fighting cyborg was ready to protect the people of this good city.

Automan, the Automated man, was beyond human. His reflexes finely honed, his strength incalculable. Bullets bounced off his titanium skinshell, and he could see in near-total darkness. He was the perfect crime fighting machine. He was designed to be.

Now he was complete, and that very night the police shone the Auto-symbol above the city skyline. It was time for the two of us to spring into action.

Quick, Munsi, he called, to the Automobile!