Foresight: A Superhero Story

16. Alone

I rolled over in bed. I had woken up a few minutes ago to the sound of Roland's loud snoring. I stood up and cracked my bedroom door. My sore muscles screamed in protest with each movement. In the dark, I could just make out Roland's blanket wrapped form on the couch. I debated on waking him before closing the door.

I leaned my forehead against my bedroom door. I complained under my breath. "Of course he snores." I sighed before continuing in a bemused tone. "I suppose every man has his flaws." I felt a breeze tickle the back of my neck.

Strange, I thought I closed the window.

"I hope I'm not a interrupting."

I jumped, nearly crying out in surprise as my eyes landed on a dark figure standing on the opposite side of the room. I flipped on the light to see Specter leaning against my closed window. My heart rate accelerated rapidly. Despite my pulse pounding in my ears I swallowed hard, readying myself to speak.

"Specter."

"Troublemaker."

I frowned. "Troublemaker? You're the one who teleported into my bedroom."

He nodded, the action was brazenly confident. "I suppose you're right."

I shushed him just as Roland released another loud snore.

"Well I see Roland followed my directions."

I scoffed, "stop trying to change the subject. You can't just show up in my home unannounced. What if I had been naked?"

"Then I would have closed my eyes."

"You're an ass!"

He ignored my insult. "You have a bad habit of nearly dying. I want answers."

I unconsciously gripped my side. The weight of the situation fully settled on my shoulders. A superhero was in my room and asking me for answers. I eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of answers?"

"Yesterday in Rolling Hills, you found The Butcher."

My jaw dropped. "That was The Big City Butcher?"

The police had been searching for the serial killer for nearly a year. The Butcher has killed eighteen women across three cities. Amber City was his current hunting ground. The newspapers ran frantic headlines for weeks after each body was found. The women he murdered were carved up like a slaughtered cow... Like meat.

I recoiled, suddenly feeling dizzy. I realized just how close Mila and I were to a horrible fate. I leaned against the doorframe, grateful for its stability. I took a shuddering breath before composing myself. I didn't want to appear weak in front of Specter.

"I've been tracking him for months without any new leads. And somehow you of all people managed to stumble into The Butcher's shop and free his victim. I want to know how you found him."

"I was lucky."

"You're lying." He inspected one of his black gloves nonchalantly. "You also attempted to stop a bank robbery single handed."

"I wasn't trying to stop the robbery. I just... I didn't want anyone to die."

Specter studied me closely while I spoke. He gave me a pointed look before continuing. "Why did you try to hide your tattoo from me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He took a few steps closer to me. "Yesterday. Right before you passed out."

He had me there. I covered quickly with a lie. "I didn't want to be recognized. Tattoos are easy to identify."

"Maybe. Or maybe they aren't. There's been several reports of a woman with strange tattoos at several crime scenes around town lately." Specter took another step closer. "Each witness reports a different tattoo, but they describe a woman with your features."

"You're full of it."

"And that doesn't account for the woman who nearly died next to the Broken Spoke Café or the man who was assaulted at the Park."

He knew. I was certain that he knew. The superhuman did his research. Perhaps it was my stubbornness that kept me from acknowledging he was right. Or perhaps it was my naturally suspicious nature. I feigned ignorance.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been here or at work. I have bills to pay. I don't have time to run around the city like some kind of weird, costumed vigilante."

Specter's eyes narrowed slightly. "You've nearly died twice. Are you spurred on by some kind of death wish?"

I said nothing. I fidgeted with my hair before shooting him a glare.

He sighed and continued. "I don't know what you are up to, but I know you are going to get hurt if you continue." Specter now stood only a few feet away from me. "You can't do this alone." He extended a small box towards me.

I stared at it cautiously. "What is it?" I didn't trust the strange package from a superhuman who showed up in my bedroom without permission. It all felt wrong. I would have pushed him out the door if I wasn't afraid of retaliation. Plus, judging by Specter's wiry physique, I couldn't have moved him anyways.

"Consider this your reward for helping me find The Butcher."

I took the small box from him and opened it, revealing a brand new phone. My eyes widened in surprise. "I can't accept this."

He knew my phone was broken.

Specter cocked one brow and looked at my flushed face. Roland's snores punctuated the brief silence between us.

"It's too expensive." I couldn't afford such a lavish phone on my pitiful budget. I also didn't trust Specter's motives. Despite my protests, I found myself pulling the phone from the box and turning it on.

"It has your same number. My number is in there as well."

"Superheroes have cell phones?"

Specter nodded. "Only contact me for emergencies." His voice dropped to a menacing pitch. "And if you give out my number, there will be consequences."

I shivered, feeling thankful that Specter chose to be a good guy. I found his tone very foreboding. "Th- thank you."

"You're welcome."

I glanced up, seeing Specter vanish into thin air. His departure happened in the time it took to blink. His words echoed in my head as I moved stiffly back to the bed.

You can't do this alone.