Mother's Comic Book Club

Foreword:

All characters within this story are above the age of 18.

If you enjoy my stories and wish to support me, I have a Patreon. You also get access to chapters and other exclusive content early, including pictures I created based on scenes from my stories.

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Thehypno7ist

My Discord: https://discord.gg/SXZQjsuwpA

My Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/thehypno7ist

The Story:

Jaden Hayes and Rick Moreno stood in the middle of the crowded campus quad, staring down at the cheap, glossy brochure that had been shoved into their hands during the mandatory club fair sign-up. The rest of the pamphlet stack was full of shit like Debate Society, Robotics Club, Environmental Action Group, normal college crap. But this one? Tucked at the bottom like an afterthought.

‘Mother's Comic Book Club’

‘Exploring the heroic and the villainous. Members only. No open registrations.’

“Who the fuck names their comic book club that?” Jaden muttered, half-laughing, half-baffled, flipping the brochure to see if there was a punchline on the back.

Rick snorted, running a hand through his dark curls. “Right? Sounds like a support group for lonely housewives who’re secretly into superheros. “Hi, I’m Karen, and my secret identity is reading Spawn while the kids are at soccer.”

They both cracked up, but something about it felt off. Every other club on campus had a table, smiling upperclassmen handing out flyers, sign-up sheets with goodies. This one had nothing, just a single folded brochure left on a folding table with a handwritten “Take One” sticky note. No booth. No people. No explanation.

“Everyone’s supposed to join a club this semester,” Jaden said, folding the brochure and shoving it into his jeans pocket. “It’s in the handbook. ‘Extracurricular involvement builds character’ or whatever bullshit the superintendent spews.”

Rick shrugged. “Yeah, but this is the only one with a big red ‘INVITE ONLY’ vibe. No email, no Instagram, no nothing. What’s the deal?”

They started walking toward the library, the apparent location of the club, still bullshitting back and forth.

“Maybe it really is just for moms,” Rick said, grinning. “Secret midnight meetups where they trade compliments and bitch about their husbands while discussing their love for comics. I wish my mom was into that. Elena fucking hates comics. She caught me with an X-Men comic once and made me throw it away like it was porn.”

Jaden raised an eyebrow. “Your mom’s the principal. How the hell does she approve of a club called ‘Mother’s Comic Book Club’? Everything else has to have ‘real-world application’ or some resume-padding angle. This one’s just… weird.”

“Exactly,” Rick said, kicking a stray pebble across the path. “Makes no sense. She’s all about discipline and ‘future leaders.’ A comic club named after mothers? She should’ve shut that down on principle.”

They reached the east wing of the library, where a long hallway branched off into what used to be the old reference section. A faded sign had been taped over the door: Mother's Comic Book Club – Private Meeting Space. Below it, someone had scrawled in Sharpie: Knock & Wait.

Jaden knocked. Three firm raps.

The door cracked open almost immediately.

Zack Hargrove stood there, all six-foot-three of him, leaning against the frame like he owned the place. He was twenty-one, a couple of years older than them, but looked older thanks to the patchy beard, the perpetual scowl and the three years he’d spent flunking out of every gen-ed class the college offered. A lit cigarette dangled from his lips, smoke curling up into the dim light. Behind him, two of his usual lackeys, guys Jaden vaguely recognized from the back row of every party he’d ever avoided, lounged on mismatched chairs, feet up on tables stacked with comic longboxes.

Zack took one look at them and smirked.

“We’re here for the comi–” Rick started but was cut off.

“Nah,” he said, exhaling smoke right into their faces. “Full capacity. No room for new members. Especially not you two nerds.”

Rick stepped forward, chest puffed. “Come on, man. It’s a comic club. We’re literally just here to–”

Zack didn’t let him finish. He planted a meaty hand on Rick’s shoulder and shoved, hard. Rick stumbled back a step, shoes squeaking on the tile.

“Club’s exclusive, bitch,” Zack drawled. “We don’t need losers sniffing around our special little group. Go join the chess nerds or whatever.”

Jaden felt anger crawl up his neck. “It’s on the official club list. We’re allowed to—”

Zack’s eyes flicked to Jaden like he was an insect. “Fuck off, Hayes. Nobody invited you.”

Rick tried again, stepping up like he was about to push past. Zack moved faster, grabbed the front of Rick’s hoodie, yanked him forward, then shoved him backward so hard Rick’s ass hit the floor with a thud.

“Next time you try to barge in,” Zack said, voice low and amused, “I won’t be so polite.”

He flicked his cigarette butt at their feet, turned and slammed the door. The lock clicked.

For a second, the hallway was dead quiet except for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights.

Rick pushed himself up, brushing off his jeans, face red. “What the actual fuck was that?”

Jaden stared at the closed door, heart hammering. Something wasn’t right. Not just the rudeness. The smell, there’d been more than cigarette smoke drifting out. Perfume. Heavy, expensive women’s perfume.

He didn’t say anything about it.

Not yet.