The Outing

[Living_Hellfire]

Christopher O'Callan loved walking through Atlas Park. Gretchen always brought him through the Blue Line, just North of the square and he gawked as he walked past the superheroes as they made their way, exploding into the the speed force, lifting into the heavens or just simply vanishing into the air as they teleported away, and like any 10 year old boy he was fascinated by superheroes and so he gawked.

 

He reached up to take babysitter's hand and she smiled, accepting it warmly and guided him South and East, around the square towards where Ms. Liberty stood, welcoming admirers. He barely noticed the sound of thunder as it rolled over Atlas Park.

 

She was the very picture of heroism, atop her plinth. Ms. Liberty stood accepting praise and handing out missions to young heroes who then zoomed off.

Christopher jumped with joy, waving at the Goddess before gasping and reaching. He had let go of Gretchen's hand and was falling. He reached but Gretchen was nowhere to be found and he tumbled, tearing the knee out of his jeans as he rolled, slamming into the wall on the South end of Atlas Park.

"Alright, lad?" The boy looked up to see a red haired man in a bespoke black suit, puffing a cigar. He stared for a moment, as the sweet blue smoke encircled his fedora. "Beg yer pardon, are ye alright, lad?"

 

The boy stretched and stood. The scene was chaos with new heroes all clamoring for attention. He listened for his babysitter, but couldn't hear her over the din. He cried out. No answer. The entire square was a blur of colour and noise. Demons snarled, robots hummed and muttered their replies while ninjas gathered in close circles. Christopher staggered back into the concrete of the raised garden before he heard the voice again.

"Alright, lad?" Blurry vision revealed opaque, burnt orange shades. The Man in Black grinned and puffed his cigar. "It's overwhelmin', aye?" He asked. "Ye should jes' take a long slow breathe an' I'll explain everythin'."

 

Christopher took the man's advice and breathed and cried "GRETCHEN!!"

 

The crowd continued to hum, paying Christopher no mind.

 

 "Lad?' The boy turned, seeing the man for the first time, his jaw dropping open. "Mister! Mister Hellfire!" He ran over before recoiling back against the ambient heat. In the distance a demonling cackled. He rose again to his feet, holding his arms up against the ferocious temperature generated by The Man in Black.

 

"Are you The Living Hellfire, sir?" Christopher cried.

The demonling laughed again and thunder rolled over Atlas Park.

"Aye, lad, I am." The sickly sweet, blue cigar smoke coiled around his arm as he spoke. "An' I reckon Gretchen is lookin' fer ye. Ye'd best get along, then."

 

A young woman came out of the scrum and raced towards the boy. There was a stern talking to and when Christopher spoke about The Man in Black who was no longer there Gretchen's breath caught in her throat. The thrum of rookie heroes, the occasional announcement over loudspeakers, the paparazzi's shouting demands, all were gone as Gretchen and Christopher looked up. A streak of burnt, orange fire cut a swathe across the night sky.

 

"Gretchen! I met him! I met The Living Hellfire! He was dressed all in black, an' he - "

 

"I know, I know...." She smiled at him and reached into the back right pocket of her jeans and pulled out an alabaster card, upon which was scorched the words "The Legendary Living Hellfire."

 

Christopher took the card in his hand and stared before meeting Gretchen's eyes and grinning. "So he really does?"

 

"Yeah, he really does."

 

The boy handed the card back and together they made their way home. There may have been ice-cream on the way.
 

Edited July 9 by Living_Hellfire