Fiction Fragment Friday
Sometimes I might struggle with coming up with an idea because something else get’s stuck in my head. I think when that happens it’s best to go back to the stories and characters that I’m the most comfortable with. This time is a slightly different perspective. Hope you enjoy.
“You know everything was going pretty well, but life kind of sucks now. My best friend had to leave town so she could hide from a super powered gang boss. The scientist that made all my cool stuff got a job in New York. My girlfriend left me days before I got superpowers, and my first ever high paying job turned out to be working for a super-villain. Makes a guy think he might just have bad luck.”
“Please I’m begging you just arrest me already.” The mugger was hanging upside down over the edge of a roof with Ricochet holding him by is left ankle. He had lost track of how long he had been there having to listen to this supposed superhero rambling on and on. “I’ll confess just please stop talking.”
“Well, that’s kind of rude.” Ricochet tossed him onto the roof where he rolled until smashing into the air conditioner. It sputtered, sparked, and then the fan stopped spinning. “Oh, I am not paying for that.” He leapt through the sky and landed in a crouch next to the mugger. “Uhm if anyone asks that was your fault ok?”
“Sure man, whatever you say.” He hurt all over. First the hero head tossed him around the alley, then dragged him up the fire escape backwards, and now he was pretty sure the air conditioner had cracked a rib.
“You know this talk was good. I think I needed it. Thanks for that.”
“That mean you’re gonna let me go?” The words came out with a grunt. It was starting to hurt to breathe.
Ricochet laughed. “Oh, that’s a good one. Wait you were serious? No man I’m gonna drop you off with that patrol when they get out of the convenience store. I would take you in, but they kinda banned me for too much collateral damage. I mean really some people have no appreciation. Jeremy over on twelfth gave me free fountain drinks for life, but this guy no.
Tears of pain and frustration filled the mugger’s eyes. “Do you every shut up?”
Ricochet tossed the man over his shoulder and sprinted across the roof. Just before the edge he leapt into the air and spun. As soon as his feet his the next roof he rebounded and moved onto the next. After making a loop around the neighborhood he flung them from the roof towards the convenience store wall. His legs compressed against and pushed off. As the two spun over the patrol car he dropped the mugger onto the front hood. He was happy to notice that it barely dented the car this time.
“Hello officers, have a great day. Enjoy your gift, from the rambling Ricochet.” With those parting words the hero disappeared into the night. He didn’t go quietly though as the mugger and police officers could hear him singing something to the tune of “Gummy Bears” as he bounced away.
Officer Mendel rushed to his car to check on the man. His partner officer Melvin threw her coffee against the ground while cussing. “So help me if the car doesn’t start I’m going hunt that bouncing idiot to the ends of the Earth. Last week the blamed fool dropped one right into my windshield shattering it. He’s worse than the actual bad guys.”
“He just wouldn’t shut up. He dragged me around just rambling on and on and on.”
Mendel helped him to his feet. “Wanna confess now or wait until we get to the precinct?”
“What makes you think I’m gonna tell you anything?”
“Let me tell you about the last guy that didn’t. See as soon as we let him go Ricochet grabbed him and bounced around until they were on top of the tallest building in Reignsborough. Then he started singing. Said he was working on an album. Called it ‘Bouncing Back: Songs to Punch Bad Guys To’ Apparently every song was just a theme song about him. Said he couldn’t get it narrowed down to just twelve, so he made the guy listen to all thirty-seven. Every time he reached a big moment in a song, he would do a pose and drop the guy. Caught him before he hit the ground and took him back to the roof each time. That’s not the worst part though.” Officer Mendel paused for effect.
“What was the worst part?” The mugger’s voice was cracking now.
“Well each time that happened he had to restart the song from the beginning. Sometimes it took three tries to get through the song.”
“Do you want my confession verbally or in writing?”
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