What Makes a Hero by Jules Harley

"So who was it that found me?"

He scanned the room quickly. There was one elderly adult. 2 children. The older one not quite a teenager. And a stranger he'd met on a few occasions., They were in a sparsely furnished room, with curtains closed against the sunlight, making this a very dark and dingy place to be.

"Who sent for me?" His question was more forceful this time.

The younger child pointed at the other man.

"We asked him." The little boy kept his thumb in his mouth even when speaking. "Can you help granny?"

"What and he sent for me?" He lowered his shades that he really didn't need to be wearing in this dark room, and faced the gentleman. "Should have known it would be you. You really don't get this hiding malarkey do you? One government agent finds out about me and I'm gone. Like all the others."

The stranger bowed his head and took a step back but didn't say anything.

Mr sunglasses turned to the boy.

"So now that I'm here, what's wrong with granny?"

The other child answered.

"She's scared." She said. "She's scared of everything and won't leave the house. Please mister, can you help us?"
The man turned to the elderly lady and took the glasses off. He stared intensely and wrinkled his brow in concentration.

He turned to the girl.

"Yes," He said, "I can help her. But you must never tell that you've seen me. In the eyes of the government they mustn't know I was ever here. It would be dangerous for all of us if they found out."

He walked over to the older women who was sitting legs crossed on the floor, rocking back and fourth, humming with her head in her hands.

The man stopped in front of her and offered a kind and quiet greeting. He leant forward and gently took her hand in his and shut his eyes. He appeared to be mumbling under his breath. Screwing his eyes in concentration and muttering. Then as quick as he'd begun, he dropped her hand and stepped back looking a little dazed.

"It's done." He said looking at the children. "And while I was at it, he won't be scared of the dark any more and you might even like mice from now on."

"Thank you mister!" The girl said with her arms round her little brother. "Thank you!"

The man gave his first genuine smile and turned away from the family, he kept his eye on the stranger as he walked away.

And then the world exploded.

Men in black suits appeared everywhere, surrounding the man and the family. Only the other man, the outsider stayed in the back ground.

Someone with a loud speaker started shouting. Barking orders.

"Everyone get down. And you," He pointed to our hero, "Don't move. We're taking you in. It's for your own good and safety. Now do not move!"

The man held his hands in the air, his shades hanging from one of them and turned to the man with the loud speaker as he seemed to be the one in charge of the mission.

"For my protection you say. MY protection. I have helped these people and many others. How did you find me?"

The soldier didn't answer but his eyes flickered towards the stranger. The man saw.

"Damien of course. You were my friend and ally back in the day and now this! You betray me!"

"You're all freaks!" Damien replied. "Freaks the lot of you, with your stupid talents and abilities."

The man started to walk towards Damien and the loud speaker came to life again.

"Do not move. Stop now or we will stop you!"

Someone stepped forwards with a tazer and looked ready to use it.

"Great! Now that I've been officially threatened there's no reason why I can't do this."

He shut his eyes, all screwed up tight and began mumbling to himself.

Damien looked worried..

"No! No! Don't do that! Stop with the face and the muttering! Come on!"

When the man's eyes opened there was a different sight before him.

Men rolling on the floor screaming and scratching at themselves, convinced there were millions of tiny spiders all over them.

Men curled up on the floor. They couldn't stand up as they had a sudden and irrational fear of heights.

Three men were huddled together. Hanging on to each other as they had desperately didn't want to be alone.

The man turned to his lost friend last of all.

"You never did know what happened to the fears once I'd soaked them up. Well here they are, every single one of them. And I've saved the best for you."

Damien sat cross legged on the floor. Rocking back and forth with his head in his hands.

"Enjoy your personal hell!"

With that he upped and left the chaotic scene behind him. Still free to walk the earth and help people when he could.

The end