Bobby's Story
'Morning has broken, like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first dawn.' Sang Sandra Drake as she busied herself getting ready for work, this was her subtle way of waking her son Bobby up before shouting at him. Bobby didn't often take the subtle hint like most fifteen year olds he just stayed in bed.
'Bobby! Up now! You may be in detention for everything else but not being late on my watch.' Yelled his father up the stairs, Keith Drake was a very straight laced guy, always on time, meticulous, hard working diligent so obviously the complete opposite of his son. Keith had to be like this though he worked at the local plant, Bobby didn't know exactly what he did but it had something to do with dangerous chemicals and radiation, Keith's job was to keep giant vats of very hot water at a certain temperature to maintain optimum efficiency.
Bobby sat up bolt upright in his bed, his eyes still closed; he ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes.
'I'm up, I'm up' he groggily yelled before lying back down and pulling the covers over his head.
'Now! Robert Louis Drake!' yelled his father who stood in Bobby's doorway now.
'Uh-oh middle naming me' thought Bobby as he got up. His father was really upset with him he had detention again that evening, you think the Gym teacher at his school would have appreciated his award winning performance when he released lab rats into the female changing room before bursting in as a hero to rescue them, as it turned out she didn't.
Bobby slid out of his bed, 'Make your bed' called his mother from the hallway.
'It is' replied Bobby looking the pile of sheets on his bed.
Bobby stretched before stepping forward and falling over, weird he thought as he climbed to his knees, he had slipped on something. Turning Bobby saw the culprit, a plastic sheet, he suddenly remembered he had been organising his comics late last night and didn't clean up after himself leaving the plastic dust jacket on the floor. 'Should have cleaned your room' lectured his father as he walked past the door again straightening his tie. Bobby had always loved comics or anything to do with superheroes really, he couldn't help it something about them made him feel something that he didn't get in his ordinary life, the human torch from the Fantastic Four was his favourite; there was always something about the control of fire that spoke to him and made him think 'cool'.
Bobby slowly cleaned himself up and went back to his room now a little more awake, he walked in as his father stood leafing through one of the comics that lay on his floor.
'Bobby I want to talk' began his father ominously 'you have been in detention every night since the start of the semester, your failing in school, you don't take pride in anything is something wrong?'
'No dad, I'm just enjoying myself while I still can, I very well may end up being a lifeless drone like you one day' Bobby smiled he was kidding he loved his father and mother very much but his fathers almost robot behaviour and routine drove him crazy.
'That's not funny Robert, I mean as an example look at your room.' Bobby glanced around not noticing anything wrong with it; he looked at his father puzzled. 'Bobby, I hate to say this but you're a slob, week old underwear, food from who knows when, Some white mould looking thing growing on your window and these childish picture books strewn everywhere' Keith holds up the comic in his hand before throwing it on the floor 'you need to grow up kid'.
Bobby slowly picks up the comic, I'm a kid, I'll grow up when I'm a grown up' retorted Bobby. Keith stood up shaking his head as he walked out of the door, bobby looked around the room actually taking in the mess now, he was amazed he had not noticed it before at least the walls are clean except of course all the holes from darts going astray, Bobby wasn't great or in fact good at darts but he always liked to practice. 'Mould' Bobby suddenly spoke out loud in shock realisation of what his father had said, Bobby looked at his window sure enough some white substance covered the corner of his window, Bobby ran his finger across it, it was cold ice cold. The substance began to turn into water and run down the window as he dragged his warm fingers across it. 'Frost?' thought Bobby he found it strange that in July there was frost on the windows. 'Bobby Move!' yelled his father as Bobby ran from the door not wanting to miss his ride.
That afternoon Bobby sat in detention reading from an encyclopaedia, in truth he was reading from the new Batman comic hidden in the encyclopaedia. In one of the panels Mr Freeze was robbing a bank, as he burst through the door he yelled to everyone 'Freeze'. Bobby thought to himself sarcastically that this was really witty and if you had ice powers you would sit down before going on your latest caper and think of something better to say. Bobby turns the page which shows Batman bursting through a skylight, Mr Freeze slowly turns round addressing him 'Ice to see you Batman'. 'Holy Crap' thought Bobby 'that is the worst...' Bobby was interrupted as his teacher's fist slammed down on the table. 'Bobby are you filling your time constructively by learning or are you wasting time by reading comic books.'
'Oh I'm...I'm. Can't I do both?' asked Bobby quite pleased with his response. His thrill declined as he looked at his teacher 'Usual time usual place tomorrow?' he asked with a nervous smile to which his teacher nodded.
The next evening Bobby sat at home, doing his homework as part of his fathers new two hours a night programme. 'Bobby no like homework, make Bobby's brain hurt.' He thought to himself. His father was on late shift tonight so he was only going to do an hour and just plain lie about it. His homework finished he decided to have a bath, he had had a tough day, in Gym class when he was climbing the ropes some jerky jock had pulled his shorts down, Bobby could do nothing as he was clinging to the rope for his life. He could still hear the laughter.
Bobby climbed into the bath realising how much getting a warm bath after a hard day made him sound like his grandma but he didn't care. Bobby slowly drifted off into sleep and had a weird dream, he was alone wandering through the Artic tundra the strange thing was he wasn't cold. Bobby suddenly woke up when he heard the phone ringing then it stopped he guessed that his mother must have answered it. Bobby wiped his eyes, if his father knew he had fell asleep in the tub he would be very angry as well as part automaton he was a safety freak. Bobby looked down at the water which was now really cold, his eyes widened in amazement as around his waist was a sheet of ice. Bobby began to breathe heavily as if he was having a panic attack; he jumped from the tub sending shards of ice across the room. Bobby stood naked in his bathroom looking at the frozen tub with a large hole in the ice where he had jumped out and broken in. Bobby placed his hand into the tub as ice almost instantly formed around his hand filling the rest of the tub. Bobby managed to pull his hand free easily as the ice seemed to move away from his hand at his will. Bobby was in shock right here he was having an origin story like in the comics, he moved over to the sink and turned on the tap, water began to run out, he felt it, it felt warm, slowly he began to concentrate. Bobby concentrated on cooling the water, the water coming from the tap suddenly froze and he was left looking at an icicle from the tap into the basin. The pipe leading up to the tap began to shake and creak as Bobby realised the water was still running he quickly turned off the tap as a knock came at the door.
'Are you ok Bobby?' came his mother's voice.
'Fine mom, I'm fine' Bobby replied with a shake in his voice.
'You don't sound it Bobby I'm coming in.'
'No' yelled Bobby as he spun round lunging for the door, he quickly dove back as ice spread across the door knob and part of the door. 'Ok dear but hurry up.' His mother then left heading back downstairs. Bobby slowly backed away from the bathroom opening the door; he quickly closed the door again and began to put his pants on.
Bobby rushed to his room and logged onto the internet as he began to type, , the computer quickly loaded, freezing stuff, enter. The search engine quickly kicked in as it began to search through millions of sites, Cryogenics, united freezers ltd, kitchen supplies. Bobby scrolled through the lists looking for something to help him, Cryokinesis: freezing things with ones mind. Bobby clicked on the link as he breathed deeply trying to calm himself down. He began to read as the site appeared; a lot of it was techniques of concentration of how to achieve the state to begin Cryokinesis. 'Guess that doesn't apply to me' thought Bobby as he began to read again. 'In the world Cyrokinesis championship, Dr Philip Johnson 35 won last years contest when he decreased a glass of water by 4 degrees, he has been practising for twenty years so don't feel to bad if you don't get it straight away just keep trying. Bobby gulped he was already way too advanced for this, he didn't know what was happening to him but no one could help him. He quickly clicked his brain into a new mode one he had never used 'serious' he needed to get this under control he couldn't go around freezing windows and bath tubs, he had something to do firstly though. Bobby darted to the bathroom turning on the hot taps; he had to melt the ice.
Bobby had done his best he had ran the taps and broke the ice up a with his baseball bat, he went back to his room and sat, the only light came from the glow of his computer and TV which he had on mute so it would not stop his concentration. The young mutant looked straight ahead of himself and took deep long drawn out breaths, he didn't know why but Mom said that's what they do in yoga to centre themselves. Bobby raised his hands and thought of ice. Seconds later a large shelf like structure of ice stretched between his hand and the door, Bobby smiled his dreams had come true he was a superhero of sorts he doesn't recall superman getting a D in math.
The next days school and detention seemed to fly by as Bobby got ready for his first 'patrol' of the city, all night he had practised his superpowers and he was convinced that he was good at it. He had even developed a costume he found just by thinking about it his body would become covered in snow and hide who he truly was.
That night and every night all week Bobby wandered the streets in his superhero identity and had so far foiled no crimes, not a single criminal had tried anything. Bobby was upset that he had not been able to stop crime but he was sure that a lack of crime was probably a good thing. Unfortunately for Bobby because of his late night patrols he was failing worse then ever at school which meant he was in hot water at home in fact he was one D short of grounding.
Bobby decided if he couldn't be a superhero at the minute he would do the next best thing be a super villain or at least use his powers for revenge which wasn't very superheroic but he kidded himself into thinking it wasn't revenge but justice being done. Gym class the next day was when his cunning plot came into practice they were running circuits where they would have to try a lot of different sports and events.
Gym Class came round quickly and Bobby was smiling from ear to ear, Steve spat on his hands and walked towards the rope, Bobby put his plan in action, he had been practising and he managed to put a very thin layer of ice over the ropes. Steve tried to climb but no matter how hard he pulled or tried he couldn't budge up the rope, everyone was laughing and Steve was incredibly embarrassed, just thinking about the captain of the football team not being able to climb the rope in Gym was really embarrassing. Steve's hands eventually melted the thin layer of ice once Bobby had stopped renewing it, Steve began to climb, slowly he made his way to the top of the rope, Steve rang the bell, and Bobby took his chance again freezing Steve's hands in place. Steve wriggled and squirmed trying to escape the rope but he couldn't.
'Help I'm stuck!' yelled Steve, Everyone was in riots of laughter by this time. 'That's Ok Steve everyone gets scarred sometimes' Comforted his Gym teacher. Steve was eventually brought down. Steve and Bobby were lined up for the 100meter dash Bobby didn't like cheating a little to reach the final but this was personal, Bobby placed his hand on the floor again icing his hands and feet to the floor but not enough for anyone to notice. 'Go' yelled the teacher, Bobby sprinted down the track, he was halfway down the track before looking back at Steve still frozen, and Bobby crossed the finish line. Steve finally managed to free his hands seconds later, he had been pushing forward with such power he simply crumpled up on the floor, and again much laughing ensued. Bobby laid off for the rest of the events he wanted Steve to get his confidence back. In the changing rooms the temperature was always really warm, not uncomfortable but pleasant, Bobby had a plan, Bobby sat there pointing his hand towards the wet crotch of Steve under the towel he was wearing, Steve dropped his towel to put his underwear on. There was silence in the changing rooms as a giggle was trying to be subdued, Bobby burst out laughing at the sight, let's just say there was a case of Major extreme shrinkage. Bobby froze the towel to the floor and Steve's underwear to the locker, Steve stood naked with no where to go, suddenly in amongst the laughter a whimper was heard, Bobby wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes as he looked into Steve's eyes they to were welled up with tears but not happy ones. Bobby thought to himself 'Great now I feel sorry for him, I am such a jerk.' Bobby stood up passing a towel to Steve and smiled at him trying to hide his guilt.
Bobby lay on his bed thinking about what he had done, he had hurt someone, they may have been nasty to him in the past but no one had deserved what he had done to Steve. 'No more, I'll either use my powers for a good cause or not at all.' He spoke to himself out loud. 'Talking to yourself son, what powers?' asks his father as he opens the door.
'Huh, nothing dad. I'm...I'm writing a comic book' replied Bobby trying to cover for himself.
His father looks at him and leaves as Bobby rolls over and dozes off.
The next day Bobby was running an errand for his mother, he had to call into the bank on the way home and pay some money into the account for her, and he flicked through a comic not really paying attention to where he was going. He thought to himself as he walked 'Why am I still reading comics, when I am a superhero.' Bobby arrived at the bank and stood in the queue, it took twenty minutes for Bobby to reach the front of the line, by this time he had read his comic and was quite bored. Bobby stood whistling as the red arrow flashed and the voice spoke 'Cashier number 4 please.' Bobby walked down to the cashier and handed her the money to pay into the account. Bobby stood looking for the paying in book as the cashier drummed her fingers.
'EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR NOW, DO IT, I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU BUT I WILL' yelled one man as he and three others burst into the bank carrying shotguns with ski masks covering their faces. One of the men shot into the air to show their seriousness, children began to scream and cry as they were forced to the floor by their parents. Bobby sat on the floor below the window as the men wandered around as their bags were filled with cash.
'Bobby this is the time, now's your chance, save everyone, they can't stop you. You're the Iceman' spoke the little voice in Bobby's head, the same one that usually gets him dong stupid things. 'I need a costume' thought Bobby as he sat thinking of a way to conceal his identity. Bobby looked around and decided first thing was first, freeze the cameras, everyone else had their heads on the floor they won't see a thing. Bobby pointed his fingers towards the cameras as slowly frost appeared over their lenses and the casing, blocking any chance of watching the footage. 'Costume, costume, costume?' thought Bobby when he suddenly had the idea to cover himself with a thin layer of frost to cover his features. Bobby concentrated on a solid shiny exterior covering his body, in his mind he looked like an Ice version of the Silver Surfer. Bobby felt the chill across his body, it wasn't unpleasant, and in fact he felt comfortable.
Bobby jumped up pointing his hands at the robbers 'freeze' yelled Bobby as he froze one of the guns the men were holding.
'Tell me I didn't say that' cringed Bobby.
The man dropped his frozen gun in horror as it began to hurt his hand. 'Christ its Frosty the Snowman back from the dead and this time he is pissed' yelled one of the men. Bobby caught his reflection in the mirror he wasn't a sleek ice sculpture he looked like a snowman. Bobby felt himself blushing at his state but quickly focused again.
Bobby blasted another two guns making the men drop them before freezing their feet solidly to the floor. The final man stood frozen (no pun) in fear, he gulped as he raised his gun and began blasting at the Snowman from hell, Bobby waved his hands in front of him as the bullets connected with a thick layer of ice. Bobby tightened his hand into a fist; he thrust his hand forward as a large fist shaped ball of ice flew forward connecting with the man sending him flying back over a financial adviser desk. Bobby blasted the man with ice freezing him to before concentrating on unfreezing himself luckily no one had seen.
'I got to get out of here' thought Bobby as he ran through the door.
That evening Bobby sat with his parents watching the news.
'They were only kids, obviously on drugs that's why they saw this Super Snowman' reasoned Bobby's father as he watched news of the robbery which was foiled, when the police arrived the four guys were lying in pools of water terrified babbling about Frosty the snowman.
'Thank god you weren't there Bobby' spoke his mother 'you must have just missed it though didn't you see anything?' queried his mother.
'No, I...I forgot to go sorry' covered Bobby quickly.
'Where's the money?' asked his father, this is when Bobby began mentally kicking himself he had left the money in the bank.
'Upstairs, I'll go get it.' Replied Bobby as he trudged upstairs, he opened his closet and took out an old biscuit tin, and began counting. '$200' he thought 'just enough, so much for my lifesavings'
The school was bubbling the next day with news of the Iceman, Bobby's ears were burning up, he didn't like everything he heard, one rumour was that the snowman was gay. He had no Idea why anyone would say that but that was a rumour.
Bobby walked home through the busy high street thinking of all the words thrown around that day Hero, menace, hunk, gay. Bobby had no idea what to do, for the first time in his life he had no plans. Bobby's train of thought was interrupted when he heard police sirens, turning round he saw a car hurtling down the street chased by the police.
'Hero time' thought Bobby 'this place is to crowded to ice up, got to go undercover.' Bobby raised his hand slightly sending an unseen blast of ice across the centre of the road, he stood back to watch his master work. The cat hurtled towards the patch, it hit it, suddenly they lost control, spinning around and around it kept going at top speed till it stopped by hitting something. Bobby wasn't so proud; the thing it hit was a family car. The police kept everyone back as they tried to rescue the family who were screaming as their car burnt around them, Bobby raised his hand silently trying not to draw attention to himself he froze the engine putting out the fire. Bobby stood watching as the family were rescued from their crushed and burnt car by firemen and placed into an ambulance.
'The Iceman was believed to be involved by many bystanders who say ice appeared on the road and the fire. The police are looking for any leads, that news again three teens joyriding were captured while two bystanders are critical' spoke the woman reporter from the scene of the accident.
'He deserves to be hung, even if some how he can control Ice or cold or whatever, even if he was trying to help, he didn't think about the consequences and now two kids are in hospital because of his actions' spoke Bobby's father partially to his family partially to himself as he continued ranting, Bobby slowly drifted upstairs holding the tears back.
'It was an accident I didn't mean to' thought Bobby 'No more, no more powers ever.'
The next evening Bobby was still visibly upset, the things he heard throughout the day about what people were going to do to the Iceman when they got him didn't help. Happily though the two kids were pulling through and would be okay.
Bobby sat at his computer typing his homework as he heard his mother scream, Bobby rushed downstairs to find his mother sitting in hysterics, tears rushing down her face as she watched the news.
The manta the scene spoke 'There is nothing the fire fighters can do, there was some sort of explosion, were not sure where, this is horrible many are trapped.' Bobby recognised the scene it was his father's factory, his father was at work that night.
'Dad' screamed Bobby, tears running down his face, his mother looked at him and gasped, somehow he had iced up into a solid ice form much like he had imagined. Bobby looked at his mother understandably 'I'm sorry, if I don't come back tell everyone I'm sorry.' Bobby darted for the door as his mother followed behind him shaking, she watched as her only son raced of across the sky on some sort of ice ramp.
Bobby rode over every ones heads at the scene as he raced to the factory, he burst through a window. He knew where to go; his father had brought him a couple of times through out his life. Bobby sprinted through the plant putting out fires as he went, eventually he reached the area where his father worked, he looked down at the giant vats, 'Dad' yelled Bobby. 'Bobby' yelled a voice from down below over the top of the sirens, Bobby jumped down using an ice slide to reach the bottom. Bobby saw his father and rushed to him, Keith had cloth rapped round his bleeding and blistered hands as he tried turning a valve on a giant vat. 'Dad' yelled Bobby as he rushed to his father; his father looked at him 'Bobby?'
'This isn't the time dad' replied Bobby 'where is everyone? We have to leave.'
'I made them leave, it isn't safe, you go to.' Replied his father.
'Not without you, lets go!' Screamed Bobby.
'I can't I need to cool this last vat, if I don't it will explode, the others will explode, the core will explode and everyone is gone, I have to save you and your mother, go home.'
Bobby stood amazed at what his father was doing, Bobby reached forward grabbing the valve trying to turn it but it was truly stuck. Bobby glanced at the ladder to the right leading up to the walkway above the vat. 'I love you dad' Bobby brushed a tear from his eye as he climbed the ladder. Bobby climbed as his father screamed at him to come down, Bobby stood on the walkway before crossing himself and leaping in, great amounts of steam poured from the vat as hot met cold and the vat miraculously cooled. The alarms stopped sounding, Keith dropped to his knees crying hitting his feet into the floor at the loss of his son. Keith stopped and looked up at a group of people standing in front of him; one popped three claws from his hands and slashed the vat as warm water flooded out across the floor carrying the de-iced body of Bobby drake.
Bobby woke up as a great feeling of relief washed over him; he turned towards a bald man sitting by his bed in the infirmary.
'Relax Bobby, everyone is fine you really saved the day, you were brought here to get medical assistance in secret and so we could give you the help only we can. I am Charles Xavier, welcome to my institute.'
'Morning has broken, like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first dawn.' Sang Sandra Drake as she busied herself getting ready for work, this was her subtle way of waking her son Bobby up before shouting at him. Bobby didn't often take the subtle hint like most fifteen year olds he just stayed in bed.
'Bobby! Up now! You may be in detention for everything else but not being late on my watch.' Yelled his father up the stairs, Keith Drake was a very straight laced guy, always on time, meticulous, hard working diligent so obviously the complete opposite of his son. Keith had to be like this though he worked at the local plant, Bobby didn't know exactly what he did but it had something to do with dangerous chemicals and radiation, Keith's job was to keep giant vats of very hot water at a certain temperature to maintain optimum efficiency.
Bobby sat up bolt upright in his bed, his eyes still closed; he ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes.
'I'm up, I'm up' he groggily yelled before lying back down and pulling the covers over his head.
'Now! Robert Louis Drake!' yelled his father who stood in Bobby's doorway now.
'Uh-oh middle naming me' thought Bobby as he got up. His father was really upset with him he had detention again that evening, you think the Gym teacher at his school would have appreciated his award winning performance when he released lab rats into the female changing room before bursting in as a hero to rescue them, as it turned out she didn't.
Bobby slid out of his bed, 'Make your bed' called his mother from the hallway.
'It is' replied Bobby looking the pile of sheets on his bed.
Bobby stretched before stepping forward and falling over, weird he thought as he climbed to his knees, he had slipped on something. Turning Bobby saw the culprit, a plastic sheet, he suddenly remembered he had been organising his comics late last night and didn't clean up after himself leaving the plastic dust jacket on the floor. 'Should have cleaned your room' lectured his father as he walked past the door again straightening his tie. Bobby had always loved comics or anything to do with superheroes really, he couldn't help it something about them made him feel something that he didn't get in his ordinary life, the human torch from the Fantastic Four was his favourite; there was always something about the control of fire that spoke to him and made him think 'cool'.
Bobby slowly cleaned himself up and went back to his room now a little more awake, he walked in as his father stood leafing through one of the comics that lay on his floor.
'Bobby I want to talk' began his father ominously 'you have been in detention every night since the start of the semester, your failing in school, you don't take pride in anything is something wrong?'
'No dad, I'm just enjoying myself while I still can, I very well may end up being a lifeless drone like you one day' Bobby smiled he was kidding he loved his father and mother very much but his fathers almost robot behaviour and routine drove him crazy.
'That's not funny Robert, I mean as an example look at your room.' Bobby glanced around not noticing anything wrong with it; he looked at his father puzzled. 'Bobby, I hate to say this but you're a slob, week old underwear, food from who knows when, Some white mould looking thing growing on your window and these childish picture books strewn everywhere' Keith holds up the comic in his hand before throwing it on the floor 'you need to grow up kid'.
Bobby slowly picks up the comic, I'm a kid, I'll grow up when I'm a grown up' retorted Bobby. Keith stood up shaking his head as he walked out of the door, bobby looked around the room actually taking in the mess now, he was amazed he had not noticed it before at least the walls are clean except of course all the holes from darts going astray, Bobby wasn't great or in fact good at darts but he always liked to practice. 'Mould' Bobby suddenly spoke out loud in shock realisation of what his father had said, Bobby looked at his window sure enough some white substance covered the corner of his window, Bobby ran his finger across it, it was cold ice cold. The substance began to turn into water and run down the window as he dragged his warm fingers across it. 'Frost?' thought Bobby he found it strange that in July there was frost on the windows. 'Bobby Move!' yelled his father as Bobby ran from the door not wanting to miss his ride.
That afternoon Bobby sat in detention reading from an encyclopaedia, in truth he was reading from the new Batman comic hidden in the encyclopaedia. In one of the panels Mr Freeze was robbing a bank, as he burst through the door he yelled to everyone 'Freeze'. Bobby thought to himself sarcastically that this was really witty and if you had ice powers you would sit down before going on your latest caper and think of something better to say. Bobby turns the page which shows Batman bursting through a skylight, Mr Freeze slowly turns round addressing him 'Ice to see you Batman'. 'Holy Crap' thought Bobby 'that is the worst...' Bobby was interrupted as his teacher's fist slammed down on the table. 'Bobby are you filling your time constructively by learning or are you wasting time by reading comic books.'
'Oh I'm...I'm. Can't I do both?' asked Bobby quite pleased with his response. His thrill declined as he looked at his teacher 'Usual time usual place tomorrow?' he asked with a nervous smile to which his teacher nodded.
The next evening Bobby sat at home, doing his homework as part of his fathers new two hours a night programme. 'Bobby no like homework, make Bobby's brain hurt.' He thought to himself. His father was on late shift tonight so he was only going to do an hour and just plain lie about it. His homework finished he decided to have a bath, he had had a tough day, in Gym class when he was climbing the ropes some jerky jock had pulled his shorts down, Bobby could do nothing as he was clinging to the rope for his life. He could still hear the laughter.
Bobby climbed into the bath realising how much getting a warm bath after a hard day made him sound like his grandma but he didn't care. Bobby slowly drifted off into sleep and had a weird dream, he was alone wandering through the Artic tundra the strange thing was he wasn't cold. Bobby suddenly woke up when he heard the phone ringing then it stopped he guessed that his mother must have answered it. Bobby wiped his eyes, if his father knew he had fell asleep in the tub he would be very angry as well as part automaton he was a safety freak. Bobby looked down at the water which was now really cold, his eyes widened in amazement as around his waist was a sheet of ice. Bobby began to breathe heavily as if he was having a panic attack; he jumped from the tub sending shards of ice across the room. Bobby stood naked in his bathroom looking at the frozen tub with a large hole in the ice where he had jumped out and broken in. Bobby placed his hand into the tub as ice almost instantly formed around his hand filling the rest of the tub. Bobby managed to pull his hand free easily as the ice seemed to move away from his hand at his will. Bobby was in shock right here he was having an origin story like in the comics, he moved over to the sink and turned on the tap, water began to run out, he felt it, it felt warm, slowly he began to concentrate. Bobby concentrated on cooling the water, the water coming from the tap suddenly froze and he was left looking at an icicle from the tap into the basin. The pipe leading up to the tap began to shake and creak as Bobby realised the water was still running he quickly turned off the tap as a knock came at the door.
'Are you ok Bobby?' came his mother's voice.
'Fine mom, I'm fine' Bobby replied with a shake in his voice.
'You don't sound it Bobby I'm coming in.'
'No' yelled Bobby as he spun round lunging for the door, he quickly dove back as ice spread across the door knob and part of the door. 'Ok dear but hurry up.' His mother then left heading back downstairs. Bobby slowly backed away from the bathroom opening the door; he quickly closed the door again and began to put his pants on.
Bobby rushed to his room and logged onto the internet as he began to type, , the computer quickly loaded, freezing stuff, enter. The search engine quickly kicked in as it began to search through millions of sites, Cryogenics, united freezers ltd, kitchen supplies. Bobby scrolled through the lists looking for something to help him, Cryokinesis: freezing things with ones mind. Bobby clicked on the link as he breathed deeply trying to calm himself down. He began to read as the site appeared; a lot of it was techniques of concentration of how to achieve the state to begin Cryokinesis. 'Guess that doesn't apply to me' thought Bobby as he began to read again. 'In the world Cyrokinesis championship, Dr Philip Johnson 35 won last years contest when he decreased a glass of water by 4 degrees, he has been practising for twenty years so don't feel to bad if you don't get it straight away just keep trying. Bobby gulped he was already way too advanced for this, he didn't know what was happening to him but no one could help him. He quickly clicked his brain into a new mode one he had never used 'serious' he needed to get this under control he couldn't go around freezing windows and bath tubs, he had something to do firstly though. Bobby darted to the bathroom turning on the hot taps; he had to melt the ice.
Bobby had done his best he had ran the taps and broke the ice up a with his baseball bat, he went back to his room and sat, the only light came from the glow of his computer and TV which he had on mute so it would not stop his concentration. The young mutant looked straight ahead of himself and took deep long drawn out breaths, he didn't know why but Mom said that's what they do in yoga to centre themselves. Bobby raised his hands and thought of ice. Seconds later a large shelf like structure of ice stretched between his hand and the door, Bobby smiled his dreams had come true he was a superhero of sorts he doesn't recall superman getting a D in math.
The next days school and detention seemed to fly by as Bobby got ready for his first 'patrol' of the city, all night he had practised his superpowers and he was convinced that he was good at it. He had even developed a costume he found just by thinking about it his body would become covered in snow and hide who he truly was.
That night and every night all week Bobby wandered the streets in his superhero identity and had so far foiled no crimes, not a single criminal had tried anything. Bobby was upset that he had not been able to stop crime but he was sure that a lack of crime was probably a good thing. Unfortunately for Bobby because of his late night patrols he was failing worse then ever at school which meant he was in hot water at home in fact he was one D short of grounding.
Bobby decided if he couldn't be a superhero at the minute he would do the next best thing be a super villain or at least use his powers for revenge which wasn't very superheroic but he kidded himself into thinking it wasn't revenge but justice being done. Gym class the next day was when his cunning plot came into practice they were running circuits where they would have to try a lot of different sports and events.
Gym Class came round quickly and Bobby was smiling from ear to ear, Steve spat on his hands and walked towards the rope, Bobby put his plan in action, he had been practising and he managed to put a very thin layer of ice over the ropes. Steve tried to climb but no matter how hard he pulled or tried he couldn't budge up the rope, everyone was laughing and Steve was incredibly embarrassed, just thinking about the captain of the football team not being able to climb the rope in Gym was really embarrassing. Steve's hands eventually melted the thin layer of ice once Bobby had stopped renewing it, Steve began to climb, slowly he made his way to the top of the rope, Steve rang the bell, and Bobby took his chance again freezing Steve's hands in place. Steve wriggled and squirmed trying to escape the rope but he couldn't.
'Help I'm stuck!' yelled Steve, Everyone was in riots of laughter by this time. 'That's Ok Steve everyone gets scarred sometimes' Comforted his Gym teacher. Steve was eventually brought down. Steve and Bobby were lined up for the 100meter dash Bobby didn't like cheating a little to reach the final but this was personal, Bobby placed his hand on the floor again icing his hands and feet to the floor but not enough for anyone to notice. 'Go' yelled the teacher, Bobby sprinted down the track, he was halfway down the track before looking back at Steve still frozen, and Bobby crossed the finish line. Steve finally managed to free his hands seconds later, he had been pushing forward with such power he simply crumpled up on the floor, and again much laughing ensued. Bobby laid off for the rest of the events he wanted Steve to get his confidence back. In the changing rooms the temperature was always really warm, not uncomfortable but pleasant, Bobby had a plan, Bobby sat there pointing his hand towards the wet crotch of Steve under the towel he was wearing, Steve dropped his towel to put his underwear on. There was silence in the changing rooms as a giggle was trying to be subdued, Bobby burst out laughing at the sight, let's just say there was a case of Major extreme shrinkage. Bobby froze the towel to the floor and Steve's underwear to the locker, Steve stood naked with no where to go, suddenly in amongst the laughter a whimper was heard, Bobby wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes as he looked into Steve's eyes they to were welled up with tears but not happy ones. Bobby thought to himself 'Great now I feel sorry for him, I am such a jerk.' Bobby stood up passing a towel to Steve and smiled at him trying to hide his guilt.
Bobby lay on his bed thinking about what he had done, he had hurt someone, they may have been nasty to him in the past but no one had deserved what he had done to Steve. 'No more, I'll either use my powers for a good cause or not at all.' He spoke to himself out loud. 'Talking to yourself son, what powers?' asks his father as he opens the door.
'Huh, nothing dad. I'm...I'm writing a comic book' replied Bobby trying to cover for himself.
His father looks at him and leaves as Bobby rolls over and dozes off.
The next day Bobby was running an errand for his mother, he had to call into the bank on the way home and pay some money into the account for her, and he flicked through a comic not really paying attention to where he was going. He thought to himself as he walked 'Why am I still reading comics, when I am a superhero.' Bobby arrived at the bank and stood in the queue, it took twenty minutes for Bobby to reach the front of the line, by this time he had read his comic and was quite bored. Bobby stood whistling as the red arrow flashed and the voice spoke 'Cashier number 4 please.' Bobby walked down to the cashier and handed her the money to pay into the account. Bobby stood looking for the paying in book as the cashier drummed her fingers.
'EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR NOW, DO IT, I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU BUT I WILL' yelled one man as he and three others burst into the bank carrying shotguns with ski masks covering their faces. One of the men shot into the air to show their seriousness, children began to scream and cry as they were forced to the floor by their parents. Bobby sat on the floor below the window as the men wandered around as their bags were filled with cash.
'Bobby this is the time, now's your chance, save everyone, they can't stop you. You're the Iceman' spoke the little voice in Bobby's head, the same one that usually gets him dong stupid things. 'I need a costume' thought Bobby as he sat thinking of a way to conceal his identity. Bobby looked around and decided first thing was first, freeze the cameras, everyone else had their heads on the floor they won't see a thing. Bobby pointed his fingers towards the cameras as slowly frost appeared over their lenses and the casing, blocking any chance of watching the footage. 'Costume, costume, costume?' thought Bobby when he suddenly had the idea to cover himself with a thin layer of frost to cover his features. Bobby concentrated on a solid shiny exterior covering his body, in his mind he looked like an Ice version of the Silver Surfer. Bobby felt the chill across his body, it wasn't unpleasant, and in fact he felt comfortable.
Bobby jumped up pointing his hands at the robbers 'freeze' yelled Bobby as he froze one of the guns the men were holding.
'Tell me I didn't say that' cringed Bobby.
The man dropped his frozen gun in horror as it began to hurt his hand. 'Christ its Frosty the Snowman back from the dead and this time he is pissed' yelled one of the men. Bobby caught his reflection in the mirror he wasn't a sleek ice sculpture he looked like a snowman. Bobby felt himself blushing at his state but quickly focused again.
Bobby blasted another two guns making the men drop them before freezing their feet solidly to the floor. The final man stood frozen (no pun) in fear, he gulped as he raised his gun and began blasting at the Snowman from hell, Bobby waved his hands in front of him as the bullets connected with a thick layer of ice. Bobby tightened his hand into a fist; he thrust his hand forward as a large fist shaped ball of ice flew forward connecting with the man sending him flying back over a financial adviser desk. Bobby blasted the man with ice freezing him to before concentrating on unfreezing himself luckily no one had seen.
'I got to get out of here' thought Bobby as he ran through the door.
That evening Bobby sat with his parents watching the news.
'They were only kids, obviously on drugs that's why they saw this Super Snowman' reasoned Bobby's father as he watched news of the robbery which was foiled, when the police arrived the four guys were lying in pools of water terrified babbling about Frosty the snowman.
'Thank god you weren't there Bobby' spoke his mother 'you must have just missed it though didn't you see anything?' queried his mother.
'No, I...I forgot to go sorry' covered Bobby quickly.
'Where's the money?' asked his father, this is when Bobby began mentally kicking himself he had left the money in the bank.
'Upstairs, I'll go get it.' Replied Bobby as he trudged upstairs, he opened his closet and took out an old biscuit tin, and began counting. '$200' he thought 'just enough, so much for my lifesavings'
The school was bubbling the next day with news of the Iceman, Bobby's ears were burning up, he didn't like everything he heard, one rumour was that the snowman was gay. He had no Idea why anyone would say that but that was a rumour.
Bobby walked home through the busy high street thinking of all the words thrown around that day Hero, menace, hunk, gay. Bobby had no idea what to do, for the first time in his life he had no plans. Bobby's train of thought was interrupted when he heard police sirens, turning round he saw a car hurtling down the street chased by the police.
'Hero time' thought Bobby 'this place is to crowded to ice up, got to go undercover.' Bobby raised his hand slightly sending an unseen blast of ice across the centre of the road, he stood back to watch his master work. The cat hurtled towards the patch, it hit it, suddenly they lost control, spinning around and around it kept going at top speed till it stopped by hitting something. Bobby wasn't so proud; the thing it hit was a family car. The police kept everyone back as they tried to rescue the family who were screaming as their car burnt around them, Bobby raised his hand silently trying not to draw attention to himself he froze the engine putting out the fire. Bobby stood watching as the family were rescued from their crushed and burnt car by firemen and placed into an ambulance.
'The Iceman was believed to be involved by many bystanders who say ice appeared on the road and the fire. The police are looking for any leads, that news again three teens joyriding were captured while two bystanders are critical' spoke the woman reporter from the scene of the accident.
'He deserves to be hung, even if some how he can control Ice or cold or whatever, even if he was trying to help, he didn't think about the consequences and now two kids are in hospital because of his actions' spoke Bobby's father partially to his family partially to himself as he continued ranting, Bobby slowly drifted upstairs holding the tears back.
'It was an accident I didn't mean to' thought Bobby 'No more, no more powers ever.'
The next evening Bobby was still visibly upset, the things he heard throughout the day about what people were going to do to the Iceman when they got him didn't help. Happily though the two kids were pulling through and would be okay.
Bobby sat at his computer typing his homework as he heard his mother scream, Bobby rushed downstairs to find his mother sitting in hysterics, tears rushing down her face as she watched the news.
The manta the scene spoke 'There is nothing the fire fighters can do, there was some sort of explosion, were not sure where, this is horrible many are trapped.' Bobby recognised the scene it was his father's factory, his father was at work that night.
'Dad' screamed Bobby, tears running down his face, his mother looked at him and gasped, somehow he had iced up into a solid ice form much like he had imagined. Bobby looked at his mother understandably 'I'm sorry, if I don't come back tell everyone I'm sorry.' Bobby darted for the door as his mother followed behind him shaking, she watched as her only son raced of across the sky on some sort of ice ramp.
Bobby rode over every ones heads at the scene as he raced to the factory, he burst through a window. He knew where to go; his father had brought him a couple of times through out his life. Bobby sprinted through the plant putting out fires as he went, eventually he reached the area where his father worked, he looked down at the giant vats, 'Dad' yelled Bobby. 'Bobby' yelled a voice from down below over the top of the sirens, Bobby jumped down using an ice slide to reach the bottom. Bobby saw his father and rushed to him, Keith had cloth rapped round his bleeding and blistered hands as he tried turning a valve on a giant vat. 'Dad' yelled Bobby as he rushed to his father; his father looked at him 'Bobby?'
'This isn't the time dad' replied Bobby 'where is everyone? We have to leave.'
'I made them leave, it isn't safe, you go to.' Replied his father.
'Not without you, lets go!' Screamed Bobby.
'I can't I need to cool this last vat, if I don't it will explode, the others will explode, the core will explode and everyone is gone, I have to save you and your mother, go home.'
Bobby stood amazed at what his father was doing, Bobby reached forward grabbing the valve trying to turn it but it was truly stuck. Bobby glanced at the ladder to the right leading up to the walkway above the vat. 'I love you dad' Bobby brushed a tear from his eye as he climbed the ladder. Bobby climbed as his father screamed at him to come down, Bobby stood on the walkway before crossing himself and leaping in, great amounts of steam poured from the vat as hot met cold and the vat miraculously cooled. The alarms stopped sounding, Keith dropped to his knees crying hitting his feet into the floor at the loss of his son. Keith stopped and looked up at a group of people standing in front of him; one popped three claws from his hands and slashed the vat as warm water flooded out across the floor carrying the de-iced body of Bobby drake.
Bobby woke up as a great feeling of relief washed over him; he turned towards a bald man sitting by his bed in the infirmary.
'Relax Bobby, everyone is fine you really saved the day, you were brought here to get medical assistance in secret and so we could give you the help only we can. I am Charles Xavier, welcome to my institute.'