Happier 😁

Trigger warning: abuse

My name is Jack. I'm technically a superhero, but my powers suck.

I can talk to animals. It's a cool power, but they won't do anything for me. At least it's somebody to talk to. The only person I can talk to, is Agni, the cities greatest superhero. Sadly, he kind of hates me, even though I'm his "sidekick". I don't leave because I'd get in huge trouble if he found me.

He was forced to take me in, and just makes me run errands for him. If I get something wrong, he'll use his ice and fire powers to punish me.

I've never been happy here.

I've learned to put up with it. He can't leave marks on my face or hands, or else his wife would see. He'll probaly kill me if I told anybody. He's not the great, happy person he pretends to be.

His nemisis, Terre, can control the Earth. He's a great super villian. Terre hasn't been able to catch him.

Today, I'm cleaning while Agni's fighting some villian.

I look at my reflection is the mop water.

I have long stringy black hair that hasn't been washed in a while. My skin's nearly pale from being inside so much. I'm thin and tall, and the oversized clothes I'm wearing hang off my body.

I sigh, and wipe up the water.

"It's not fair." I tell Blue, the blue jay at the window.

He ruffles his feathers, and flies over to my shoulder. "Life ain't fair kid. Luck isn't real."

Blue doesn't really do positivity.

"Still, why can't I go out and fight crime?" I ask, putting the mop away.

He drops to the floor, and hops around. "Can you fight?"

"No, but I could." Probaly?

He looks at me. "Sure, kid."

There's a knock at the door, and I go to answer it.

I open the door, but nobodies there.

"Hello?" I say, looking around the front.

Nothing.

I shrug, and go to shut the door, but something blocks it.

I look down, and see a vine.

"What the...." I back up. The vine's growing.

Terre.

He walks through the door, shutting then looking it behind him.

He's in his light green pants and shirt, with a dark green belt filled with different bottles. His dark green gloves go to his elbows, and his boots go to his knees. His messy hair is dyed dozens of colors. He's a little taller then me, but definitly stronger.The skin around his black mask is tanned, and I can see his eyes changing color as he walks towards me.

"Who are you?" He asks.

Blue flies out the window. "I'm Jack. Jack...yeah, just Jack."

"Nice to meet you Jack. I'm sure you already know I'm Terre, the great super villain, blah blah blah, whatever. So I have come to Angi's not so secret-"

"Are you going to kidnap me? If so, hurry up before he comes back." I tell him.

He stops, and seems confused. "You want me to take you?"

"Please." I'm not lying. I don't want to stay with Angi.

He nods. "Ok, well let's go then."

"Wait." I say. I walk to the cleaning closet, and get the laundry detergent. I pour it all around the front walkway, the dump water over it. He'll have fun cleaning that up.

"Ok, let's go." I tell Terre, walking to the door.

He looks even more confused, but walks out. I look at everything, since I don't get to be outside much. The sky is fading into a dark blue, and I can see the moon.

Angi doesn't think anyone would ever attack him, so he has no security. His fences are tall, so people can't look in. I don't know how Terre got in, but it's not suprising he found the house. Angi probaly told the wrong person where he lives.

"How are we leaving?" I ask him.

He gestures to the flower bed. "Over here."

I stand beside him, and suddenly everythings dark. I feel his hand grip mine, and then he yanks it, and I tumble on a concrete floor.

"OW!" I shout. He snorts. I sit up and glare at him. Then I look around. Were in some kind of underground garden. The ceiling is low, with dim lights hanging down from it. The floor has tons of wide paths between different plant beds.

"Where are we?" I ask, looking around.

He puts a hand out to help me up. I take it, and he starts walking towards two big doors.

I watch as the plants turn to face him as he passes. They all face his direction, and when his fingers brush over them, they seem to get better.

I walk beside him. "So? Where are we?"

"My home." He answers.

"How did we get here?"

"Traveled through the flower." He walks ahead of me.

He doesn't like to talk, huh? I see a group of butterflies, and a white one flutters over.

"Hi," I say softly, putting my hand out.

It lands gently on my palm, and I bring it close to my face.

"Who are you?" It asks me.

"Jack. What's your name?"

"Clover. Why are you here?" It says.

Good question. "Terre brought me here. I think technically he kidnapped me, but I did go very willingly."

"Why?"

"My boss sucks. He....wasn't that good to me."

"Are you hurt?"

"A little."

"Look up."

"Huh?"

I look up. I didn't even realize I stopped. Terre is leaning aganist the door's watching me. I'm pretty sure he heard my side of the conversation.

"Come visit." Clover tells me, before flying away.

I walk quickly to Terre. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"Were you talking to the butterfly?" He asks. He sounds impressed.

I nod. "Uh, yeah. I can talk to animals. It's a useless power, though."

"No, it's not. Is that what Angi told you?" He says.

I look down. "Yeah. Everytime I brought up my powers he'd- nevermind."

I almost told him about my burn marks. I can't do that. If Angi ever gets me back and finds out, I'm dead.

He looks worried, but doesn't push it.

"Ok. Come on, then." He pushes the doors open. We go into the long hallway, and he leads me to a room that turns out to be a kitchen. My mouths watering before he even asks what I want to eat.

I pick one of the pie's sitting on the counter. I've seen Angi eat pie's in front of my face, and I've always wanted to try it.

He gives me a huge piece, and I shovel the food in my mouth, not caring that Terre is watching me.

It's better then I could ever imagine. I eat half of it, and look up to see Terre looking more concerned then before.

"Uh..." I say.

"Ok," He starts. "I have some serious questions. Did he feed you? Ever?"

I nod. "Yeah, leftover bread and friut. Sometimes some milk."

"How old are you?" He asks next, scratching his head.

I take another bite, then answer. "Eighteen. I think."

"You've lived with him how long?"

"Since I was nine."

"When's the last time you've been outside?"

"Other then answering the door? Uh, a couple months ago to clean the shed in the backyard."

He rubs his temples. "Do you do all the cleaning?"

"Yes."

He mutters something that sounds like, "Cindlerbell" then asks, "What were you going to say earlier? What he does when you bring up your powers?"

I stuff a big piece of pie in my mouth. I can't tell him. Right?

"Listen, I'm tring to help you. He clearly did something that would make you hate him, and if I'm going to help you, I need to know."

He has been nothing but kind to me....And Angi might not find out if I stay with Terre.

"Okay. But you can't tell anybody. I'm not supposed to tell anyone." I say.

He nods.

"When I'd bring up something he didn't like, or when I did something wrong, he'd wait until no one else was around, and he'd burn me. The burn goes away after awhile, but it really hurts. Sometimes if I try to run, or fight him off, he'd freeze me hands or feet, and leave me somewhere till it melts."

There. I did it.

Terre puts his head in his hands. "Jesus, what is wrong with him? Your a kid! He can't do that! It's got to be illegal."

"Are you okay?" I ask. I'm pretty sure he's not, but I'm just checking.

He shrugs. "Not really. But I'll live. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Please don't worry." I tell him.

He looks like he's going to argue, but he doesn't. "Finish that pie. You need some better clothes."

"Your not a very good kiddnapper." I inform him, as I take a bite.

He nods. "I'm well aware."

He finds me shorts and a t-shirt that fit, and then shows me a room I get to sleep in.

"I get this whole room?" I ask looking around. It has a big bed, with a blanket and pillows. There's a dresser, a desk, and a bookshelf. A bathroom is connected to it, and he tells me to shower. I do.

I wonder what he looks like. He didn't take off his costume at all. Maybe one day I'll find out.

There's a sarcastic spider in my room called Orb. I talked to him till I fell asleep.

😁

Two years later:

I'm laying on the couch in Terre's big living room. We're eating popcorn, and watching the news.

" Supervillians, Terre and Parler, reveled our city hero, Angi, has been stealing different things. The villian duo took his superpowers, and got him to admit it. He's currently in a high security prison." It shows a picture of Terre and I aiming a machine at Angi.

I high five Terre, who is up, and dancing around the room.

He finally let me see what he really looked like a year ago, and it turns out, we're actually about the same age.

I'm taller then him, his boots increased his height. His actual hair is dark red, but it's still messy. His skin is lighter then I thought, and his eyes are dark brown. He helped me get stronger, and now I can almost beat him. He's not at all who I thought he was.

He acts way younger then his age down here, and makes dumb jokes all the time. He acts older in front of other people.

We found out I can send different animals to find out things, and they'll report back to me. We found out Angi's weaknesses, and stuff about other superhero's secrets.

We have lots of animal's here now, and they all listen to me. Blue comes by every once in a while.

Terre tought me how to make different foods, although pie is still my favorite.

My hair is shorter, and fluffer. My skin is lighter from being outside more.

Even if I'm a wanted supervillian, at least I'm happy.