The Accidental Construction Superhero

Chapter 5: Echoes & Rumors

The incident of him at the hospital didn't stay hidden for long, and neither did his construction miracle. Dave arrives at his regular coffee place before going to work. Without much effort, he was confronted by public attention. He ordered a large black coffee as usual to clear his brain. He suddenly heard two regular customers speaking amongst themselves. “Hey, isn’t that the guy from the CCTV footage?” the first one said. “Yeah dude, he is the one. How is he even alive?” He starts filming Dave without his consent. Dave notices that and prepares to leave after taking his coffee.

“Keep the change, Sarah,” Dave whispers quietly. 

Sara, a young barista at the coffee shop who has known Dave for quite some time, asks, “Are you okay, Dave?” “Yes, just havent slept well; you know I’m in a tough business. ”  

On the way out, Dave receives a call from an unknown number. He receives the call, and the other person speaks: “I have seen you getting in the cafe; may I have a quick interview with you?” Dave did not bother to reply to the man and hung up. He did not want any more attention, as he is struggling with many emotional aspects right now. With anxiety quite obvious on his face, Dave leaves for work. 

His bike still broken, Dave arrives to work a little late. His colleague Emanuel joked, “Hey man, did you teleport here?” The foreman Salvador said, “You’re going to make work easy for us; I heard you can lift trucks now?”  Dave gets irritated and says, “Cut it out, y’all; it’s all just rumors. The accident wasn't even that serious.”  “Okay, hero, chill. “Don’t throw us out of the window,” Steven mocks. Dave sighs with a heavy breath and murmurs very softly, “Didn’t want any of this, I swear.” 

Looking at his grown muscles, Emanuel puts an arm on Dave’s shoulder and says to him, “If you need some extra money, strongman contests are always a good option.”

Dave returns to his motel, mentally tired, fighting inner demons. He opens up the internet and finds himself everywhere. People are calling him “metal man” and “truck defender,” speculating what the hell he actually is. Some are saying he is a mutant, others saying he is an alien, a demon, and whatnot. He saw comments filled with assumptions , “Fraud,” “God among men,” and “new menace to the public.” He tries to shut off both his phones and his thoughts, but his efforts are in vain. He tries to sleep, thinking that might ease his thoughts, but wakes up from nightmares. 

Every time he tries to sleep, the thoughts of his ex, his powers, and his job try to tangle him like the mystic tentacle that bound him that night. He sees himself in many places unknown, with many faces he has never seen before, doing things he couldn't even imagine doing. Every dream feels like a quest, every breath now feels tiresome, and he spends the night restless. He wakes up every time with a pounding heart and a sweaty forehead. He goes to the kitchen, makes a cup of hot chocolate, but breaks the cup just by squeezing it with minimal force. Dave realizes he actually does have powers now. His anxiety rises. What if he hurts someone with this uncontrollable strength of his, or worse, what if he accidentally kills someone? 

After sitting silent for a long time, he says to himself, “What the hell is this? What am I becoming? Is there some purpose? What if I mess up? And how do I fix up my mistakes?”

Looking at the mirror, Dave realizes something is visible on his forehead. Something like a bruise. “What the heck is this?” Dave said. He remembered this was the exact place the lightning tentacle touched him for the first time.

Dave, with astonishment and a small amount of fear, touches his forehead and feels a little shock in his fingers. 

Dave’s miracles were not a secret to the government either. The national intelligence had been scouting him since the day he performed miracles in his construction site. The next evening when he was returning home from his shift, he noticed something odd. Dave navigates his way through some alleyways to avoid traffic and can sense someone following him. He twists and turns through narrow paths, and whenever he looks behind, the figure disappears.

He accelerates his pace and sees the follower matching his speed. Dave speeds up once more and takes a right turn. The figure follows and suddenly sees Dave right in front. Both of them collide, and the figure falls on the ground. Picking up the character by the collar, Dave notices it is a woman. Dave quickly releases her and asks, “Who are you? Why are you following me? You must be another petty reporter, right? I will not give any interview.” 

Not answering any of his questions, the woman flees, dropping behind a small satchel. Dave picks up the pack and finds a badge inside. His heart thumps as he sees the badge is of a government agent. There he also finds a small book with a seal upon which is written "Bureau of Anomalous Phenomenon”. He didn't have to think twice to understand he is under complete government scrutiny. He felt violated, anxious, and a little scared knowing that every step he takes is monitored by someone. 

anxious,

On a gloomy day after the chasing event, Agent Raina, sitting in a dimly lit government office, monitors all the footage she could find about Dave. Raina thoroughly reviews all the clips, especially the bar fight. Her superior inquires, “Is he a threat or a gold mine?”  “I can't tell yet, but he definitely displays positive signs,” Raina replies. “We cannot let a maniac like this roam loose in the city; the public will start panicking in no time,” the general says. Rayna argues, “We have to take a different approach on this one. He doesn't seem to want fame; it looks like he is searching for answers. If we move about correctly, he can be a perfect asset to us.” “Asset? You know what can happen if he awakens to his full potential and goes rogue?” howls the General in a coarse voice. “Let me handle this particular case, General. I have never failed you before. Let me go off the books for this subject.” Raina spoke with complete conviction and a bit of empathy in her eyes.