Chapter 7

Cole’s truck sat on the side of a dirt road that ended at the seashore, the sun just above the ocean. He crouched beside a damaged stone wall, mixing cement in a bucket with a smile. Ever since the fight between Aphelia and Tephra, Cole never seemed to tire or lose strength. He once thought he needed a second person for bigger jobs, but now, with his new powers, he could finish them in half the time. Only the finer details slowed him down, not the back-breaking parts like lugging cinderblocks or gravel.

As he set to work cementing the stones back into their original positions in the wall, he thought of Tephra and the Halloween party. Up close, she looked like a regular young woman, even though several countries wanted her for her crimes. She had warned him to stay away and then also said she might get into bed with him. He shook his head as he applied the cement, wondering why he always seemed to get into complicated relationships.

The thought of becoming a superhero never crossed his mind. Imagining the possibilities, he saw himself in a tight-fitting supersuit, groaning in embarrassment. When the news was on in Maddy’s pub, the male supes appeared like condescending assholes with little power compared to the ladies who ended up on the front pages.

He shrugged. “If I see a cat in a tree, I’ll help it down. I’m not going searching for trouble.”

As he set the second stone, he heard footsteps crunching on gravel. He looked up and saw Shannon walking down the road, wearing a pea coat, jeans, and soft leather boots. He scratched his head; there was no car to be seen. He wondered if she lived around here. A pang of anxiety hit his stomach when he saw her expressionless face.

When she stopped a few feet away, he stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Good morning, Shannon. I didn’t know you lived out here by the sea.”

She looked at his truck, then back at him. “I don’t.”

Her tone did little to put him at ease. “What can I do for you?”

She held out her gloved hands. “Why didn’t you invite me to that Halloween party?”

He shrugged and looked over the water for a moment. “I tried texting you, but you never answered once. I thought you ghosted me, so I took the hint. I know how dating goes these days, so it’s not a problem. I didn’t want to push.” His mind tapped him on the shoulder; how did she know about the party?

Shannon pointed a finger at him, her deep blue eyes blazing. “Didn’t I tell you I was super busy and might not respond? You could have at least invited me.”

He put his hands on his hips. “Shannon, we had a cup of coffee. It’s not like we’re dating or anything. You haven’t sent me one text. That tells me you’re just not interested. I’m not going to come begging.”

He sighed. The young woman was beautiful, as pretty as Tephra, if not more; he couldn't decide. She seemed nice, so he was really disappointed when she didn’t contact him. He was just confused why she was angry now.

Shannon lowered her hands and balled them into fists. “I’ve been working the whole time! I turn my back for one second, and you end up shacking up with some slut? Dressed in that cheap imitation costume? Do you hate me that much?”

Cole narrowed his eyes. His palms grew cold and clammy under his work gloves. “How did you know that? Are you a fucking stalker?”

“I wanted to surprise you! I even wore my suit, hovering in the darkness over the wharf,” she said, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “I wanted to make up for not getting back to you. Then I saw you leaving with that whore, driving off.”

He stepped forward. “Te—Tina is not a whore. Look, I’m on a job right now. I think you should leave and lose my number. I really hope you find someone who’s a better fit. I’m clearly a cheating asshole who doesn’t deserve a girl like you.”

Cole's ears burned as he continued, walking into the center of the road in front of her. “If you had shown any real interest in me all that time—a single text—I would have asked you to come. I would have rejected that girl. You know, I’m glad this happened. I was really interested in you, but now I see I dodged a bullet. Goodbye, Shannon. I’ve got work to do.”

Her fists shook, and her face turned red. She walked to the back of Cole’s truck. “Oh, you dodged a bullet, huh? Well, dodge this!”

She dipped back behind the truck. Cole heard a crack, and then his mouth dropped as the old truck launched at him. He leaped aside and landed in a puddle. Without his new powers, the truck would have caught him. The vehicle’s bumper hit the ground, and the truck cartwheeled down to the beach and into the water, sinking quickly fifty feet from the shore.

Cole sprinted onto the beach and held out his hands as the rusted red truck slipped under the water. “No, no, no! What the fuck! I just paid it off!” He only realized the reality of the situation when he turned right and saw Shannon looking at him; her blue eyes glowed like the core of a nuclear reactor.

“You’re a bastard, just like the rest of them,” she whispered. Cocking her fist, she landed a punch right on Cole’s nose. His face tingled with energy just before it hit. His head whipped back, and he hit the grainy beach like a missile, plowing a five-foot-deep furrow in the sand, stopping thirty feet away. As he blacked out, he could feel a slurry of water and sand pour over his legs.

Want to read up to 10 chapters ahead or chat with the community? Join the Discord: [https://discord.gg/Q5Qax3cmVd] | Support on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/Context5812]