My friend, the Hero - Chapter 1

I know, you're thinking how in the world could my friend be a superhero right? Well, he can't fly and he doesn't have laser vision and i don't mean he's a hero in terms of he has a big heart or any junk like that, i really mean he IS a hero. He's a real life Batman. All he needs is a mask and a cape (well, the cape is optional. Didn't anyone watch the Incredibles?) But, i'm digressing from my point. Listen to what i have to say and then you decide, whether not I should change the title of this entry from 'My friend, the Hero'





This story dates back to six years ago... yeah, its one of those flashback things..


** Six years ago **

"Come on guys ease up! I'm serious!!" a voice squeaked from behind two hands. The voice belonged to Floyd's best friend Luke Peterson. Luke was a LARGE guy, not large as in fat, but large as in tall and had some muscle. He was tall as in around 6 feet and Floyd was short (5 feet 4 inches), it was a ridiculous sight to see a short guy helping up a huge guy who was cowering in a corner.

The time all of this was happening was High School. High School was a crazy time in almost everyone's life with people still trying to find themselves and establish what they wanted to be in life etc. Well, this was what was happened to Floyd's best friend Luke at the point in time. He was in an awkard phase. He clearly had a physical advantage over most people, but he refused to use it. It may not have been a case of refusing to use it, but also a case of not knowing how to use it. Sighing to himself, Floyd extended a hand towards Luke. Lowering his hand carefully, Luke seeing it was a peace offering graciously accepted it.

"Don't pick that big punk up off the floor, leave him there!" came a voice booming behind Floyd. A chorous of laughter followed him. The voice belong to Randolph, a well known bully in school and his followers. Randolph stood taller than Floyd and always wore his hair messy. His clothes were always looking worn and dirty and he constantly kept this sneer on his face anytime he made a remark towards someone. Floyd personally didn't have a problem with him as they never crossed paths, but he disapproved of his constant taunting and bullying other students.

"I think it's best that you be quiet and leave Randolph..." Floyd said while pulling Luke to his feet. A shadow towered over Floyd, as he turned around he was looking into Randolph's chin.

"What did you say? Did you threaten me?" Randolph said staring straight into Floyd's eyes.

"No I didn't threaten you...' Floyd said in a low voice. 'But, if you don't get out of my face in ten seconds then you'll wish you just got threatened and not hurt." Randolph's followers let out a loud whoop and started shouting at Randolph to do something about it. Out of the corner of his eye Floyd saw Randolph's fists tighten and his teeth clenched.

"Let him go Floyd.. he isn't worth it, he's just scum" Luke said from behind Floyd.

"Stay out of this you big dummy!" Randolph shouted and swung his fist to hit Luke. Floyd slapped away the fist and ran into Randolph tackling him to the floor. Floyd jumped up and backed away to see Randolph's response.

"He's going to come charging... he's going to get up and react without thinking.." Floyd thought camly. He was trying to predict Randolph's attack. It would help him to better be able to counter anything he tried to do because physically Floyd was at an advantage, he would have to outsmart him. As predicted, Randolph emerged from the floor staggering and he pulled a knife from his pocket. Without warning, Randolph lunged forward in an attempt to stab Floyd in the chest. With a quick swing of his foot, Floyd hit him square in the chest which knocked the wind out of him and a slap to face sent him sprawling to the ground. Floyd then stepped on the hand which had the knife in it and grinded his foot into it until the knife fell out of his hands.

"Next time, don't ever try to attack my friend or me" Floyd said while walking out of the classroom with Luke hurrying behind him.

"You didn't have to do all of that.."Luke started to say, but then Floyd cut him off by saying,

"Don't give me that. If I didn't do it you would have let him hit you."

"So what... it doesn't make a difference" Luke said in a depressed voice.

"Of course it does! It makes ALL of the difference! Why would you let him take advantage of you! You can't stand for that crap! Look at me, i'm way smaller than him, yet I show him I mean business!" Floyd shouted waving his arms around to exaggerate his point.

"Well, i'm not like you okay! I can't be like that! I can't just hit people!" Luke said bluntly.

"I wasn't hitting someone, i was defending myself AND you! You're going to have to change Luke, the world needs people to stand up against bullies and people who do stupid things like Randolph!' Floyd said in a lower tone of voice. Now, they were both sitting on a bench. Luke's face was in his palms. 'Luke.. sometimes everyone needs someone to save them. They need people to show bravery and courage. If everyone cowers in fear who's going to make things better?"

"Why are you telling me this? LOOK AT ME!' Luke said in an exasperated voice. 'I CAN'T change! This is me! This is me..."

"Luke, I know you.. I know you better than you know yourself and I know that inside you there's a person who wants to be all of those things I said before..' Floyd said reassuringly. Slapping him on the shoulder Floyd said to him. 'Don't worry about it man, you've got your whole life to figure it out! No worries!" Luke smiled weakly and shook his head in agreement.


Present day

As I sit back and remember what/who my friend once was, he has changed drastically to the person he is now. Could you believe someone who was like THAT could grow up to be a hero to a nation? A beacon of hope where there's darkness surrounding? I certainly couldn't believe it, but I guess now that I think back on it, I should've known that my friend would grow up eventually to become a Hero