Meet The Robinsons
Superhero Blues
Chapter 2: Forty-Two Years Younger
Hello again! This is chapter 2 of Superhero Blues. Now, one reviewer asked me to include him in a similar scenario in chapter 1. That was a great idea you have there, but you know how your idea will turn out, so I want you to write it and maybe I'll put it on here. That sound good? Anyway, if Kendra can turn old objects new, then what about people?
Alright, Kendra, don't screw this up. Kendra stared at the small dinner table. The table in her large kitchen had an old stuffed animal she used to play with. The teddy bear that stared back at Kendra was dirty all around. It looked dusty with one missing eye. In one corner of its belly, one tiny ripped hole bulged out white fluffy stuffing. Hair from the dust stuck onto the bear's face. It was not the new stuffed toy Kendra remembered as a baby.
Kendra knew she had the power, out of many of her superpowers, to turn things new. Hopefully, she won't screw it up for the many times she imperfected her power. All she had to do was focus on the bear and zap it. She will not fry it to ashes like she did with the cookie jar. She will not deform it with two heads instead of one. And she definitely will not make it alive and take the blame for it.
"Here goes childhood memories." Kendra told herself, cracking her knuckles. She put her palms in front of her, facing the worn out animal. Her fingers warmed up, then started to glow red. Her mind concentrated on renewing the stuffed bear, not cooking it or giving it a life. She whispered, "Turn that bear new again."
She released the red-hot glow from her palms, beaming straight as a laser. Kendra realized she miscalculated her target. The beam darted straight past the teddy bear. Instead, it headed for…
Franny walked with her husband Cornelius. He was holding a giant newspaper on one side. Franny held the other. It must have been heavy. "I can't believe it is Newspaper Appreciation Day and that they gave us a giant newspaper. They must have wasted a lot of trees!" Franny told Cornelius, stroking the inky print of the giant roll. "We could make sushi out of this!"
"Mom, Dad! Watch out!" Kendra exclaimed, pointing to the swift beam of the laser. By the time her parents could react, Kendra heard a zap followed by some baby crying.
If I could make objects newer, then what happens if I zap people? Kendra wondered. Looking down, her question was already answered. She heard the crying become louder.
"Kendra!" Kendra realized Wilbur was calling her. "I hear crying! What did you do now?"
"Um…"
***
"Waaaaahhhh!" The baby Wilbur's arms wailed. He gave the baby part of a piece of a giant newspaper found on the floor. The baby cooed as he threw up the wet slob of inky paper. It dropped to the floor.
The baby girl Kendra held in her arms slept peacefully. Wilbur declared, "Being a father is a pain in the butt."
Kendra continued to lull the tiny baby to comfort her. "Really, what's so bad about this. Baby Franny here loves my company."
"Kendra?"
"What?"
"I'm holding my dad." Wilbur showed his sister Baby Cornelius.
"Like father, like son." She rolled her eyes. Kendra smelled something stinkier beyond garbage landfills. She looked at Little Franny. Kendra's month-old mother began to bawl while Kendra held Franny's blanket-wrapped body away from her face.
"Like mother, but a little too young to be for a daughter." Wilbur tried to calm Baby Cornelius down as he was crying.
"Hey Wil? Do you know how to change diapers?"