The Fixer

The Fixer.
That's what they called me. Impressive name for a little girl like me. The world "discovered" me when I was twelve. They've called me a Superhero ever since. I'm not super, and I'm certainly no hero. I don't wear a skintight suit with a logo and a mask. I know that underwear belongs on the inside of your clothes, and I don't drop everything to save someone from a burning building. No one even really knows what The Fixer looks like. I just take a walk outside every day if I can for about an hour and let my power do the work. My "power" is pretty self-explanatory. I fix things. Pretty much anything and everything. From a flower missing a petal to cancer. I suppose my power could work the other way, too. Actually, I know it does. Once, in my room, I used it to break something. All I did was shatter a glass of water, but it awakened a darker side in me, and I never did it again. Anyway, once I had a little girl come up to me, I guess she knew who I was, sometimes it can be pretty obvious. She said, "I don't think your power is working."
"Why is that?" I asked
"I came to be healed. I knew you would come here. But it didn't work. My heart still hurts."
"Do you know what happened?" I asked.
"Mummy and Daddy got in a car crash. The doctor said they left on vacation. But when I asked when they would come back, he said that they wouldn't."
I picked the girl up in my arms, she couldn't have been any older than six.
"There are some things I can't fix. What you have, it's called a broken heart. I have one too."
"How long until I'm all better"
She had such innocent eyes, it broke my heart.
"It doesn't get all better. It will always hurt, but it does get a little better as time passes. Have hope, ok?"
The little girl nodded and I set her down.
"I thought you could fix everything"
"No one can fix everything. My power, it only fixes material things, like broken bones. Broken hearts are on a whole different level. As a person, I can try to make it better. My power can't help with that." I paused "But, I do have a gift for you. What's your favorite element?"
"Fire" she answered after a moment of thought.
Focusing, I clasped my hands together hard and envisioned what I wanted in my mind. When I pulled my hands apart, a necklace, a pair of earrings and a small tiara appeared that were made out of pseudo-fire. Of course, they wouldn't burn anyone and would hold their shape, but other than that they were the same as actual flames.
"Don't worry, they won't burn you." I clasped the necklace around her neck and placed the tiara on her brown hair. Placing the earrings in her hands, I said, "Take good care of these until you get your ears pierced and if you ever need me, you know where to find me." After that, I shooed her away and quickly made my way to my house. Well, my parents' house. This was a year ago, I was only 14.
Now, I'm 15 years old and happily dependent on my loving parents. I am also taking that daily walk I just spoke of. And I'm doing it fashionably, at least in my mind. I'm wearing a pink knit sweater, blue boot-cut jeans, and brown leather high-heeled ankle boots. Wow, that was a mouthful. It was perfect weather for walking, in the mid 70s. A completely comfortable temperature that I may be guilty of causing. Take that weather people! It's not like you're ever correct anyway. I live in a small town in Northern California. It's near a beach and is never extremely crowded, which I love. It also has the best private school in the state. The only downside is that it's chock full of "supers". Yes, feel free to be surprised. I despise supers of all sorts. Especially the ones that call themselves "superheroes". I hate that title so, so much. I hate that I'm labeled with it, and I hate that others allowed themselves to be labeled with it. I hate how they take all the credit for saving someone and act like it's a huge deal when they probably didn't even break a sweat. Especially when there are firemen and policemen and others out there who actually RISK THEIR LIVES to save people, yet they almost never get recognized any more. Sorry, getting off track.
So, I was just taking my daily walk after finishing my homework, minding my own business, when a superhero crashes into the ground in front of me, causing a deep crater in the concrete. I keep walking. As I do so, the superhero is gently lifted out of the crater by some unseen force and set on the grass next to it. The crater quickly filled up with rocks and dirt, then grass and concrete covered the now smooth ground. As a finishing touch, cracks appeared in the concrete along with grass tufts and depressions from thousands of feet treading on it. Everything was exactly as it had been before the "superhero" broke it. I kept walking with a little sigh and completely ignored the gasps and murmurs around me. You would think that people would get used to this, considering it happened so often. A man, scratch that, teen, dropped down in front of me. He was wearing all black, but no skintight suit, and no underwear on the outside. I couldn't help myself.
"Finally!" I exclaimed and the teen looked confused.
"Um, were you expecting me?"
"No, I don't think so. I was just so happy to see a "super" who actually knew how to dress themselves. I mean your outfit looks awesome. His," I gestured behind me. "It just looks stupid"
"Thanks for the compliment. Anyway, you're The Fixer, right? The famed mysterious superhero?"
"No" I said firmly. "I'm not a superhero, and before you jump to conclusions, I'm not a super villain either. I'm just a girl, trying to make her way through this abnormally tough thing called life."
"So you have no powers?" The teen asked me skeptically.
"I never said that. And it was nice chatting, really. But I'm a busy person, and I have a life that I need to get back to. So, bye." And with those parting words I walked around the teen and continued on my way.
"Wait, you dare to walk away from the mighty Shade Weaver?!"
"Yes, and honestly, that sounded really stupid. So I would work on that." I replied without looking back or turning around. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Shade Weaver appeared right in front of me. I sighed and took a moment to evaluate him. Oh yeah, my powers allow me to do that, I can scan someone's body build, what powers they have, if any, and their physical health along with other details about the body.
"Wow, you have an impressive array of powers. Bet you're pretty famous around here. Also bet you skip school a lot and.... classic. Definitely the prankster/bad boy who actually gets good grades, but still does bad stuff. You're in good health, but with back pains, which I fixed, you're welcome, and a strained muscle, which I also healed. I suggest Aleve for your migraines and more sleep. Lack of sleep and stress are your triggers, also, alcohol. I would try to limit those things in your life and you'll get them a lot less often. When you think that a migraine might come, you should just take some pain medicine. Oh, I'm surprised! You've never smoked a day in your life, smart kid. And you often play video games, as long as you have good posture and don't play excessively, they'll continue to help improve your reflexes and problem solving skills. You've had your powers for 9 years, so, since you were 7. You got them naturally, recessive genes. I don't recognize you though, you must not go to my school. Oh well, too bad."
"How do you know all that stuff about me?" Shade Weaver asked, his voice sounding a little shaky.
"Oh, you sound scared. It's just part of my power. Anyway have a nice day."
"Sorry, not sorry, but you're coming with me." SW seemed to have regained his confidence, but I honestly couldn't care less.
"Sorry, not today. That's not supposed to happen this afternoon. Some other time. Have a nice trip home." As soon as I finished speaking SW disappeared, right back to his room in surprise, surprise, a mansion. Ah, sometimes it's useful having reality on your side. Whistling I began walking home only to be stopped, again. This time it was the Stupid Superhero.
"What?" I demanded, my annoyance all too clear.
"I, Inferno, would like to thank you for helping me defeat that super villain."
"One, that really sounds like a villain name. Two, I didn't help you defeat that villain. I sent him home and you didn't help at all. So, technically, he's not defeated, just in a sort of time out for 12 hours."
"Oh"
"Intelligent response. Anyway, I really should be getting home, this took way longer than it should've. Have a nice life, or not. I don't really care." And with that, I bent reality and in a step, appeared in my room.
"Ah" I said as I jumped on my bed. "That is a great way to travel if you never want to get any exercise." Again, I bent reality so I was wearing my PJs and my clothes were in the laundry. Crawling under my covers I used my iPad to tell my mom I was home and promptly fell into a dark, dream filled sleep.
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I opened my eyes and stretched. Or, I tried to. My arms couldn't move and neither could my legs. Scanning my surroundings, I found I was chained to a wall
"Brilliant," I muttered to myself. "I'm chained to a wall in somewhere unknown and I'm feeling too lazy to escape. What has this world come to?" My voice was swallowed by the darkness. I was in a medium sized room that was made completely out of stone. There were no lights and the only exit was a door that was across the room. And, most likely locked. "Well, first things first. I need light." A moment later hovering balls of fire lazily floated around the room. "Second thing's second, I need music" My favorite radio station shattered the silence. "And third thing's third, I need to kick this habit of talking to myself. I also need to sleep." My chains disappeared and a huge four poster bed burst into existence in the middle of the room. I collapsed onto it a moment later and let out a contented sigh. "It's times like these when I'm glad to have powers." I stopped playing the radio station and snuffed out the fireballs with a flick of my hand. Taylor Swift came on, swiftly lulling me to sleep. Sadly, a few hours later, my sleep was once again interrupted.
"What did you do to my basement?!" An outraged, distinctly male voice ripped me from my sadly, unpleasant dreams.
"What on earth are you talking about? All I added was a bed!" I exclaimed indignantly and turned my PJs into jeans and a t-shirt. Looking around I quickly realized what he was talking about.
"Oh" My dreams seemed to have activated my powers again, causing some of them to be recreated. I let out a brief sigh and everything was back to the way it was, excluding the bed.
"Now, what do you want?" I asked the boy politely, and noticed with some annoyance that he was the villain I had to send home yesterday.
"Revenge. Power. Lots of things."
"That was useless. Oh well, if that's all you have to say, I'll be going"
"You think you can just leave?" Shade Weaver asked incredulously.
"Yep" I said, popping the p.
Shade Weaver growled in annoyance and I laughed at him.
"Sorry kid, but your powers are no match compared to mine."
Groaning in annoyance, Shade Weaver rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath.
“Sorry, could you speak up.”
“I need your help” He ground out through gritted teeth.
“Oh. Why didn’t you just say so? But, just so you know, if you want someone’s help, kidnapping them and chaining them to a wall isn’t exactly the best way to convince them.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure if that was the best idea, but for some reason I listened to my idiot of a friend.” Shade Weaver said and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Well, unsaid apology accepted. Now, what do you need my help with?” I paused for a second. “Though, if it’s helping you take down the stupid super from yesterday, it’s a no. I don’t get involved in that sort of thing. I mean, it’s much more fun to watch two idiots trying to figure out how to defeat the other. Watching from the sidelines makes it seem rather comical at times.” I said brightly, smiling at some old memories.
“Actually it has nothing to do with Inferno.” Shade Weaver took a deep breath before saying his next words. Words that shocked me to my core.
“It’s my sister. She has cancer.”
“Oh” I said quietly, and understanding hit me like a cold washcloth.
“Not what you were expecting, huh?” Shade Weaver said softly.
“No. It’s not. Where is she?” I asked
“Upstairs, she leaves for another round of chemo soon, but I was hoping…” Shade Weaver trailed off and I nodded.
“I’ll help” As soon as the words left my mouth Shade Weaver heaved a sigh of relief and motioned for me to follow him. The pain in his eyes seemed so raw, that I knew he was telling the truth. As he led me up the stairs I took a deep breath and readied myself to do some serious healing. But I was not ready for what I was about to see.
Sitting on a brown couch, in what appeared to be a living room was a young girl. She had no hair on her head and was very frail. But around her neck was a beautiful necklace made of flames and matching earrings dangled from her ears. I let out a gasp and tears filled my eyes. I had met with this girl often after our original meeting and had grown very fond of her. Then she stopped coming, now I know why.
“Alice! Why didn’t you tell me that you had cancer?!” I asked, rushing to her side.
“I didn’t want you to know. You had helped me with so much, and I didn’t want to cause you any pain.” Alice said quietly and smiled sadly. I hugged the little girl to my chest and assessed how bad the cancer was. It was bad. Very bad. It had spread throughout her whole body and she didn’t have very long to live. I pushed my power at her, trying to heal her, but it recoiled and I was hit with a little bit of pain. Recognizing this as a sign that my powers weren't meant to be used, that this person was supposed to die, I stopped. There was a high probability that this would kill me, and that I still wouldn't be able to save her. Doubt raced through me, almost forcing me to get up in leave. But then I thought about Alice, all the time had spent together, all the things we had done... And I made my decision.

This time I forced my power into her, pushing the cancer out of her body, destroying it. My entire body felt like it was on fire, and my mind screamed at me to stop. But I didn’t. I kept going until all the cancer was gone and her hair had grown back and fell in curly locks down her back. I could feel blood coming out of my nose and ears, and darkness encroached on my vision. I stopped fighting and let the sweet release of unconsciousness take me.
Two voices were bickering, sharp and grating against my ears. Where had I heard them before? Thinking back, I had heard a very similar argument the day I got my powers.
“We should just let her die! She has broken the rules of Fate, twice!” A high, female voice yelled.
“You and your rules. She was trying to save an innocent child’s life. Plus, you know that we’re not supposed to kill people! And it’s been nice having someone else do our job.” A deeper, definitely male, voice replied.
“You are such a lazy pig, Reality!” The female voice said and I realized who I was listening to.
Fate and Reality, two of my least favorite people in the universe. I thought to myself bitterly. Of course they caught me breaking their rules, again. I was in for it this time if Fate had anything to say about it.
“I am not!” Reality retorted, his indigence clear. “She has done a much better job doing our job than we ever did, especially since all the other Celestials started blessing humans!”
“Still, it shouldn’t have been her job in the first place!” Fate yelled back.
“You know what? Let’s let Death decide this, he’ll be the impartial third party, just like last time!”
“Impartial! He let her live last time! In fact, he keeps her from dying every time she has even the remotest possibility of it. He obviously favors the girl!”
“I agree with Reality, let me decide the girl’s fate” Another voice joined the argument, one that I knew well. An old friend of mine, but he had left years ago, after he did something that I couldn’t understand or forgive at the time. If only he had told me his true identity, then maybe things would have been different. After all, I wouldn’t have freaked out or anything, I knew about the Celestial beings even then.
“Fine” I could practically hear Fate’s sneer.
“She will live. Let her grow old, human lives are so short after all, and soon enough she’ll join me in the afterlife.”
With those words, I felt a rushing sensation throughout my body. Pain washed through me as my heart began beating, my blood began pumping, and I started breathing.
Right before I opened my eyes and joined the realm of humans again, I said three words.
“Thank you, Death.”
Then light flooded my vision and I saw my mom and dad’s relieved faces. I continued to live my life, fixing what needed to be fixed, helping those I could, and finding love in the end. After all, life is precious, and every second counts.
And how would I ever have guessed, that Alice would end up as my sister-in-law?
It’s a crazy world we live in; don’t you think?
I guess I’ll see you soon, I’ve lived a long enough life.
Thanks for saving mine twice.
See you on the other side, Death.
Sincerely,
The Fixer