The Anthem Force Chronicles

"I don't avoid crime, I go looking for it."

I walked inside shaking my head. Had that really just happened? I reached my hand up to feel my lips, had only moments ago Luke’s lips been on them? Yes it had happened. And I had loved every one of the very few seconds of it. But Luke had flown off before I could even tell him that. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered, he said it was ‘a mistake.’ Of course it was a mistake. How could perfect in every way Super Kid honestly want to be with me? We were friends, that’s it… or at least that’s what I thought. I started to think back, could it be possible that I’ve always had hidden feelings for Luke? I shouldn’t even think that way; he had made it clear he didn’t feel the same way. But then why had he kissed my in the first place?

I sighed, not knowing what to do.

“Dante is that you?” My mom asked. She was sitting on the couch watching the news so I went over and plopped down next to her.

“Hey mom, I didn’t even notice you were up,” I said casually.

“What?” My mom scrunched up her forehead in confusion, “You mean you’ve been home this whole time, I could have sworn you just walked in.”

 “No, I came home straight after school,” I said slowly as if my mom thinking I was late was crazy.

“Oh Dante, I’m so sorry,” My mom looked at me apologetically.

I swallowed hard. “Its- its ok.” Dang I really hated lying to my mom. “What are you watching?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“The news, the museum was robbed yesterday.”

“The museum? I thought it was the bank.” I actually knew it was the bank, I had been there. Maybe my mom really was crazy.

“They were both robbed actually; but the police believe it to be separate culprits. Can you believe it though? So much crime in one city, oh Dante I wish we could move somewhere safer.”

“Don’t worry about it mom, I like it here.” If she only knew that I didn’t avoid crime, I went looking for it. Still, it was kind of an odd coincidence that both were robbed on the same day. Maybe I should run it by Brian? Nah, the police were probably handling it. While the Anthem Force took care of emergency stuff we left the investigations to them. They have to do some work too you know.

“So what was stolen,” I asked genuinely curious.

“The Stone of Cratus,” she said mysteriously as if she was telling a ghost story, “It supposedly magically strengthens the powers of the user.”  She laughed out loud. “Do you believe any of that rubbish?”

Magic? Powers? It really wasn’t too uncommon stuff to believe in my world. Some of my best friends had powers. My mind started to drift to Luke which I quickly shook off, I didn’t even want to get started with that right now.

“I don’t know mom, could be true, you never know.”

My mom rolled her eyes, obviously I hadn’t convinced her.

A few minutes later a news report came on. It was about the bridge collapse.

My mom wasn’t taking it as well. “Oh no!” she gasped, her eyes glued to the television. We watched the coverage of the event. There was a pretty cool scene of the bridge actually collapsing. It looked as if giant wave had rolled through the bridge, destroying everything in its path. There was even a shot of me/Anthem Girl and Lexi dangling from the edge of the bridge. I turned away as if looking out the window when that scene came on just in case my mom would match up the faces.

“I can’t believe Anthem Bridge collapsed,” my mom said more to herself then to me, “It’s been there ever since I was a kid.”

“Geese it must be really old then.”

My mom playfully slapped me on the arm. “It’ll take months to fix, now it’ll take forever to go out of town.”

Anthem City was on an island completely surrounded by water. The only way out was by the two bridges or boat.  With one bridge down you’d have to go completely to the over side of town to leave, or take the ferry which was agonizingly slow.

I watched the news with my mom for a little bit longer, chatting about school and friends, until it was time for her to go to work.

I turned off the TV and faced the empty apartment; something told me I wasn’t getting a visit from Luke tonight.