Heroes: 2022

[NinjoNick]

Chapter 1: Coming Home​

When I finally got back home to Pittsburgh, I figured that I'd get off the plane after my release from imprisonment as a POW and see the world looking at me, asking me what happened in Pyongyang. Thankfully, I didn't see anybody apart from my Uncle Ron that wanted to speak to me.

"Stan my boy! Welcome back to America!" Uncle Ron stepped up to me, wrapping his frail arms around me in a hug. Even though he was born here in the Steel City, he never really let go of our Polish ancestry. My grandfather and his family were among the last people to leave Poland before Germany had invaded them back in World War II, so Uncle Ron and my father always told me to be thankful for our families luck.

I replied by hugging my uncle back, words cannot describe being away from your family for so long. After enlisting the Navy and going into Special Warfare as a Navy Diver, I was stationed on a prototype ship in 2017, and was sent to East Asia for a mission, to be honest, I can't really remember all that well. And I say that because it's classified. "Thanks Uncle." I couldn't really say anything else, I admit it, I was choking up a bit.

After we got back to his bar downtown, I got to go upstairs to my room as Uncle Ron was taking orders from the usual patrons. That guy Alex was back, and I admit, something seemed odd about what he was actually doing. He seemed a bit too relaxed, I knew the story about him. Alex was kicked out of his home, never said why exactly, but I know it was for the wrong reason. He was a few years younger then me. Probably about 21 at most.

I went to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I was nothing like I was before I became a POW. Before I was captured I was 6'4, and actually fit, you need to be in perfect physical shape to be in Specwar. I was a Navy SEAL without the glory of killing terrorists and other bad dudes.. Now I was a skeleton. I hate myself to do the comparison, but I looked like survivors of Auschwitz. There was also something about looking at myself, like pale greenish tinge to everything, it was so faint, that it was almost impossible to notice, but I noticed it anyway. I leaned down and moved my hand to the sink faucet, but when I started to turn it, I pulled it right out of the sink, causing a crash. Uncle Ron came rushing upstairs with his cane, knocking on my door, asking me in Polish about what the Hell I just did. I replied by yelling out that I had just smashed my toe against the metal pipe and something had happened.

When I looked back at my handiwork, I couldn't believe it, I had smashed a bathroom sink just by twisting my hand on the faucet. Did I actually just do that? I fixed it the best I could with some duct tape and my Uncle Ron's favorite Polka CD placed on the side of the sink. I looked at myself again and then picked up my safety razor, I snapped it in half with barely a squeeze. I took one of the blades and pressed it against my palm, the razor bend and twisted away, unable to cut my skin.

I realized that I was stronger, somehow, and that I was more durable, now I admit, I was a comic kid before joining the Navy, so I instantly thought to go to the local costume store and try and put something together. I looked down the stairs and then at the window in my room. I sneaked across my bathroom and bedroom and slid the window open as slowly and gently as I possibly could. Stepping through the frame and entering the fire escape, I began to climb up to the roof of the bar, looking over the Steel City, I felt compelled to place my hands on my waist and stood proudly as I overlooked my city.

Then I realized that I forgot my shirt and pants inside, and was standing on the roof wearing nothing but some underwear. I swiftly went back into my room and got a black sweat suit and went down to street level using the fire escape, heading to what was hopefully, not a terrible idea.

 

[NinjoNick]

Chapter 2: What the Hell is a Bunyip?​

After reaching street level, I started jogging up the street. A lot of people jog nowadays, so thankfully, nobody gave me a second glance. As I was passing by a pawn shop, I had to stop as the local news came on. The newscasters had been the same since for the last I don't even have a clue many years.

"Breaking News: The 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump has spoken out against current president Bernie Sanders for attempting to lessen diplomatic tensions with most of the United Nations. As most of Americans will remember, in summer of 2017, President Trump ordered an attack on North Korea, helping South Korea create the new nation of the Greater Korean Republic after Kim Jong-un's assassination. Great Britain will supposedly give the United Nation's response within the next three days. In other news, costumed heroes are on the rise across America, and the world. Scientists still don't have an explanation on how these super powered beings are even possible, but the Chief of Police has declared that any arrested 'heroes' will be jailed."

I still felt guilty over joining the military while that clown was President, but it was my country, regardless of the leader, and I still like to think that I served it well. I was also worried that I was about to become one of those outlaws with all the luck I could hope to have. I continued on my way to an old run-down costume shop I used to go to when I was a kid. I opened the door and stepped inside, thankfully, it was just a few days until Halloween, so they still had adult costumes available. I looked at the cashier and realized that it was Jeremiah from High School, funnily enough, he was my old bully. I went to the adult section and looked through the costumes. They had vampires, too edgy, werewolves, even worse. I went to the farthest row and saw two costumes that caught my eye. One was the worst gorilla costume I had ever seen, the other was a solid black jumpsuit complete with a rubber bug-eyed alien mask with a giant mouth with plastic teeth.

I was charmed by the sight, and decided to buy them both. Thankfully, they only cost me thirty dollars, and I took them home to try them on. After climbing into my room, I changed first into the alien outfit, and it would have fit perfectly if I wasn't the bony freak that I was. I decided that I would hone my body once again. I took of the alien costume and hid the gorilla suit and the alien mask under my bed before digging through my collection of antique pulp magazines. I wanted a name for myself to use against the criminals of Pittsburgh, like Batman or something. I swiped through the pages, going through the stacks and stacks of magazines. I eventually found what I was looking for, an old story about an English explorer that went to Australia to find ancient evils, the usual things. At the end, he fights a "bunyip" which supposedly is a monster from aboriginal folklore. Now me loving monsters, I was hit with inspiration, I would go as "Bunyip", I would terrify those who stamp out the good, I would defeat evil in my city, I would bring it justice. Realizing what I sounded like, I packed up my magazines and got dressed in my usual shirt and blue jeans, walking down the stairs I saw Uncle Ron finishing cleaning the bar, it was closing. I stepped up to him after the last patron had arrived. "Hey Uncle Ron?" "Yes Stanley?" "How's the name 'Bunyip' to you?" "The Hell is a Bunyup!?"

Again realization hit me for the second time that night. Much like posing on the roof in my underwear, I had chosen a name that apparently sounded stupid. Trust me when I say that I made a whole new set of mistakes before the night was over.