Triangle Talon.

Written in response to: Start or end your story with a hero losing their powers.... view prompt

2 comments

Crime Drama

This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.

{Contains Physical Violence}

----------------------------------------------------------------

The alarm in Bailey's superhero lair rang out, rushing her out the door after putting on her costume and hype music. She got in her fastest car, a Maserati, and rushed to where her GPS pointed her.

Bailey Tobin wasn't a superhero. She wasn't telepathic, she couldn't fly, she wan't unnaturally strong. Naturally strong, yes, she trained 24/7 in Jiu-Jitsu, so she really had no choice. She was just very passionate about injustices. She fought for justice whenever she could, trying not to be as flashy as Batman. The people of Chicago still gave her a name.

Triangle Talon.

They didn't call her that because she was shaped like a triangle or looked like a bird. She was pro at Flying Triangles, her favorite choke, and signature move. Her long legs gave her an advantage. They added the 'Talon' part for flashiness.

She gunned the car toward the site so fast, even the GPS couldn't keep up. She could technically get a ticket, but everyone recognized her signature gold rally striped Maserati. She smiled as she sped past a cop.

When she arrived on the scene, she clicked off her hype music and stepped out of her car. Her costume resembled a gi, in honor of her sport, but had a rough lapel and grips. Anyone who tried to get a grip on her clothes would instantly regret it. She knew too much Jiu-Jitsu for that. She was excited for what came, whether it would be a shooting or a hostage situation. When she got a look over the cop's shoulders, she was disappointed.

Another bank robbery.

There had been so many robberies these days that everybody just shut down their shops in fear of getting robbed. What is it with people and money. They just always need more.

She walked up to the scene with a sigh. She cracked her knuckles, stretched her arms and legs, and got to work.

" HEY!" She called out to the criminals. They just stared.

" You guys really need to come up with something else. Like, Bank Robbery, really? Not very original." That does the trick. They get pissed off that she's calling them 'Normal'.

" We ARE original!" One shouts. He dashed at her with confidence. She grabbed his jacket and swept his legs out from under him with a swipe of her ankle. She sat on top of him and applied pressure.

" Oh, Yeah? And how is that?" She swing my legs up into S-mount and attacked an arm. She pivots her body and pulled his arm up in between her muscular legs. Her back was on the ground now, and she lifted her hips to hyper-extend his arm. He screamed in pain as his arm snapped at the elbow.

Bailey got up and walked up to the next criminal. He was wearing a crisp black blazer and matching slacks. She gripped his lapel and his sleeve, rolling it up so her knuckles were up against his wrist. She snapped him down, like she was lashing a whip. She jumped up into her signature move, locking her legs in a triangle position. She fish-hooked her top leg and squeezed with her might. He dropped unconscious in a matter of seconds. She moved on to the final crook.

She had been saving this one for last for a reason. While Jiu-Jitsu favored you no matter what size you were, this man was especially intimidating. His biceps were about the size of her -- rather large-- head, and he cast a sociopathic look down at her. He was about 6'9, while she was down here at a good 5'7. He was over a foot taller than her. He ran at her with a growl, something that she didn't know could come from a human. If this man was even that.

He grabbed her lapel with both hands. He looked confused for a second, but then realized the burning sensation in his hands and howled in agony. She reached up and hooked her arm around his head, because he had no coat, just a leather vest with silver studs everywhere. She felt like a little kid, reaching up and hanging from his neck. While Jiu-Jitsu didn't involve strikes, she threw a hard kick to his torso. He bent over, exposing his back. Bailey took the advantage and swung around to his back. She got him a seatbelt hold, and then slowly slid her arm under his chin...

He noticed. He tucked his chin down to his chest and tightened his jaw muscles, crunching Bailey's wrist. She cried out in pain and twisted her limp arm free. The man jumped to his back and landed 300 pounds of pure muscle on top of her. She screamed, begging that someone, anyone would come help her. The weight of the man was getting to her, and the sharp studs of his jacket were impaling her in many places.

She was almost unconscious when the weight was lifted. The man was being dragged off of her by the police. About time. While the others were dragging the now half-dead man away, one officer ran towards her.

" James..." She whispers to a police officer she's come to befriend over her time as a 'superhero'.

" I've got you, Bailey. Just hang tight. We've got paramedics on the way." His words are answered by sirens. James runs over to the ambulance and points them in my direction.

One of the smaller criminals, the one who was unconscious, wrestles himself out of a officer's grasp. He sets his eyes on Bailey and grabs the first thing he sees.

A crowbar.

He makes a dash for her. She's facing the other way, waiting weakly for a paramedic. The criminal takes a wild swing and smacks the back of her head with the tip of the crowbar. She instantly falls unconscious.

` ***

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I wake to the sound of a heart monitor beeping over and over.

Where am I?

I see a figure sitting next to my bed. Blonde, shaggy hair. In a uniform.

Who is that?

The boy at my bedside sees that I'm awake.

" You're awake!"

What is my name?

" Wh...Who are you?"

The boy by my bed sighs. I think a tear slips from his eye.

" I'm James. Your friend. I-I'm going to call the doctor in." He reaches up over my head and presses some sort of button. A doctor walks in immediately.

" Hello Ms. Tobin, Hello James." He sits down next to James.

" We have discovered that you have Dissociative Amnesia, which tends to make you forget the important details about yourself. Tell me, what is your first name?"

Trying to remember gives me a pounding headache.

" B..Bailey."

" Good. Now can you tell me how old you are?"

" Um.. Twenty?"

The doctor sighs.

" It's all right, you are actually only 18." James steps in to ask a question

" Can you tell me how to set up a arm bar?" He asks nervously

I dig deep into my muddled mind, only remembering the outcome of a arm bar.

" N..No"

James starts to cry. The doctor pats him on the back and steps out of the room. Someone -- a woman who looks like me --looks up at him in what I think is fear.

" What's wrong?" She mumbles

The doctor sighs

" I'm afraid the Triangle Talon has lost her strong suit. Her 'Super Power' or whatever you want to call it."

" She's gone"

August 15, 2024 15:13

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

2 comments

Lila Gustafson
22:42 Aug 15, 2024

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! This is my first time posting a story on Reedsy, so I'm glad you liked it!

Reply

Show 0 replies
♡ Tana ♡
19:53 Aug 15, 2024

I really admire the way you can write action sequences!! So talented!

Reply

Show 0 replies
RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.