Theo floated in the night sky as if gravity had simply forgotten him.
He drifted through clouds, the stars watching in silence. The city lights below flickered like dying embers, and for a moment, the guilt faded into the wind.
The noise of the world,cars, voices, sirens muffled into a gentle hum. Up here, everything was still.
He flew higher. Then lower. Aimless. Hours passed like minutes.
"Is this what freedom feels like?"
Then-
A scream. Sharp. Distant. Desperate.
It cut through the silence like a blade.
Theo stopped mid-air.
"What was that? Is someone hurt?"
A voice in his mind whispered, firm and familiar.
[What if someone dies because i didn't do anything?]
[I've done enough wrong. Now to do something right.]
Theo clenched his fists and took a deep breath.
"....Okay."
And just like that, he blitzed forward, wind tearing past his ears.
The scream grew louder.
But just as he was about to reach the street, he nearly crashed into a rooftop water tank.
"Shit. right. Mask."
He hovered down to a nearby alley and rummaged through a dumpster.
"Aha.... A ..paper bag. Perfect."
He poked two eye holes through it and shoved it on.
"It's not heroic. But it's something."
He launched himself into the air again, tracking the scream to a side street.
Below, a woman was cornered by five men. She ran into a dead-end alley, breathing hard, trembling.
"GET AWAY FROM ME! POLICE! ANYONE! HELP!"
Theo landed quietly above them on a rooftop. He counted them.
"One, two, three, four... five."
He grinned under the crumpled bag.
"I'll teach you scumbags a lesson."
As one of the thugs reached for the woman, Theo leapt from the rooftop.
Only... he kind of just fell.
He hit the pavement with a loud thud, stumbled, then stood up awkwardly and brushed himself off.
"I'mma need you all to back the hell up before things get messy."
The thugs blinked at him. Then burst out laughing.
"You serious?" one said. "What is this-Halloween for broke kids?"
Another thug stepped forward. "Go home before you cry for mommy."
Theo narrowed his eyes. "Take one more step. I dare you."
"You've got guts kid, I'll give you that."
"So how about I take it away?"
The man lunged with a knife, aiming straight for Theo's gut.
Clang.
The blade hit cloth-and stopped dead. The man stared, confused.
Theo sighed. "Told you."
He grabbed the man by the shirt and hurled him into a dumpster with bone-rattling force. It slammed shut behind him.
"WHAT THE-" another thug yelped. The rest charged.
Theo weaved through their punches effortlessly, every movement fluid, almost instinctual. He flicked one in the chest-sent him flying. Another kick, another body against a wall.
Two left.
Then,
Click.
A metallic sound. A gun cocking.
Theo spun around. The first thug had crawled from the dumpster, gun in hand, eyes wild with panic.
Shots rang out.
Bullets tore through the alley, hitting his own crew in the chaos.
Theo's heart dropped.
The girl.
He turned just in time to see a bullet heading towards her.
Time slowed
He couldn't block the bullet in time.
His heart beated faster and faster.
His vision blurred-then burned.
Twin beams of dark red light exploded from his eyes, slicing through the air, and vaporised the bullet.
"Holy shit! I did it! FUCK YEAH!"
The thugs froze.
The woman stared in stunned silence, a mix of awe and fear in her eyes.
Theo didn't say a word. He glanced at her.
"Go." he said, voice distorted under the bag. "You're safe now."
She nodded, still trembling, and ran.
Then, he turned back to the remaining thugs.
"Now it's just us."
--------------------------------------
Theo didn't kill anyone. But he didn't hold back either.
He beat the living hell out of them, one tossed into a dumpster, another crumpled behind a trash can, two knocked out cold. He kept it controlled…..mostly.
His breathing was heavy when it ended. The paper bag somehow still clung to his face.
Sirens howled in the distance.
Time to go.
He looked around once more. No cameras. No witnesses. Just a scared girl who ran off and five groaning men who wouldn't be walking straight for a few years give or take.
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Later that night, Theo crept back into his house through the kitchen window. The city lights still glowed in the distance.
His hands trembled—not from fear, but from the adrenaline still coursing through him.
He poured himself a glass of water, the tap humming quietly.
"Why the long face?" came a soft voice.
His mother stood in the doorway, wrapped in her robe, hair tied up, a yawn escaping her lips. "You look like you had a nightmare."
Theo stared into the water, then nodded. "Yeah… uh..nightmare. Terrible one."
Audrey stepped forward and wrapped an arm around him.
"You're strong, honey. Stronger than you think. Nightmares can't hurt you forever."
He gave a small smile. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best."
"Damn right I am." she grinned.
"Now go to bed before I miss my 5 a.m. skincare routine."
--------------------------------------
Back in his room, Theo lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
He hadn't killed anyone. He'd saved someone. It felt good.
But the questions remained.
Would he ever tell Stuart?
Would the world see him as a hero?
Or a freak?
He didn't know.
Sleep came slowly, but it came. And for the first time in a while, his dreams were quiet.
[✓]