I jolt awake at the same moment I usually do in this dream. Right after the bullet leaves the barrel of the gun being held to my temple. I shoot out of bed and look over to the nightstand. As expected, my phone shows that it's almost 5 a.m. As I have every night since the night I almost died, I go downstairs and start up my computer. When the screen lights up, I open Google and enter 'marvelous man' into the search bar. Clicking on the first result, I wait for the page to load. I scroll down the page, past pictures and pictures of the gorgeous hero, before coming to a video.
"Why do you do it? Why do you risk your life to save others?"
"It's what I love doing. I like protecting people."
"So there's no ulterior motive? No vengeance for your felled parents? No reason to seek justice?"
"No. I just love people and love keeping people safe." He flashes a smile at the camera and winks.
A sense of reassurance and calm washes over me as I sit back in the chair, scrolling through more pictures of Marvelous Man. Though I've calmed down from my fear of being killed, my heart's still racing but in a completely different way.
I jump out of bed when I hear my alarm sound. I stretch out before walking over to put the Emergency Phone back on the hook.
"James! Get your ass out of bed!" I groan and pull on a pair of pants before walking downstairs.
"Carlos, just because I give you a key doesn't mean you can come in and wake me up." Carlos is my right hand man. The Robin to my Batman, if you will, even though he doesn't want to be considered my sidekick anymore. He holds down the homestead and makes sure that all of the technology I use is as up to date as I can get without the government questioning me. He used to fight with me as my sidekick, Technological, but after being wheelchair bound for a few months, he stopped wanting to take the risk.
I rub the film from my eyes and sit at the table. Carlos places a bag in front of me and laughs.
"Long night?" I nod and open the bag, removing the food and placing it in front of me. "Well, I calibrated all the computers in the house, so the voice command should work now. I fixed the rotation on your costume closet with the more worn clothes to the back. I also tweaked the phone and made it a little louder and rewired your mask."
"You did all of that already?" I took a sip of coffee and looked up. "It's only 8."
"Early to bed, early to rise. Early bird gets the worm. All that good stuff." I watch as Carlos buzzes around the room, practically floating from computer to computer, doing his usual tech things. "Oh, and must I remind you not to make phone calls while you have the mask on? It fucks everything up. This is the last time I'm going to fix it for you."
"But that's your job."
"No. My job is to be your best friend and tell you not to choose an entirely spandex costume. I work for you out of pity for your lack of technological know-how." He laughs and pats me on the back.
"Did you get blueberry muffins?"
I walk into work, tying my apron up onto my waist before leaping behind the counter.
"Ken, can you take the next in line? I'm held up on drink orders." I groan and move toward the register.
"Hi, what can I get-" I look up and I'm faced with a pair of beautiful, sleepy eyes. He yawns and smiles lazily at me.
"Can I have a dozen blueberry muffins, please?" He smiles at me again before reaching hastily into his pocket and pulling out his phone. "Can you make it quick, they don't have to be fresh as long as they were made today. I have to go."
"Yes, sure." I walk to the rack and pick out the muffins, eight of which are freshly made. I bag them up and return to the counter to ring him up. He holds out a twenty and grips my hand.
"Keep the change...Kendall?" He squints at me then retracts his hand, smiling once more before stumbling out the door.
"Thank you!" I shout after him. I see him stop walking and smile to himself and I assume he heard it.
Alright, alright. I know this sucks. It will get better, I promise. :)-