A H.E.R.O.S PROJECT 12

29. Good life

I knew something had gone wrong when Richie didn't wake me before my alarm rang.

Six a.m.

I cry in his ear, hefting Richie to his laboratory. I smother him in blankets so no one outside can see him. If they do, they'll call the police. The Navy, Army, all the above because Richie's intimidating to the eye and my worst fear.

Because I'm next.

Lee and Dougie rush through the flimsy laboratory door, slamming it close. Their eyes go wide.

Lee bangs his fist on a table, talking in Chinese, praying, possibly, begging God to undo my future. Lee kisses the gold cross around his neck. He says, "How long have you been like this, Richie? The science was there. Your cure was successful!"

Dougie walks everywhere, reading text on his phone out loud, "Bondite! Bondite has memory capabilities. Bondite wants to fuse. It can heal and cure people. It was a weapon used in World War II." He pulls on his unstyled hair and shouts, "That's why!"

Tris comes last, offering donuts for the boys and tears for me. Her donuts live for only a minute. Tristian screams, dropping the donuts once she sees Richie in all his horrifying glory.

"Is that you...Richie?" Tristian cleans her mess, eating a round donut doused in sprinkles. Quivering on her donut, curiosity and humorous thrill lightens her blue eyes. "Boy, you are the Silver Surfer."

Dougie is amazed and grins because the woman he loves knows something about Marvel's superheroes.

"NO!" Richie roars, rocking in his chair, willing his arms to strangle her. He quits after a few seconds, growing tired. Richie turns slightly to a window and tries to regain his little composure. I pity him.

"How do you feel?" A stupid Tristian question. "Because you don't look comfortable. But what would I know? I'm human."

"Umm..." Richie growls, "I feel great today. I had a good night's sleep and a well-balanced breakfast and studied for my math exam. But, let me not be the center of attention. I don't want any of that. How was your morning so far?" Richie builds a twisted smile for Tristian, and she triumphantly welcomes his sarcasm.

"I don't know. I woke up super tired. I was watching rabbit training videos, not that I own a rabbit. I'm considering it. I've also noticed that I look my absolute best right before I go to bed. Then I thought, girl, you just did a facial and had a cup of herbal tea, so you should look your best. Social media was boring," Tristian laughs at herself. "I don't get people. They follow you only to unfollow you, but they like being in the comment section. See, there's this boy..."

"I'm going to kill her!" Richie yells, and I grapple his metal arms down. He's not going anywhere. To appease him, I make it seem like he's too strong for me to restrain.

"Richie," I slick down his hair rounding his chubby ears. Richie reminds me of one of those funny rainbow-haired trolls. "Richie, you gotta be calm. You're smart. I'm only holding it together because of you. What's your next plan?"

Richie stops squirming in my arms, dropping his head from our gazes. I want to say he's crying but "Plan! Plan! Yesterday, that was my plan. That was the only cure I could think of. I'll have to go back to square one, but who am I fooling? I'm—we're out of time! I'm dying! I'm dying! God, I am so sorry for my sins! Please, don't forgive Tristian for hers. She has it coming!" Richie cries at the top of his lungs, startling me.

"I don't care if you're a robot or not, I will still kick your ass, and I'll do it with these donuts, runt!" Tris storms to us, gripping her dirty donut box like she will hit Richie with it.