Felicio

Nightmare of War

Peter

I quickly ran the few blocks home, changed into my normal clothes, and then returned to Steph's house. It was late, but I hoped her parents didn't mind. I knocked on the door. Her father, Bruce, answered. I could tell that he was sad, although he hadn't been weeping as openly as his wife.

“Peter, what are you doing here at this time of night? Shouldn't you be in bed?”

“I probably should, but I was thinking about Steph. I haven't heard from her. She's not replying to any of my messages or answering any of my calls. I guess I was just worried and I wanted to put my mind at ease.”

“You'd better come in,” he said after a moment's pause. I followed him to the lounge. Upstairs I could hear Steph's mother sobbing softly. “I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do that Peter. We haven't seen her either. It seems as though she's disappeared.” I sat on the soft couch. I always liked Steph's house. It was always neat and so homely. There were pictures of the three of them hanging around the walls, along with some landscape art. Her father collected model airplanes. Some of those sat on the window. I knew that others were in another part of the house.

“People don't just disappear. When did you last see her?”

“When she went to work. That internship at the Shaw corporation you know? I knew it was going to be a mistake her working there.”

“Why do you say that?”

Bruce smiled darkly. “That place has always been trouble. I remember when I was younger and it first opened. There was always something so secretive about it. None of us were allowed to get near the place. I had a feeling that dark deeds went on inside that place. Nothing I've seen over the years has made me change my mind. I didn't want to ruin Steph's ambitions though. I wanted her to pursue her dreams and I knew this would look good on her resume, but I wish I had been more cautious, told her to be more careful. God knows what they get up to in there...” he trailed off and looked to the window in the direction of the building. Fury burned in my heart, but I tried to remain outwardly calm. I had to act like Peter right now, not Felicio.

“I'm sure that she's okay. Maybe they just had a long project they needed her help with and she had to stay back. I doubt she's allowed her phone in there,” I said, but both of us knew I was pulling at straws. Bruce shook his head.

“Even so, they should have told us. It's worse on Betty you know, she's barely stopped crying. I don't want to think of the worst but-”

“Then don't,” I said, leaning forward, “we have to believe that she's alright. Have you tried calling the company?”

Bruce nodded. “They said that they don't know anything, which means that if anything did happen to her it happened when she was on her way home, although I wouldn't put it past them to lie to me, although I don't know why they'd lie. I'm sorry Peter, my mind is just running round in circles. I'm tired and I'm worried and I don't know what to think.”

“It's okay.”

“I just keep wondering what the point of it all is? Steph hasn't done anything wrong, but she disappears like this? We tried calling the cops, but I doubt they'll help. You know, I was skeptical of him being in this city at first, but I wish I had that Felicio on speed dial. I don't know if he would help in cases like this, but Steph needs all the help she can get.”

“I'm sure he would help if he knew about it,” I said.

“Maybe. I just don't know where to go from here. I hate waiting here, but there's nothing else I can do. It's the worst feeling in the world, knowing that your child is out there somewhere, and you can't do anything about it. She could be hurt, she could be dead...” he choked on the last word. His head dropped and he raised a hand to his face, wiping away a silent tear. I averted my gaze out of respect. I doubted he wanted to show such raw emotion in front of me.

“I'll try looking. Maybe I can think of something,” I said. I didn't want to give the man false hope, but I had to give him something.”

“Thank you Peter, you're a good friend. Steph was always lucky to have you in her life. Please, feel free to stay as long as you like, but I think Betty needs me.”

“Of course,” I said. I rose with him and made my way to the door. I heard his heavy footsteps ascend the stairs, and I lingered at the door, tilting my head to the direction in which he had left. I heard him comfort his wife, and I felt shame. I wasn't a good friend at all. I was the one who had asked Steph to spy on the Shaw's, to use this internship as a way to get behind the curtain, and I was sure this is what had led to her disappearance. She must have been caught. I had been foolish to think that she could have done all I asked of her without being harmed. How many people was I going to hurt? I had to make it right. I had to find a way into that building and save Stephanie.

When I returned home I was tempted to change right back into my second skin and head to the Shaw corporation, but I stopped myself. It wouldn't do Steph any good for me to run off half-c****d in a rage. I had to plan my way into that building, to think properly and carefully. Even so, I could not take too much time. I had no idea what state Steph was in.

I climbed into bed and surrendered to sleep. I needed less sleep than I had done before these powers, but when I did fall asleep I fell deep, and entered the world of dreams.

I was sitting on a bench in a park. There was nobody else around. A lake was before me, its blue surface shimmering. A few ducks swam by. Everything was peaceful.

'Why are you waiting?' a voice said. I looked to my left. Where had she come from?

'You...' I said. She gave me a mysterious smile. It was her though. The long black hair, the dark, almond-shaped eyes. When I had last seen them it had been the last moments of her life. What was she doing here?

'And you,' she said. 'It seems as though we are tied together. Why are you waiting for me Felicio? Why are you holding back?'

How did she know I was...? I looked down. Suddenly I was in my costume. The scene had changed. I was standing in the middle of the city. Everything was ablaze. The heat seared me and I could smell the sweat. I heard a cry and looked around. People were attacking each other in a mad frenzy. The sky was burned orange, and the smoke that rose was so thick it hid the stars. I turned around,wanting to help, not knowing where to start.

'Why do you hesitate? All this time waiting. All this doubt. Is that what a hero really is? There are people who need saving? I need saving? You let me die Felicio.'

'No,' I began to protest, 'it wasn't like that.' I found it difficult to keep my attention on her. There was so much chaos around the city. I needed to save them all, but there was too much. Too much...in every direction there were people hurting others. It was as though they had all lost their minds and I was in the middle of it all. Children were screaming. Adults were being beaten. Cars screeched and slammed into buildings. The city was falling into war. The wail of sirens managed to pierce everything else but it wasn't enough. There just weren't enough people to stop this rage.

'What do I do?' I asked, turning to Emma, but she was gone.

'You do what you've always done. You fail,' she said. Her words stabbed at my heart. I looked down at my hands. A thick, viscous liquid dripped from them. Blood. Emma's voice echoed around me. It came from everywhere. I looked up again, only to see a hundred versions of Emma standing atop buildings. They all looked at me at once and then stepped forward, letting themselves drop through the air.

'NO!' I ran forward to the nearest one, but even if I saved one the rest would die. I heard them all, crunching against the floor, their bodies mangled, but I managed to catch one of them. I looked down, brushing the hair away from her face, and I gasped. It was Stephanie.

'You can't save everyone,' Emma said. I turned, shocked to see her standing there again. She was floating, arms spread out, and behind her the Shaw building stood tall. It was the only building that remained unharmed by the c*****e surrounding it. An ethereal glow surrounded her, and then the image flickered, as when the reel of a film had been damaged. Emma wasn't floating any longer. She was strapped to a chair, arms frail and thin, wearing a white, round helmet. Her face bore a vacant expression. Her eyes were blank, gazing into nothingness. I didn't understand what it meant. It was definitely Emma though. Then she disappeared. I rose from my knee, still holding Stephanie. I roared at the top of my voice towards the fortress and a rumbling shook the dream world. A spirit panther charged forward, crashing into the building, making it fall into a pile of rubble. Upon impact I awoke.

My chest heaving, clad in sweat, I checked to make sure that I was not wearing my second skin. I looked down at my hands, glad to see they were not stained with blood. Emma's face haunted me, as did the image of Stephanie resting in my arms. I couldn't let that future come to pass. I threw off the bed sheets and moved to my window,where I looked out at the city. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the stars were still visible, and that the buildings were not on fire. I could not sleep for the rest of the night though, not with the images of Emma falling to her death a hundred times over. I was not going to let her die in vain though, and I was not going to let Steph suffer the same fate. The city would not fall. I was only one man, but I could make a difference, and I was going to. Felicio was a hero. I had been given these powers for a reason and I wasn't going to see them go to waste.