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MidReal Story
Eulogy
Scenario:a black man who gains superpowers true an accident so he decides to use them to protect the city all while trying to gain the courage to confess his feelings to a black girl who has been his long-time friend
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Ethan
first_person_protagonist, male. He is a former mechanic turned crimefighter in the city. He is brave, humble, and courageous. After gaining superpowers from an accident, he uses them to protect the city from various threats. He struggles with revealing his feelings to Terra, a childhood friend who has grown into an amazing woman. His selfdoubt often surfaces, but he is determined to make her see him in a different light and work towards creating a superhero alter ego.
Razorne
side_character, male. He is a former gang member who now uses his powers for nefarious purposes. He is ruthless, cunning, and intimidating. His constant conflict with Ethan arises from his desire to expand his criminal empire while Ethan fights to maintain order and protection of the city. Razorne's presence creates tension for Ethan as he constantly needs to stay one step ahead of him to prevent further chaos in the city.
Terra
side_character, female. She is an ER nurse with her own set of personal struggles, including caring for her terminally ill mother. She is smart, compassionate, and determined. Her close friendship with Ethan often blurs the lines of romance, and she struggles to see him outside their shared history. Despite her challenges, she remains an invaluable source of support for Ethan, and he hopes to eventually reveal his feelings to her and find a way past her current difficulties.
Sometimes, life just gave you a push in the right direction.
I wasn’t saying that was how I got my powers exactly, but an accident was involved.
Let’s just say I’m glad I was in the garage that day.
My life changed forever, and not just because I could tell people my story about how I got superpowers.
Although, that was pretty cool.
Not many people could say that.
Not many black men could say that, either.
I mean, I’d seen some documentaries and read some articles about how few black superheroes there were.
It was like they expected us to be criminals or victims of crime, not the ones stopping it.
Well, not if I had anything to say about it.
And I did.
Every night, after work, I patrolled the streets in my makeshift costume until the early hours of the morning.
It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
At least I tried, right?
The thing was… sometimes it felt like I was lying to myself.
Like I was pretending to be something I wasn’t.
Not just because of my lack of superpowers before the accident, but because of who I really was.
Just a mechanic from the rough side of town.
I pull my car into Lisa’s driveway and kill the engine.
Her porch light is still flickering, and it looks like it needs replacing.
I should probably tell her about that.
I mean, she’s not a handy person, but she’s not helpless either.
Still, I could fix it for her if she wanted me to.
I glance at her house and notice how different it looks since the break-in last week.
She got security cameras installed, and there are bars on her windows now.
It was Razorne’s gang, so I knew they weren’t going to hurt her or anything.
They were just trying to send a message.
But still, she was shaken up by it.
And I promised myself that I’d keep an eye on her.
Just in case.
It’s 9:47 PM when I check my watch.
Well past my usual patrol time, but after what happened with Razorne's gang, I couldn't just leave her alone tonight. Not when I knew how scared she must be. I climb out of my car and head towards the front door. The security system beeps as I approach, and through the front window, I can see Lisa pacing back and forth while she talks on her phone.
My boots crunch on the gravel, and her silhouette stops moving.
She must have heard me.
I lift my hand to ring the doorbell, but I pause for a moment.
What am I going to say?
The porch light flickers again, casting irregular shadows across her front steps.
Through the window, I watch her end the call and set the phone down on the table next to her couch.
She hugs herself, and even from here, I can tell she’s still shaken by what happened last week.
The security system’s small red light blinks steadily, reminding me why I’m really here.
I take a deep breath, straighten my jacket so that it hides the costume underneath, and press the doorbell.
The door swings open, and I know this is where my real fight begins.
Terra opens the door, her tired eyes brightening slightly when she sees me.
She steps aside to let me in, and I enter her living room.
The TV is playing the news, and I see a grainy video of Razorne's gang running away from my last fight with them.
They mute it quickly, but not before I catch a glimpse of myself on screen.
My face is blurred out, but my black suit is unmistakable.
"Would you like some coffee?" she asks, heading towards the kitchen.
I nod and follow her.
"Sure."
She busies herself making coffee while I take a seat at her kitchen table.
I look around the room and notice that the flickering porch light is still broken.
I should probably fix that for her.
I get up and walk over to the front door, examining the light more closely.
It’s just a loose wire that needs replacing. I head back into the kitchen and find Terra standing by the sink, looking out the window at her backyard.
She turns around when she hears me approaching.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," I reply, holding up the wire.
"I think I found the problem with your porch light. It’s just a loose wire."
"Oh," she says, looking surprised.
"You don’t have to fix it. I can call someone tomorrow."
"It’s no trouble," I say, smiling at her.
"I can fix it now if you want."
She nods and hands me a cup of coffee.
"Thank you," I say, taking a sip of the hot liquid.
It’s just what I need after a long night of patrolling the streets.
I head back outside and examine the porch light more closely.
The wire is loose because it wasn’t screwed in properly.
I tighten it up and test the light to make sure it’s working correctly. It flickers on and off a few times before staying steady, casting a warm glow over the front steps.
I step back to admire my handiwork when I hear Terra come outside to join me.
She’s wrapped herself in a cardigan against the night chill, and her hair smells like shampoo as she leans past me to examine my work.
"It looks good," she says, smiling up at me with those big brown eyes of hers that always make me feel like I’m drowning in their depths.
"Thanks," I reply, twisting one last wire into place before stepping back to admire my handiwork once again.
I finish tightening the last wire on Terra's porch light and climb down from the stepladder.
She hands me a steaming mug of coffee, and I notice her fingers are shaking slightly.
The night air has grown cooler, making her pull her cardigan tighter around herself.
As I reach for the mug, my callused fingers brush against her soft ones.
We both freeze.
The porch light above us stays steady now, illuminating her face as she looks up at me.
Neither of us moves to break contact.
My heart pounds against my ribs, and I can feel my powers tingling beneath my skin, reacting to my nervousness.
The warmth from the mug seeps into my hands, and I struggle to keep my eyes locked on hers.
She shifts her weight, the fabric of her cardigan rustling in the night breeze.
"Yeah, we should," she says, stepping back to open her front door wider.
I follow her inside, my boots heavy on the hardwood floor.
She settles onto her couch, tucking her legs beneath her while I take the armchair across from her.
The TV still plays footage of my alter ego fighting Razorne.
She mutes it but keeps glancing at the screen every now and then.
My powers buzz beneath my skin as I set down the untouched coffee on the table beside me.
I lean forward in the armchair, watching her face illuminated by the TV's glow.
The silent footage plays on, my masked self chasing down Razorne's gang.
She speaks, her voice soft and a little distant.
"I feel safer knowing there’s a superhero out there protecting us," she says, her eyes fixed on the screen.
"I know he’s out there, and it makes me feel better."
My heart feels like it’s going to burst.
I can’t believe she’s talking about me like that, not knowing I’m right here in the room with her.
My powers surge beneath my skin, reacting to the mix of emotions inside me.
I stand up abruptly, my hands shaking as I set the coffee mug down on the table.
She looks at me with concern in her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.
"Yeah, I’m fine," I say, forcing a smile onto my face.
But it’s no use.
The weight of keeping this secret from her is crushing me. "There’s something I need to tell you," I say finally, my voice cracking slightly.
She looks at me with curiosity in her eyes as I walk over and sit beside her on the couch.
"I’ve been keeping two secrets from you," I say, taking a deep breath to steady myself.
"And I can’t hold them in anymore."
I lean closer to her on the couch, my hands trembling as I try to keep my powers from sparking visibly through my skin.
"The first secret," I start, watching her expression turn concerned.
"Is that I’ve been in love with you since high school."
Her eyes widen, but before she can say anything, I stand up abruptly.
My powers are coursing through me, making it hard to stay still.
"I should go," I say, cutting her off before she can speak.
"It’s late, and you need rest."
I hurry to the door, barely holding in my powers as they surge beneath my skin.
"Wait," she calls out, her voice a mix of urgency and confusion.
"What's the second secret?"
I pause at the door, my back to her, and let out a shaky breath.
I turn back to face her, my heart pounding in my chest.
She stands up from the couch, her eyes fixed on me.
The electricity coursing through my veins makes my hands shake, and I stuff them into my pockets.
She takes a step toward me, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What's the second secret?"
I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat.
My mind rushes back to all the memories we've shared since meeting in third grade.
I remember the way her braces glinted when she shared her lunch with me, the notes we passed in high school algebra class, and how she supported me when Mom died.
The memories flood through me, and I can't find the words to speak.
"I think about you," I manage to say finally, my voice shaking.
"Every day. Since we met."
"And I'm the one you see on that screen."
She stands there, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The electricity crackling beneath my skin makes my hands shake violently in my pockets.
She takes a step closer, reaching for my right hand.
I try to pull away, afraid of hurting her with the unstable powers coursing through me.
But she holds firm, her grip steady as she slowly draws my hand from my pocket.
Blue sparks dance between my fingers, illuminating her face in brief flashes.
Instead of fear, I see wonder in her expression.