Captain Danger

Roy turned his phone’s volume to silent due to persistent complaints from others at the table and watched the trailer again.

He sighed and shook his head before switching to a film review article. He scanned the page and one sentence in particular leapt out at him.

"Topher Hevatt absolutely smashed the role of Captain Danger, surely dissolving any disappointment from fans that Roy Fields was not offered the chance to reprise the role".

Roy locked his phone and buried his face in his palms. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder and after snapping back into the room noticed the gleeful laughter from everyone else at the table. He looked up and into the dazzling blue eyes of his wife, who was mid-laugh. She could instantly tell that he'd missed out on the joke and she shook her head at him. "My parents are only in town until tomorrow," she whispered, "and you've been staring into your phone all night".

Roy nodded and pocketed his phone. "You're right, Jan. I'm sorry, I'll try to be in the room".

***

The two arrived home and paid the babysitter before she left.

Roy slumped onto the bed and switched on the TV. That darn trailer was on again. At this point he couldn't stand to see it any more, so he just switched the TV straight back off.

He looked at Jan, who smiled at him comfortingly.

"You know, I do understand. It must be really difficult seeing some unknown kid take on the role you gave up. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you putting us first".

He half-smiled, but was aware that it wasn't very convincing. "I didn't give up anything, I just wasn't offered the role".

"No, I mean all those years ago - you could have made sequel after sequel, but you chose not to".

He smiled again, a bit more convincingly this time. "Yes, that's true...but being big in the acting world and raising a family just did not mix for me. What other choice did I have?"

"You could have left. You could have ditched us. Things were that bad between us, I wouldn't have even blamed you". She lay down next to him and snuggled up to him. "I'm really glad you stayed". She waited for Roy to say ‘me too’ but a reply never came. She looked up at him and saw that he was staring absently at the shelf on the wall opposite them.

On one side of the TV were books and batteries and other nick-nacks covered in dust. On the other side, which was otherwise completely clutter-free, was a lone action figure posing heroically on its base.

Jan frowned. "Did you really need to put that thing up in here?"

"Well, I found it out the other day and it just felt wrong to keep it stuffed away in a box".

She shrugged. "I don't suppose I mind, if it makes you happy".

The door creaked. Roy looked up and saw a small figure entering, rubbing his eyes. "Daddy, I heard voices and got scared. I didn't know you and Mummy were back home".

"Come and say goodnight, Peter". Roy gestured for his son to join them on the bed and the boy clambered up and sat crossed-legged between the couple.

He immediately clocked the action figure on the shelf. 

Peter's eyes lit up. "Daddy, is that Captain Danger?" He got up and started to climb over the bed towards it.

Roy pulled him back gently. "Yes it is, but it's not a toy. It's a decorative piece and for display only".

Peter's face sunk. "Aww, I thought you'd got me a new toy".

Roy ruffled the boy's hair. "Tell you what - I'll get you your very own Captain Danger toy, but that one is very special to me. I've had it since I was your age. The adventures I used to have with that action figure are what inspired me to want to be an actor - it meant I could get as close as possible to having real-life superhero adventures!"

Jan gave the boy a squeeze. "Time to go back to bed, you!"

He kissed them both on the cheek and left the room.

Jan kissed Roy goodnight before rolling over to sleep, but he barely noticed. He just stared at the action figure on the shelf, lost in a time long ago.

***

Roy swiped through news articles while eating lunch at his desk. He found one that detailed Topher Hevatt's lifestyle - from his luxurious apartment to his stunning young girlfriend. Roy slammed his phone down on the desk and took an angry bite out of his sandwich.

He almost jumped out of his skin when his phone vibrated violently.

He answered the phone. "Hello?" He sat up straight with a look of surprise, which quickly turned to one of excitement. "Oh, hi! Yes, I'm doing well thank you. And you? That's good to...oh, wow...are you serious? Yes, absolutely!"

Roy practically crashed through the front door that evening. "Jan, are you home?" He yelled excitedly.

Jan and Peter were reading a book together in the living room. She looked up at Roy when he came hurtling into the room. "Hey, good timing - you can join us and do some of the voices," she said with a loving smile".

"You'll never guess what!" Roy paced the floor.

"What is it?"

"Glen called - you remember Glen, from the studio?"

"Oh...what did he want?"

"He offered me a cameo role in the next movie!"

Jan's face sunk. "Oh right, I see. It sounds like you really want to do it. Have you said yes already?"

He paused, only just then realising that he had answered Glen without consulting her. "Ah...well, if I'm honest, yeah I said I would do it. But it won't be like last time, it's only a cameo I think".

It was Jan's turn to do an unconvincing smile. "As long as you don't get sucked back into that whole world again".

"No, of course not. I wouldn't let that happen".

***

Roy joined the rest of the cast, who were sat at a large table which was really several tables set out in a rectangle shape. He was met with some welcoming handshakes and smiles as he joined the table and some ‘Nice to have you back’ type comments.

He sat down and picked up the script that lay on the table in front of him.

“So, I’ve been told that I’m playing an older version of Captain Danger. I’m just wondering: am I playing a future version of the same Captain Danger as Topher?” 

The director waved at him from across the table. “Roy, glad to have you with us. Haven’t you read the script yet? You’re playing an older version of the same Captain Danger that you played in the originals. This is set in a parallel universe and you’ve crossed through in a portal to help guide this universe’s Captain Danger. You’re like his mentor - one of the most important parts in the film”.

Roy couldn’t help but grin as a wave of joy washed over him. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t realise. I thought this was only going to be a small cameo, otherwise I would have got to know the script better”.

“Ah don’t worry, this is only the first table read. Still plenty of time before shooting”.

***

“Jan, I’ve just looked at the shooting schedule”. Roy sat down at the breakfast table and took a bite out of his toast.

Jan crunched on a spoonful of cereal. “Okay, so when do you start?”

“June, so not too far away”. He scratched the back of his neck and looked down at his plate.

Jan cocked her head as she watched him. “What’s wrong?”

“Erm...to be honest, filming is going to be a bit more intensive than I expected. Remember how I thought it was just a quick cameo?”

She squinted suspiciously. “Yes?”

“It actually turned out that my role is a bit bigger than that. I’m a pretty important character”.

She abandoned her spoon and it clattered into her cereal bowl. “This isn’t going to be history repeating itself is it?”

“No, no of course not! I mean, it's not like it was before. We were just starting out then, and acting got in the way of our progress. Now we're an established family and nothing could ever tear us apart".

“It wasn’t just your schedule getting in the way: you had some pretty self-destructive habits too back then”.

Roy threw up his hands. “That was back then! I know I had some bad influences in the industry, but I was younger and a lot more impressionable. I’m not going to make the same mistakes this time”.

Jan sighed. “Do you promise?”

“I promise”.

***

Roy walked into the studio. He gazed around and felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. The sets, the props, the lights, all felt so familiar to him and he found it almost comforting to be surrounded by such an environment; even the rigging.

Topher appeared beside him. “Hey man, looking forward to rehearsals?”

“Yes, I thought I’d come in a bit early actually”.

“Yeah, me too. Oh by the way, some of the other cast are celebrating the start of rehearsals tonight. Just something thrown together at the last minute. We’re gonna have my driver take us straight there after rehearsals. Wanna join us?”

Roy paused. “What is it, a party?”

“Yeah, one of us hired a club and I think it’s gonna be a pretty wild night. You up for it?”

“I don’t know...I do miss the parties. Man, I had some good times back in the day!”

A chubby man with a bald head appeared. “There you are, guys. Roy, I’ve got something to show you”.

“What is it, Glen?”

“Come and see for yourself”. He wore a sneaky-looking grin. “You’re gonna love this”.

Roy followed Glen to the back of the prop department.

“Of course we won’t actually be filming for a while, but since it’s already made I wanted to show it to you - I knew you’d be excited to see it”.

Roy stood gazing with his mouth hanging open in excitement. He studied the costume in front of him. On the mannequin it looked like it was standing there posing heroically.

“It’s just like the original!” Clips of himself fighting crime and doing his own stunts in a costume just like this one played in his head, filling him with a sense of pride as if he had really vanquished superpowered foes.

***

Roy stepped carefully through the door and closed it as silently as he could. He turned and clumsily attempted to walk through his living room. Despite aiming to walk in a straight line, he veered to the left and collided with the sofa. He found himself laying half on the sofa with his head on the floor.

Jan’s scowling face appeared above him. “So, what happened to celebrating the start of rehearsals?”

“I went to a party at a club”.

“I mean with me. We were meant to cook a steak dinner together. I’ve been waiting for you all night”.

Roy sat up and the room spun round and round. “I’m sorry, Jan. We went straight from the studio and I wasn’t going to go, but I dunno, I think I just got caught up in the whole buzz of the limelight”.

Jan sat down and buried her head in her hands. “You said it wasn’t going to be like before”.

Roy groaned. Then he shook his head at his own ignorance. “You’re right! You’re absolutely right. I’ve been so stupid. I promise it won’t happen again”.

Jan looked him right in the face. Her eyes were glistening as they filled with tears. “I can’t trust that you’ll keep to that. I know you mean it, but it’s only day one and already you’ve gone out and forgotten your family existed. How much worse is it going to get?”

Roy frowned. “What are you saying? You don’t want me to give up the role, do you?”

Jan scoffed. “It’s that important to you, is it?”

Roy paused, stunned. “It’s...I dunno, it’s complicated. Captain Danger isn’t just some silly character to me”.

Jan tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well...you know I was a dork at school. I was a loser, I had absolutely nothing going for me. Captain Danger was the opposite. He always got the girl, he always saved the day, and he always did the right thing. Reading those comics made me feel like I could live up to that some day. Getting to play him on the big screen - now that made me really feel like I was more than just that loser kid. And I know it sounds stupid, but getting to play him again, getting a taste of that life of fame...it’s such a rush. It makes me feel like I can do anything that Captain Danger could do, even if it’s just pretend”.

He looked at Jan and realised that she had stopped scowling. She reached for his shoulder and caressed it softly. “Do you really think you’re still that loser kid? You said that Captain Danger always gets the girl, but you’ve got me...how many girls do you need? You save the day every time you let me complain to you about my crappy day, every time you pick Peter up from school when I get stuck at work, every time you’re there for us instead of...not being there for us. And you always do the right thing...well, usually. These days, anyway. The only period of time when you’ve consistently not done the right thing was...well, you know”.

Roy stared straight ahead, looking like he was out of the room but actually processing everything she was saying in a stunned silence. “I’m not going to ask you to give up the role. I can’t ask you to give up something that clearly means so much to you”.

Eventually he looked her in the eyes. Those dazzling blue eyes. “I love you”.

“I love you, too”.

***

Roy looked up at the action figure on the shelf. The toy superhero stood there with its hands on its hips and a cheesy grin. Roy picked it up and went downstairs.

Jan was just coming through the front door with Peter. The young boy’s face lit up and he ran up and threw his arms around his legs. Roy ruffled his hair and smiled.

He looked back up at Jan, who had a puzzled frown. “Aren’t you supposed to be at rehearsals?”

Roy grinned, knowing that by doing so he was giving away his surprise. “I called Glen. He’s absolutely furious with me, but I told him he’s going to have to recast”.

Jan’s dazzling blue eyes lit up and her smile was just as dazzling in that moment. She flung her arms around him and squeezed so tight he could barely breathe.

After she had stopped kissing him, Roy knelt down to talk to Peter at eye-level. “Hey, guess what!”

“What?”

“I’ve got a present for you”.

“You bought me a Captain Danger?”

“No, actually I decided to give you my old one. It’s not as flashy as a new one, so I hope that’s okay”. He handed the toy to his son, who took it excitedly.

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you!”

Roy watched his son zoom around the room, holding up Captain Danger as if he were flying. off on new adventures.