The Anthem Force Chronicles

Family Ties

::Keith::

Oh joy, my perfect brother has made his immaculate return. 

Damian West, my brother, is my parent’s favorite child. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. And why wouldn’t he be? No matter what I accomplish he’s always able to one up me. When I made the freshmen basketball team Damian’s varsity team won state. When I finally earned straight A’s Damian was announced the school’s valedictorian. And when I joined Anthem Force, an elite superhero squad, Damian joined the Ultraleague, the best superhero team in the world. 

“Damian, what are you doing home?” I say, trying to hide my disappointment. For a while, my parents were actually proud of me but now that he’s home it’s all going to go out the window. 

“Taking a break from the big leagues,” he says, “Saving the world day after day starts to take a toll on you, ya know?”

Yah. I bet. 

“I’m going to let you two catch up,” my mom smiles, “Damian’s done so many exciting things Keith, you’re so lucky to have him has a big brother.”

The luckiest. “So how’s the Ultraleague treating you?” I say. My brother smirks. He looks like me, only if I was taller, bigger, and better looking. His words, not mine. 

“Good. Just last week we stopped an alien invasion, I’m sure you saw it on the news.”

I had. Everyone had. It was a freaking alien invasion, of course that’d warrant a little attention. “Awesome.”

“Yah how’s your little team thing going?” 

“My ‘little team’ is one of the elite teams in the country,” I snap, “Just this summer we saved the city from actual Ultraleague members gone evil.” 

My brother grins, oozing with superiority. “Yah I hear you’re pretty good... for a minor league team.” 

My palms itch as pure electricity begins to jump around. What I wouldn’t do to give Damian a nice jolt. Of course I doubt I could hit him anyway. Damian has super speed, the fastest speedster on the planet. “You could say that.”

“So you have a girlfriend yet?” Damian grins. My mind immediately jumps to Andy. 

“No, no girlfriend,” I say. Well at least no official girlfriend. 

“Don’t worry about it sport, no shame in being a late bloomer. Of course when I was your age...” 

Damian has always been a little cocky but today it’s at an all time high. Like he came back into town just to rub it in my face. It’s weird behavior, even for him. 

“I do fine with girls,” I snap, “Now if you don’t mind I had a long day. I’m going to go to bed.” 

I get up from the kitchen table and stomp away. I can hear Damian laughing behind me. “Well see you tommorrow kid, I’m going to be in town for while.” 

Fantastic. 

...

::Andy:: 

After the team meeting I float up around the city, weaving in and out skyscrapers, soaring as high as I can before plunging back to earth. 

It get’s my mind off things, especially downer new teammates. I get Radley trying to be a leader but he could’ve at least asked us first. 

I fly for a long time and after I’ve vented out all my anger I head home. We live on the thirtieth floor in a condominium downtown. I always keep my window open for easy access. 

“I’m home mom,” I call as I walk into the living room. My mother is sitting stiffly in a large chair, the light from the fire reflecting off her pale skin. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a tight bun and she’s wearing a silk blazer. My mother is absolutely pulled together and almost terrifyingly perfect. 

“Are you dear?” she says without looking up from her magazine, “I didn’t hear the front door.” 

“I flew in.” 

My mother’s perfectly red lips pull into a tight line. “I see.” 

My mother is not the most enthusiastic about my hero career. No self respecting young lady is seen out punching super villains. 

“Don’t you think it’d be better if you started acting normal?” she says calmly, folding the magazine in her lap, “How long are you going to keep playing this little superhero game?” 

Ouch. Normal? I thought I was normal, or at least I do pretty good for a girl who bullets bounce off of. “It’s not a game mother. It’s part of who I am and actually a lot of people respect that.”

“It’s not natural Andrea,” she says, “You are not natural. I’m grateful for what Dr. Winters did but I never knew it’d have these kind of consequences.” 

My moms referring to three years ago when I got really, really sick. Dr. Winters, a close family friend and leading medical professional, was in charge of taking care of me. When nothing else worked he tried a new experimental cure.

It worked, obviously, and my parents were thrilled. It wasn’t until a few months later when I suddenly started flying around the apartment that they realized something was up. Ever since, they’ve never shown a big interest in my powers. To them I’m an anomaly. A freak. Although everyone else in the city likes me to them I’m the superpowered smudge on their otherwise crystal lives. But what are you going do? Not even Dr. Winters had expected the powers and no one could find a cure. I use “cure” lightly. I don’t want to be fixed. I don’t think I need to be fixed. 

“There’s nothing we can do about it mom,” I say, “I might as well make the most with what I’ve been given.”

Yah by saving the city and helping others in need. I’m a real monster, aren’t I mom? 

“Hm,” is all my mother says before returning to her magazine. You’d think after all this time she’d open up to the idea of me being different. That’d she learn although I’m not her picture perfect daughter I’m still me. 

Instead it’s only made the distance between us grow. 

“Remember the Gala is in two weeks Andrea. You are expected to be there and I will have no excuses.”

By “no excuses” she means the superhero stuff. 

“Yah, I’ll be there,” I say before trudging off to my room. The Gala will be in the Adenine building, the tallest building in town that coincidentally my parents also own. I’ll be expected to dress up, greet guests, a smooze with the Anthem City elite as Andrea Calloway, daughter of two Anthem moguls.. 

Marvel is my superhero identity. My parents think it’s weird and just a phase. That one day I’ll come to my senses and realize I’d rather go to fine dances and fancy events. Maybe take up water polo and curtesy a lot. They think all I do is put on a costume and mask and get into trouble. 

But it’s not just a phase. It’s my dream. 

I’m starting to think that maybe Andrea Calloway may be my real mask all after all.