Mission Log: Day 36

Star Command, this is Captain Travis, I have Zurg’s ship in my crosshairs.

We read you, Captain, you’re our only hope!

James, cover my back!

The cockpit erupted with flashing reds lights and blaring alarms.

James, do you read me, James?

No use; his wing man wasn’t there. He took the yoke and started dodging the lasers! Then a blast rocked his fighter and the boy’s body was jerked sideways. He hit the ground hard. Wood chips clung to his arms; his yellow mask lay limp in the playground mulch. But the fall didn’t hurt his arms as much as it did his knee. He looked down and saw that the soft golden-brown knob was now covered in a mixture of blood and debris.

“Stop throwing sticks at me Travis, you’re not Buzz Lightyear! You’re just a stupid kid!” Sofia yelled from the stairs of the playing platform.

Her words felt like the final laser blast vanquishing him. Sofias’s scream was startling, and Travis looked around the park. Several of the adults were looking at him with concerned faces and most of the children had stopped playing to look at him as well. The pain in his knee had been replaced by a pulsing flush in his face. The feeling of fear and embarrassment hastened the tears faster than any scrape. Travis got up and bolted across the park.

Star Command, is there anyone there? I’m hit! Trying to make it back to the lair.

We read you, captain, can you make it back?

I think so, my ships hurt but still flies.

Did anyone follow you?

No, No I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I’m alone.

Travis turned sideways off the concrete sidewalk and onto the little dirt path that wound through the trees. He pushed bushes and ducked branches, but his cape still snagged a few as he looked for the downed trees which framed an opening that looked like a portal. He slowed down when he got close and gently crawled under, being careful of his knee.

Inside the lair the golden May sun streaked through the trees and caused the vegetation to nearly glow with life. The small stream could be heard trickling just nearby and birds sang to each other through the trees.

Travis crawled closer to the rock he used as a back rest and laid his head against his backpack to sob. But before he had time, he heard rustling near the lair entrance. He had been followed.

He knelt stiff on the dirt and waited to see who the intruder was.

“Travis! Why’d you run off like that!”

“Tom! Get out of my lair! This is kids only.”

Tom crawled into the space. He noticed that all the grass was tamped down. He saw Travis’s blue backpack that they had been looking for, for several weeks. The backpack overflowing with Travis’s comic books; several more of the books laying out around the sitting area.

“I see,” Tom said turning to Travis, still knelt stiffly near the rock, “and it is a really good lair. Can I sit with you for a while?”

Travis, relaxing sighed, “Yeah, I suppose.”

“Looked like you had a pretty good fall.”

“Yeah, I got my knee.” Travis said showing Tom the knee with blood starting to cake.

“Here, bud. I’ve got my bag—let me clean it up for you.”

“Ouch! No, it’ll hurt.”

“It won’t, promise. Let me check, then we’ll put on a Band-Aid.”

“Ok.”

“So, why don’t you tell me what happened.”

“Sofia pushed me.”

“Yeah. I did see that part. What else happened?”

“Star Command sent me on a mission to defeat Zurg and I was about to but…”

“But Sofia didn’t like being Zurg?”

“No.”

“Yeah, I don’t think she liked you throwing the mulch at her.”

“I know.”

“Alright, there. Did that hurt?”

“A little.”

“Sure it did,” Tom Said smiling warmly, “I have another Buzz Lightyear Band-Aid.”

“Yes please!” Travis said bouncing.

“Ok, but I want you to play with the other kids. Not try and take down their spaceships.”

“Fine… Tom?”

“Yeah, buddy?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

Tom sitting cross legged across from Travis said with all seriousness, “My lips are sealed.”

“James found this lair with me.”

“Oh, I see. It looks like you played in here a lot?”

“Yeah. It was our base. No one could come find us.”

“You really miss James, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Travis’s shoulders hunched and Tom rubbed the little boy’s head. Travis Continued, “Tom?”

“Yeah, Travis?”

“Why aren’t superhero’s real?”

“What do you mean? I think superheroes are real. What about fire fighters?”

“Not like that. I mean, why can’t there be superheroes that make people feel good?”

“Do you wish you had a superhero friend?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sad because James got adopted?”

“Tom?”

“Yeah, Travis?”

“Why doesn’t anyone ever adopt me?”

“Oh Travis,” Tom said scooting closer and outing his arm around the boy, “do you remember superman?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember how Superman’s first family didn’t know what to do with him?”

“Yeah?”

“I think you are a lot like superman.”

“I’m not strong. I’m not that fast. Well, I’m really fast. But I’m not as fast as superman.”

Tom smiled out at the river, “no, but I think you are a different kind of strong, and the right mom and dad are going to find you, just like superman.”

“I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

“Because superheroes aren’t real.”

“Well why does that matter?”

“Because no one is a superhero for me. Everyone loves superheroes, but no one chooses me. Maybe no one loves me.”

“Travis,” Tom said looking at Travis, tears pooling in the boy’s eyes. “I love you, Travis.” Tom was silent while Travis laid his head on his leg. He could feel the cool sensation of the tears soaking through the pants.

“Travis?”

Travis sniffled, “Yeah?”

“I think superheroes are real.”

“No, they aren’t.”

“I think you’re my superhero.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yeah, I think you are. I think that you are super strong. I think you love helping people. I think that you are the bravest person I know.”

“I don’t have superpowers though.”

“I think your superpower is loving people.”

“That’s a boring superpower!”

“No, it’s not.” Tom said softly, his voice catching. They sat in the warm and summer lair and let the sound of water wash time away. “Travis, I think it’s time you go talk to Zurg.”

Travis sighed, “Fine,” as he started to crawl toward the lairs exit.

---

Travis found Sofia swinging with a group of girls. “Sorry for throwing sticks at you.”

"It’s ok, Travis," Sofia says shyly, “I’m sorry for yelling at you.”

“I forgive you; do you want to play together?”

"Well, actually... I lost my teddy bear in the park and can't find it now, can you?"

Travis's eyes light up as his body reanimates and a big smirk crawls across his face.

---

Mission log. Day 36 on the planet Alpha Refrigitorious. There has been no sign of Corporal Ursus...