The Amazing Super Nova

It was almost the end of the school year, so it was to be expected the Masters of Mayhem would finally come around to bully Ames and his friends.

On the good basketball court with Reid, Hudson, and Gideon, hundreds of kids swirled around them during the lunch recess, shouts, feet and balls bounced off the blacktop, walls and each other like so many spinning tops let loose onto the elementary playground.

Ames dribbled twice, smooth and easy before leaping up to launch the ball toward the hoop.

Bouncing just like his loose brown curly hair, the ball hit the rim once, twice and then fell out, another miss. Ames jumped up for the rebound but it caromed over his head, flying back to Reid also in 3rd grade.

“If I could fly,’ Ames said to Reid, “I would’ve flown up and dunked it!”

Super Powers, he knew, were hidden deep, until when needed they exploded out like a shooting star.

Ames bent down before jumping high toward the basketball rim, soaring up through the clouds, higher than ever before! But still didn't come near the hanging net. He wished he could fly through the playground like the Superheroes he watched on TV. He wanted more than anything to have super powers, but he didn’t know what power he wanted.

Reid passed the ball to Gideon. Out far from the basket at the top of the key, he squared up, eyeing the distance with a squint, and then leapt up like an uncoiled spring to take the shot. Up it flew, a spinning orange satellite crossing the bright blue sky.

Swish!

Suddenly a tall boy stepped on the court to grab the ball. With a sneer he reared back and then-

Thump!

The heavy basketball hit Ames’ shoulder, abrupt and hard, the bright pain made worse by the ugly laughs that followed.

Ames turned to see two 5th graders giggling and pointing. Self-proclaimed ‘Masters of Mayhem’, both had floppy hair, one light, the other dark over narrow black eyes. Chaos followed them where ever they went like a toxic dust cloud. They terrorized the younger kids and just last week kicked their ball over the fence out into the street next to the playground.

The pale, short one of the pair picked up the ball. “Get off our court, squirts. This is the 5th grade court.”

Gideon, Ames, Reid and Hudson all backed away from the intruders.

“But you weren’t playing-” Reid said, looking at the other courts full of kids. If they gave up this court, there was nowhere else to play.

“And you didn’t have to throw the ball at me.” Ames whispered, his words directed at his shoes.

“Oh ya little 3rd grader, what are you going to do about it?”

The dark-haired boy rounded on Ames, stepping up close to stare down. He grew, expanding like the Incredible Hulk, taller and wider, until his thick shoulders blocked out the sun, his fists clenched as large as basketballs and his snarling face glowed green.

Ames stared into the boy’s stomach, and the Minecraft logo on his white t-shirt. Goosebumps buzzed down his neck, and his own hands felt clammy and cold. Ames wished he had super strength and could bash this villain. If he was Spiderman he wouldn’t be scared!

But he wasn’t Spiderman.

Just inches from his nose, the 5th grader’s shirt had red and brown streaks of the last kid he smeared into the asphalt!

Or maybe just drips of raspberry jelly and peanut butter.

Ames thought about the boxing his dad had watched last night while he played with his new dog Nova. The muscled men threw their red gloves hard and fast at each other as they ducked and dodged in the roped off square. Could he do that?

Then he remembered the loser of the boxing match, his face red and swollen with strange dents, like a molding strawberry.

Ames didn’t know what to say, and his feet wouldn't move. His legs quivered with the urgent need to do something, but he didn’t know what. He wanted to run as far away as possible. He was just like his dog Nova, scared of everything.

His mouth moved and words erupted out of him without thinking. “My dog will, bite you!” Ames said, looking up at the 5th grader. “He’s a- Superdog and will bite your leg!” Ames couldn’t tell if the boy or himself was more surprised by his outburst.

The dark haired boy’s eyes went wide, his mouth dropped open. He was scared!

Then he bent over with a cackling laugh. “This dumb kid says he has a super dog!” The boys began holding their stomachs. “A super dog?”

“Does super dog fly through the air?” One said.

“Ya, he drops poop bombs on the bad guys!” The other huffed through peels of laughter.

Reid turned to Ames confused. “Super? I thought your new dog only had three legs?”

“What! A three legged dog!” The fifth grade boys erupted. “Watch out, the dog’ll hit you with his cane!”

“It’ll roll over you in its wheelchair!”

The fifth graders forgot all about basketball to spin and fall into each other in roars of laughter. “A three legged dog! Must have been a sale at the dog pound, half off!”

“No you dummy, three legs means 33% off!” No wonder you flunked math!” They giggled together.

Ames and his friends slowly shuffled off the court, their faces twisted as if they had eaten three extra-sour Warheads each.

“We need to stop those bullies! ” Reid said. “But I don’t know how.”

“You really have a Superdog?” Gideon whispered.

“I hate being scared of them.” Ames stared at the asphalt under his tennis shoes, kicking a pebble out of the way. Nova was a Superdog! Ames just didn’t quite know -how- he was super.

After school he walked home. As he opened the front door, loud clicking sounds echoed from inside the house. Ames pushed the door open, and found Nova whining under the kitchen table. ‘Nova, don’t be scared, it's me!” Ames said, and then the yellow shorthaired ball crashed into his legs. “Nova!” A long pink tongue reached out to slobber his hands and elbows before finally reaching his face.

“Nova, get down!” Ames tried to push the bouncing blur of yellow down. Nova slipped once, jumped up, and then slipped down again, falling on her face. Solidly built, her pale yellow fur was darker on her back fading to a lemon yellow on her stomach. Breathing hard, Nova finally stood up on three legs and a tiny fold of skin where her right front leg should have been.

“We’re going to figure out your super power Nova!” Ames rubbed the dog’s half-cocked ears.

Ames’ Dad popped his head out from his office with a phone to his ear. “Welcome home! Please take your dog outside, I’m still working.”

In the backyard Ames set up a small obstacle course using an old slide, and small chairs he placed on their sides. “Can you leap tall buildings in a single bound?” Ames pointed to the beginning of the course. “OK start here, Nova, jump!”

Nova sniffed the slide and ran away. No matter what he did, Nova wouldn’t get near the slide.

“The slide is not scary!” Ames pleaded.

“You should give Nova treats if you’re training.” Dad said, looking out from the door.

Ames took the treat bag from Dad and held the Nubz treat in front of Nova's nose. To demonstrate he jumped over the obstacles himself. “OK Nova jump!”

Nova whined once, but eager to please scooted forward, his paws nervously jittered as if the wall wanted to jump over him.

Finally, with a yap, he leapt! But too close, he hit his left front paw on the slide. The momentum from his strong back legs carried his body up, spinning him into a yellow pinwheel, twirling in mid air until he landed on it with a yelp, flipping over backwards onto the other side. Nova bounced up to lick the Nubz out of Ames’ hand.

“OK- maybe not a super jumper.” Ames stood with his hands on his hips. “What about super speed like Flash?”

Ames cleared out some more space in the yard and began running in a circle.

“C’mon Nova! Run so fast you make a tornado!“ Ames held his arms out wide as he ran. After a few circles, Nova understood the game and with a yap began running alongside Ames.

They made it one loop, then two, each time getting faster! But on the third loop Nova, his eyes on Ames and not on the ground, misplaced his one front foot and fell into a forward roll, the yellow bowling ball of fur crossed the circle and with a perfect strike knocked down both of Ames’ pins. They crumpled together into a tangle of their 7 limbs until they were both sprawled on the backyard grass.

Nova bounced up first and licked Ames face. “I think you need 4 legs for super speed.” Ames said, squeezing his eyes against the warm, wet onslaught.

“Dad,” Ames said, stepping inside the house. “Do you think Nova is Super at anything?”

“Yes!” Dad said, a roll of paper towels in one hand and a spray carpet cleaner in the other.

“That dog is super at pissing and pooping inside the house!”

Nova stared back, her mouth open and her long tongue hanging out. “Nova gets nervous, but I hope he’ll grow out of that. But he refuses to get house trained!”

Ames' shoulders slumped and he blew out a long breath. “Nova’s hopeless.”

His Dad looked over and put the spray bottle down.

“Nova is a good dog. Let me think. Some dogs are really good smellers, they use them for search and rescue, or to track missing kids. Maybe Nova is a super-smeller?”

Ames’s eyes went wide, looking at Nova huff. “I bet he is! How do I prove it?”

“Hide something smelly, and see if Nova can find it.” Dad picked up the spray bottle. Now I have to go clean up his latest mess.”

“Awesome!” Ames shouted as he turned and ran into the kitchen.

“Something smelly, something smelly.” Ames repeated, looking around. He found an apple and smelled it, shaking his head no. A piece of bread? No. He opened the fridge door and saw a plastic wrapped white tray with a piece of translucent white meat in it. He put it to his nose and frowned at the cold, sharp smell. “Perfect!”

Where to hide it? Searching the house, Dad’s laundry basket seemed the perfect spot, and he dumped the tray inside the hamper.

He found Nova in the kitchen.

“OK Nova- go find the tray!”

Nova spun a round in a circle and sat down, eager for another treat. “Nova- go find the tray! You can be a super smeller and find kids when they’re lost!”

Nova stood up and sniffed around the kitchen. “Great!” Nova moved into the living room, and then began sniffing down the hall. “Keep going Nova, you’re so close!” Ames cheered, pointing the way.

Nova found the Parents’ room, but refused to go in. Ames pushed the door open, and it banged loud on Dad’s shoe on the floor.

At the noise Nova leapt back and flew back to the living room. He lifted one leg and peed on the edge of the couch.

“Oh no!” Ames slapped both hands across his face. “All you can do is pee in the house! You’re just a dumb dog.”

After dinner Dad stepped into Ames room holding a leash, Nova hard on his heels. “Ames, did you take Nova for a walk?”

“No. Nova’s just a dog, he’s not super at all. He’s scared of everything and doesn’t deserve a walk.”

“Ames!” Dad said. “Deserve ain’t got nothing to do with it. You wanted this dog, and so you have to walk it. I know it’s late, but you can just go around the block. Now go. Now!” Dad held up the leash.

Ames flopped off his bed and stomped in heavy steps to the front door to find his shoes. After banging his shoes on the ground, he didn’t even bother lacing them as he slammed open the door holding Nova’s leash. With a bounce and scuffle Nova lurched out the door for his favorite activity, a walk outside.

The walk started slow and got slower. Nova smelled each flower, jumped at every noise and peed on each tree. Ames tried to pull him along, but not much more than a puppy, Nova had no focus, and with only three legs, meandered in a lopping walk. The night grew darker, with strange movements in the dark shadows, disappearing when Ames turned to look, their edges flickering like a glitchy video game.

Mid step Nova froze, and Ames did too. Hidden in the evening noises another sound lurked, but he couldn’t tell its origin. Ames’ Spidey- senses rang alarm bells. Something was wrong, danger prowled nearby, but from where? His heart thumped like a football marching band in his chest. He spun to look down the empty street, but he couldn’t see into the inky black darkness-

-A thunderous bark roared next to him! A dog burst out of a driveway growling in a deep thunder, it teeth snapped and claws scraped on the cement.

The huge black dog the size of a rampaging rhino barreled toward him! Ames bolted, his body leapt backwards in fright, but he tripped on his shoelace and he fell back, landing hard on his hands, sharp stones poking deep. On the ground sitting on the sidewalk, he stared into the red eyes of a monster with long black fur and razor sharp teeth gleaming with dripping saliva. And it was headed straight at him!

All he could do was wait for the rampaging demon, and certain death. Why did his Dad make him go for a walk!

A quick yellow blur jumped in between Ames and the huge black Demodog.

Nova!

Barely a quarter its size, Nova growled right back. Her golden fur raised up like armor, she bared her bright white baby teeth against the yellow scimitars brandished by the black dog.

The hot breath pouring out of the growling monster’s mouth stunk of onions, Dad’s sweaty feet and rotting meat. Ames' whole body locked up, certain that he would be devoured by this monster.

Both dogs snapped at each other, quick jabs to try to get past the others' jaws. Though much smaller, Nova’s three legs and awkward movements confused the other dog. Barking and growling, the stand off lasted for hours, then days, before a man’s voice broke the chaos.

“Princess! Princess get back here!” The man grabbed the dog’s collar. “I’m sorry little man, did she scare you? Princess is really not dangerous. She just looks a little scary.”

Ames couldn’t look away from the froth oozing out of the dog’s mouth as it dove against the man’s grip in an attempt to get at him and taste his flesh.

“She just ran out the door.” The man shrugged. “Your little dog must be pretty tough to stand up to Princess, and with only 3 legs at that! That dog has no fear.”

Ames and Nova sprinted home, and once inside he slammed the door behind them both.

“Dad, I found Nova’s Superpower!”

Ames told the whole story over a cookie and a glass of milk. “He’s like the superhero Daredevil. Nova, the Dog with No Fear. He is a Superdog!”

Dad held Nova’s body through his uncontrollable shivering. “No, Nova was scared, look at her still shaking. But he knew protecting you was more important. His superpower is that he went past her fear. I told you he was a good dog.”

Dad pointed at Ames.

“He might not look like much on the outside, but inside he's all heart.” Dad said. “What does that mean for you the next time those bullies try to take the basketball court?

“It’s OK to be scared, but I can still tell them to get lost, just like Super Nova! ” Ames said, and then dunked his cookie in his milk.

“You got it!” Dad said, then lifted his head up, quivering his nose. “Do you smell that, something gross-”

Ames' mouth dropped open, remembering. “Come’on Nova, let’s go look!”

This time Nova ran straight down the hall to his parents room. He nosed the hamper, scratching at it with a whine.

Ames grabbed the tray, wrapped in a protective layer of several dirty t-shirts.

“Nova found it!” Ames said. He wasn't even scared!”

“I’m scared of this!” Dad twisted his head away as he opened the shirts to find the warm tray of fish.

Dad looked at Ames. “How did this get in my room!”

Ames turned to look at Nova, then shrugged, offering him his last bite of cookie.

“Dad, Supervillains are everywhere. Good thing we have Super Nova to protect us!”