Guppy and Trouty
By Maureen Anson
Standard disclaimers apply.
Sartie week : Superheroes
We can be heroes…just for one day
The shots rang out over the lunchroom at the same time that the screams began. Artie had no idea what was happening really. One moment he had been listening to Joe talk about something from class earlier and then he was being yanked down unceremoniously under the table. Sam was practically laying on top of him. Under other circumstances and locations, Artie would really love this.
Laying there, Artie couldn't even think, it was all happening so fast. They were supposed to be safe here!
"We have to do something," Sam whispered and Artie gave him an incredulous look.
"What are we doing to do?" he replied, pushing his glasses up his nose. They were the glee club, they sang. They danced. They didn't shoot lasers from their eyes! "We're supposed to be safe here!"
Shifting a little, Sam grabbed the wheels of Artie's wheelchair, "We can't just hide here. Just because we've been banished to this dry-place doesn't mean we can't do anything, " he insisted with a curl of his lips, pulling it closer. "Remember, in football?"
Light dawned in Artie's eyes. "Let's do it," he agreed, pulling himself back into his chair since it appeared that the gunman's back was to them.
As quietly as possible, Artie bent over, wrapping his arms around his knees and tucking his head down as Sam ran forward, pushing the wheelchair as fast as he could until Artie rammed directly into the guy, wrapping his arms around him tightly. What Artie might lack in lower body control, he made up for in upper body strength.
They both tilted forward in the impact, falling forward, Sam joining the pile a moment later, wrestling the gun away.
The entire incident only lasted a couple minutes. 5 were injured. The gunman was taken alive by the police.
It was hours before they were released to go home with the police wanting statements, being checked by paramedics, and checking in on their friends. Throughout it all, Artie didn't leave Sam's side, one arm wrapped around Sam's waist and Sam's arm draped casually across Artie's shoulders. No one questioned it.
Finally, they were allowed to go home and Artie grinned at Sam. It had been a long time since he had felt such an adrenaline rush. Since before he had come to Lima, anyways, "And to think our parents sent us here to be safe than in Atlantis," he stated, reaching down to itch his leg. Pulling his pant leg up to get at the place a little better, his leg shimmered a little.
That made Sam chuckle, "Scales dry, Guppy-breath?" he asked, pushing Artie's chair.
Artie nodded, "Yeah. Stupid land-creatures. What about you, Trouty-mouth?"
Sam shrugged, tongue flicking out to grab a fly as it buzzed through the air, "Ready for some real food instead of the cafeteria crap."